The Savannah morning news., 1901-05-12
CHURCHES NOT IN IT.
THEY MAKE NO MONEY OUT OF
THE SAM JONES MEETINGS.
EvANeELISTs WILL DIVIDE.
THEY TAKE THE MONEY LEFT AT
TER MEETING EXPENSES.

dermen About the Use of the Park
Extension-Men's Views Regarding
Jones VIII Change-One Alderman
Says Police should stop Meetings
IL Mr.. Jones Should Become Inn
proper-Another Says 1t Is the
Mayors Privilege to Revoke the
Privilege in That Event-Mr. Stew
arts First Meeting This Afternoon.
One of the Sam Jones stories going the
rounds is that the churches which united
in the invitation to the evangelist to hold
meetings in Savannah expected to realize
handsome profits. An official in the city
government said he had heard from what
he considered reliable source, that the
churches were in it for all they could
make out of it.
Rev. w. A. Nisbet pastor of the Sec
ond Presbyterian Church and president of
the Ministerial Association, was seen
about the report. "That is the first in
timauon l have received of such a
thing said Mr.. Nisbet. II do not know
from whence it came, but you may quote
me as saying that no statement could be
more unqualifiedly false
There Is not the least shadow of any
agreement stipulation relative to Sam
Jones coming to Savannah. The
churches have entered into no contract
with him about money matters. When
the committee which extended the invita-
tion found him at Brunswick and had its
talk with him about his coming to Sa-
vannah, his only stipulation was that the
tabernacle should be built before his ar
rival and paid for, he did not desire
to raise money during the course of the
meetings to defray the cost. That has
been done.
Collections will be taken up at the
meetings, and the proceeds will go toward
defraying the expense OF maintaining the
tabernacle. A Waterman will be kept
there day and night, and there will be
other slight expenses. The residue will
go to Mr.. Jones and to Mr.. Stewart. The
churches do not share in the proceeds"
MT. Nisbet was asked what he thought
about the statements that had appeared
in the Morning News from aldermen rela-
tive to the privilege that had been grant
ed for the use of the Park Extension for
the Sam Jones meetings, the view usually
expressed by members of the board haV-
ing been that, had they known much
at the time about Rev. Mr.. Jones as
they know now, the vote to accord the
right would have resulted in the turning
down of the Ministerial Association,
which made the application.
Such talk" said Mr.. Nisbet, 'is of no
more Importance than that in which that
crowd of little boys might indulge" in
dicating a collection of urchins who were
parading along with military band 1T
| is childish for the aldermen to talk that
| way, and l am not surprised that they
do not allow their names to be used. We
| are not one whit alarmed by what they
| say.
I'VE have our rights, now that they
have granted us the use of the extension,
and we propose to stand upon them. We
will not give up the privilege of holding
the services in the tabernacle in the Park
| Extension. Let them try to revoke the
privilege, If they like, and see what the
result will be. We would go into the
courts about the matter, taking the case
to the Supreme Court, if necessary. We
| could certainly secure an injunction and
| prevent the revocation of the privilege. 1t
is all talk, however, nothing but talk,
and you will see that nothing comes of it.
Just let Sam Jones have two or three
of his meetings in Savannah, and 1 am
|
convinced that he is altogether in error
| will see that he is not so bad as they
| imagine him to be. Jones has a great big
| heart, and one cannot attend his meet
| ings without having that conviction fore
| ed upon him. Abuse of the evangelist,
that now falls from many, will be chang
ed to praise, l apprehend, when they see
that he is a man whose heart is full of
kindness toward his fellow man.
40 hot Co
Jones says, but believe that he can and
does accomplish great deal of good. And
believe more, 1 believe that his coming
will work for the moral improvement of
| Savannah. l have considered this matter
deeply. l considered it long before ever
deciding to give my vote to the invita-
ton to the evangelist I am not one to
jump precipitately into a thing My
| soundest judgment prompted me to the
| belief that the interests of
Savannah demanded Sam Jones, and I
shall not consider that 1 am mistaken
until the event has proven to me that
am. / am as strong now as ever in my
! conviction that the Ministerial Associa-
ton did the proper thing to invite him.
"Mr. Jones will be in Savannah as the
guest of the Ministerial Association
While he is here, shall treat him with
every consideration. Should 1 see that
he is going beyond the bounds of all rea-
son in making statements, why l shall
tell him that cannot indorse nor support
him in his statements along the line to
which think there are objections OF
nature that should prevail. This warn,
ing. however | should certainly give him
before withdrawing my support.
LAS ! have said, l do not approve OF
everything Sam Jones has said. There are
things he has said that I could have
wished he had not said. When / heard
! him at Waycross, there was one utter
ance that l thought he had better have
left unsaid. Should he turn to me I'm the
| tabernacle, after making a statement of
| which did not approve, and ask II /
Endorsed him. l should certainly tell MIN
that l did not. should not argue the
matter with him there, but would sim
ply say that he and l might discuss II
after the meeting"
| Another member OF the aldermania
board was seen yesterday for an express
sion about Sam Jones. He said: at is
wrong for the aldermen to talk as they
have about what they would have done
had they known more about the preacher
| They have given permission for the use
of the Park Extension. and there is no
reason why they should cry about II now.
All that can be done Is to have Jones
stopped by the police IL his statements
become so Indecent as to threaten the
morals OF our people. II Is not right that