The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-03-07
SMITH
Ms BIG
T ABERNACLE
Estimated That 1000 Heard
Evangelist Deliver Stir
ring Sermon Last Night
CHILDREN'S SERVICE
FOR SATURDAY
Will Not Attack the City
Officials Or the
Catholics
CHILDREN'S SERVICE
FOR SATURDAY

Declaring that ne was not mere TO
attack the city administration, nor to
attack the Catholic Church, as one
man suggested to him, Gypsy Smith,
Jr., opened the big tabernacle last
night, holding therein the first of a
series of services, to go over the
month of March. If anything, he ar
gued, he wanted to make better Cath
olics, if possible, of everyone of them.
Over 1000 people were present.
Mr., Smith told the tabernacle au-
dience last night how the devil at
tacks in weak spots. Not often does
a speaker grip his audience as Gypsy
Smith held his hearers in the taber
nacle last night, packed almost to
capacity.
Mr.. Smith is exceedingly active and
changes position with great frequen-
cy. And every time he moved across
the platform, one could see the heads
of the audience turning unconscious
ly to follow him, hundreds of eyes
being riveted on the preacher, with
an evidently earnest desire not to
lose sight of the dramatic, intense,
and terribly earnest gestures of the
speaker.
Tragedy of Samson.
The old story of the tragedy of
Samson was told, yet the parallel
with modern life was so wildly drawn
that few in the great audience es-
capped the feeling of personal rela
tionship to the strong man of old,
who fell because he fooled with his
weakness" "The devil is no fool; he
doesn't tempt me with drink or i'm
morality. He knows better than that;
he knows where I am weak and tempts
me there. What difference does it
make to him whether a man falls ba-
cause of immortality or selfishness, so
long as he falls"
The invocation last night was of
fered by DR.. ]. A. Ansley, pastor of
the First Baptist Church.
Fine Singing.
The choir, organized and directed
by Prof. Cole, was excellent in its
work last night. Prof. Cole seems to
dlstill music and the choir responds
to his dictatorship in a way that is
really wonderful, when it is remem-
bered that he has been here but a few
days. He was heard last night in solo
| work.
Children's Service Saturday.
1t was announced last night that
a meeting for boys and girls would
be held Saturday afternoon at three
o'clock, and that willie Jones" would
be present. Adults will be admitted
but seats will be reserved for the
youngsters.
On Sunday afternoon at 8 O'Clock
a service for ladies will be held, il
was announced last night
Last night was Methodist night, anC
tonight will be Baptist night, service;
beginning at the tabernacle at 7:4I
o'clock.
The text from the 18th Chapter O
Judges, $50 the dead that he slew a
| his death were more than they tina
| he slew in life" was announced afte
the complete chapter had been read
Mr. Smith spoke, in part, as fol
. lows:
"The Bible" says Mr.. Smith, cha
three ways of presenting a truth an
: driving it home. First comes the ar
gumentative way. No one can rea
, the Bible and not be impressed wit
its logic. Then is the winsome wa!
as 1 call it. There are in no othe
book on earth more winning storie
> than those in the Bible. Then ther
is the dramatic way. The character
of the Bible impress me as being til
most dramatic of time.
"Of all of these old Bible charat
tiers Samson is my favorite, fl
5 Samson is more like the Christie
+ than any of them. He is like the ma
e of today, like the woman of toda
: He started well, then fell, and the
was reconsecrated. Tonight I want
picture TO you Samson as victo
. Samson as a fool, as a slave, d.
throned and despised, and then
:, coming forth from darkness al
browning himself with victory.
Samson was never strong as on
when the spirit OF God came on hi