Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-09-20
CHRIS Johnson.

ing at half past four, after a linger-
ing illness from cancer OF the stom'
ach. l'
Chris Johnson was a wonderful
man. In the private walks OF life ne
occupied an ordinary position, IRON
a commercial standpoint. But ne
did a great deal for humanity, a great
deal more than most men do. For
the Christianity Of Chris johnson
| looked to the soul, and not to the ap-
! parel, to the heart bowed down ana
needing sympathy. 1t was to the
f%riendless and alone that Chris John
| son turned his brave and genuine
| heart, to the struggler along life's
pathway. For the good man knew
men, knew their appetites their temp
| tations and their weaknesses, and in
a spiritual way Chris Johnson would
| nut his strong arms around his fall
| ing brother and lead him to the dry
ground of responsibility and self
help. ~
You visitors to Bismarck will I'M
! doubleday recall Chris Johnson when
we tell you that he was the bearer
| Of the bass drum in the little nightly
parade of the Salvation Army, that
| he was the man who faced the crowd
| there on the corner by the bank and
| lifted his voice in promise of happi-
ness to those who would turn from
evil ways. and enlist under the sban.
ner of the Lord. aga mt jG,,
He was an earnest man. And very
brave. When he saw what an empty
ideality the careless way led to he
was not content to get into the
straight and narrow path and stay
there, alone. He went into the by.
ways and the highways, and he
taught men and women and little
boys and girls that the way to hap.
piness and decency was the way to
that spiritual comfort that he had
found and which had made of him a
man who enjoyed the confidence and
esteem of all the people. There was
no maj in town who enjoyed the
wholesome respect of all. the people
more than did the man who played
the bass drum on the corner in the
little Salvation Army band. He had
proved to the world how much could
come from the pursuit of happiness
through the gentle teachings of the
lowly Nazarine.
Chris Johnson was a sympathiZer
in the work that vas being done by
the usual churches, but he regarded
the Salvation Army as the best place
to work. And there he stayed.
Through long days he did his work
we'll in the grocery store OF the o r
! ner, and in the evening he went in
to the streets and preached the re.
ligion that brought his souls happi-
ness. Night after night for more than
a decade he went to his duty as he
saw it, and went happily. For there
he found his greatest comfort in tell
ing the people that we all could be
saved if we would only make the
right start, that none had fallen so
low but that they could be helped;
that there, in the Salvation Army,
was a spiritual and a material refuge
awaiting the homeless and the dis
couraged; that there the erring girl
would find friends and consolation,
companionship and responsibility;
that there the man who gaZed back
in sorrow on his empty and misspent
youth could find the greatest gift OF
all-if they would only come.
Through the years Of sincere en-
deavor, Chris johnson made up for
the time he had delayed in getting
on the long, straight road, and he
had the courage to stand there on
the corner and say what more afflu'
ent believers in Chris Johnson were
unequal to saying aloud. But his
work has borne wonderful fruit. He
planted into the heart of the appar.
Oh. 81, ~ ryI4f-Llli . IN o. 4f w,
emily unconcerned passerby the seed
which later developed, into the sus'
tenance for a sweeter> and spiritual
life. He awakened increasing respect
for himself and for those who went
out and preached the gospel of the
Savior to the humble and the dis
tressed.
For Chris johnson had gone through
the years preaching the Word as the
deciples had preached it, had told the
story Of the Son Of Mary to the null
titudes in the streets-and they all
listened to Chris Johnson. For he
was an earnest and a sincere man
who understood mankind better than
most clergynen understand.
These words are late in coming.
They could better have been written,
could better have been uttered in the
life of the good man who has gone.
The writer didn't know that he was
sick. But Chris Johnson taught us
that he would know about us after