The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-09-25
BILL ARP'S LETTER.
The Philosopher Talks About
the Tabernacle.
For The Constitution.

had already got it," Not around here, sald
she: cts the Joneses. They arc ten to one OF
the Browns and are increasing powerful, and
are generally doing mighty well, from Sam
down. They are runnin' the big meetings and
the college, and the carriage factory and a
merchant mill and some stores. and they oil
move around lively and own more good
property than anybody"
The Smiths and Browns and Jones have
never ifnmortalized their names on history's
page but nevertheless have proved to be right
good combination stock. Captain John Smith
was the founder of the jamestown colony and
ought TO have married Miss Pocahontas, for she
loved him and saved his life, aud If
he had, then all the Smiths on this continent
would have claimed that they descended
from him and had Indian blood in their veins,
and thoy would have sweled up and held thor
noses o. high in the air rs the Randolphs My
wife claims little streak OF that Pocahontas
Randolph blood, and reclten she has got 1t, for
can't make her do thing she don't want to,
and If ANYBODY was about to smash my head
with club she would jump in between and
save me. Aud tho ,Joncses have got some
pride OF ancestry too. for there was John Paul
Jones, tho great admiral who grappled the
enemys ship, and they ioughe and fought IN
ill his cannon all bursted, and when called on
TO surrender, replied mo, / have just begun TO
fight" and lie and his mon boarded the other
vessel, as their own was sinking, and they
took it and whipped twice thor number and
took them all prisoners. IIo was fighter, he
was, and / expect "our Sam" has got some
OF his blood in his veins. Then there was An
son Jones, the last presid ent OF the Texas re-
public, another fighting man. And there
was DIR. Noble Jones, revolutionary Georgia
patriot Of 1776 and the president OF the state
convention Of 1896 And there have been lots
of Jonesos ever since. who made an honorable
reputation. Most Of them have names as com
mon as their sir names and all called Sam and
4 7. I'D 4 Coo Il
Tom and George and such like 1t don't run
in the Jones stock to have fancy romantic
name. Sam Jones would be another Teller IL
he had a hifalutiD name.
The tabernacle meeting Is in full blast now,
and Sam breaches the morning sermon every
day and talks right smart besides. When he
can t lead he drives. He sits up high ON the
stage coach and cracks his whip, and the team
has got TO 20, willing or unwilling, His re-
sources seem to be as unlimited as ever A
poor blind man asked for help and Sam APP
pealed TO the congregation one night and told
them ne WAS going to have pound party next
morning and they must all bring UP something
for the poor folks Of this community
something that they could eat, drink
or wear, or some money to buy 1t
with and sure enough they brought money aud
supplies most liberal. IL ia astonishing how
much money he can mako upin little while
in large congregation. heard Rome man
cav Yesterday that lac had made up his mind
that Sam shouldn't draw but two dollars out
of hia pocket, but before he knew it he had
put "a ten dollar bill in tho hat. Old DIR. With
erspoon from New Orleans, preached SER
mon about the wants of the three million
sailors who lived upon tho sea and he asked
for help TO build chapels and sailors homes,
and do missionary work for them, and Sam
followed il up with an eNhortation and said
"How il broadens man to hear such talk
about these sailors-these three million of
strong men who live and work in continual
peril and among them all not an intdel or an
atheist They may be wicked, and when they
get on the land aud get their money they drink
and eaTouse and got in tho ealaboose; but
they all helieVD in that God who sends the
storm. 1t is these follows who are safe upon
tho land who become uitdels, but Just let u
little earthquake come along and shake 'em
up and they turn pale and tremble,
and would run worse than u scared dog il they
knew where to run to- These sailors ought to
he converted, and then every one of tEom
would be the same as q missionary in every
port in the wide world. Let's do something
for Thorn right here in CartePsville. Let's get
out of these selfish, narrow ways and do some
thing for other people. and we win feel better
and bigger and broader. You fol1crs here are
right clover and kind TO yourselves and your
folks, but you are bottled up too tight. You
have got enough religion, such as II is, but it
niu't the right sort Why, here is Brother
Cooper who wants to build n new Baptist
church In this town; but you can't do it, my
brother Your people nave got the money, but
they won't shell 1t out, and You had just as
well give up the job. They are depending
more on water than OF churches 10 save EN-.
And here are these Methodists OF Gainesville,
who want a parsonage, and they can't get II,
Brothers Adams has got about five hundred
members in his church. ana they don't average
more than three dollars piece all the year
round and they are not going 10 shell ont for n
parsonage. They are just setting around and
thanking God for giving them such cheap re-
ltgion II you don't believe salvation is free
just look in the Int after q collection. And
here IL u little squad of Preshyterians who have
been racking along until they have mighty
nigh racked out oh that could pick ont
about a hundred Of You CartOrville Christians
and send you TO California, and Kansas and
Minnesota and Canada on a free excursion and
let you sec something and learn something
and you would como back with bigger hearts
and broader principles. You have squatted
down right here until you believe You and
your little town are OF more consequence TO the
Almighty than all the rest of the world. In
stead OF expanding You aro shrinking up and
thoro arc some folks around here who set
about and crticisC and say Sam Jones talks
too much, and lac ounhtn't TO say this and lie
mad no business TO say that, and know some
of these very fellows who have shruuk IN SO
small that II = fly was TO light on the end
OF his nose Ii could scratch one OF his ewes with
one loot and tickle the other with
another foot all at the Same time, Now, while
preaching Is going ON heEe IN the tabernacle a
aboU, two-thirds OF the congregation seem all
~ once TO wake up from their lethargy, and
some get up on their seats 60 see which dog
Whips, and Il does look like you are moro in
terested in q dog ight than IN the salvation Of
your Immortal souls. But they say that dog
Ight in church Is good sign--a sign that the
devil has been driven out OF the po0ple and
gone into the dogs, and SO still have hope.
Now, we mnst do something for these sailors,
aud the moro you do the better you will feel
Let me SEQ your hat Brother Witherspoon--
yes, this is big enough. ! think II win hold
all that We Will get tonight I'm going 60 set
IL right here on the platform and Iwant every
body who has q heart TO feel for others to walk
ap 70 the hat and put something IN it, aud Tn
going 90 stand right by II aud sec who puts in.
Brother Cooper, lend me two dollars 10 put in
for myself III pay you back tomor-
row II l don't forget il, and
do you put IN dollar for yourself rs an OK
as Pile. Come right up now. all OF you. while
I'm a talking and put in the hat, and if those
sapheads who say sam talks too much are
here and don't put IN something just let 'em
pick up their old carcaSseS and rack out. These
folks that live just for themselves are like
steers that are being tattenod for market They
live So eat and drink, and that's about all they
do. The steer oats and drinks and lies down
q 1, I. r