The record-union., 1899-01-18
A CYCLONE IN THE PULPIT.
EVANGELIST WEBER AMUsEs
HIS CONGREGATION.
He Out -Joneses Sam Jones in Lam
guage, Enthusiasm and
Eccentricities,

Rev. ]. H. Weber, the well-known
Ohio evangelist, opened his revival SER
vices at the SfXth-street NJ E. Church
| last night, much to his own satisfac-
tion, as we'll as to the great amusement
of the congregation; for his method is
humorous and original
The handbills announce the new evan
gelist as eccentric, and state that he
has been called the Cyclone and 9TH
er like names-and that his methods
shock the staid and dignified ministers
and pewholders. Mr.. Weber says that
his mission requires just the methods
he uses.
The handbills do not do the evange-
list justice; for he is a genius in his
profession, which is enthusing those
who watch and hear him. He is a
restless bundle of nerves with voice,
language, dramatic power and courage
well developed; he is a short, stout
man; his face is clean shaven, pale and
mobile; his voice is flexible, and his
manner is as easy as an old slipper.
He first attracted attention by lead
ing the congregation in singing. Be-
fore he was done with that part Of the
beating time with his hands like
great orchestral leader with his baton.
Sing it again, with more spirit" he
would command. A little later, he
would remark: Bless my soul, there is
only one poor little woman singing on
this side of the house! Wake up, sis
ters."
Then he would repeat the words:
Jesus died on Calvary, What Won
derful Savior! Jesus split his blood for
me, what wonderful Savior in a
soft and pleading manner, exhorting
everybody to fall in line on the song.
After few prayers by members of
the congregation, during which his
''amens'," were frequent and loud, the
time arrived when he was to begin his
preaching-and surely such q sermon
is seldom heard, at least in Sacramento.
We'll, I suppose you fellows came TO
hear Brother Weber, didn't We? God
bless you. I can only promise the
red hottest sermons you ever heard;
for I believe this old Bible from lid to
lid. l believe in a bottomless hell and
topless heaven, and I thank God that
I'm no new tangled Christian. I know
you won't like me at first; you'll talk
about me-but I use those who talk
about me to advertise my meetings. If
any of you dirty, Shiny old Christians
don't like my talk, stay at home, every
old rascal of you. Gaughter). I have
no use for the high mucka-muck Chris
tians, anyhow. Give me the old-fash-
ioned religion full blast
Almost the first thing he said was:
Il want an organist and an orchestra
before I'm through, for I'm going to
fill this house and convert hundreds in
this old town, bad as 1t is. If there is
not more enthusiasm in the singing I'll
get in the seats and show you fellows
how to sing" and again he led the
song like singing school master of the
old days.
Il can't dress in solemn, long-tailed
clothes like Carroll yonder 1 tried it
once, and God paralyzed me; fell fiat
on the piatform-so 1 had to be Weber,
and that means to save souls, for the
Lord is with me in my work.
I'll make you laugh, and some peo-
pie don't like that; but you don't know
my trick, for if can make a fellow
laugh I can bye and bye make him
cry--and then I've got him on the
Lords side
I'm here to take that sweet little
woman's husband out of evil and re-
store him to his home
I'm here to save your bad boys in
the saloons, and your sweet little girls
who do not love the Lord-and to save
all of YOU
The speaker said very little about re-
ligion last night except to advise every
body to be good. Tomorrow night
I am to let loose the dogs of war" he
said, land then you must all come with
your armor plates, for I'll have this
place crowded before long, and the con-
verted will be crowding one another.
In one town thousands were turned
away and the police had to keep people
from tearing down our doors, so when
1 went out into the streets the convert
ed hung to my hands and to my coat
tails, and I piloted them into Gods
house in that way. There'H be a
warming up here. I'll warm Brother
Carroll before I'm done"
The speaker then went to Rev. Mr..
Carroll and compressed his lips and
blew until he made a noise like a roar
ing flame in crate, much to the
amusement of the audience.
he Is du dClOT III dll ne does, and
there are depths of pathos in his voice
He has mobile face, plenty of enthu-
siasm, and a magnetic, odd way, which
rivets attention by its originality, If
by nothing else-but he breaches relg-
ion forcibly too, and tells story well.
Mr.. Weber's manner is much like
that Of Rev. Sam JONES' though mucn
more turbulent at times He has a
milder voice, however, and is likely to
appeal more to the heart He falls to
his knees, climbs up on the pulpit,
shakes hands with the ministers, runs
out into the congregation, buries his
face in his hands, weeps, laughs, or
does whatever he fells like with con-
fidence and power-and such men
have strange control over audiences.
1t is probable that he will portray the
horrors of hell and the beauty of Gods
love tonight, though his talks are
strictly unlike sermons in every par
ticular, except that he breaches the
religion of Jesus Christ and the duty
of acceptance as the only salvation
from everlasting fire.
SURPRISED THE CONTROLLER.