The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-04-07
TRINITY SHOCKED.
A Little Old Man Makes an Ad.
dress to the Rector.
He Calls Himself John Bailey, the Converted
Collier Boyle Does Not Approve
Pastor Reeds Preaching.

A little old man, with closely-cropped
gray hair, made his way into Trinity Church
last night and created a sensation there.
He had handkerchief knotted around his
neck and white roses in three of the button
holes of his time-worn vest He took
seat near the middle of the edifce and
found the places in his prayer-book and
hymnal with readiness that proclaimed
him to be one well acquainted with the
contents of the volume.
The rector prefaced his sermon with the
announcement that $50 had been collected
at the morning service for the expenses of
the parish. This was 500 more than had
been requested, and Mr.. Reed thanked the
members for their generosity.
His sermon was one of series which he
is preaching on the labor problem. He
quoted the appeal of the young man to the
Savior to use his influence in inducing a
brother to divide the patrimony with him
and the apt reply of the Savior.
LABOR TROUBLES.
The speaker held that the troubles of the
laboring classes are caused by their i'm
morality, ignorance and Incidence, and by
the eovetousness of the capitalists. He did
not believe that an equal distribution of
wealth, single tax or Nationalism would
the laborer's best friend, the omniscient
one, had never declared that the land
should belong to no one and the product of
the land to ALL
Christ has declared that covetousness
was the root Of much evil II caused the
trust to make itself trip hammer to crush
competition and take the labor which is
their life from a million men. Covetous-
ness ii was that made men employ women
and children at SIS per week to take the
places of men and demoralize society.
Covetousness it was that makes men COM
pei clerks to work fifteen hours per day for
81 per week in their stores, and until
coyetousness and injustice and immortality
are oyerthrown. poverty will live.
A VOICE FROM THE CONGREGATION.
The little old nan in his seat not far
from the pulpit apparently listened with all
his ears to the eloquent preacher. At times
he nodded approval. and at times he sol
emnly shook his head, drew his under lip
over its companion and frowned in con-
demnation of the orators opinions.
At the close of one of the rector's most
brilliant paragraphs he arose in his pew,
aud to the astonishment of the congrega-
tion, shouted in piping voice:
Brother, would like to say something"
The rector turned from his manuscript
with amazement written on every line of
his face.
Just one word" squeaked the proprie-
tor of the roses and white neck-cloth.
The rector folded his hands with an air
of resignation and waited for what was to
come.
"1his thing is all wrong" said the little
man.
Il am born of the spirit. Mary Mag
dalen was born of the spirit but Thomas
was dOubter. He wanted to put his hands
into the point of the nails before he would
believe. The people here are not born of
the spirit"
REMOVED FROM THE CHURCH.
He rambled on for several minutes in a
voice pitched at very high key telling how
he had been redeemed, and was telling the
rector to make close study of the twenti-
eth chapter of st. John, when the sexton
extinguished him.
The rector made no reference to the in
terruption and calmly concluded his dis
course. The disturber was the cynosure of
all eyes as he passed out of the church.
He ought to be given to the police" said
a member of the congregation.
"Oh, no. He's harmless" another re-
piled. Hes been coming here for years"
To representative Of THE CALL the lit
tie man said:
81 am John Bailey, the converted collier
boy. l live at 705 Chestnut street, and
have been born OF the spirit I've been a
clergyman several years, I'm Y years old,
and would advise you to read the twen-
tieth chapter of St. John. You ought to
know all about it, but don't think you d." /"
why did you interrupt the rector?"
because he isn't preaching the gospel.
He's always talking about Lazarus and
Dives, and throwing stones at Joseph"
Then the Collier Boy" went on his way.