The Washington times., 1917-02-05
Thirty Penitents Respond to
Call of Gypsy Smith, Jr.,
for Converts.
AGED MAN SECOND TO COME
Crowd That Packs Tabernacle
Hears Evangelist Plead for
Stand for Christ.

Smith, jr.. the evangelist. in his taber-
northwest, last night. the first was a
woman
This was the first time during the
campaign that the whirlwind evangel-
list has called for converts. He said
after the meeting: 81 am well pleased
with the first nights work"
The second to accept the invitation
of the dynamic gospel eXpounder, as
he pleaded with intense earnestness
for those who wished to be saved to
ignore the jibes of the scoffers, was
an old man, bent beneath a head of
white hair, who hobbled down the
cinder path and shook vigorously the
hand of Gypsy Smith, jr.
Tomorrow Nights Text.
THE Shipwreck of Life" will be the
ing at his tabernacle, Sixteenth and
V streets northwest.
The evangelist will describe the
wreck OF Paurs life, and compare 1t
to the wreck of mems lives today.
This meeting will be for the general
public.
served for the Churchmen's League
of the Episcopal churches of the city.
Christian Endeavor societies of Wash
ington will have a section reserved
for them. Members will attend in
groups from the various churches.
His text will be from the twenty
seventh chapter of Acts.
The Convention of Zaccheus."
An audience that taxed the capacity
of his roomy tabernacle crowded into
the inclosure to hear the evangelist
preach on the story of ''The Conver-
sion OF Zaccheus," last night.
At no time, it seemed to his hear
ers, during the present campaign,
were the gestures of the evangelist
more significant of his dramatic way
of reaching an audience and at no
previous meeting in Washington has
he made a more vigorous plea for a
stand for Christ.
Just before Gypsy Smith, jr.. leaned
from his platform pulpit to issue his
call for penitents he said in a voice
that gripped the audience:
God doesn't care what name your
mother gave you. for he knows you
for what you are. Listen! Many a
woman would be a Christian but for
that God-forsaken crowd that gives
the horse laugh when she attempts to
take a stand for Christ"
BOmbards Rich Seoffers.
The speaker chose the text: And
Jesus Entered and Passed Through
Jericho"
Here Gypsy Smith. jr., asserted
half of the American people have
little vision, or neglect to use what
they have.
IF President Wilson were to
leave this city tomorrow he would
be followed by the press and his
every move recorded said the evan
gelist- But when the Son of God
went through, Jericho there was not
even a historian interested enough
to set down at length his expert
ences"
Departing somewhat from his pre-
pared sermon the evangelist launch
ed a bombardment against the rich,
who have scoffed at religion, or who
refuse to recognize or contribute to
1ts work.
Dramatic Appeal TO Women.
"If Rockefeller were to go blind to-
night" he cried with intense earnest
ness, "what good would his millions
do him? II Carnegie should lose his
health and become an invalid how
much would his money help him."
keep quiet out there" said the
evangelist to one in the audience who
had approved of some sentence by
saying amen" q don't need you, L
feel sure. / am after these others"
Just before announcing his inten-
tion to call for penitents, the evan I
gelist addressed a dramatic appeal TO |
the women.
You are Christ's woman, YOU 50 \
ciety bud, or you charwoman, You
are all sisters under the skin. You I
may sneer at God and Christ, but He |
gave His life for you"
And this to the men: President |
Wilson could line up a million men to-
morrow to fight Germany, but IL |
here and confess your sins than it |
does to follow a leader to battle"
EnEIand's Benefit From War.
'1f England gets one single bit of |
good out of this war;" said the speak
er, Il believe it will be that she will /
get rid OF the saloons and her drunk
enness"
The choir opened the meeting with /
"Rejoice, Jehova Reigns," led by
Prof Cole. Then followed Praying
For You," Stand Up. Stand Up, For
Jesus" and Yield Not To Tempta-
tion." The latter was sung with the
standing.
The call for penitents was made as
the audience rose to join the choir in
singing Just As Am"
Prof. and Mrs. Cole and Miss HoaK-
land will leave for Charlottesville to-
day TO arrange for a series OF evange-
Iistic meetings in that city. the choir
leader announced last night
jericho Was Asleep
Gypsy Smith, jr., took his text for
last nights sermon from the first
verse Of the ninth chapter OF ST. John:
And Jesus entered and passed
through Jericho"
Because Jericho was asleep all VIC
know of IL was that Jesus passed
through" the evangelist said in open-
ing his sermon on the story of the
conversion of Zaccheus, the tax
Kstherer.
"old Jericho was asleep: il she
hadn't been there would have
p different history of her.
She didn't know the psychological
moment was at hand, she didn't know
that Christ was passing through. But
Jesus came through Jericho and we
have this record: And Jesus entered
I