The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-03-01
Scoville Has Little Time for
Jest Last Night When He
Jabs Straight From
the Shoulder.
HITS AT INTERPRETERS
Rather You'd Stay Away
He Shouts at People Who
Get up and Leave the
Gospel Shed.

Scorching apathetic, lethargic and
otherwise indifferent church mem
bers Of Keokuk mercilessly, Charles
Reign Scoville last night told a crowd
that came within a very few persons
of filling his great tabernacle, that
this city will never have q religious
campaign until the christian people
get into the spirit"
Scoville had little time for jest last
night. His ayes snapped az he stepped
to the platform. His jaws were set
and he looked straight out over the
crowd. Before beginning his discourse
the evangelist said the offerings are
coming fine"
II see there are some ladies who
haven't been here before tonight" he
said pointedly. 1.-THE reason / know is
because they haven't taken their top
nots down." He waited a moment.
THAT means you, too, lady," he said,
as one woman failed to take h hint.
please remove your hat"
A moment later Scoville stopped to
tell a boy on a front seat to "move
back in the second row. You're wig
Cling too much there" he said.
Throw your gum out, too" he added
and as the crowd Uttered, he con-
tinued, there are three or four wom-
en- down here in front chewing gum
also. I wish you'd rest your chops
and work your brains awhile"
Three delegations were present
last night, one being the first section
Sweep" composed of all persons hv
ing south of Main street and west OF
Tenth street. Several hundred per-
sons were in the delegation. Several
dozen young folks attended in the
young peoples church societies
sweep.
Cheer Telephone Girls.
Scoyille requested the crowd to
cheer a delegation Of about twenty
telephone girls that entered the build
ing shortly before s o'clock.
Each delegation stood up n gave
its motto" The telephone operators
had no motto. "Ill give you one"
smiled the evangelist. "a soft answer
turneth away wrath" The crowd
laughed. "I1l tell you right now SEQ
VILE said, eff l was a telephone girl
and some of these old sissies snapped
at me like they do at you, I'd put a
little dynamite on the-end Of the wire
and blow 'em up" Then the hello
girls applauded.
Mrs. Scoville's solo carried the
crowd off it's feet. She seemed to sing
every word Of he n "The City
Four Square," from her heart depths
and every word seemed to find a
lodging place in the hearts Of the
$500 men and m assembled in
the shed.
"In the land OF Fadeless Day,
Lies a city four-square,
1t will never pass away,
And there is no night there"
The crowd wiped the tears from it's
eyes as the soloist finished the Choir
us:
God will wipe away all tears,
There is no death, no pain. no fears,
And we'll count no time by years.,
For there's no night there!'
The Hour Is Come.
Scoyille's subject was, 1.-THE Hour
Is Come" Hundreds Of persons
thought the preacher would extend
his first gospel invitation at the serv.
ice. Many prayers were prayed in the
preliminary services. 1t was self-evi-
dent that the evangelist was feeling"
his crowd.
"a day is coming In this town when
you'll decide once and for all whether
you're going to be saved forever or
forever lost he said in beginning.
And it's either heaven or hell.
There's no halfway house business
about It,"
The evangelist dwelt for a moment
on the prayer of Christ in Gethsem-
ane. when Christ prayed If it be pos
sible let this cup pass don't you think
for a moment that he was afraid he
cried. Christ was no coward. He
was ready. Columbus said sail on
Admiral Toga said. go to IT, And
that's what you church people have
got to do. Tie old devil Is in town.
A lot of you little whipper-snapper
christians win a victory over the
devil and then you say, well. that was
pretty god, III just rest a while
now"
Scoville did not fail to take his
usual rap at the American saloon. In
so doing he complimented the former
Keokuk saloonists who have gone In
to legitimate business s'nce being
forced out OF the liquor business. .
Support Is Asked.
1--WE could put the saloon out or
business in a minute. almost. If the
church would realize its power he
asserted. "And ! would to God that
mighty, sleeping lion would arise. and
shaking its great, shaggy name, put
the cursed saloon out from under the
Stars and Stripes everywhere" The
crowd cheered. But" he continued,
these men who have gone into good
businesses here in Keokuk should be
supported by you christian people. If
a man has sense enough to run a sa-