The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-23
AFTER THE SOULS.
Steve HoIcombe's Vigorous
Theology.
HOmely Doctrine Propounded in Plain
Words With No faint of
Modern Skepticism.

"My friends, you'll go just where you
want to 90.
IF you want to go to hell there's no
power on earth can hold you back. and If
you want to 90 to heaven the devil himself
can't keep you from getting there"
This is straightforward. vigorous doc
trine. There's no heresy in it. no touch of
the modern infideiity. and it's fetching, too.
It's the kind of doctrine that Steve p.
Holcombe is preaching these days and even
ings at the old Biiou Theater, now the
Christian Union Mission.
Last night was fair example of the
night before and of tomorrow night.
Four hundred men and women-at rough
guess-occupy the red plush orchestra chairs.
Steve Holcombe, the reformed drunkard and
gambler, does the talking from the stage. A
young woman plays the piano at proper in
tervals, and there are two other men and as
many more women ON the stage.
Steve Holcombe has asked those who
want TO be saved to raise their hands.
And as the hands hesitate he is now
bringing his persuasive power to bear.
Remember you are under no obligation
to US II we have given you temporal aid.
That is. you're not bound to raise your
hand on that account
''Some fellows think il they don't come
up here and fawn and whine around and
make a show of something they don't feel
in their hearts they won't get any more
support. That's wrong. Don't raise your
hand unless you feel IT,
''Of course we're after your souls. We
wouldn't waste all the time on your old
bodies il We were not, but we want you to
come of your own free will.
Remember the power OF Jesus Christ Is
ali-saving. If we believe in him aud live
for him the devil can't get us until he kills
Jesus Christ And he can't do that, for
Christ IS the strongest.
Now, if you go into the barroom and
take drink before you come in here you
needn't raise your hand. We don't want
you.
Aud If you're girl monkeying around
here TO pick up some fellow I'd break your
back if l caught you raising your hand
that Is fguratyely.
"a great many people tell you they be-
lieve in Jesus Christ, but if they were -
die to-day they'd go straight TO hell. They
DON'T believe in Christ the right way. They
don't live the lite that Jesus Christ wants
us to.
people say they're backsliders. but I saw
they never were true Christians. If you
once get near to Christ in the right way you
may make mistakes. but you can never
slide back.
because why's
Because you know in the midst of all
your SORROWS and disappointments that
there is sunshine in your heart, and you
can't go back
This kind of theology brings the hands
up, brings them up faster than the learned
discourse Of q most eloquent divine probably
would.
Then the experiences begin.
A negro woman tells how she played the
good samaritan TO poor drunken white
man whom she has never seen since.
IL is simple tale, not quite opposite to
the point under discussion, which is the
sll-saving power of Jesus Christ, but she
told the drunkard that he had a soul to
save, she says her own is saved, and urges
her hearers to get theirs saved.
We have heard the joyful sound,
Jesus saves Jesus saves
Only one stanza is sung. Then more ex-
periences. A tall man not in fashionable
attire says he was in the coffee house in the
morning when he happened to think how
like lump of loaf sugar the saved Chris
tian is-bOth purified by blood.
What can wash away our sinse
Noth.ng but the blood OF Jesus
So sings the choir and the congregation.
Then workngman, with an English ac-
cent, tells of little girl. giving Santa Claus
a copper penny and toy.
w hat do we give Christi" says he.
Like Santa Claus, he gives US eyery-
thing, but we give him nothing"
Oh. happy Gay,
When wash my sins away.
And when this hymn is sung aud few
more experiences given Steve p. Hnlcombs
closes the meeting with little more of his
vigorous theology.
When II is all over not few 60 out of the
warm building with never home or even
bed 10 60 to-