Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-20
PERMIT Is NOT RECOGNIZED.
ELECTED FROM IOWA CIRCLE
DIR. Guthrie and Assistants Not Per.
mitted to Hold Religious
Services.

mitted to Hold Religious
Services.
Pastor Guthrie. accompanied by several
or those who were to take part in the
Iowa Circle open-air meeting, reached the
park shortly after $50 o'clock yesterday
afternoon. While some young men were
putting small organ into the park.
Park Waterman A. D. Thomas ap-
preached several ladies Of the party and
began talking to them. The clergyman
saw the officer and stepped over to him.
You want to see our permit, do your
as; asked Or: Guthrie, and he drew it from
Who issued that permit" the watch
man asked.
Major and Superintendent of Police
Richard Sylvester" replied the minister.
oaad anat u. Is no good" quickly replied the
and this Is government reservation and
not under Maj. Sylvester, and you cant
hold any meetings here"
But the police gave us a permit for a
meeting here and nothing was said about
pastor.
Well. I have had some kicks about your
holding meetings here persisted the
Waterman.
services Held on Curb.
DR. Guthrie asked to be allowed to con-
duct meeting for thirty minutes. but was
refused. He then instructed his assistants
to move out onto the curb.
Come out and join u.s." the minister
said to the officer, and instructed one OF
the party to furnish the man in uniform
with hymn book.
News or the election spread rapidly and
large crowd gathered. Many took a
part In the service, bowling their heads
wnen prayer was asked and joining in
the singing.
The crowd grew so large that some
stood on the grass of the park. The
oncer was quick to see them with hymn
DOCKS in their hands and he was soon at
their side.
you'll have to get of the park grass
II you take part in this meeting de-
clared the officer.
They moved.
While the services were carried out as
planned. there was much excitement in
the audience. When the meeting was
concluded many were not slow to express
Indignation. Many followed the workers
to the church.
Dr. Guthrie Speaks From Pulpit.
During his sermon there DR.. Guthrie
referred to the incident at Iowa Circle.
In the arrangement of our companfes
TO hold open-air services two weeks ago
II was planned to have the companies go
10 the points contiguous to the church.
where we are known as g. church and
Where we are appreciated as a church"
ne said. I'VE did not seek to invade
strange territory. nor to enter any place
~ttar ehe WORK was being attended to by
other churches. If We knew it. and one
OF the first places suggested was iowa
Circle. o"o
We asked for permits from the notice
department.. and Maj. Sylvester gave us
permits for every place we asked think
at every station we occupied two weeks
ago we were requested to return and this
was notably true OF Iowa Circle. State
ments were made at the Tuesday night
class meeting and Thursday night PRAYER
meeting by those who were strangers to
US or the success of the meetings
In arranging this service for tonight
the same plan was followed. Though
Maj. Sylvester was out of town, his rep
resentative, after very careful inquiry
and with very great elaboration, sent us
the permits yesterday afternoon, and I
have them here upon the pulpit desk
I'VE went to Iowa Circle and went to
the same place where we held our serv-
ices two weeks ago. An officer came and
wanted to know what We were doing
there. He was told and referred to me-
said:
Hold on; where did you get that per-
NIT? said, The signature would indi-
cate He replied. Who put those places
the police department. THAT don't mean
anything he said. You cannot hold your
services here. This is government terri
tory. You have no right here. and you
will have to get out. This is not a part
of the police department. / am not under
Maj. Sylvester. and have nothing to do
with him.
This is very strange l said: Why
does the police department in Washing.
~, Y,arDnitS for nlaceS over which
it has no jurisdiction? I know nothing
of this he replied. You cannot hold
your services here
Humiliation and Delay.
1.-THE action of Oficer Thomas caused
great embarrassment, and we were very
much delayed. We moved out to the
curb, after great delay and great mortifi-
cation. and he asked me to assume the
officers duty to keep the walk open, and
not let any one stand on the grass.
IT declined to play the part Of a police
officer think there was frown of
displeasure at my refusal. Having gone
there as a representative Of this church,
which has stood on this corner for some
thing like forty years: having been there
before and not molested; having obtained
the second permit to go. with no hint
that any other person had jurisdiction
over II, and to be ordered out to the
street was a notifying experience, the
cause Of which ought to be explained by
somebody.
II have no suspicion that the police
intended to mislead US by the issuance
Of this permit. do state that there is
some influence at work that is antagonis-
tic in the government: that the park
commissioners might at least have treated
an old historic church with the cour-
tesy of their forbearance for thirty min
utes. 1 consider that Hamline Church has
been Inundated before the people of
Washington in a very notifying manner
I regret It exceedingly, and make no COM
plants or accusations against anybody,
but do feel that we have been treated
with gross discourtesy as church."
Lieut.. Burr Dead.