The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-08-15
GREAT CALAMITY
To BEFALL CITY
SAID ARRESTED PREACHER.
SAVANNAH MOST WICKED CITY IN
WORLD EXCEPT NEW ORLEANS.

WORLD EXCEPT NEW ORLEANS.
Was Preaching on street without
Permit and Refused to stop when
Told by PatrOIman-After Being
Arrested Would Not Promise to
Quit PreachinE-Said He Had Can
to Go to Charleston and Didn't
Think He WOuId Have Time to
Preach Before Catching Train.
Savannah is the most wicked city
In the world. with the exception of
New Orleans"
]. H. Ralstin, a street preacher who
was arrested yesterday for refusing to
stop preaching on the street when
ordered by a patrolman, made this
statement at police headquarters
THE wrath of God will certainly
descen. don't know how soon
1t will happen, but great
calamity is going to befall the city"
Ralstin and his two children, little
boy and little girl, were ridden to
police headquarters in the patrol wag-
on. The man carried a big drum, the
hoy a smaller one and the little girl
a tambourine.
Ralstin had been preaching at East
Broad and Waldburg streets. Mount
ed Patrolman Deignan asked to see
his permit to preach on the street
and Ralstin replied that the gospel
was his permit The officer explained
that no preaching is allowed on the
streets here without a special permit
from the Mayor. and that he would
have TO stop unless he could produce
such a permit.
Gospel Was His Permit.
Beat the drum, SON." answered Raj
stin. turning to his little boy. THE
gospel is my permit, and l will con-
tinue to preach"
After communicating with the ser
geant at headquarters, Patrolman
Deignan placed Ralstin under arrest.
When the party arrived at headquar-
ters Desk Sergeant MoCool had Raj
stin brought before him.
Il did not want to have to inter-
fere with you" said the sergeant, but
street preaching is not allowed You
will be locked up, if you keep on. You
ought to get a tent, or a house, to
preach in"
The Lord has not called me to
preach in a tent" Ralstin answered. 4
have been called TO preach on the
street, and you can lock me up.
have been in jails all over the coun-
try ] don't mind"
Only His Call Saved Him.
The sergeant explained that he did
not want to lock him up, that he want
ed to let him go, but that he could not
without a promise not to preach on the
street any more. Ralstin refused to
make any such promise, but said he
did not think he would have time to
preach here any more during the day,
as he had been called TO go to Charles
ton at night on the o'clock train.
Sergt McCool decided to accept the
statement and Ralstin was told that he
could go, though he was warned that
he would be locked up if he preached
on the street any more.
AS to permit to preach on the
street. Ralstin said he had tried time
and time again to secure one.
Tired of Calling on Mayor.
Il have been to see the Mayor any
number of times" he said, and they
go one day and they would tell me to
come back the next. The next day
they would say the Mayor had Just
gone. ! then went to the chief of po-
lice, and he said he would give me
a permit, but he didn't. / have been
called to preach and l will preach
whether l can get permit of not.
The gospel is enough permit for me.
They can't stop me by threatening
to arrest me. l have been arrested
in towns all over the country. great
calamity is going to befall Savannah
because of her wicked people. 1t looks
like the wicked people from every
where come here. / have predicted the
downfall of a number of places, and
they have always come true. Some
thing is going to happen to New York,
Brooklyn and Jersey City also"
what Deer Money Would DO.
Ralstin's children are decidedly in
teresting. Bonnie May, the girl, is
only 10 years of age. She is a bright
child and talks Interestingly. "A. j."
the boy, is only couple of years older
than the girl Both assist their father
in his work.
The boy is alleged to have figured
out that the price of three beers a day,
II saved for a year. will purchase 2
barrels of flour, so pounds Of sugar, 20
pVuitus Va so III, ~ POuiiuS VI iiiaSal U
nj, 25 pounds of beans, 3 bushels of
sweet potatoes. 10 bushels of Irish po-
tatoes, SO pounds of oatmeal, 10 pounds
of raisin, 20 pounds of rice, 80 pounds
of crackers, 100 bars Of soap, dozen
bananas quarts of cranberries. 10
punches of celery, 10 pounds Of prunes.
4 dozen oranges, 10 pounds of mixed
nuts, gallons of molasses, 6 pairs of
shoes, 25 yards of muslin, % yards of
calico, suits of flannel underwear,
and purse with $40 in IT.
Ralstin and his children left for
Charleston last night without having
had any further trouble with the po-
lice. His call to go TO Charleston
came at a particularly lucky time, as
st saved him from being locked up.
Ralstin belongs to what is called the
Missionary Company Of Loud Cry of
Third Angels Message.