The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-16
JOE BLACKBURN CONVERTED.
The Kentucky Senator Persuaded by
the Eloquenoe of Evangelist Moody.
From the New York sun.

From the New York sun.
Washington. March 13.-Every United
States senator found in his mail this
morning a neat little package of religious
tracts, incircled by a rubber band and
bearing on its face the words, "Compl-
ments of j. c. S. Blackburn" This was
the popular Kentucky Senator's device
for announcing to his associates that he
had abandoned forever his old life and en-
tered upon new and untried existence
as the result of the convicting eloquence
of Evangelist Moody, who has been hold
ing revival meetings in Washing
ton for a month. Very early in the
course of the Moody meetings the Ken
tuckian began to exhibit remarka BILE in
terest in them. He became a regular at
tendant, and sat on the platform night
after night, within a few feet of the
evangelist, and 1t was noticed that the
two had frequent conversations together.
Then Mr.. Black burn began to invite
some of his friends to the meeting, and
everybody understood that he was very
much impressed, but the idea that JoviaI
joe Blackburn. who had for his whole
life led the gay existent which is pecu-
harly adapted to the kentucky tempera-
meht should really become converted by
MoodyS teaching and enter on the work
SlIld1l
way, never entered anybody's head.
The tracts with which Joe favored his
friends to-day were fouE in number One
is a brilliant little affair in red entitled
"Strong Drink or the Temperance Song
ia Gods Wordr which is filled with peril
nent Biblical quotations against the evils
of intempeaance.
The three others are tastefuIly printed
in gilt. Happy Nancy's secret or Conf
in LODI s.1T hat
IN an old brown cottage a solitary woman
She was some 80 years of age, tended her
little garden and knit and spun for q liv
ing.
She was known everywhere from vii
lage to village by the name of Happy
Nancy" She had no money, no family,
no relatives, and was half blind, quite
lame, and very crooked. There was no
loneliness in her, and yet there in that
homely, deformed body, the great God,
who loves TO bring strength out of weak
ness, had set His royal seal.
The lesson intended TO be brought home
to the senators by this tract is that they
should follow Happy Nancy's rule and
never give place in their bosom to imagi-
nary evils"
The other two tracts are in verse, One
is The Song of the Spa rrow," and re-
lates that:
I'm only little sparrow,
A bird Of low degree;
My life is OF little value
But the dear Lord cares for me.
1t proceeds for dozen stanzas in the
same vein. GA Little Pilgrim is embel.
lished with cut of a railway train. 1t
tells in rhyme story about a little girl
and a conductor, concluding;
OF gathering pence and clipping tickets. too,
The train was full and he had much to do,
Your fare, my little girl, al last he said
She looked moment shook her little head.
u have no pennies, don't you Snow," said
Lshe,
''My fare is paid, and Jesus paid for me. -
There are three more pages of this. with
appropriate scTiptural illusions, and the
grave and aggressive senators, from the
aged Morrill, down to the youthful Dubois,
are wondering which of them is to be in
fluenced first by Joe" Blackburn change
of heart, and how far the eloquent and
big-hearted kentuckian's new enthusiasm
will carry him.
Senators Squire, Proctor and Gray were
also very constant in their attendance
upon the revival meetings. and the last
named two nightly added their deep bass
voices to the chorus. Mr.. Squire is MIR.
Blackburn's intimate personal friend and
companion.
These senator's, with other public men.
were contributors to fund started by
Mr. Blackburn for the purpose of con
| tinuing the Moody and Saukey meetings
ten days beyond the date set for the close
of the revival,
Each contributor agreed to give one
days salary for the ten days. The salary
Of United States senator is about Sl4
per day.