Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-29
YOUNG WHITE WOMAN
BLACK BLLY'S' FIRST
CONVERT AT WILDWOOD
Twenty Persons Shake the
Negro Evangelist's Hand
After First Sermon in
His Campaign at the
Seashore Resort.

WILDWOOD, N. j., April 29.-The Rev,
Alexander wiltbank, of Washington, the
o2o-pound negro evangelist, who has been
nicknamed the "Black Billy Sunday be-
ean what he intended to be a three
nights revival campaign at the Stewart
t,inpodrome here last night. This first
meeting was so successful, however, that
Mr. NViltbank has been persuaded to re-
main here until next Monday. He viii
nreach every night and twice on Sunday.
THE big Hip" with seating capacity
NJ 9j0O. was half filled with persons
eager to hear the big Negro, who
was so successful at the Narick Temple,
10Th and Catharine streets, Philadelphia.
At the end of his sermon, n young white
woman was the first of 100 converts to
come forward and shake the Negroes
hand one of these was young white
man who gave his name as Emil Trac-
hamer 27ll Thompson street, Philadel-
phia.
Three-fourths Of the congregation were
white persons. Among them we're Mayor
Frank Il. Smith and number Of the
most prominent men of the city. and the
Rev. I. f. Fisher, pastor of the wildwood
Baptist Church who, during the latter
mart of the services was called to the
front and entered into the spirit of the
meeting.
In conjunction with the evangelist's
campaign the Rev. Fisher. of the Bap-
list Church here, conducted a special
service this afternoon. Mr.. Abraham
Goldbacher of Philadelphia, known as
"The Common Sense Orator" will speak
TO young men Friday afternoon, at 4
o'clock at the Hippodrome.
Mr.. Wiltbank, after being introduced to
the audience. began talking slowly be-
cause of a cold in his throat, but soon he
In htG gtibinpt and tbp crowd.
a large part of which had come to be
amused, leaned forward to catch the
words that poured in rapid-fire fashion
from his lips.
His topic was "a Voice From He'll" and
the story of the rich man and Lazarus,
interpreted and delivered in an original
and characteristic manner and accom-
panied by acrobatics suited to every word
took on a different meaning to the lis
teners He nayed the disbelievers of n
real and fiery hell, declaring that the
Son of Man had said there was a hell and
that it was "the same old hell that it was
a thousand years ago.
There is no such place as purgatory,
there are only heaven and hell, and hell is
as necessary as jail or penitentiary,"
he roared. The rich man said, 4 am
tormented in these flames He didn't
say he was tormented in Jail in New
Jersey. He is in hell right now wanting
that drink of water.
Now you get the goat of this man.
Now you see why he goes to hell. Some
folks are just as mean. They would pass
by blind man on the street as they
would rhinoceros."
In cXhorting to repentance he declared:
you are not going to heaven because
you are poor or rich or good looking, and
If you want to so to hell to find out if
there Is one, go along and beat it ahead.
I'm not going, because l don't like the
company.
IF you have not decided to die and go
to hell will you come forward and shake
my hand? If you have decided, then
don't, because l don't want to meet that
kind Of people. Don't mind shaking my
hand-you have shaken hands with a col
ored man before without getting hydro
phoba."