The Anaconda standard., 1899-03-26
INFANT EXPORTER EXPOSED.
One of the Audience Proves He Knew
Nothing of the Bible.

One of the Audience Proves He Knew
Nothing of the Bible.
Whenever | hear of these rcmarka-
bic infants who eXpound the gospel,
while their parents or guardians sell
photographs and mementos and super
wise the collection says Colonel Will
liam A. Boyd. president of the Tobacco
board of trade of Baltimore, with a
Chuckle of reminiscent joy Il am put
in mind of a child exhorter who appear
ed in the West a few years ago and
took by storm number of great re-
ligious centers like st. Louis, Chicago
and Omaha. He was youngster bout
seven years old, and a sanity looking
prodigy. His hair was long and con-
fined in plaits with blue ribbons at the
end, and his nose and eyes were turn
ed heavenward constantly A man who
professed to be his father accompanied
him. He wore sad and patient eN-
preston and his clothes were of clerical
cut. His part in the programme was
apparently small, and consisted merely
in selling photographs and biographies
OF the infant evangelist.
'One night I met some men in a hotel
in Omaha, and they We're discussing
the prodigy, who then was holding
forth in a small church. In the party
was tall. smooth-shaven young man.
whose name was Kendall Kenny or
something like that, and he proposed
that we go to hear the infant. We
went. The church was packed with an
excited throng, through which we push
ed our way and secured seats we'll no
in front. The child's choice of language
certainly was wonderful for one SO
young, and the extent of his biblical
knowledge appeared so great that we
were astonished. AS for the rest of the
listeners they were carried away by
his impassioned utterances. But the
tall smoothshaven man, who had pro-
posed going to hear the prodigy, sat
with d peculiar and irreTerent smile on
his face. Nor did he pay any attention
to the child, but kept his sharp eyes
glued on the alleged father, who sat
on the platform of the chancel appar-
emily wrapped in an ecstasy of ptous
joy.
Put a question to the boy whis-
pered he, nudging me. | refused at
first, but he grew persistent, so finally,
to prevent him from attracting atten-
tiun to us, | complied.
why We're Adam and Eve expelled
from the garden of Eden?' / asked
Hardly We're the words out of my
mouth before the answer came back
from the child in a keep bass voice:
For swiping apples, my sinful
friend. Ask me something easy
The congregation was thrown into 4
panic. The child looked utterly dis
mayed, and the father seemed like a
man on the verge of an epileptic fit
| The only serene person present was thf
smooth-shaven young man, who con-
| tinued to smile and look happy.
"'There's something wrong here eN-
| claimed a gruff voice from the rear
Will you kindly explain it, my little
| friend?
"The infant evangelist turned with a
dazed face to the father without reply
ing. The latter pulled himself together
and stepped forward as if to address
the congregation. but before he could
say word the child, who was resum-
ing look of greater placidness, seemed
to say in his natural voice:
This is a skin game
Everybody arose and the hubbuh
was deafening.
"Some sacriegious person without
| is playing a depraved trick, screamed
| the father of the infant evangelist
trembling visibly and wildly scanning
| the amazed faces before him.
| YES responded the deep bass voice
| which had seemed to issue from ths
| child's lips. but which now came from
| another part of the church. the samt
| triloquism.'
THE father collapsed, and the chile
augmented the tumult by his cries anG
| sobs
1--WE must get at the bottom of this,
| declared a solidlooking citizen coming
| forward to the platform. Who is il
makes the charge of ventriloquism?
! Then the tall. smooth-shaven young
man rose to his feet and confessed He
| said:
"I can prove to your entire salts
| faction that what | charge is true il
you will insist on the man leaving the
room while the child remains
1T is a le.' shouted the man.
springing up in a frenzy. Turn that
fellow out. He is a disciple of Satan
and has been sent here to do evil works.
AS a Christian | implore ye, brethren,
to turn him out
But they did not turn him out. On
the contrary, the SOlid-lOoliing citizen
insisted that the tall smooth -shaven
young man explain how he had detect
ed the trick.
THAT is a simple matter replied
he. In the first place | noticed that
the tones of the voice which seem to
come from the child were too mature,
full and definite to belong to him. Then
| soon discovered that the lips of the
child moved with a mechanical regu
larity. Besides, his gestures were Of no
import to the sentiments expressed and
We're as mechanical as the lip move
ments.'
In spite of his pleadings the father
was taken into the Vestry room. The
child was questioned, but could give no
more accurate or erudite answer than
any other youngster of his age. The
outcome might have been serious for
the man had not the church people con-
IA l..
gain and to observe secrecy to save
themselves from ridicule. New York
Press.