The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-29
Rev. Charles johnson Said the COL
Ored Girl Could I'm No Other Way
Gain Salvation.
PORCELAIN BATHTUB LABORIOUSLY
CARRIED TO SICKROOM.
Indignation of n Flower Mission
Nurse Prevented Carrying Out of
Idea-Girrs Condition.

ton as the result of nervous excitement in
cident to an attempt made to baptize her
by Rev. Charles Johnson, pastor of the Sec
ond Colored Baptist Church, assisted by
many aged and stern faced brethren and a
few sisters who wanted the Smith girl to
have salvation before her death.
For over year Henrietta Smith, who is
seventeen years old, has been helpless in
valid and has suffered untold agonies from
the effects of tuberculosis of the knee. She
has been cared for by the Flower Mission
for the last four months and has been
under the direct charge of Miss Mays, who
is the district superintendent of the nurses
In the employ of the Mission, but from the
first Ii was realized that her condition was
hopeless.
During the past few weeks she has been
sinking steadily and yesterday the mother
was told that it was impossible for the girl
to live any great length of time. Mrs.
Smith is a member of the Second Colored
Baptist Church and at once consulted Pas
tor Johnson. who told her that unless her
daughter was baptized she could not enter
the Kingdom of Heaven, and he made 1t
plain to the anxious mother that she had
mistreated her daughter by not attending
of years ago. Mrs. Smith became enthusi-
astic and told the parson how she had tried
to rear her child in the proper way. She
had spent her last cent, she said, in secur-
ing medical attention for the girl and had
tried in every way to relieve her of her all
ments. but her every effort had met with
defeat.
GIRL TOOK TO IDEA.
toll xxrith
the parson she became more and more con-
WINGED that she had wronged her child by
not having her baptized early in life. before
she was so terribly afflicted. and on going
home confided her belief to her invalid
daughter, who had days before been APP
prised of approaching death. After many
hours of earnest communion with her
mother, the girl became a fanatic on the
subject herself. The idea was contagious,
and the more she thought of it the more
it appealed to her as the only proper thing
for her to do in her last few hours of life.
She consented to undergo baptism, and the
date was fixed for last night at o'clock.
With tears in her eyes. Mrs. Smith called
on Miss Mays, the mission nurse, who for
weeks and weeks had spent every energy
to make the life of the helpless girl easier.
and told her of the plan of salvation which
had originated with the Rev. Johnson, and
with mothery pride pictured her child
among the angels in the glorious hereafter
Miss Mays at once attempted to discourage
the plan, and told the mother that such
action would result in the immediate
death of her daughter, as she was not
strong enough to Withstand the shock of
being completely submerged in water, and
she refused to consent TO the removal of
the child from the house. Disheartened,
yet hopeful of another plan which the
parson might be able to suggest, the dis
tracted parent went again to the Rev.
Johnson and told him of the advice of the
nurse.
THAT can be easily overcome" said the
reverend gentleman. 1--WE will secure a
bathtub and place Ii in the center of the
floor of the sick room and there perform
the immersion, and. without danger, save
your daughters SOUL
The mother, who by that time had begun
to think that death might result, as the
nurse had told her, said that she was rather
afraid to try the experiment, and at any
rate she was unable at the present time
To stand the expense of funeral, but Rev.
johnson assured her that he would see
that the girl was properly buried after
her death; that collection would be taken
up among his flock to defray the expense
of the burial, provided one vas necessary.
Armed with the belief that the funeral ex-
penses would be betrayed by the church,
and assured OF the fact that her daugh-
ter's soul would be saved Mrs Smith
argued with herself that the advice of the
parson was the advice she would follow.
".
and his flock, numbering in all a hundred
or more assembled at the Smith home and
shortly afterwards two of the pillars of the
church drove up with wagon to the front
of the house and unloaded a porcelain bath
tub, which they laboriously carried into
the room of the invalid and deposited 1T
on the floor beside her bed. Death might
come if it wished and in religious glee she
clapped her hands and blessed the breth-
rem and sisters true who were assembled
about her bedside and crowding about the
rfnrf- atnh
glimpse of her slender figure before the
parson performed his duty.
SPOKE HER MIND.
At this point Miss Mays, the nurse, who
with untiring, hands had labored for weeks
with the girl, interrupted the proceedings
and spoke her mind at length. She told the
assembled church members that they were
committing murder and stated that she
had a moment before telephoned for the
police to come and stop the proceedings
which were sure in her estimation, to end
in the death of the patient She remonstra-
ted with the pastor, with the mother and
with the congregation against such
course and before many minutes had
passed several grey-headed members
were seen TO shake their heads in
disapproval of the baptism under the
circumstances. The women in the crowd be-
gan to talk among themselves. But the
religious fervor of the Rev. Johnson and
the mother was not shaken in the least and
as the girl was willing To do whatever her
mother thought best, ii was decided that the
proceedings should go The bath tub
was filled with water and willing hands
were found to lift the invalid girl from her
bed An attempt was made but the en-
thusiasts had no more than moved the girl
an inch from the bed than she screamed
from pain and tainted away. The parson
then turned and addressing his assembled
brethren told them that he feared the child
was too weak TO be baptised and il might be
a good idea to wait day or so before
the final attempt was made. She was not
really ready, he said, or she would not have
suffered such pain. and with that he left
the house while Miss Mays worked with
the girl to bring her back to consciousness
and the assemblage of churchfolk, some
carrying bibles and others prayer books.
walked slowly and thoughtfully away, con-
WINGED OF the truth of the word of their
leader that the day wrong for the bap-
tism.
THE CHILD'S EXPERIENCES.
Miss Mays. in speaking of the affair
afterward, said the experience of the child
during the last few weeks had been enough
to kill any ordinary mortal. Two weeks
ago, she said. the mother received SIS In a
letter from her son in Chicago. telling her
TO use the money for his afflicted sister.
to get her doctor and have her cured If
possible. At about that time an advertis-
ing doctor came TO the city and, in fiaring
posters, told OF wonderful cures he was