The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-11-13
REV. SHELHAMER'S SIDE.
Dear Editor and Readers of YOU

4 Excellent Paper since attentlOi
has been called through your col
, unns TO my seeming INSTRUMENTATION
Il law. relative To preaching on the
streets OF Lakeland. please allow M
L state few facts that may no;
generally be known
When any trouble arises. whether
j, be religious, domestic, or munich
pal, it is we'll to always refrain from.
censure or passing judgment until
10th sides are heard, for. remember,
tncre are always two sides to every
case. Please permit me to state the
defendants side to this particular
case in question.
We will let the impartial and un-
biased reader Judge whether or no
We have ".ourted arrest and sought
IL create sensation
When We were informed that We
houiN nav w StA utt al u W.
continued our practice of preaching
on the street. Instead of disregard
Ing il. We sought such permit at
least three times personally, besides
having some OF our influential bust.
NESS friends intercede for lis. but t.
nc avail. The mayor. who is Il spe-
,lal friend OF ours. informed me tina:
the ordinance was so drawn up as to
empower him TO grant permits for
iaradcs. political speeches. etc. but
l. did not have the right TO grant 4
permit for preaching. for this | mus
pay license of $" Per day. He ado
"a that he was of the opinion tha.
rurh good was accomplished by the
lisht kind OF street preaching and If
he had his way We would get the
Lcch desired permit other bust
ross mon approved OF our "open-a!r
Iutftlii - ~ Tue Ndi''llN h AahiN
calls them Now in view of all these
things and thinking that At the las.
noment some pros ision would b.
inadc allowing US to continue IS
II u;!, ". Nenturad oal saturday
light. Oct -. and WAS arrested.
llA
udcnt trial. Tie judge and city clerk.
alou& with many ol!rr inllucnli,i
mon. advised us - appear before the
Clty Council al its next meeting. IL;
strinE MS that il Was their firm con
N',lion that tha, body would So mod
iiy thp ordinance Is 10 permit II
alone with all other rr&ularly y.
Divine clergy to carry Out the
divine rommHS on TO 20 INTO the
"ltighways and streets and thus,
preach the Gospel to every crna.
tl;, Most ol these nlcn declared
tie ordinance to he Unconstitutional.
and AL With one consent Thought i
rir not apph to us and coANcQnrntlN
SHOULD aud would he amended
Accordingly, Mr Editor, We lcon, .
forward With hone to the nest hu
ness meeting OF the city Council. ~
the interim Of more than two We
VIC dcsistcd from going out, thou.
We were urged 10 do 50. Does til
look like counting arrest" WiHa
the City Council met, we appear I
before the same, with the result o.
being CURLY denied any considers
ton whatever We were fully COT
WINGED that this ruling was not II
sentiment of all those who W.rr
present Being disappointed in this
last recourse, we sought advice %
respectable and wcll-to-do citizen
they advised us to go ahcad with on
service, which We did on Saturda
night, Nov. =, and were arrested ana
locked mp in the dirty old ia
though ample bond was gladly o.
ftred. After some time there. W
We're released. Thanks TO all cot.
ccrncd.
Now, Mr.. Editor, we were no,
fighting for personal privilege bH
rather for the principle Of religion
l'hcrty and freedom of speech, whicl
is one of the bulwarks and funda
mental laws of this great rcpubli
sation, but We knew that this bean
titul and growing city would sooa
have a salvation Army and if thc:.
vas to be any suffering and i9no
E'iny we might as well bear it q
Trey, and on the other hand if an,
courtesy and favor would be shoAr
To them, why should it not b..
Shown to us as well, since we wcrs
doing the same kind of work.
Some blame us for going out III"
second time, but we considered il 4
similar case to that of Atlanta, Ga
After we had held evangelistic serT
ICES Including street services H.