The Washington times., 1917-02-23
GYPSY SMITH HAS
il ENORMOUS CROWD
Hundreds in Overflow VainIy
Seek Admission to
Tabernacle.
SENATOR is A CONVERT
mcfarland corrects impress
sion as to Disposal of
.. Offerings.

With every available foot OF space
in the tabernacle at Sixteenth and v
streets taken by interested hearers,
and with hundreds standing on the
outside clamoring for admission.
Gypsy Smith, jr., last night preached
to one of the most responsive audi
.ences of his campaign.
Interest in the meetings OF the
evangelist, who has been telling the
story of mans salvation and how it
may be accomplished, to thousands of
Washingtonians each night for
weeks, is growing daily, and last
night reached the high-wRter mark.
There were forty-four conversions,
among them being Senator Henry L.
Myers of Montana.
An appeal for funds was made by
Henry B. F. mcfarland, who also cor
rected the rumor that the evangelist
received a part of each collection.
Until Sunday night a free-wilI offer
ing will be taken up at each service.
A Wonderful Personality.
"a wonderful personality" one
gentleman with three attractive
young women replied in answer to the
question of one of the three, a small
brunette with handkerchief clutched
lightly in one hand, and the traces of
recent tears in her animated face.
S'What is 1t that holds ithem?" Two
young colored women who had been
standing at the entrance at one side
of the choir. where it was impossible
TO see the speaker waited patiently
as the big crowd left and made their
way into the center of the tabernacle
10 see the man who had stirred them.
They watched him as ne shook hands
with his admirers. and one of them re-
marked, "He amt no different from
no one else"
In the course of the sermon the
evangelist said: There are many who
are saying 'Good-by to God who
will cry to Him when some calamity
or sorrow comes. What is more terri
Bile than the shipwreck of a soul?
You may have your own opinions and
wreck your life. You NAV doubt
Christ and God. but IL you won't
prove it, you are a fool. II you play
with fire, you will be burned. II you
do wrong here, you will have hell
here and hereafter. What do you
know about God and His plans? Most
of you who are criticising God and
His word. do not know the first thing
about the Bible. Do not fool with
sin, for you will have to pay"
Three Glasses of sinners.
As the last sentence was spoken
the evangelist raised his voice and
Numbered. it at the audience. A
moment Of silence followed and then
the crowd broke into loud applause.
The speaker continued:
There are some folks here who
have trff1ed so long with sin, fed
their passions, and entertained doubts
so long, that they feel like the storm
tossed people OF my text, that all hope
is taken away. You are saying why
didn't 1 throttle the passion why
have l made this mistake" Listen,
friend, Gods grace and Gods mercy
are far reaching. Give Him a chance.
"Outside of theChristians here there
are three classes OF people. First,
those who are held by some passion
or appetite; second, those who are
utterly Indifferent to Jesus Christ;
third, those who are skeptical about
the claims Of the Christian religion.
Tonight II you are not Christian you
belong to one or the other OF these
three classes.
SIolo OF "OOIcy.
Take the. first class. Men are bound
by their own passions. Their will
power has been weakened by years
OF yielding to their appetites. They
are unable 10 free themselves from
the power of passion"
The evangelist told the story John
g. Woolley, who was held down by
his appetite for drink, who had reach
ed the place where he thought God
did not care for him. His family
had prayed constantly for him. Final
~ he reached the place where he
ceased relying on himself and put his
case in Gods hands, and was saved.
and became a great power for
righteousness and temperance in this
country" he said.
Then there is the second class,
those who are indifferent. They don't
y