The Washington times., 1915-01-10

the evangelist declared. He quoted
figures showing that there are but
100000 protesting church members. .Ss, er.
100000 Inhabitants f'the country arc
He naycd tho church for losing its
grip.
Last nights tabernacle meeting was
tremendous in point Of view OF at
tendance. Every seat in the great
wooden structure was taken hours
before the evangelist appeared: FIJI
wooden benches, and thousands more
gathered in the vestibules and heard
the sermon from the wings Of the
building.
Greets the Sailors.
Billy went quickly and quieu; about
the outskirts OF the crowd, shaking
hands with the fellows who couldn't get
in, telling them he was glad to meet
them and sorry they couldn't be seated.
He appeared on the platform while tho
choir was singing in muted voices the
refrain Of one of its most beautiful
hymns Peace, Bc stin." He stood
bending every muscle into the curves
Of action and champing at the bit-im-
patient for the word that would send
him dashins into the track.
He leaned forward and spoke TO the
sailors from the navy yard. and at tho
close Of the meeting he shook each BY
the hand and asked them the 0amcs oi
the ships they came from and how long
they would be stationed in the city. His
Rev. George Peptecost, Of Darien. Conn.
who referred to the evangelist as 1.-THE
voice In the wilderness of sin speaking
in tones Of the Master"
list. If anything. was more gesticulative
more vigorous with his brain and his
voice and his body than he has beer
| before. At one point in his discourse
around in lightning movement drawine
n perfect circle about himself and shout
! ing Make tho ring acound yourself
when you so home tonight and say tt
God, Begin with the lobster inside the
| ring. Convert him first
Flags Sane" Christianity.
| The text Of his sermon was from Ne.
| hcmiall, fourth chapter, sixth verse
| and it dealt with the JOY and the pow
er OF work, the application being to
the work that the Christian must dc
to make the church real and living and
vital. It gave him a chance to flaS
the indifference OF the church OF to.
day and to get back at his critics. te t.
| knockers.
AFTER God had made the toad and
| the vampire and the polecat and rattle.
snake he had an awful substance lef,
and out Of this he fashioned the knock.
err" he said. when the lSnocker goes
down the street. the honest man turns
| his back. the angels hide behind theil
harps and even tho devil locks tht
gates Of hell. ] tell you there Is a lcal
In the church today. and it Is going tt
pc Impossible for the kind of religion
that is being practiced in the name
| Of Christianity to stop it. And YET
! these people criticisc me because l an
trying to bring in the backslidcrs. Ant
| I have shaken moro rcpcntant sinners
! by tho hand in one night than hav,
Joined your churches in one year. art
yet ] am vulgar, crude. Jabbcrine
! jargon.''
, He spoke in terms Of the most subtl,
| sarcasm of the safe and sane Chris
| tIanity that costs SO much per head fol
the salvation Of souls and that meas
ures eternity in dollars and cents. ant
| in tho cost Of church maintenance. II.
declared that his critics havo not re
vca'ed his degradation but their owl
limitations. and he got trenlendou!
and prolonged applause when III
wheeled around to the minister's ent
shouted:
And the man who thinks he ca,
preach better than Billy. can take th'
platform and put him off,"