Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-03
FAREWELL RECEPTION.
|0REETINGS BY Y. NJ. G. A. TO MR.
FRED B. SMITH.
Big Meeting for Men Held at Conven-
tion Hall Yesterday
The Address.

phrase in Y. M. c. A circles in connection
with it's work in this city. and the first OF
the meetings of the season was held IN
Convention Hall yesterday afternoon, when
a vast throng listened to a farewell address
by Fred B. Smith, evangelist who is
about to begin world tour of foreign as
scciations. Mr.. Smith addressed an audi
ence which would have filed two theaters
He is known throughout the country as
one of the greatest present-day evange1sts,
and he has host of admirers in Washing
ton. He spoke here twice last year and
three times in 1892 When the services be-
gan at $3.50 yesterday afternoon, approx
mately 5000 men, young and old, COM
prfsed the audience, and this number was
augmented by later arrivals.
The song service began at 3 o'clock par
ticipated in by male chorus of 200 voices,
led by Mr.. Percy s. Foster and Paul e.
and assistant, who is known the gospel
nging tenor Instrumental music was
furnished by the full Y. NJ. C. A. orchestra.
under Director Mcleod of the National
Guard Band. The evangelist was intro
duced by Mr.. S. w. Woodward, president
of the Y. NJ. c. A. Taking as his subject
the query, Am 1 My Brothers Keeper?
Mr.. Smith talked in his characteristic man
ner, eloquent, forceful and convincing, for
nearly an hour. exhibiting a personal mag
netism which was little short of wonderful.
He understood his audience and got in
touch with it Immediately, he sent his
arguments home with simple but undeni-
able logic, and when he concluded several
hundred of his hearers rose in their seats
and declared their intention to enlist in the
army of the Lord.
Informal Reception.
After the benediction Mr.. Smith was
compelled to hold an informal reception
his hearers gathering around him by hun
dreds, anxious to shake the hand of the
evangelist and receive a bit of personal en-
couragement from his lips He leaves next
Saturday for an evangelical tour of the
world, ana the meeting yesterday will be
his last public appearance in America be-
fore his departure. He announced also. in
the course of his address, that he had SO ar
ranged his itinerary that Washington would
be the first place at which he would speak
upon his return in May of next year. This
caused a spontaneous expression of appre-
citation by the officials and members of the
local association.
rotary Lyman l.. Pierce. Mr. Gilbert sang
Ninety and Nine" and, following the in
vocation by the Rev. DR.. Hyatt of Gorsuch
Methodist Church, he sang Face to Face"
Mr.. Woodward, president of the local as
sociation then introduced Mr.. Smith, who
in turn requested Judge Stanton ]. Peelle of
the Court of Claims. to lead in prayer.
In opening his address Mr.. Smith declar-
size of the audience, particularly in view of
the fact that it was his farewell American
audience. He said he would carry the MEM
DRY of that of faces with him on his
world tour and that he might find therein
al. inspiration for many of his foreign ad-
dresses.
This" said Mr. Smith, my last audience
for many months in my own country-and
perhaps forever-wll be a sustaining In
fiuence during the long hard months ahead
of me. Washington will be my starting and
stopping point, as it were. l leave you to
&C into the foreign field, and it will be to
you that will make my first report upon
m. return
The speaker then quoted a verse from the
book of James, Let him know that he who
coDverteth the sinner from the error of his
way shall save soul from death and shall
hide multitude of sins"
1T is wonderful said Mr.. Smith, what
an appeal human life makes to US all. If
word were to come here just now that some
one was in peril of his life in the river or
elsewhere, and 1t were suggested that II
were barely possible for aid to reach him
in time l could not hold a man of you here
a moment. There would be a panic so
great would be The rush to save a life.
What / should like to impress upon you
is the lack bf interest in a graver matter.
If / should go on the street and cry out
that men were in danger of losing their
souls, some of you would come up to me
and say, Now, for goodness sake, don't
get excited" / should like to see the be-
lievers in God so much in earnest for once
that they would shout aloud their convic-
tons till they could be heard around the
globe
Scores of Responses.
In concluding Mr.. Smith drew a word
picture of the man who is not a believer in
God, and INDUCED in appropriate comment.
He then called for volunteers to stand up
and by so doing express their intention to
follow the Christian life. Converts arose
to their feet by the score, in all parts of
the great hall, until it seemed that nearly
half the entire audience had entered the
hall doubtful as to their Christianity But
there were no doubtful minds as they de-
parted.
Secretary Pierce said today that a mon
ster reception has been arranged for Mr..
Smith for next Friday evening in New
York. The hosts will be the officials of
the New York city and Brooklyn Y. NJ. C.
AS and other prominent Christian work
erS In the metropolis. A number of inyi-
tations to the reception have been received
by Washingtonians. and it is probable
quite party will go up from here to say a
last farewell to Mr. Smith and wish him
bon voyage.
Mr.. Pierce also announced that there is
to be a big Opening of the season re-
ception at the local Y. M. c. A. headquar-
tiers, 1892 G. street northwest, this evening
been issued to all the members of the as
ISOLATION and others, SO that a crowded
house is anticipated.
Guests will be given an opportunity to
meet Mr.. Hirayama of Japan and Mr. Dzau
or China, who recently arrived In Washing
ton TO study the methods of Y NJ C. a
administration with a view to becoming
secretaries of associations in their native
countries when their course of instruction
shall have been completed.