New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-09
MOB TO SEE CHILD PREA CHER.
NARROW ESCAPES FROM A PANIC IN
COLORED CHURCH.
THE ROY TURNS EAGERLY FROM EvANGELlzING
TO SELLING HIS PHOToGRAPHs-HIs MOTHER
BEMoANs THE FAILURE TO CHARGE
FOR ADMISSION.


FOR ADMISSION.
Every seat. every aisle step and every inch of
standing room in the Mount Ovet Church. in
Fifty-thrd-st. occupied yesterday when the
mulatto child preacher. Lawrence Dennis, whose
appearance as a Juvenile evangelist has aroused
great deal OF interest. appeared on the platform
An efor; to close the gallery doors, however. met
with so fierce a resistance that II had 10 be
abandoned.
One-fourth of those present in the church were
white people. When the attemp; was made TO
close the gallery doors women screamed and men
struck out vigorously The leader OF the services
called on the choir to sing. but the man who
pumped the organ had deserted his post TO watch
the fight and the choir joined him People on the
floor began 10 push toward the door. and one
woman screamed and almost tainted. She declared
that she had heart disease but none Joined more
heartily in a subsequent football rush to get nearer
70 the little negro preacher Not a policeman APP
peared within the church while the service lasted
and 1t was impossible 10 leave by the front doors
Finally the audience became quieter but at one
time panic and possible fatal rush for the doors
only narrowly averted.
on the platform with the hve-year-old evangelist
were his father and mother the former tall gray
halred, gray-whiskered man who might pass for a
white man. and who looks like a farmer: the
mother a robust. thck-lipped negress. r. d. Sales.
the superintendent OF the Sunday-school connected
with the church, conducted the services, anu the
Rev DIR. D. ~ Birmingham, a white clergyman.
opened with prayer. The child evangelist wore a
white froclS such as a child three years old would
wear and curl hung in front Of each ear As
he came upon the platform he stamped clapped his
hands and raised his above his head. all the
time trying to command silence Finally ne ex-
claimed DO you want hght?'' Other words he
uttered we're interpreted by Mr.. Sales.
The singing OF AT the Cross" Nearer. Ny God.
10 Thee" and other hymns was ordered from the
platform IT was said. the command Of the child
and he paced back and forth while the singing was
going on excaiming "All rise. All sing. All
together" All the time there constant hub
hub in various parts Of the church. people quar-
relng audioly about seats and pushing At the
close Of the singing the child held his hands aloft
and Mr. Sales announced that ten minutes would
| be allowed in which to question the child The
questioning lasted for forty minutes the child con-
! tinulng his walk up and down the platform. ex-
/ claiming continually. Question briefly" and an
swerng briefly the simple questions put TO HIM
| How can | De saved9' asked woman
.Re washed in the blood OF the Cruciaed One,
he answered several times. This answer pleased
the darkes and established the little preacher
reputation.
How does God make manifest that we are to be
saved" asked a gray-haired white man;
THAT is foolish question, - returned the child
! that caused him to continue: Sinners 20 TO hell
/ You'll 90 there now This whole church go to hell
Jesus Christ died to save all you ,heians' EVIL
| At his Invitation 10 sinners TO come 10 the pat
form. a colored woman and TWO white women came
forward and he told them 10 kneel. grasping enc
/ by her hat TO draw her down in his eagerness. a
minute later he was selling his photographs FOR q
cents each and shouting aloud, Hurry give me
that quarter. one OF the church trustees stopped
this bargaining, and none TOO soon, FOR so eager
were the buyers that in front OF the 2ulplt men
and women white and black struggled fercely
The child's mother expressed her opinion OF me
disorder in church In these words You peopi.
! come heah for curiosity's sake, and you doan pul
nothin in the basket. How you expect Wes goan
10 lib and travel round? Pushin' n shown how
We goin' to get that collection basket round, I'd
like 10 know? Most like we'd had more a thou
sand dollars II things managed properly
The only way 70 get the payin' crowd IL 10 charge
admission We doan tend no more free churcnes
tell you 80, -., - 81,
every question he heard. Rarely did he laugh. anc
| then only when the audience was bowling AT wnlcf
| times once or twice ne emitted A whoop. Ere
| quenty he would turn the older people on tn'
| platform He paid absolutely no attention TO tn'
! pickaninnies who crowded the platform steps.