Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-09-23
JAMES TELLS THE STORY 0F HIS LIFE
 AND CONVERSION Cornetist With Stephens Party Was a Soloist at
 Age of 5 or 6 Years.
CONDEMNS LOCAL
 MOVING PICTURES
He Was Leading a Delegation for Billy Sunday, and Finally the Evan- gelist Won Him to ahrist-COm.
 mercial Travellers at Tabernacle.
(By A. HOMER JORDAN.)

A great crowd filled the tabernacle last nigat to hear Harry A. James tell the story of his conversion. The music preceding the address was the best of any Saturday night yet. The first special number was Wake the SOng,' sung by the chorus. MT. James then rendered a most beautiful cornet solo. Mrs. Powell sang "Holy, Holy, Holy" by Richard Worthing. Mir. Roper played, Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us," with his own var iations. Mrs. Powell and Miss Byrnes sang a duet, "In His Hands Are All the Corners of the Earth,' by Schnec- ter. MT. Storrs and MT. Stephens sang "Traveling Home." After they had sung this chorus the commer- cial travellers, who attended the ser vice in a body, were asked to sing it, which they did with much gusto.
 MT. Stephens led in prayer. After this MT. James gave his address con corning his conversion. 'I thank God" said the speaker, "for His won derful goodness to me. He took me Up and set my feet firmly on a rock. My whole desire in life is for the people to know the love and goodness of God. It is great to be ahle to tell of the wonderful, wonderful Savior. l wish I were able to paint beautiful word picture of the love of God as He has shed it abroad in my heart, and as He will do for you.
 q was born in Logan county, Ohio. My mother laid me upon the altar of God and dedicated me to His service when I was but a babe. I am so glad that she did this, and though l was away from God for many years, that mother did her duty toward me, and it was her constant desire and prayer that be servant Of the Most High. I died to the flesh and was born into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ in 1912 in Columbus, Ohio, during the Billy Sunday campaign in that city.
 "What I say concerning my life can be substantiated by MT. Webb of the National Bank of Arkansas, and by Jack Linn, who sits on this plat form tonight. I am one of family of eleven children. Our family was a family of musicians. Father, mother, and all the children played some in strument. Mother was somewhat of a writer also. We had band and were nicknamed the Jesse James Family band, Believe me, but we could knock the spots off the music. When we played people always knew we were coming.
 "I played the cornet when I was not strong enough to hold it to my lips. It had to be tied to a chair so I would only have to place my lips to it and blow. At the age of eight l was the leader of band in my home town. I was featured as cornet soloist as early as five or six years When was a small boy we moved back to West Virginia where my fath' CT and mother had lived. There was nothing there to entertain but hoot owls and whippoorwills. When I was sixteen I decided that l would leave home. I went back to Ohio where l was born and led a band there for some time, at Riverside park. Finding an opening at Columbus, Ohio, and at the earnest solicitation of several, l went there and took the leadership of the Pennsylvania Railroad Shop band. l was not there long till decided this was too slow for me. I played around shows for a while, then joined the Metropolitan Carnival company. soon discovered that this was not what it was cracked up to be and l quit. then began to put on the Southern Plantation minstrels. know this show business, and I want to say l cannot understand how intelli- gent people can pay out their money for such silly nonsense as l produced in the show. have stood in front of the show tent and advertised the show, have drawn a great crowd anu they paid their money and never once did I hear anyone call me grafter' But how different it is in the evangel- istic field.
 "In 1912 was running two show houses in Columbus, Ohio. had opened the Orpheum theatre and it seated 1,500 people. l decided since was making so much money with one that I could double my income with two shows running so I opened up another. I then thought l was having a fine good time.
 "One day Billy Sunday came to Columbus. Oh what a day it was to be for me! Great delegations march ed to the tabernacle to hear him. They needed some one to lead the del egations with band. had band that was doing concert work in the summer at one of the parks in that city. I was asked to lead these dele cations. They selected me. I thought Sunday was one of the biggest graft CTS in the world. Let me tell you my friends, he was, for he grafted into the kingdom of Jesus Christ 18,00( souls. For twenty-eight nights let those delegations to the tabernacle We played with the chorus and .haG good time. but I did not think o1 being a Christian. One night wher we went in MT. Sunday was reading