The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-08-06
MORE ABOUT
JONES MEETING
Evangelist Wants to Know Local
Conditions Before Definitely De-
Gliding to Come to keokuk
for Campaign.
LETTER FROM NEWCoMB
Tells OF, Meeting Evangelist Jones at
Winnona Lake, lnd.-Rev. Stef-
fey Urges Local Churches to
Support Movement.

rBy E. Leroy steffey1
An interview with me has been
printed concerning the coming evan
gelistic campaign under the leader
ship of Bob Jones. and some tele-
grams quoted. AS was said, I have
received two kilograms from Mr.
Jones this week, the first making in
quiry in the following terms:
is guarantee fund certainty Are
members Of committee doing ,ty?
On your honor as a christian mimi
ter would you advise me to keep en-.
gagement there when have open
ings in other cities offering any sup
port we desire?"
Immediately l wired Mr.. Jones.
stating what had been secured on the
guarantee fund, what was done in the
meeting Of the executive. committee
Monday evening, and advising that
he keep his engagement with us. Yes
terday, at noon. had the following
message from Mr.. Jones: your tele-
gram does not encourage the belief
that Keokuk is sufficiently in earn
est to make our campaign success.
Must hear by Sunday noon that the
expenses are underwritten or I shall
feel it my duty to go where interest
is already assured. Wire here Sun
day. care hartmann. God bless you"
Immediately following the receipt of
this message, I wired Mr.. Jones that
the executive committee will meet
Monday evening and that the result
OF the underwriting would be wireu
I, i'm, ;of fol,
Letter From Dr.. Newcomb.
This morning l am in receipt of a
letter from DR.. e. p. Newcomb, I'M
der date of August g. and written at
Winona Lake, Indiana DR.. New
combs letter follows:
Il have just had an extended talk
with Meinardi and Bob Jones, who
arrived on the grounds last evening,
He has felt the encouragement of an
apparent lack of interest on the part
Of Keokuk in his coming, as indicated
by the slowness with which the COM
mittee work has gone forward, and
especially your most recent word Of
the insufficient guarantee up to this
point. He has asked my advice in
the matter and / felt not sufficiently
oSa"oAhtou Win lhC pl CoChI
In Keokuk to give him positive
do not know what may have devel-
oped since our last talk together,
and am unwilling to take the respon-
sibility Of advising Mr.. Jones in any
way. AS a result of our conversa-
ton, he has just sent you the dis
patch which will bring matters to an
immediate issue.
"Mr. Jones is pressed with appeals
for the Keokuk time from communi-
ties that have already given unuues-
tionable evidence Of their deep inter.
est in his coming; in some instances
having already made full guarantee,
although they have no assurance Of
date. He feels that his work must
be done in communities that really
want him; that there is, to his mind,
great lack of a community desire
in Keokuk, although he appreciates
the individual desire of yourself and
others.
II cannot blame him for the feeling
that he prefers among conditions
that are primarily hopeful, and
could not question the wisdom of his
telegram to you.
1 hope that keokuk may show such |
an interest in his coming by an im- !
mediate underwriting of the neces-
sary guarantee as will assurs, the |
keeping of the present engagement |
20 Mr.. Jones feels that SO far as mis- |
condition is concerned, he |
is rapidly recovering from the effects |
of the recent operation and he is not |
afraid to undertake the hard work |
in keokuk or elsewhere; but he feels |
that the first essential to the work
which will benefit Keokuk or war
rant his coming, is general desire
for an evangelistic campaign, and
the usual way of testing this interest |
Is by having the preliminary guaran-
tee cordially and promptly underwrit-
ten. 1t is not for the sake of the
guarantee so much as for Indicating
the real and general desire. He
would not want the guarantee signed
under heavy pressure or by unrepre-
sentative or irresponsible people. 1t
Is not guarantee for the guaran-
,ee's sake which he desires, but
as evidencing interest ana
lesire"
Urges Assistance.
Just this further word in closing
his letter, in view of the need for
an evangelistic campaign in our city,
and in view of the fact that Bob
Jones is taking the correct view of
he underwriting of the guarantee
,und and has a great desire to come
% keokuk if Keokuk wants him as
in the promptness of the
it will be a calamity if
We fail to do this underwriting and
Bob Jones is compelled to cancel his
engagement with us. Every lover of
he Lord and his kingdom, and ev-
.ryone who has the best interests OF
keokuk at heart, / trust will do some
hing in this underwriting. The CON-
nittee will accept anything from one
lcllar up. See Mr.. H. j. Bonham,
chairman of the committee, and he
will tel you who the committeeman
s from your church, if you do not /