Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-01-31
GREET ALEXANDRlANS RESPECT DUE OFFICERS
Large Delegation From This City
Attend Gypsy Smith Meeting in
Tabernacle in Washington.

Members Of Judge L. C. Barley's
Bible class accompanied by num-
ber of their friends left this city at
six o'clock yesterday evening on a
special train for Washington for the
purpose of attending the evangelical
services now being conducted by
Rev. Gypsy Smith in the tabernacle
at Sixteenth and V streets. Eighty
three persons composed the party.
Upon reaching the capital city three
sightseeing automobiles were at the
station to receive them, and the
Alexandrians were soon whisked to
the tabernacle, where 200 seats had
been reserved for the visitors.
At the beginning of the services
Prof. Forrest Cole rendered the Alex
andrians hearty welcome, and dur
ing the evening they played con-
spicuous part in the services. When
the hymn "Shall We Gather at the
River" was given out Alexandria vo-
calists sang out earnestly, so much
so that the chorister called attention
to their efforts and said they were
doing most of the singing. He sub
sequently asked the Alexandrians to
stand and sig hymn 122-"Beulah
Land"-which they rendered in an
effective manner, which Chorister
Cole pronounced "good!"
At the close of the meeting the
vast audience shouted, "Good bye,
Alexandria"
Rev. Gypsy Smith and Chorister
Cole shook hands with the Alexan-
drians, calling them by name and
expressing their gladness to meet
their old friends again. Later the
visitors left in the autos for the
train and arrived home between ten
and eleven o'clock
The churches and not the saloons
of Washington "are the greatest foes
of Jesus Christ" was the sensational
charge made by the evangelist during
the delivery of his sermon.
81 repeat" shouted the speaker,
"'that the churches and not the sa-
looms in the District are the greatest
foes of Jesus Christ.
"Your churches, which are filled
with multitudes of the baptized, why
can't they be honest? They are just
grinding and not living the life of
Jesus Christ"
"Grinders" IS the term of the evan
gelist for Certain class of people"
which he flayed through his entire
sermon which was based On the "fool-
ishness, fall and rise of Samson"
HIS theme was based on the text
from Judges 16:4-30.
Mr.. Smith emphasized the con-
cluding words of the text, $50 the
dead which he slew in his death were
more than he slew in his life "
"In your churches you sing, "Like
mighty army" with the spirit of
Like an awkward squad he con-
tinued.
"You go grinding through your
religion. You perform. You have
lost your power. You are automatic
There is no spirit in you.
Il think more of the man who
will stay at home on Sunday and
hatch out schemes whereby he can
make bigger margins during the
coming week than you who 60 to
church without your heart in it. Such
man is at least honest.
"The trouble is that you have all
lived for your rotten selves. You ex-
pect the chips to fly and you are
only chopping witA an ak handle.
The first thing a Christian must do
is to surrender to higher power"
The evangelist then spoke of Sam
son who he claimed lost the many op-
portunities which came to him be-
cause he was "a sool,"
"Don't fool with your weakness,
he said. "The devil is no fool, but
= master. Don't blame any one but
yourself if you fail. You fell be-
cause you wanted to. You made a
fool of yourself. Why, I can 60 out
and ruin my entire life in two minu'
fos' limo