The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-10-07
AGREE 10 DO ALL IN
 POWER AGAINST LIQUOR
Sensational Scene at Bls Meeting
 in Afternoon for Men.
Evangelist waves Ills Ceat Above His Head and Enthusiastic Crowd
 Cheers wiIdIy--Denuncia-
 ton for All the Social Evils By Preaeher.

T hereby pledge myself to do all in my power to put whiskey out of Mont xomery. Signed. ....... eff you are voter, put after your nauae)."
 Approximately 1900 men of Mont gomery signed this pledge. which was distributed throughout the audience of yesterday afternoon at the Auditorium at the conclusion of the services for men only. held by Rev. Bob Jones. the evangelist.
 It was not announced at the meeting that these signers would be the nucleus for a prohibition club in Montgomery, but this idea seemed the underiyinA motive for the, expression of sentiment regarding whisky. obtained from the voters of the city.
 An audience of fully 1000 men heard I the evangelist and when the preacher called for those who favored the stamp ing os whiskey out or Ine city. nearly every man in the Auditorium stood up and gave cheer after cheer. The evan geliat himself, in the excitement of the scene, took off his coat and waved it above his head, calling forth a still larger volume of cheers from the standing audience.
 The scene resembied in many respects a political rally rather than 6 religious meeting. The big Auditoriurn. filiea with men. was a mass of energetic and at times almost rayihg humanity. led by the evangelist himself. The aiignp- est word from the rostrum seemed the signal for . fresh outbreak from the audience. and on more than one of his declarations against whisky he was cheered wildly.
 First Gun for Prohibition.
 It was the first time since his ar rival in Montgomery, that Mir. Jones, who has accomplished so much for pro- hibition in other towns of the State. has come squarely before the Montgomery public as an ardent temperance advo- cate. with enthusiastic, and at times, almost sensational, utterances in favor of prohibition.
 But In this initial nti-whiskey ad. dress MT. Jones revealeu much of the spirit which has caused the closing of dispensaries in other cities, and prophe- cies were freely offered ar the civse vl the meeting, both among those who at tended and those who did not, that the address was but the opening gun in a campaign for prohibition in Montgom- cry.
 The announcement from Birmingham a few days ago was recalled, that with the conclusion of the prohibition cam paign in Jefferson County. the next ad- vance would be upon Montgomery. IL was recalled, sometimes with elation, sometimes with dread, but always with interest. No announcement, however, of the further steps to be taken in such campaign here has been made. and can only be surmised. .53
 The first step, however, was taken yesterday afternoon, following the ad- dress of MT. Jones and the conclusion of the afternoon meeting. The pledge cards were taken away from the Audit orium in large numbers, and a determ- to be on to secure signers to the cards. in addition to the 1900 to which sigma lures were attached at the meeting
 tdOntgomery'n Going Dry"
 MT. Jones did not make formal an- nouncement at the afternoon session that the campaign for prohibition was on in Montgomery County. though no other construction could have been placed on the temperance features ol the meeting. At the night meeting. however, MT. Jones declared without ea- vii that such a campaign is now on.
 It is said that the sensationally unan- imous response at the afternoon meet ing was a surprise even to MT. Jones himself, and that the failure to make e formal announcement in the afternoon was due in large measure to that fact; he was not prepared, without further consultation with Montgomery prohihi- 9ion leaders, to announce such a step.
 FolIowing the announcement which came earlier in the night session, Mir. Jones had the chorus sing selection of which the burden of the refrain was:
 "Montgomery's going dry. Montgom> ery's going dry.
 The meeting for men only had been heralded for several days, and when me evangelist stood up to begin his plain talk. hardly a seat could be found in the lasge building; the gallery, too, was partially filled. Young men and old men had come to hear what the evan- gelist had to say, and for two nvurs sat with perfect attention. except for the applause. while the evangelist talk cd of the social evils of the Capital City
 Appeals For Pure Men. The evangelist's appeal was for pure men in the city and State. There has been a great deal of talk by other per sons he said. about the purity of our women, but the crying need of the com munity has been and is pure men for voters.
 The text of the talk. for it could not be called a sermon. was He that sow eth to the flesh will reap corruption" The evangelist began with the an- nouncement that there were four sins he wished to speak about. The first of these was profanity. the second. the evils of society. sucn as dancing ana the like, the third gambling and drunk ,ennass or drinking. and the fourth pure living.
 Taking up the first topic. profanity, the evangelist called the attention of the congregation to the distinct com nand in the Bible, which says Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord .hy God in vatn," Profanity is itself connected. declared the speaker. with
 he other four sins mentioned. After