New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-03-12
BIG JAM AT BIG BAPTISM.
NEARLY TWO HUNDRED CONVERTS M
MERSED AT MOUNT OLIvET CHURCH.
THE AUDITORIUM PACKED WHILE .
CROWD STRUGGLES IN VESTIBULE
AND ON THE SIDEWALK.

One hundred and eighty-four persons were
baptized by immersion at the Mount Olivet Bap-
tist Church, Fifty-third-st.. near Broadway, yes
terday morning. OF this number eighty-nine
were women.
In all 4uS persons received into the
Church. 1t was originally intended that 233 per-
sons should be received into the Church by bap-
tism. but of that number forty-nne did not pre-
sent themselves. The remainder were received
into the Church on profession of faith The bap-
tismal ceremonies were conducted by the Rev
c. T. Walker, the pastor of the church. and H
l.. Garter.
During the baptism ceremonies religious fer
vor was worked up to such state that several
women and two tainted. Three women
tainted while being immersed. All, however
quickly revived.
For five weeks the Rev Mr. Walker has been
conducting revival services In the church, and
yesterdays ceremonies We're the result of the
work of conversion.
Anticipating the crush that would be at the
church and fearful that there might be trouble in
handling It, Captain Donohue, of the West For
ty-seventh-st. station, detailed five patrolmen
from his command to remain at the church dur
Ing the services. Several times the patrolmen
were forced to resort to rather rough tactics in
order to keep the big crowd in check. Finally
at the request of the church officials the police
cleared the big corridors of the church and drove
several hundred persons who were late in arriv-
ing into the street
The jam about the church terrific. Every
conceivable vantage point taken inside the
big auditorium long before the services were
begun. People jammed into the church
like sardines. They filled the aises and stood
three or four deep about the pulpit Some time
before the services began the church was filled
and the police instructed not to allow more
to enter. Then began a wild scramble In
few minutes there were fully thousand per-
sons struggling in the vestibule and on the pave
ment outside the church
The candidates for baptism were seated in the
centre of the church. The women were on one
side of the aisle. while the men, black robed and
IN their stocking feet the other side
The women were all clad in loose fitting white
flannel gowns The majority of them had white
ribbons in their hair. The regular sermon was
preached by the Rev. j. Floyd, of Wheeling
w. Va.
The women were baptized first. then the chill
dren and the men last. The first to be i'm
mersed was little blind girl. AS she was
brought up up dripping from the big tank she
cry was taken up by the big congregation
AS the long line of converts filed up on the
pulpit and received the rites of the Church the
religious fervor was gradually worked up to an
intense pitch. The church was badly ventilated
and this, in addition to the great excitement
swoon.
While the mon were being baptized somebody
in the congregation began singing BYE and
Bye. The song was quickly taken up by the
entire congregation. and the religious enthu-
s1asm was increased. Men and women arose in
thelr seats, and While they sang they waved
books and handkerchiefs
1t was announced by the Rev Mr.. Walker that
on the list of converts were men and women
from every cline. There were several blind and
deaf and dumb. Mr.. Walker said that among
those who received baptism was a colored
woman who for many years had been employed
IN the household of the late Robert G. Ingersoll
the agnostic.