The Detroit times., 1914-08-07
SIX-YEAR-OLD
BOY ELOQUENT
PULPIT ORATOR
Little Charley Turner, Regularly
Ordained, breaches Force
full Sermons
WAS SUDDENLY CALLED"
NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO
Amazes Audiences of Laymen
and Ministers by His Die
ton and Logic

KNOXVILLE. Tenn. Aug. 6.-"Dd-
vino inspiration" In those words
many account Cor the wonderful
preaching Of Charles R. Turner. a
handsome Lad Of six years, who.
though barely old enough to attend
public school, is an ordained minister
o: the Baptist church, as his father. a
minister OF sixteen years standing.
Charles Is q native Of Florida. He
will not be seven years old until next
November. In September, 1912, he
was converted and entered the work
which, he declares, will be his voca-
ton. II was at the closing service
of Baptist state convention that
the lad wnen the invitation to penn
tents was given went forward. That
same night he told his father he had
been called to preach the gospel. The
father was astounded. for up to that
full Of play. However, when Charley
marks at the Sunday service his faith
er consented.
The child took for his theme. CO.
Is Love" II was thought that he
would simply say few words and
SIT down. But he spoke for twenty
minutes while the ministers present
listened in open-mouthed wonder.
Fcrty-eight of his hearers were moved
by his words to live better lives.
Little Charley told OF his CONVEX
sion. and In q strong, logical manner
declared the worth Of Gods love in
q way that the auditors had never
heard II told before. He preached q
real sermon. the best, many said.
they had ever heard on the subject.
He was Immediately ordained to
preacher. and he has been preaching
ever since, except for six months that
he was In Q private school. In school
he made three grades, one grade every
two months. He learned fractions one
morning before breakfast.
But all the time he was studying
he was yearning to tell the message
which. he WAS sure, he had been call
ed upon to deliver to an erring world.
From the FIRST his language was beau
tiful. his enunciation practically per
feet, and his voice possessing carry
ing power which made II possible for
Everybody In the spacious auditorium
to hear every word.
Charley ascends 10 the pulpit and
kneels in prayer. then arises and opens
the Bible. He first reads q pas
sage, interpolated with brief explana-
tions. Closing the book he quotes from
memory other passages bearing on the
theme under discussion. Following
there prsliminaries. he launches into
his sermon. It ID not the "sing-song'.
style of delivery which might be ex-
pected from q child; Il 10 not . stock
sermon, read without expression. but q
strong, earnest appeal 70 non-Chris.
tians to live better lives. II n Q real
but forcefu1 In the extreme
Suffer little children 20 come unto
Ne, and forbid them not. for such II
the kingdom OF Heaven" These are
his fathers explanation OF hh boy1S
power.
After the sermon proper ID over the
young preacher descends 70 the altsr
rail- and bess his hearers to get hight
with God. And these appeals are
rarely vain. Sinners are touched.
They 20 forward and shake the boys
hand. and he kneels with them a they
pray for Gods mercy upon them.
When he II not preaching he visits
prisons. hospitals and other institu-
tions and makes personal appeals for
|convicts. He was In Atlanta recently,
and since then has been preaching In
some Of the small towns throughout
North Georgia and East Tennessee.
His father was asked what pecun-
larry arrangements were made for the
boy. He answered, Nothing but
free-will offerings."
La7t winter the boy was In southern
Florida, where there we're many north.
ern and eastern millionaires. winter
colonists." He had been there but q
snort time when he conceived the idea
Of daily devotional exercises before
the days pleasures and recreations be-
gan. He started with q small meeting
attended by q few Of the lesser
lights" Word soon went out Of the
Toys unusual attachments, and out Of
curiosity several more joined the SER
vice. These told others. and II was
but short time before many men who
couldn't count their money were liz.
tening TO the boys enunciation of the
gospel.
The time came for the child TO
take his departure. In the meantime
several Of the big moneyed men had
become Interested In him and his
work and offered TO advance a large
sum TO have his parents take him to
New York and Chicago. They appeal
cd FIRST TO the boy himself and then
20 HIS father. Tather and son confer.
red. They decided against the prop
orition. The father said that the boy
preferred TO 20 through the small
cities and make HIS life labor Of love
for the poor.
All the up-to-date light stations pos
sess fog signals for warning the ma
rfner Of the presence OF rocks and