Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-21
Mr.. WALL HAS TROUBLE
He Fails to Answer q Woman About
How to Save.
ONE WOMAN SHOUTS A WARNING
Leader Of the Cult Appears to Be
stumped When Asked How to
Help a Sinner.

NEW YORK, January 21.-John Augustus
Wall. president of Wallis National Church.
which Is being launched at the Berkeley
Lyceum, in West 44th street, had his hands
full Yesterday afternoon in restraining GER
tain members Of his congregation from
physical combat.
The socialistic element, led by youth
with curling black hair and a flowing black
necktie, and a missionary preacher IN
clericals who acted as spokesman for the
orthodox element, clashed with an inter-
change Of heated argument; and an eder-
ly woman. who was laboring under an ex-
cess of spirits, caused a sensation by shout
ing Rats whenever any one referred to
the more conservative articles of religious
belief.
Later in the afternoon another sensation
was sprung WI en- a free thinker declared
that the Chris ian kingdom was cut
throat organization" and that george
Washington should be deified as having es-
tabliShed a community OF Ireeuom III
thought.
Several members of the congregation left
the little auditorium In hun before the
socialist had completed his short speech,
and Immediately upon his retirement from
the floor. amid the confusion that resulted,
a woman arose, and in a voice shaking with
dramatic fervor announced:
ON Jesus Christ; a solid rock Ills, ! stand nnla,
John Augustus Wall, who is very young
and desires to found a cult that will in
clude everybody of every belief, banded
together to help each other on this earth,
seemed panied by the turn affairs had
taken. He said the universally OF ms
idea was being undermined by persons who
became angry when they heard others say
things which they did not believe.
Not Minded Enough.
1.-THE expenses of this movement are con-
Siderable he observed in weary voice,
land | hope you will assist me by exer-
cisng breadth of mind. Christ did not
found a cut-throat kingdom. and 1 believe
that no one who has studied the history
of the world will say So"
Mr.. Wall then announced that hereafter
the National Church would hold meetings
In q smaller place of assembiage, Genea-
logical Hall. in West 5Sth street, at .
o clock on Sunday evenings. Berkeley j y
ceum he said. was too large.
What we need Is closer communion. AS
il In we do not get together sufficiently
Mr.. Wall opened the services. as usual.
with a song, followed by the taking up OF
the collection, which he said was very
important part of the movement. Then
he called upon various persons to speak
their minds. The first person to do this
was the preacher in clericals. He .prophe-
sled at the start that Mr. Wallis move
ment was coming to grief.
You have fixed three minutes as the
limit for speech" said the preacher
That is not long enough. If you give
me time can tell you about deity in man.
You are going too far away from the idea
OF the spirit. We. think too much of ma
terial things. That Is what Is wrong with
Rockefeller and Carnegie and all the other
rich men. What We need is more of the
spirit less of the material
BY the time he had said that much the
clergyman had exceeded his time. but he
retired under protest. Mr.. Wall then called
for some one else to talk, but fer a long
time there was silence.
A Second Bad Luck Prophecy.
Finally an. elderly man, who on a pre-
vious occasion told the members of the
National Church that he had been an in
fidel for years until he had wasted $4,000
and then repented, arose and warned Mr..
Wall that his movement was coming TO no
good end.
He closed his address by making a
prophecy. which he said came to him
through his spiritual projection.
Il tell you now" he said that the
wealth OF the Rockefellers and the Car
negies and the Goulds and of all the other
millionaires will be finally destroyed and
swept away by Divine force"
Then the elderly woman. who was SEEM
ingly enthused beyond ordinary good ma
ture, had her say. She ended her speech
by asking Mr.. Wall TO tell her what she
was to do for sinner.
Il want you to tell me this" she said.
Il see that you are fumbling with papers
at your desk, and l fear you will not an
swer. But 1 want to know what l am to
90 for sinner"
The woman paused. and Mr.. Wall said
nothing for time. Then he asked whether
a question had been put to him.
'0f course one has" was the response.
81 want to know what l am to do for a
sinner
TIE socIalistic wing of the audience be-
came amused at this. There was consid-
-. Ia,,. ~
fusion Young Mr.. Wall appeared to be
stumped. He started to tell what to do
for the sinner, but was interrupted by the
young socialist
II am here TO say that numbe:loss crimes
have been committed in the name of Chris
tIanity." he began. But he got no further.
Making "a Scapegoat Of God"
instant
You are trying to make a scapegoat of
God" he said, shaking his umbrella in
the face of the young socialist. II shall
not stay TO hear what you have to say
He then stalked dramatically from the hall,
amid catcalls from the "free-thinkers."
He was followed by several men and
women One of them asked in loud voice.
What are you doing-hold!ng an ,n.idel
meeting?"
Then the elderly woman again took iae
floor. She seemed to be Disguised
II came here with little money to con-
tribute to this cause, she said, but
shall not give cent"
Il shall see you after the meeting" said
President Wall soothingly.
"Oh, no. you won't" was the reply.
asked you to tell me what to do with a
sinner, and you have not told me. shall
not see you at ALL
A colored man and another socialist each
made short speeches before the meeting
was closed Mr.. Wall said he was gong
to continue the work Of bringing all classes
OF humanity together in the smaller hall,
and he asked every one TO come and 10
bring with them what money they had TO
contribute.