The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-05

ing a red flag inscribed Tine World
for Christ He also walks between a
couple of big Sheet-iron sandwich boards,
which are painted red and yellow and
inscribed with texts like this:
Christ's Own Volunteers.
Crusade of the Twentieth Century.
Wanted: IA, 900
Volunteers
to forsake all for
Jesus
and evangelize the world
within years.
Two of the five years are up and Mr.
Bettex seems to be about the only sur
viving member of the proposed army
of IA, 900. He says there was a negro
who Joined him and came part way
from st. Louis, but the prejudice was
too strong against negroes, and he
had to give him his discharge from the
army. Mr.. Bettex is hoping to recruit
his army here by the enlistment of a
Methodist evangelist VINO has been
holding revival meetings out at Lyons.
Mr. Bettex wouldn't tell the eVangelist's
name, but says he expects to meet him
here and talk things over.
Bettex is a new kind of a religious
fanatic. He is not like Schrader, the
divine healer. Schrader was pro-
foundly ignorant man, who rather
boosted of his lack of learning. Bettex,
on the other hand, seems to be we'll ed
ucated. He claims to have studied at
German universities, at the University
of Paris, and later at Princeton. At
one time he was a college professor.
Then he got switched off into religious
work. and allied himself with Balling-
ton Booth of the Salvation army. Booth
sent him to South America, and BetteX
was located at Buenos Ayres, where ne
the Salvation army work in
South America, and with one assistant
travelled over the country on ponies
preaching the gospel.
Then Bettex got a call" He decided
haf iris nQOnlP 3SSQd
far religious work is concerned He
proceeded to organize on paper, an
army of 144,000 unmarried men, their OBJ
ject being to evangelize the world
within five years Bettex was asked
today how he happened to fix on 144, 600
as the proper number for his army. He
said:
"In the first place, the Bible speaks
of an army of 144.000 Christians going
forth to preach. But I arrived at the
by a simple process of calcu-
Iation. 1 had sort of a recollection that
the population of the world was l.
440, 00O, 900. My experience in evangeli-
cal work showed that L could evange-
lie 10000 people year. Hence an
army of IA 900 would be necessary 20
evangelize the world
Evidently Mr.. Bettex thinks that he
has undertaken a big contract, for
when asked how he was getting along
he could not point definitely to sin
gle member of his army
ever" said Mr.. Bettex. ct have not
lost hope. courage or faith. I VIII con-
quer yet
There is no doubt that Bettex is in
So was Schrader; likewise
Carrie Nation. They have a sort of
fervid religious enthusiasm which
makes them believe trAt they are the
real thing. Perhaps they are right 1t
all goes to show that fanaticism is no
of sex. education or nation
atty.
Paul Bettex issues a pamphlet which
gives a sort of clue to his Jesus blood
Or Hell-fire" campaign, as he calls it.
Here are a few extracts:
Ease. position, health, life itself
selized before 1 die. No time for house,
business, wife, children, education, So
,iety Nothing but the Blood of the
Cross. AS Christ sent forth his apos-
les, so let US go without purse OF
scrips. Gods greatest deeds have al
ways been accomplished by a divinely
ed and annointed handful of Gods
own Madmen, who will dare and do
he IMPOSSIBLE; an apostolic covenant
who have sworn to evangelize the
world on apostolic lines. Apostolic cp-
require the apostolic, CALI
can Nazarene ministry The only one
up to date. Living flames of fire. A
man must be a God-support-
ID man. Those are his credentials.
;ade / have given away my last cent
and struck out a penniless tramp for
Jesus sake. He has supplied all my
needs. HallelujahI''
Mr.. Bettex says the Roman Catholic
dea of a celibate priesthood is The COR
-ect one for true evangelical work.
Whenever Bettex does not collect