The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-01
DAY OF PRAYER FOR A MAYOR.
800 MINISTERS PLEAD FOR JOHN
WEAVER or PHILADELPHIA.
400 OF Them In One Meeting and the others
IN Their Own Churches-w. G. T. q
Also FnIc and Prays-Want the
City Redeemed From Vice Control.

PHILADELPHIA. Feb. 2s-Nearly 200
preachers met in Holy Trinity Church to-
day and prayed that the shackles OF the
gang be stricken from our sinful Mayor
and for the redemption OF the city from
the machine and vice. One thousand had
been invited. OF those who kept away
from Holy Trinity, 800 held services in
their own churches and sent up similar
prayers OF moved around among their
congregations stimulating the supplica-
lions
At the same time. 10 O'Clock In the morn
ing. about 600 women met In the twenty
ninth Street NJ f. Church. The ministers
got through praying at noon, but the women
prayed and tasted until o'clock The
ministers were scorohing end the women
were plaintive While these two meetings
were going on, 10 hundreds Of bones sim
liar pleas were being made.
Up to midnight there seemed TO be no
response, Mayor Weaver, Director OF
Public Safety Smyth and even Councils,
who were also prayed for. confessed to being
still unregenerate. Mayor Weaver. Sinful
john he was called by one minister. how
ever. was perturbed.
NO, don't feel any different, he shouted.
why should 1 feel any dinerent2 How
dare you ask such question:
Pressed to describe his feelings during
the praying, his Honor grew inarticulate.
Director Smyth said he didn't feel any
curious sensation nor did he feel any uplift
There must have been thousands upon
thousands OF prayers made during the
hours of 10 and g. Holy Trinity is the
abode of fashion and high pew rents The
Rev. Floyd Tomkins, who Is Holy Trinitys
rector, is behind the ministers crusade.
Mr. Tomkins called the ministers to order.
He said there wasn't any use praying for
the Mayor and his Director, but they might
"a we'll try II.
Then a negro minister got up and eald
the city was like ancient Sodom and Go
morrah Unless the Mayor and his officials
repented within a week fire should descend
upon them and upon the city. There was
a stir of protest at thus. Some Of the min
listers didn't think the innocent ehould be
burned up with the wicked.
Then another minister thought 10 would
be good thing 10 hang the Mayor in cffigy.
This didn't seem to DO much in the nRturo
Of a prayer, and the Rev. DR.. Kerr Boyce
Upper rebuked him.
Some things are being said, he thought,
that Jesus would not say
Then the Rev. Mr.. Tomkins attacked a
business man who he said bad sent him
letter saying that be had been With the
reform party until the call for the prayer
meeting That, the man said, reduced the
reform movement to an absurdity. Mr..
Tomkins grew quito excited over this.
Then for another hour and half the pray
ers flowed INCREASINGLY
The women at their meeting wept lot.
Even Israel Durham. boss Of Philadelphia,
was prayed for. Before the meetings
several sandwich men paraded through the
centre OF the city. They bore banners
Pray for the Mayor" They had carried
These banners yesterday and were routed
by the police. The police to-day let them
parade.
II was reported tonight that the re-
formers and ministers would within week
present to the courts the evidence they have
that the police protect vice Upon this
evidence they will ask for the impeachment
If the Mayor
At another meeting late tonight the
v. (. T. l. formed prayer league, whose
object is TO pray and fast every Friday
for the Improvement Of the moral condition
of the city and for the conversion of city
officials The members Of the League
pledged themselves not TO cease TO observe
Friday as a season OF prayer and fasting
until the city is ChristianiAed and ruled by
men whom they can look up to as Chris
tians
The Pennsylvania Association OF Women's
Workers refused TO pray for the Mayor
or take any action In the matter. Mrs.
Grant, the president said, 1t is bad enough
for girls 10 have TO encounter temptation
in their lives without having the para
phernalis of vice made clear to them"
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