The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1912-10-10
THIRTY OLD VETS SEND A LET
TER TO II. e.. w.

Christ was invited to hold services
in the chapel at the Soldiers Home.
She came at the request of most of
the. old veterans, who attend any
kind Of religious services. Her
meetings were conducted to the
great satisfaction of the followers of
Jesus, the Master, and were orderly
in every respect. We had gospel
hymns, prayer and the preaching of
the Word
The chapel is used not only for re-
hglous meetings, but for all sorts of
entertainments and lectures. These
meetings were held in the day time
with the full knowledge and consent
of the authorities. The chapel has
always been open night and day for
the use and benefit of all the in
mates of "The Home" About the
latter part of July few men, who
have not been in the habit Of attend
ing divine worship, began to kick
against these meetings. One of them
said he did not think any woman
ought to be allowed to preach.
Several ladies have been preaching
regularly, for a long time, every
week in the chapel. Ladies from
several organizations have been
coming here and many young women
and young men have spoken and
sung hymns and prayed in public in
the chapel. Most of such meetings
have been held at night and con-
tinued until 9 o'clock, the closing
hour at 1.-THE Home.''
No complaint has been made of
these meetings.; but the latter part
of July, a few men began to try to
break up Mrs. Johnston's meetings,
and on one occasion there was a
notice on the chapel door that our
meetings should not be held in the
chapel We had a talk with the
Superintendent and he agreed that
we could go on with our meetings,
but we must not disturb the old
men in the house. We have never
made any more noise than has been
usual in singing, preaching and
praying; in fact, Mrs. Johnston does
not sing SO loud or preach so loud
as many others who have used the
chapel. On the second SUM in
August, DR.. Holderby, the chaplain,
who only comes here once a month,
announced from the platform that
the use of the chapel was forbidden
to us and that the door would have
to be locked, and only opened
to these preachers and teachers who
hdC his approval. We did not LAi.k
this was right. Because he is
Presbyterian, is no reason why he
should exclude the servants of
Christ, whether they be Methodists,
BaptiSts, Unitarians, Mormons,
Christian Scientists or the Salvation
Army. Mrs. Johnston is ordained,
she is an evangelist Of marked abili-
ty and she breaches Jesus Christ
and Him crucified, and the power Of
the Holy Ghost. She does not preach
the doctrine of ,predestination.
AS followers of the meek and
lowly Jesus, we arranged to hold
our meetings in the grove, under
the trees some distance from the
main building. We arranged a few
of the long benches which are the
common property of The Home, in
order to seat our congregation.
Three men who have been active in
trying to break up our meeting,
came to where Mrs. Johnston was
about to speak and took away one
of the long benches in a threatening
manner, and one of them told Mrs
Johnston to go away, we don't want
you around here anyhow. Two of
these men had been drinking. One
of them is quite a bully who brags