New-York tribune., 1909-06-27
SAM" JONES AMUSING
AND OFTEN EDIFYING
USED BROAD HUMOR TO
COAT HIS DOCTRINE.
Evangelist Made Game of Refine
ment-S0me Examples of His
EThOrtdtiOns.

Why Sam Jones a ''howling' success in the
pulpit and on the platform is a difficult ques-
ton to answer after reading the evangelists Pop
ular Lectures" in a volume recently published by
the Fleming H. RevelI Company. A discourse by
Sam" Jones was sometimes the best kind Of
vaudeville There laugh in every sentence
Despising "dudle diggers'-as he termed doctors of
divinity-fashionabl women and rumsellers. the
Southern exhorter tried get close to the hearts
OF the common people. and always entertained, IL
he did not convince his listeners. His humor
as broad as that of minstrel troupe, and some
of his anecdotes were brisk enough be told by
commercial traveller. He was almost as con-
servatve regarding science as the celebrated John
Jasper, the colOred preacher OF Richmond who
maintained DE sun do move But Sam Jones
caused tears well laughter. and he ad-
mired and loved by thousands. Here are some Of
the evangelists sayings:
If you q Christian Scientist, that is no sign
that you not good but your trouble is above
your eyes There is consolation in being a
Christian Scientist; II you get in the water
over your head you need not be scared. for your
head will swim all right Just lift your handkeT-
chief for sail, and you will in with the first
favorable breeze"
Il ask a crowd to agree with me; just
ask them. Did you understand me I make every
thing plain that If fellow don't understand
me. he is all right anyhow. because God has made
especial provision for idiots and children. You will
get in with that bunch.
The greatest enemy to American life to-day.
and the very influence that is going destroy
free Institutions lis the dirty old demagogues OF
America in the politics of the country. l have
thousand times more fear of them than have OF
every other influence that is preying upon the
liberties Of America. Old demagOgues. Old demi-
johns. Why, If they all TO die tonight. and
the devil were to peep through his kevhoIe and
see them coming. he would shut up shop Why, IL
the whole gang got into he'll together in bunch
tEa, ,a1I. l.,
head. elect their own devil and run the place to
suit themselves.
Il was at a big Chautauoua a year or more ago.
and / to lecture in the afternoon and their
purpose to go from the sublime TO the rdIcu-
lous. they put up great d. D.-dudle digger
to speak in the morning. You know what a dudle
digger is? He is fellow nearly out of a Job. And
that old D. D; his lecture sociology. My.
what a lecture! Learned? He told US all the
oogies. biology. geology and zoology and how he
did capture that crowd This was his peroration
Now, ladies and gentlemen. of these facts
OF biology and geology and sociology. the that
believes that God created this world just six thou
sand years ago and that the finishing day OF
creation he picked up a little piece of mud and
blew on IT and living perfect walked of
and stumbled over apple and fell in a barrel OF
whiskey and is reeling OF to hell-a man who will
believe that will believe anything. Why
rather 1 believe that the world has existed fer
millions of years and God created man away down
among the lower animals and he has come up
higher and higher and higher and day he
will reach the stature of full man
He bowed himself OF the platform. and the
people whooped and hollered. He walked down.
took my arm. and walked of with me. and 1 said:
Hello. Bud. you dug up more snakes to-day than
you kill the balance OF your life. II is a sin
and a shame for minister OF God TO dig up snakes
and throw them the crowd. for you easily
unsette the beliefs OF the weak these days. 1t
is a mighty hard thing to settle them back again
Well he said, Jones, think there is less harm
in the promulgation Of truth than in the suppress
sion of truth Yes. but | said YOU don't know
but that everything you stated was lie"
II am very well pleased with this world! It Is