The Columbus weekly dispatch., 1907-02-28
EVANGELIST Gates
MAKES CONDITIONS
HE WILL COME TO COLUMBUS IF
MERCHANTS WILL AGREE
TO CLOSE TWO HOURS
A DAY WHILE HERE.
This is Answer to Petition of Citizens
Which was Presented to Him
by Committee Sent to Pre-
vail on His Coming.

Rev. r. A. Clark and Mr.. Jno. A.
Stinson, the committee appointed to
go to Memphis and present to Evan
gelist George c. Gates the petition
from local business men asking him
to come to Columbus and hold re-
vival meeting. have returned to this
city. Mr.. Gates agreed to accept the
invitation under one condition, that
condition being that the merchants
of the city sign an agreement to close
their stores from ten to twelve O'Clock
each day during the progress of the
meeting. Mr.. Gates gave as his rea-
son for making this condition that in
nearly all religious meetings the day
services are attended only by women
and children, and that the men, if
they go to church at all. attend only
the night services. The evangelist
said that he particularly wanted to
reach the men and boys and that the
only way this could be done was by
an agreement on the part of the mer-
chants to close their places of busi-
ness during the morning services.
Mr.. Gates was asked if he did not
think that after coming here the mer-
chants would become so deeply inter
ested in the services that they would
close more readily than if asked to
do SO before the beginning of the
meeting. To this question the evan
gelist replied that his time was lin
tied and that no wautad many
pie as possible to hear him right from
the beginning.
When Mr.. Clark and Mr.. Stinson
reported the result of their confer
ence with Mr.. Gates. it was decided
to appoint a committee to canvass
the city and urge the merchants to
sign petition agreeing to close their
stores two hours each day during the
progress of the proposed meeting. On
this committee there were appointed
Gen. Stephen d. Lee, Rev. J. J. Hill, |
Hon. Jas. T. Harrison, Professor Joe
Cook and Mr.. w. T. Stribling. These |
gentlemen will make a thorough can
vass of the city and will endeavor to
persuade the merchants to close their |
stores, as requested by Mr.. Gates.
The members of the committee ap-
pointed to circulate a petition among |
the business men asking them to |
close as suggested by Mr. Gates made |
tour of the business district Mon
day afternoon and yesterday morn
ing, and a majority of the merchants
agreed to close. Only three mer-
Shants who We're approached abso- !
lVte'y refused to sign the petition,
nd several stipulated that compet-
ifors handling the same lines as
themselves must also close their
doors AS matters now stand, a
majority of the merchants have
lodged themselves to close, and all
y the work accomplished by the
ommittee.
IGr. Gates expected to leave Men,
MS last Monday for Union City, but
he urgent request of the people
= Memphis he decided to remain in
hat city another week. He has been
= formed by letter that the local mer-
ants had partially acceded to his
shes in regard to closing provid-
that he will hold a meeting here,
I'D It is probable that he will come
. Columbus at the close of his en-
- cement in Union City. He will
obably be in Union City three or
o r weeks, so that it will be the lat
part of March or the first of April
- ore the local meeting can be ex-
oncted to begin.