The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-05
A NEW TRAMP PREACHER
JOHN MORRISSEY "CALLED OF COM
TO ATTACK THE MINISTER'S.
Unique Texas Exhorter and Poet Who
Denies Divine Warrant of Preach
ers to Draw Salaries.


St Louis Post-Dispatch.
1T you want to gain the kingdom" saws q
49, preacher gazing round,
want Yo,, that ,,I home In glory where you lay
your Dur0en down,
ray attention to this message and that
heavenly city see
cave your heart unto religion and vour
pocketbook to me.
Hear the words the Master told US. Law not
treasures up on earth,
Give a liberal large collection and receive
the second birth;
When the dimes and nickes jingle then
- We'll shout our Jubilee
Give your heart unto religion and vour
pocketbook to me.
Give 1T all and don't begrudge it, dont't be
holding any back;
Sacrifices must be offered when we walk
the narrow track:
Pass the hat along the benches pass It
Slow so all can see-
Give your heart unto religion and your
pocketbook to me-"
John Morrissey, a Texas street preacher
and poet, has reached st. Louis on his
pilgrimage. He gathers crowd on the cor
ner, recites the above poem and then pro-
ceeds to preach against the preachers.
who. he declares, are the worst enemies of
mankind and of true religion. John Nor
rissey arrived from Texas on foot He
breaches that there are no preachers with
the
gospel Mr. Morrissey was born in Linn
erick and was reared in the Roman Catho-
lie faith. He has got a long way from
that faith now. and declares that the Bible
is the only guide and that the only church
is in mans heart. Morrissey's florid face
is smooth shaver. His eyes are keen, but
when he grows earnest they lose color, be-
come filTny and vague like the eyes of a.
medium entranced. His shoulders are
stopped his clothes old and worn but clean
His hat is new, soft, round and the brim is
rolled. Morrissey is the strangest figure on
the road. He carries nothing to tempt
thieves, is contemptuous Of the lazy tramp
as a mass and brotherly fond of every in
dividual he may aid. His hatred of preach
ers is not individualized He would help
the worst if he might
He has Travelled extensively in India and
Throughout Asia and speaks Hindoostanee
and Persian. He has Travelled the United
States over forty times, he claims, and has
no home save where he happens to be for
the moment He writes a good hand and
has done clerical work in courthouses in
every State In the Union. He is known,
he declares, in every mining camp from
Colorado to California. He was a drunkard
until hfteen years ago. Then he reformed
and he says the spirit of God entered his
heart and babe him commence his crusade
against preachers. He is a sign painter
but he works only enough to pay his way.
He walks, mostly, from place to place, and
never accepts donations of any kind in
return for his preaching against preach
ing. For several years he has devoted
himself to his mission" He has been
ridiculed, but he does not mind that He
speaks on the streets wherever he can get
an audience. He will speak in a school
house, but not in a church. Occasionally
in a street audience he is challenged to
argument by a preacher. Then he is in
his glory. In a street audience public SYM
pathy is most likely to be against the
preacher.
STUDENT OF THE BIBLE.
Mr.. Morrisey is sixty-two years old thin
wiry and as vigorous as man of fifty
He carries a Bible with him constantly
and has evidently studied it. He is very
much in earnest, and has written a book
covering his theories. He has not found
publisher who is willing to handle it, but
he is sure million copies will be promptly
sold whenever ii is printed. He carries
with him the manuscript of his precious
volume and exhibits it with the tenderness
or an artist unveiling a work of loving
thought and days. He is a good talker
and some or his epigrams are of the sam
Jones order. Mr.. Morrisey has issued a
challenge to the world at large and TO min
listers in particular, to prove that he is
wrong.
lie agrees with Rev. Logan Chase. the