The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-08-28
Christ on the Corner

ID EvHREEND EPHRAIM BROWN, chief soapboxer in
~ the Church Of the Living God was pnchhtting for
Jesus the Madison Street slave market In addition
70 bible his equipment consisted of banjo small
drum, large drum, tambourine and two women
very black the other not SO black. The Reverend
EphTuim Brown black as the very black woman
On the big drum was written: This is the property
Of the Church of the Living God. Rev Ephraim
Brown" Besides making loud noises it also served
the rather ungodly purpose of collection box
Madison Street. between Racine and Canal, holds the
nOphouse championship of the world. Unskilled labor
Is recruited here for the lumber camps construction
camps and the harvest fields in season.
Workers, shipping out after leaving their money to
the booteggers the bawdy houses and of the sky
pilots who offer the lonely the consolation of thought
from mythical god at so much per brain wave
Workers returning from a job, out for excitement
They get it too. When they broke employment of
ice sharks ship them of for another roll.
Salvation Army lasses, Volunteers of America in
dViduaI preaehers-all take a turn at saving the ex
plotted workers Rather their souls! Reverend Eph-
rain Brown organization man. He was working
on his own
little wiry man Brown, dressed neatly in a
black suit topped by skull cap somewhat larger than
the headgear affected by the famous Bryan brothers at
the last democratic national convention pair of
glasses and crucfx completed the Reverend Browns
sartorial equipment at least the part exposed to the
naked eye
The blacker Of the two women thumped the little
drum whenever sinner showed sings of repentance
and explored his pockets for metallic proof of change
Of heart Only dues paying pentents recognized
by the Church of the Living God. The sound made by
the drum induced abandon and recklessness Without
drum what could street preacher do? This
tcked the banjo when the preacher Iapsed into
verse. She was also banker for the firm
The other lady the Rev. Browns staff was seated
on collapsible chair. Her job read the bible
while the preacher explained 1t in a singsong voice
rather attractive mulatto.
Selfconfdence oozed from the Reverend Brown He
dehed his audience to that he not giving the
correct Interpretation of the word of god" 1t was
not sufficient to read the good book he said It must
be understood He offering genuine salvation His
customers would not be disappointed
With many different religions angling for souls
how could poor fellow avoid getting stung? Well,
the Reverend Ephram Brown could not be everywhere
and woe unto the sinner who did not run across him
"Yo pore sinners more pick out a religion
what is good for you" he said, than person with
sluggish liver could into drug store and pick out
the right medicine without knowing what medicine
was"
This sounded plausible.
Weary men sat on the curb Some were weary and
old. Tattered, hungrylooking wreck of humanity
Faces covered with showing the ravages of
disease. Others looked healthy enough. The atnos-
phere was charged with alcohol fumes To light
match risky
The Reverend Brown in the middle of a haran-
que against the demon when a voice from the