The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-05-11
DIVIDED AS TO JONES
EVANGELIST is THE SUBJECT OF
STREET AND CLUB TALK.
VIEWS OF PUBLIC DIFFER.
CITY OFFICERS OPINION OF THE
PREACHER.


Him Better Created Great Deal
of Discussion - Other Aldermen
Endorse the Statement - Express
siOns From Some Who Talk About
MIR. JOnes-City Administration
VIII Probably BE rendered the
Compliments of the Preacher.
No subject is more generally discussed
in Savannah to-day than the coming of
Rev. Sam Jones. Ii is said that the evan
gelist loves nothing better than adver-
tisement and if such is the case, he must
be beaming with smiles, if any inkling of
the stir that has been created here has
reached him.
The statement of the alderman. in the
Morning News yesterday. that the Park
Extension would never have been grant
ed by the City Council for the use of Rev.
Mr.. Jones, set a good many people talk
ing. Some discussed it in a way to show
that they thoroughly agreed with the al
dermah, while others, welded to the be-
lief that Rev Sam Jones is great saver
of souls and a power for religion, INDUCED
in good deal of adverse comment.
Just as he said, however, the alderman
seemed to have voiced the opinion of the
board in his utterance, for of the four or
five of the members who were seen about
the statement, only one did not concur.
They did not hesitate to say they thought
as did the alderman quoted, either, only
stipulating that their names should not
appear in connection with anything they
might say.
That is a stand that is taken uniformly
by all who have anything to say in oppo-
stion to the evangelist. One of the al
derman was asked why it that ne
did not desire to have his name men,
toned. His reply, which was pretty much
as follows, was admitted by one or two
of the others as being their own reason:
of well, you see, it is this way. Peo-
pie are very touchy upon the subject of
religion, and l do not want to offend
any one. unless it is absolutely neces-
sary. There is no reason why I should
tread upon the feelings of those who do
not believe as | do about Sam Jones.
Then, too, there are some who do not
think that he is altogether bad They
say he represents religion, and ! do not
want to be placed in the position of an
tagonizing religion, even though such an
apostle as Sam"
what may be heard from many who say
hard things about the evangelist. lie
is cordially disliked by a great many
and greatly admired by a great many.
| The neutral few do not have very much
| to say about him. Some of those who
dislike him so much swear that they Will
no. 10 to hear him, believing that they
! can thus show their disapproval of such
ulterances as he gives forth from the
| pulpit The majority of those who 10
| not wish him well, however, declare that
they are Scing through curiosity, in mucn
the spirit that they would go 20 see Il
circus
Speaking of the approaching meetings
another alderman said:
Eyes. the alderman was certainly right
when he said the board would never have
granted permission for the use of the
Park Extension had it been known of
| Just what language he could be guilty. l
have no respect for Rev. Sam Jones.
shall not go to hear him. l do not see
how any lady can attend one of his meet
ings."
Another alderman was asked what he
| thought about the matter of granting the
use of the Park Extension. His reply
was: Il think it would have been a
| good plan to have done a little investi-
| gazing before allowing the use Of the
! grounds"
The next one who was approached said
| "WeH. it's this way. / think about as
hard things about that man as any have
heard expressed anywhere. but in a mat
ter of this sort, where application is made
for the use of public property, where the
application is advertised and where only
| Endorsements and no objections are heard,
| an alderman should be guided by what
is indicated to his mind as the popular
wish. Nobody offered any objection to
the Park Extension being granted for the
preacher, so what was the board to do
but grant it, If the extension had never
been granted and we knew all that we
now know about Jones' I should vote to
allow the use of the extension, probably,
if no objections were offered
The next alderman delivered himself in
this wise: "Of course the alderman was
right. Jones could never have got the
Park Extension had we known just what
a character he is"
StiU another member of the board said:
Eyes, l think the alderman was right"
A prominent city official had this to
say: DO you know what l think? Weu
/ believe that Council should never have
granted the use of the park extension
The reverend gentlemen making the APP
plication should simply have been inform
ed that the fair name of Savannah de-
manded chat no such incentive be given
a turbulent element TO make an attack
upon the preacher or cause a disturbance.
l am not going to hear Sam Jones. I
dsapprove of him. but do not advocate
extreme measures. They can do no good
| When adopted, they hurt any city"
OF course there are a great many who
have kindly words for Mr.. Jones, but
they are usually OF the stereotype order.
and to quote the expression of one would
be covering the ground for all.
A well-known member of a leading con-
gregation of the city was reminded that
his pastor had espoused the cause of Mr.
Jones. The gentleman FASTENED TO as
sure that the pastor was not backed up
| by the congregation. HE didn't know
very much about the conditions" the
! gentleman said "and was talked into the
| thing by -- -," naming a minister
who has been prominently identified with
! the Sam Jones movement
The aldermen do not seem 70 fear the
raps that they are regarded as destined
/ to receive from Sam Jones. 1t Is looked
| upon as "a matter of course that he will
attack the city administration. One or
! two representatives of II have declared
| that they will come back at him II he
should which would probably not be dis
| pleasing 20 the preacher.
TABERNACLE n READY.