The Palatka news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1907-10-25
EVANGELIST Sims and His Work.

The Gospel Herald of last week
contained the following letter, evil
IDENTIFY from Crescent City, regarding
the work of Evangelist Sims who Or
ganized Baptist society here dur
ing the summer, and the work plan
ned for the future:
Mr.. Sims is an evangelist with
original ideas of work. He goes into
q town, looks up folks who are Bap-
fists, holds meeting, adds to their
number, buys lot for a church
building, and starts them well on
their way He did this recently at
Crescent City. There he started
with about Is persons. When he got
to town there was not any organiza-
ton. He hunted up a Baptist family
and they together hunted up others.
About IL souls were added to this
little nucleus, making church of
81 members, which was duly organic
ed, and recognized.
Evangelist Sims is original. He
is a hustler, too. Everybody works
for him. All over Crescent City he
hunted up workers. He picked out
the choicest corner lot in the town
and before he left, it was paid for,
with the exception of about fifty dol
lars. The money WAS raised among
the citizens. Almost everyone was
asked to give. The Mission Board
pays Mr. Sims salary, so none of the
money raised goes to him, and the
Mission Board, so | understand it,
loaned the balance due on the lot.
But what is to become of this lit
tie organization?
when Brother Sims leaves, what
happens? He is followed by a man
called of God to the ministry, who is
q carpenter and builder. 1t makes a
fine combination. The Master, you
know, was carpenter. He built the
first church-a house not made with
hands. Well, this carpenter builder,
who is preacher, too, follows Evan
gelst Sims. He becomes pastor of
the little church for two months. He
has not yet come to Crescent City,
but he will come there soon. and any
how this is the plan they work by.
When Brother Sims work is done,
the carpenter-builder follows him. |
Then what happensP
"The carpenter-builder b e e ms |
where Brother Sims leaves off. Yon-
der is the best corner lot in town
The carpenter calls for volunteers
and being preacher he has Il good |
voice. People answer the call. They
give labor free, they give their mon
ev, their teams, their sawmills, and
thew give timber. The carpenter
preacher goes to work. He works
with his hands six days in the week
and rests the seventh day by preach
ing, In two months time the church
is up. Everything is we'll done, bt-
because they have good plans from
the start. Then what happens?
"This little church, which only Il
few months before lived only in i'm
apination, has been organized, has
had q revival, has bought church |
lot, and has built church, and now |
calls a pastor either for full time or
for part time, according to their |
ability. The work is thoroughly !
done. The best business methods |
underlie it, nothing about it is left to
chance, or to the willful chickering's |
of the community; the principal fea-
lures of it are all settled by Evangel- |
list Sims, and from the time he touch |
es it it moves forward on right lines
Mr.. Darby, leading member of
the Baptist church here, states that
the society will not be able to secure |
the services of this Building Evan
gelist, but that other plans for build
ing will be arranged. Thus is pref
ty story spoiled, in so far as this
place is concerned.