The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1899-01-25
Inspired to Teach the Gospel at
the Age of Three.
HOW LAWRENCE DENNIS BREACHES

boy VINO SJlrred up COIOr6Q Cs1ngr6ga-
ton by holding divine service in New
Brunswick. n. j., the other night, has
aroused much fervor among ths-colorad
people of that city.
The boys appearance in New Bruins
wick was announced from the pulpit of
the Ebenezer church and was also adj
vertised in the local newspapers. About
100 persons, mostly colored, paid Is
cents each to enter the little brick
church the other night. In the pulpit
they found a diminutive figure in a
white dress with black shoes and stock /
ings. His face was fair-nearer white
than many white boys faces in sum-
mer-and his long dark hair showed
scarcely a kink in the soft curls that
hung about his neck. His face was
sweet in expression and not at all ETH
opian in contour The eyes were deep
and soft and had an almost oriental
slant.
The boy seemed to be waiting for
something, and at length he stood up
and asked to be introduced. The Rev
E. w. Roberts of New York, who has
had charge Of the Ebenezer church for
some time, stepped up and formally in
troduced the little fellow, who then
asked that the hymn Come to Jesus
be sung. He led the singing himself in
a clear, childish treble that was sweet
and true.
After he had given out another song
he said he was ready to be questioned
The congregation did not know Just
what that meant, and there was a mo-
ment Of shutfling feet and indecision
"Ask me some questions some brief
questions, " repeated the boy, and his
mother stood up and explained that he
wished some one in the congregation to
question him about anything to do with
religion
Pastor Roberts rose to the occasion
and asked, after the manner of a cate
chist "Why did Christ Gomez"
He came to save sinners, answered
the boy
Glow do we know that?' was the
next question
sit was his mission, " was the reply
''He went about calling little children
to come unto him, and he chose IL apos-
ties and he called on the people to fol-
low him and to believe in the Lord. He
was crucifed for sinners, and then there
was the resurrection He saved the
whole world.
''How did he save the whole world? @
was asked next, and the boy said it
would take some time to tell it all, but
that he knew it. Then he told of the
life of Christ in more detail His voice
was childish and there We're occasional
slips in pronunciation, but the congre-
cation, after his first few sentences
was able to follow his meaning After
time Of awed silence the negroes be-
gan to cry out as the boy made point
after point in his story, and Halle
luiah!' and Praise the Lord" were
repeated again and again. The boy
talked on and on, started afresh occa-
sionally by new question, until he
came to the last prayer in the garden of
Gethsemane.
1t would take too long to tell you
about that, he said ''but l will show
you Wait here and watch while !
pray. Then he walked to a far corner
of the pulpit, knelt down and prayed
aloud for all sinners. care you sleep.
mgr he asked, when he had finished,
and the congregation in frenzy of en-.
thusiasm shouted, "No! mol" an6
called out and wept and exhorted one
another. The boy then stepped down
and walked from pew to pew
care you q Christian?'' care you &
sinner Have you been converted p
he asked person after person. and if any
one hesitated in answering he caught
that one by the hand to drag him to the
front seats IN the church. Grown per-
sons and children he asked alike and
said that no child was too small to have
sinned. He had sinned and repented, he
said, before he was 3 years old
When he had gone through the whole
church, he stamped his foot and held M
his hand for silence and then he ao77nt-
ed his sinners at the altar, II in all
Then he prayed for them, and the con.
gregation prayed with him and went
The meeting closed with another HYMN.
but it will be many days before the fer.
vor the boy aroused dies away. The
boy father is c. G. Dennis of Atlanta
mulatto, tall, spare and looking much
more like Caucasian than a negro
his mother is much darker skinned
The 10y was born, it is said, on Christ.
mas day, 1898, - years after his par.
ents' marriage, and is an only child
Mrs. Dennis says he first exhibited hi,
precocious knowledge of things religion,
when but little more than 2 years old
She says he has not been taught anv ~