The Savannah morning news., 1901-05-31

in the name of God. At every meeting
they focked to the platform, and the time
had to come when there were no more sin
ners to repent. The climax was reached
at the afternoon meeting.
Mr.. Jones began by saying that he
would use two texts for his sermon;
And Agrippa answered Paul and said,
Thou almost persuadeth me 10 be aChris-
tian. Well done thou good and faithful
servant enter thou into the joys of thy
Lord " Mr.. Jones said there are large
numbers in both classes in Savannah. ut
is sad to look upon those who are almost
persuaded to become Christians, but who
are faltering on the very threshold of a
brighter and finer life He spoke of those
who are not far from the Kingdom of
God and recalled that HE who dallies is
a bastard and he who doubts is damned.
The evangelist called upon his hearers to
take stand and to do the right and quit
the wrong.
Some of you people just try to see
how close you can get to the gates of
heaven without going in. Some of you
see how close you can get to hell without
going in. Get religion like you meant 1t.
So many SLOW folks are in this town.
fhis is a poke-easy atmosphere and al
titude The bicycles are the only things
that have got you going fast
to be hung. / would want it to go on
faster than you people are moving.
don't want nothing slow. Some of these
old brothers pray and preach until 1
would feel like saying, Wake me up
when that thing gets through There
amt no long prayers in the Bible. l eat
fast and believe in Citing up and git
ting. Git move on you, people. Bona
venture is a good enough place to rest
urhp hn 5vnn he hoo faef
children in Georgia never had a shoe on,
and | amt never observed any rules of
health. You just tie up your arm and
save it. and in a little while you can't
use it. Get out and move, and stop TAX
ing care of your health.
Brother Bascom, there; he started to
take care OF his beauty. Now just look
at him. The violent take the kingdom
of heaven by force. Young man, quit
your SHINING. Get religion and go at it
in a hurry. There amt no slowness in
the constitution and bylaws, neither.
backslide when it comes to long prayers.
I amt studying what he praying bout,
but when he gwine quit. It's all right
for him to get on his knees or in his closet,
and pray all ngiht; but don't make peo-
Pile backslide by praying SO long in meet
ing"
These political heeers and henchmen
make a door-to-door canvass from Christ
mas to Christmas, to see If you are regis
tered and to buy votes. Tain't no wonder
this crowd stays in Office. Why don't
you Christians work like that? Some folks
seem 'fraid this good work amt a-going
to last. Listen! Sam Jones amt 'fraid
faint going to hold out. The Methodists
believe in falling from grace, but I'm
a-going TO stand. Bascom, over there,
he breaches on Sunday about it, and his
congregation does it during the week.
There amt much difference between
the Presbyterians and Methodists nohow.
The Methodists know they got religion,
but they powerful fraid they going to lose
il. The Presbyterians know they can't
lose it, but they frad they amt got it.
"A lady came to me at the hotel this
morning and said Brother Jones, before
you come here 1 never heard in my life
that 1t was wrong to play cards and
dance. l never heard a preacher in Sa-
vannah say so. Preachers told me il was
left to the conscience of the people Now,
amt that nice talk on you preachers.
That wouldn't have surprised me if had
heard it in Hong Hong."
'"Taint in this crowd" came from Rev.
Bascom Anthony upon whom Mr. Jones
had been looking hard.
Ms you gwine to leave 1t to your con-
science whether to lie, or steal or cuss or
dance? Conscience is like the tar bucket
on the tail end of the wagon; lbs the last
thing. 1t condemns or praises what has
already been done. 1t don't tell you what
to do
You quit your running around with
them little preachers. If you don't watch
out they'u get you in hell l don't mean
the crowd of preachers on this platform.
Didn't you folks have to jerk one of 'em
up for preaching something that wasn't
in the Bible? He was one of the most
leadenest pastors in town, too Brother
Jordan, what was that you told me bout
that?" The preachers on the platform
stated that the rector in question is not
a member of the Ministerial Association.
"A man said this morning: Jones'
you've cut the saloon trade one-half every
day you've been here Now let's see
what that is Some of you preachers tell
me. You, Bascom. Let's See $50 saloons
at $50 a day, and one-half o that is $500
a day since / been here. But you people
are too e-co-nim-i-cal The stingy man
amt got no religian, an when he talks
it's jest something that he eat. amt got
no respect for a narrow, contracted
Christian. The fellow with the big ears is
generous and the fellow with the little
ones Isl sungy.
You preachers get some fertilizer and
SUR II up around the ears or those IN
your congregation. Bascom, you just get
a whole ton. You hear EN- say 4 ain't
got so much and Is gwine 10 keep the ut
tie bit that / worked so hard for You
good women will pay more for a bonnet
on Easter than you give to the church
for a year Now, amt that nice. You can
be a frst-class Christian here in Savan-
nah without a tearing your clothes. Taint
no rush for first place.
Get in the church. II don't matter how
you get in. You just get in and IL you
can swim when you get in, bud. we'll that
is the rub. See the pint. Just go right in
and say I'll do II. live or die, sink or
swim. just go right in and then you've
done done IT, you goose you"
MIR. Jones told of a destitute family
that had been called to his attention by
Rev. Mr.. Nesbit An aged man with a
blind wife and an afflicted child The
evangelist said that the case which he
was mentioning is one in which there
is no fraud and that Mr.. Nesbit would
receive any contributions intended for
the suffering people. A substantial sum
was realized. probably more than the
amount taken in the collection before the
service.
lnIIIAT MTII ~