The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-05-20
GEL ON
BACKBONE
New Evangelist at
the Central
Union.
THREE CONVERTS
LAST NIGHT
Vim. 6. GjeI Scores Hvnocr;tos
VIM. E. GieI Scores Hypocrites
and Starts Big Religious
Revival.

The religious and reform movement
in Honolulu is to receive another i'm
petus. William Edgar Giel, evangelist
and giobe-tourist, is now in this city
and judging from the effect of his mi
tial sermon last night at the Central
Union Church, the series of revival
meetings that he is to conduct, will
enliven the subsiding enthusiasm that
was aroused by the recent crusade
Mr. Giel is not an ordained minister
but is an evangelist who has been sent
on three years tour of the world by
several wealthy philanthropists of the
Eastern States. to investigate the mis-
sion fields in different countries He
delivered his first lecture In Honolulu
last night at Central Union Church,
the building being crowded to its
doors.
Mr.. Giel speaks informally and fear
leSSly, interp0Sing mfrtn-provoking
home-thrusts at the weaknesses of his
audiences.
Last night he kept the hundreds of
people who listened to him in a good
humor, at the same time attacking the
reputed failings of the church with
energy and force. He assumed that in
his audience there were some hypo-
critics, and he addressed himself in SEN
sational and drastic terms to them.
He related a story in point: Several
college students. seeking to humiliate
a professor of entomology, took the
body of bug, and attached to IT the
head, feet and antennae of other bugs
of different species, placing their crea-
ton before the professor for Identified
ton. They thought he would be con-
fused, or would classify the insect, in
which case they would have chance
to laugh, but the professor. without
hesitation, pronounced the bug a hum
bug.
Mr.. Giel said that there were lots
of religious humbugs in town, and pro-
ceeded to score the species roundly. He
said that he would return again and
tell the congregation of Central Union
more plain truths. He goes to Hilo via
the Kinau, on Tuesday, and will return
to Honolulu the latter part of the
week. Beginning next week, he intends
conducting a series of enthusiastic
meetings.
His subject last night was Back
bone" and in support of the need OF
spiritual vertebrate, he read a text
from Romans 1:16: For l am not
is the power of God unto salvation to
every one that believeth: TO the Jew
first. and also to the Greek
After the close of the regular ser
vices. and the congregation had been
dismissed by the benediction Of Rev.
Mr.. Kincaid a fifteen-minute special
service was held in the Sunday School
rooms of the church, Mr.. Giel having
invited all those who were impressed
to remain After a hymn the evangei-
list made a stirring appeal, and called
for avowals of conversion.
There were three responses, and a
number signified their desire for the
prayers of Mr.. Giel and his religious
coworkers.
Mr.. Giel is a vigorous, bright, and
earnest seeker after souls, and pos
esses a magnetic personality and pow
ers of oratory. 1t is probable that
when he takes up the regular series
of meetings and has the opportunity to
interest people in nightly lectures.
there will be a repetition of the Muir
ply wave of enthusiasm.