The Washington times., 1917-02-04
Gypsy Smith Emphasizes Call
of Times for Those Who
Live for Christ.
INVITATIONS DUE TONIGHT
Evangelist Shows Impatience
Over Small Congregations
At Night Service.

The tabernacle at Sixteenth and
streets northwest was well filled with
women long before. Gypsy Smith, jr.
began his sermon this afternoon.
Announcement that the meeting
would be exclusively for women did
not deter a number of men from go
ing to the tabernacle, but they were
not admitted.
The text of the sermon was taken
from the 31st chapter of Proverbs.
who can find a virtuous woman,
for her price is far above rubies."
The evangelist emphasizes in his
sermon "the twentieth century call
for a woman strong in her body, a
woman strong in her dress, a woman
strong in piety." God has invested
the best He had in women, he says,
and it behooves women to live for
Christ.
Invitations to SGet Right
Tonight the evangelist will preach
q sermon from the text And Jesus
entered and passed through Jericho.
At the conclusion OF the sermon
the evangelist probably will extend
invitations to the congregation, to
hit the cinder paths" to walk to
the pulpit and "get right"
gypsy 1 wouldn't invite anyone to my
home and give them the reception I've
been accorded in Washington"
There was a touch of bitterness
mingled with sadness in the voice of
Gypsy Smith, jr., as he looked out
over the slim crowd assembled last
night to hear him in his tabernacle
at Sixteenth and V strets. A gener-
Gus estimate would place the number
of persons in the big structure, built
to accommodate 5000, at about 500.
DepIoreS Small Audience.
There are 1900 Presbyterians in
the city and this is all we can get
out! With all the ministers, and
professed Christians this is all we
can get"
The evangelists impatience over
the size of his audience found vent
earlier in the evening when the phone
rang in the office near the platform.
Several persons turned their heads
at the sound and instantly Mr.. Smith
stopped in the act of scoring a point.
He reminded them that it was only
a. telephone, that this particular in
strument was similar to those they
had seen elsewhere. To prove II he
offered to suspend operations while
they adjourned to the office. He final
ly requested an usher to tell the
congregation what the call was
about so the audience get it on their
minds and listen to him. Then, quite
suddenly, he went back to his ad-
dress.
No Reason to Fear Cold.
Preceding the sermon DR.. John
Carpenter Palmer. chairman of the
executive committee, sought to ex-
plain the smaIlness OF the congrega-
ton by the state OF the thermometer.
The tabernacle is well heated, and
there should be no hesitation among
intending audiences because of fear
of cold. Once within its sheltering
walls it is very comfortable.
1t is probable the first of the calls
for trail hitters will be made tonight.
The evangelist paved the way for the
call last night by reminding his con-
gregation that it was nearly time
there began open professions of
Christ.
The sermon last night was an at
tack on the belief of some persons
that salvation is possible through
mere belief.
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ
and thou shalt be saved said Paul
to the jailer who cried out in fear
when the walls OF the prison shook
and the ground under his feet trem-
bled. And since that time some peo-
pie have been taking it for granted
that that is all that is necessary to
get them within the gates Of
Heaven.
paul Diagnosed His Cases.
That's where we've blundered:
Paul was not prescribing for man
kind in the mass when he gave that
injunction TO his jailer. He was pre-
scribing for a particular case, for a
man who was an infidel, for one
whose greatest sin was that he denied
Christ. Do you think that IL the
jailer had been a believer but a
sinner in some other way that Paul
would have said what he did to him?
mo, Paul would nok for Paul was
not fool. Paul diagnosed his cases.
II a man unknown to Paul had cried
out to him, as did the jailer, What
must / do to be saved Paul would
not have said offhand, Believe He
would have said Come over here and
let's talk it over
And that's what we must do. To
win for Christ we must study cases.
Listen, Those don't count for Christ
who merely join the church and let
II go at that. That's not enough to
get you salvation. What's the good
of believing il it doesn't show in
your work? Jails are packed with
those who believe.
They're Spiritual IdIots.-
II the doctor should come TO me and
tell me that my little girl was dis
eased mentally, and that while she
would not grow UP physically as 9TH
ers, she always would have the brain
OF A baby-in other words, be an
idiot, I'd pray that she might be
taken and spared that shame and suf-
ferinG. Well, that's the way 1t is
with too many Christians. They join
the church, and then they stop grow
ing. They're spiritual idiots.
DO something. Are there unfor-
given wrongs between you and