The Savannah morning news., 1901-05-20
SAM JONES TO MEN
ARRAIGNED THEM BEFORE THE
BAR OF THEIR CONSCIENCE.
EVILS THEY SHOULD SHUN.
PROFANITY. GAMBLING, ADULTERY
AND DRINKING.


Abusive, but His Words Struck
Deep-Hearty and Frequent APP
plause Marked Concurrence in
Most of His Thrusts-MayOr and
Aldermen, Judges and Solicitor
General All Came in FOR "A Share of
sAttentfon-Great Audience of Men
stood at Close of the Service 10
show Desire for Better Things.
Sam Jones stag party a the Taberna-
Gle last night fulhled every promise that
abe evangelist made for it. Metaphoric-
ally, blood and hair were spread all about.
the crowd furnishing the blood and hair,
and the ground. was ''tore ZIP, = Mr.. Jones,
as he promised furnishing the ground.
The gathering Tor men only was the
greatest that has yet attended a service
at the Tabernacle. 1t was thought likely
that when the congregation was depriv-
ed of the women, who have usually pre-
dominated, there would not be enough
men left to fill up the place and leave the
usual fringe about on the outside. but
those entertaining such expectations did
not find them realized. There was larg-
er. gathering of men than a municipal
election can get together around the
County Court House. There were more
men than there are names on the list of
registered voters in Chatham county.
Packed and damned into the Taber-
nacle. Glowing and pushing their fellows
along the benches until room could be
made standing in the aises and ell about
the gates and on the outside masculine
14y;tb 1afp nj
ing highly interested in abe evangelists
sermon.
Shorn of a few remarks that were for
the ears of men alone, the sermon was
much like those that Mr.. Jones has de-
livered during his stay in Savannah, save
that there was, perhaps, more abuse in
it and more epithets and contemptuous
expressions. The crowd was well pleased.
though. was proven by the salvos of
applause. The sermon, 900, was indorsed
and the arrows and darts of singing sar-
casm that were let fly found marks in
city and state officials. 1t was such a
roast as those officials never before had
put upon them, and it could not have
been pleasant to them, were any present
90 hear the adverse praise that was be-
slowed upon them.
The service of course was without the
aid of the feminine voices that are usual
ly heard in the choir. But there was a
tremendous crowd of eager choristers, ac-
companied by Rosenfelds orchestra, of
the male persuasion, ala anxious for
places upon the platform Seats were at
a premium, anyway, and the man was
lucky who could get one. Even places on
the ground were not going begging. AS
soon as he began his remarks, Mr.. Jones
I'd ill
aisies to sit down on the ground, invi-
tation that was received by those whose
view was INSTRUCTED, with applause.
After the sermon had proceeded for
some minutes. a shower fell, but the
preacher was in no way disconnected !
Now, everybody keep still.' he said
God amt goin' to break up this meetin' |
with no shower. You fellows on the out |
eide there needn't be afraid of water, no
how; fires what you'd better worry about. |
You'd better stand a little ducking than
miss the sermon. Therel be a warm
time here directly Just crowd into the
eisles and have seats. IL you can't find
nowhere else to sit, why sit on the
ground
That brought the crowd in, and they
sat about in the aisles, escaping the rain
and keeping fairly comfortable during the |
hour and thirty-iive minutes that Mr..
Jones preached. At one time during his
Vdlk MI Jones saul on all Just Keep
quiet a little while longer and IN be |
through. 1 know I've been talking about
an hour and ten minutes, but l haven't |
got more than about two hours more to
talk" This brought applause from the
crowd, which seemed perfectly content at
the prospect of listening for two hours
longer.
II hope to see results from this SER
vice" said Mr.. Jones. that will tell on
Savannah for 100 years. So let's be quiet |
and attentive. When a minister of the
Gospel has anything to tell me, / have |
three questions that want TO ask him
! want to know If ne is posted on his |
subject. When he has shown me that he |
is want 10 know if he means kindly |
toward me in what he says When has
answered me that i'm the affirmative. l
want to know if he lives what he
breaches. II the three questions are an
swered affirmatively, / throw wide my
heart and listen to all that he has TO
say
Now, am I posted? That's a question
you can answer for yourselves. You
watch me as l go along and see If l don't
know what I'm talking about. As to feel
ing kindly toward you, l tell you that. as
sure as live, l haven't thing in my
heart against any man on earth Well
then, do l live what / preach? New, YOU
know that fellow that throws as many
rocks as Sam Jones does couldn't live in
glass house. No. sir they would have
broken up my house long ago But I'll
tell you this right here ii I didn't stand
better in Gainesville than most of you
folks out there do in Savannah, / wouldnt
criticize pjgger, ] wouldn't
Il take this text from Genesis. Escape
for thy life 1t doesn't take God long to
tell about the creation. He announces that
fact in pretty short order but lie goes
right on down through the ages giving
warnings and directing man how to look
after himself. We all love this life De
spair is the only thing In this world that
Is stronger than the love of life. and sui
eide is the last resort Of despair. ! have
trinity life a physical. an intellectual
and a moral life. The physical and the
intellectual life can be shattered and
broken by indulgcnces that impair health
and so is II with the moral life. which
can be ruined and wrecked by excuses
and by violation OF the laws of God. Some
men say they haint got no souls
Dogs don't have souls. Sin
wrecks a man here and damns him here
after. Sin is a transgression OF the law
arraign this great crowd before the bar
OF its own conscience. / do not have a