The Washington times., 1917-01-30
Evangelist Tells of Character
iStic of This Little Known
Race of Wanderers.
MAY BE LOST TRIBE, HE SAYS
Scores Those Who Contribute
to Deception of Fortune
Telling.

Telling.
There is at least one man in the
world who, il he is not proud of the
fact, is unashamed to admit that he
.sprang from an ostracized race" and
the scum of the world"
That man is Gypsy Smith, jr., who
last night began a months evangelis-
tic campaign in the National Capital
with Washington For Christ" as his
slogan.
While the evangelist was not born
Elm a gypsy tent, all his paternaI an
cestors did come from that nomadic
race, and his fathers boyhood was
spent roaming the earth 4foot or in
a gaudy wagon.
The racial pride of Gypsy Smith. jr..
IL based on the fact that the tribe
from which he originated has given
to the world thirteen evangelists, end
on his belief tina gypsies are good
people at heart and are greatly ma
ligned.
Tells of GypsIes' Work.
He thrills with emotion when he
tells of the wonderful work gypsics
are doing In the evangelistic world.
The fact that gypsies cannot read or
write. that they have no education,
that they have never been taught any
thing about God, that they have no
home other than camps established
in fields and along roadsides makes
1t all the more wonderful, in the
evangelist's mind. that thirteen of
them should leave one tribe to preach
the Gospel. He believes gypsies,
while appearing absolutely irreligious
IN their life are at heart deeply re-
ligious and are born exhorters and
ministers.
He says "gypsies get religion more
readily than peoples of other races,
because they recognize from child
hood that there is a supreme force
and personality which guides the
world, and when they are informed
that force and personality mean God
they comprehend it at once and are
most joyful over the discovery"
Has Studied Nomands.
While one generation removed
from the gypsy tent, the evangelist
realizes that all his family traditions
and history come from the rovers of
the plains, the hills and mountains.
and he has given careful study to
their habits, dispositions, traits of
character and life in general. He
visits gypsy camps wherever he
knows they can be found. He speaks
the gypsy language, and he is always
trying to convert more gypsies and
make evangelists OF them.
To the gypsies he Is known as
Boro Romany RASH, which means
great preacher" in their language
His father, too, is a Boro Romany
Reshi- and they expect the children
of Gypsy Smith. tr-, to follow the
same calling.
Holds Lost Tribe Theory.
Nobody knows where EypsIes
come from" said Gypsy Smith, jr.. to-
day. Their origin is an unfathom-
able mystery to anthropoIogists. We
believe gypsies, the roamers and row
ers Of the earth constitute one of the
lost tribes of Israel There were lost
tribes and we believe this is one of
them. How else can anyone explain
the fact that although gypsies can
not read or write and know nothing
OF the Bible. all OF them bear the
names OF Biblical characters. The
seercher may go back as far as he
possibly can, but he will never find
gypsy with any other than a
Biblical name.
But, where the Gypsies came from
ie not the important thing. IT IL
rather where are they going and
where are millions Of other people |
going when they die
GypsIeE Are SIIsunderstood.
THE Gypsy race is the most mis-.
understood race in the world. There
is no race under the sun that has
been so maligned as the Gypsies. 7
once asked a class OF children what |
they knew about Gypsies. Their an
swers were 'Gypsies are Ioafers
'Gypsies are thieves 'Gypsies swipe |
children Grown-ups as well as chill I
dren fear Gypsies for some unknown |
reason. They do not go near them I
but yet they conjure up all sorts of I
ridiculous, fantastic and terrible 4
stories about the race and tell them 4
as II they were facts.
1.-THE Gypsy race needs no defense 4
at my hands. They are good people /
CT AAAtg lOlHdHllE. temper f.
amental, impplsive. impressionable ,
at times, yet timid II
others, and their love of family and
home, wherever that home may be.
either in a wagon or on a hillside. Is /
Civilization Brought Vices.
"A great many things can be said
against Gypsies now. since they came
into touch with the refinement and
culture of civilization that could not
be said OF them while they stayed in
the wilderness. For instance. they
are very profane and they drink a
great deal. These are two Of the
faults of the Gypsy race, but
they are shedding these vices as time
rolls on.
They do not wreck banks nor re-
organize then,-you have some new
names for crimes in this country-and
they do not rob widows and orphans.
Gypsy girls are innocent and pure,
and unchastity Is practically IN
known among them. immortality, az
the word has come to be understood
in this day, is non-existent among
Gypsies.
They are called great thieves but
! call them petty piIferers or good
finders They never buy anything
hey can find. Occasionally they ind