The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-03-08
Five Hundred and Slxty.one An
swer Call in Tabernacle In
Baltimore.
10000 PERSONS THERE
Necessary to Turn Away 5000
at Gathering When Converts
Step Forward. a.. /

BALTIMORE. March s.-After
preaching that THE Hour II Come
for nearly one hour to a throng that
packed The tabernacle last evening.
Billy Sunday broke into prayer. ana
then said:
THE hour Is come to present our
selves to God. to 20 out after the
lost and bring them to Jesus Christ"
In answer to this first appeal IN
Baltimore for trail hitters 5e1 came
TO the front and grasped Sundays
hand.
Twenty thousand had gathered in
the tabernacle for the service. and
more than 1900 had been turned
away. No one was aware that Sunday
was to begiu asking for trail httters
! at this service.
Take Him BY the Hand.
He paused and a rustic like a great
sigh stirred the throng. He continued
recalling that seven days OF meetings
had passed. and. suddenly addressing
himself to the congregation. asked as
many as would be willing to accept
Jesus Christ as their Saviour. to pro-
claim publicly their turning to Christi
anity, to walk down the trail and take
him by the hand.
| While the eve ngelist's arms were still
upraised in prayer. while Homer Rode
HEAVIER, choir leader. was giving the
signal for the great choir to burst into
the strains of Just As Am Without
One Plea" a black-clad. middle-aged
woman was edging into the aisle mid
way down the tabernacle. She walked
forward. watched by thousands. unhes-
ltating. earnest and outwardy calm.
The Rev. Isaac Ward, of the sunday
organization. went forward to meet her.
took her by the hand and led her to the
edge Of the platform.
First In Baltimore.
When Sunday threw back the trap
door Of his platform pit and dropped
down. this woman's hand was out
stretched and was the first to grasp his.
She was the first trail-hitter in Balu-
more-Mrs. Kebecca Marc, 1907 Friends
bury street.
BY that time the front half OF the
building was in orderly confusion. Sec
retaries. more than 200. had vacated
their benches. and James +. Mitchell,
their chief, was standing on the trail
waiting to show the converts the way.
At the end OF exactly 30 minutes from
the Issuance of the invitation by the
evangelist the trapdoor OF his platform
.
for he descended to shake the hands OF
large number of persons after the first
rush forward was ended. but in that
time was enacted a scene that will be
long remembered by the thousands who
saw II.
This afternoon Sunday preached on
c Fishers of Men" He took for his
= text "And Jesus said unto them.
! YOU to become fishers of men" To-
o night he will preach before about 1000
;. business women, who will come in y
!, group to the tabernacle.
t Extra Police On Job.
Extra police arrangements are be-
D ing made. and the ushers and secre-
5 taries have been notified to be out in
n full force as II is expected the crowds
will be much heavier now that the
;. trail hitting has started.
= Tho closing words of last nights
Il sermon, which preceded the trail hit
e ting. follow:
Q When Jesus extends His hands and
It lifts His thorn crowned head and says
Il They arc not lost to the church OF
l. in we Vince and howl and murmu
"a and are not willing to do something
r. to bring them to Jesus Christ. The
l. hour Is come to save Baltimore fol
n Christ.
1T would be a great thing II W,
ID could sing the doxology, full meter
ID COW about It, Rodney? Let's have II
10 THE hour is come to offer your
10 selves to God. he hour is come. II
- that believetth not Is condemned.
a may be the man who bears your name
70 1t may be the one who sits across from
the table when you eat. The hour 1
come. oh, God. help them. we pray
a. and guide them Alright. The hour 4
IL come. How many OF you men an,
81 women are willing to come down her
- and accept Christ? The hour is come
~ Say, Jesus. 1 think there are thou
~ sands going to help God. Help them
~ we pray Thee"