The Washington times., 1917-02-16
MILL PREACH IN
GOLORED CHURCH
Gypsy Smith, Jr., Heeds Appeal
of Vermont Avenue Baptist
Congregation.
AT TABERNACLE TONIGHT
Several Delegations Reserve
Seats for Sermon on what
soeVer a Man Soweth.

y Smith. jr., will preach an un-
scheduled sermon this afternoon. Re
reatedly importuned by the minister
and congregation of the Vermont
Avenue Baptist Church, colored, the
evangelist today accepted the invita-
tion and will deliver his favorite ser
mon on what 1t Means to Follow
Christ" at o'clock.
The evangelist said he was moved
by the appeals from the colored men
and women who called upon him, as
well as those who urged him in let
ters to preach helpful sermon to the
members of their race. His accept
ance of the invitation has aroused
the colored men and women to un-
usual enthusiasm and they have prom
tsed a capacity congregation at the
church for the special service.
At Tonighfs Services.
At tonights services at the taber-
nacle, when Gypsy Smith. jr.. prob
ably will take as his subject What
soever a Man Soweth," seats will be
reserved for several large delegations.
At least 300 men and women from
Riverdale and Hyattsville are expect
eed, while 200 members of the Phi
Mu Sigma, a boys Sunday school fra
ternity, have signified their intention
of being present
Tomorrow afternoon at O'Clock
Forest Cole, choir leader for the
evangelist, will conduct services for
children Among those present will
DC willie Jones'" a manikin, with
whom Prof. Cole talks and illustrates
religious lessons
Sunday afternoon Gypsy Smith, jr.,
VIII deliver a sermon for men only.
The services will begin at o'clock
Next Wednesday will be students
Night at the tabernacle. Youths
from all the high schools and men at
tending the sessions at George Wash
ington University have been especial
ly invited.
1,5OO Brave Elements.
notwithstanding the inclement
weather last night the tabernacle was
more than half full, which means
there were about 1900 persons pres
ent.
The evangelist said he was proud of
the large attendance on such a night
1T shows that you are in earnest,
and that you regard the word of
God as worth hearing, and worth
Drawing any hardships to hear" he
said. Il rejoice to see so many faith
full, earnest men and women here"
Following his sermon on 1.-The At
tractive Christ" in which he emu
merated some of the blessings be-
slowed upon humanity by the Savious,
and pointed out the joys of right liv-
ing, the evangelist extended an invi-
tation to converts.
Ten Converts Go Forward.
Ten men and women went forward.
and the evangelist knelt in prayer
with them. In extending his invita-
tion the evangelist urged that no one
come forward who was not convinced
in their heart and soul that they could
give their lives to Christ and stand
firmly by the resolve to lead a better
life. One by one the men and women
hit the cinder paths" and when the
ten repentants had gathered near the
pulpit the evangelist grasped them by
the hand, patted them on the shoulder
and fervently said, God bless you.
thank you"
The collections thus far taken up
at the tabernacle aggregate between
s3,1O0 and 5000, according to DIR.
John Carpenter Palmer. chairman of
lHe executive committee.
Text of Sermon.
Following is the text of the evan
gelist's sermon last night:
There are two things upon which
true religion is based-Christ and
the Word. THE people came to sec
Christ; He was the center of grav-
ity; ii was He who attracted the peo-
pie to Him; it was His miracles, His
personality, His word"
His popularity was the fulfill
ment OF the prophecy, Shall all the
gathering of the people be- The
Bible tells us He could not be hid !
that when He entered a house, the
crowd gathered around il, and called |
upon Him to heal them. and to /
speak to them. 1t was the Christness /
in Him, born of earthly parentage. /
that made Him so popular.
"If we have Christ in us. the /
world will throng to US. We say
there are people who do not want |
Christ. We malign them when we
say it; we slsnder them: we libel
them. They actually want Christ: !
everybody wants Him. We should |
put more spirit of the Christ into /.
our sermons, our songs. If you have
that spirit you won't need a late
on you to show it; people will know /
it. There Is an indefinsble some I
thing about him or her who is i'm !
bued with the Holy Spirit which at
tracts, and which causes admiration /
from even the nOn-believers.
Often Called Fanatics.
And yet, in the face OF all this, /
a man who carries a testament un-
der his arm on the street car. or on I
the street, is called a fanatic. The
man who makes a display Of the .
worship of God is held in scorn.
Il would be the most despica-
BILE person in the world did / not
give thanks to God for what he has
done for me. Think of living in a
town of 10000, where there was not
a Bible, nor A law, nor a command
ment to say Thou shalt not steal:
Thou shalt not lie and Thou shalt
not commit adultery Think. too. IL
the spirit of the Saviour had kissed
one of the inhabitants Of that city,
would he not be despicabIe If he did