The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-09-27

Mcpherson tells how the magic Of
! the woman evanxelist's words
! gripped Los Angeles, and brought
! forth one Of the greatest temples
Of worship In the land.)
(BY ALLENE sUMNER)
Two shows" vie for the attention
, Of tourists on the Pacific coast. One
is the race tracks and gambling dens
Of Tia Juana. The other is the
Aimee Semple Mcpherson religious
ceremonies in Angelus Temple at Los
! Angeles.
Radically different in character
they are alike TO the extent both are
| colorful, bizarre.
Both play to packed houses.
The tourist learns very quickly
thas wedging his way into one Of the
5000 free seats Of Aimee McPherson's
great "House That God built" is no
easy feat.
Five Busy Years
Five years ago IL was that the
! most widely known woman evangel-
list Of all times parked her gospel
auto" on side street Of Los Angeles.
With her were her mother. Mrs.
Minnie Kennedy, and her two chill
dren. They had motored across the
country from New York.
Only five years ago! But that day
last May when Aimee seemed to
have disappeared into the sea at
Ocean Park. no less than 10000 Of
her followers despaired on the shore.
They commanded God to "give US a
sign!"
They cast themselves into the
waves, some to drown
They sent blasts Of dynamite down
into the sea, watching terror-frozen
for what the seq might yield,
They flew IN planes over the deep,
looking for their Sign
They sobbed and moaned ut sight
| Of their loved prophets green bath
ing cap bouncing on the waves
! kissed it, fought to touch it!
A Mark on Heart and Soul
Thus in five years had Aimee
| Semplc Mcpherson put her mark
upon the heart and soul Of this
growing city Of the coast.
The vast white hulk Of her An
| gelus Temple crowned the hills.
Aimee herself was reputed million
aire. Her daily overhead at the
/ temple was 4ll, UVV.
| How had she done it?
| 1t all began AS that rickety "gos-
pei auto" wheezed across the plains
| Aimee. standing by the chuggine
engine, talking Of God to bewildered
crowds, begging them for Gods
tithe."
Work roughened hands Of this
! farm and factory, polished nailed
hands Of the professional world, dug
/; down for Aimee.
For my great Temple!" she told
| them.
She went to Los Angeles, she said
because her little daughter. Roberta
recovering from illness. asked to =
| where it was always sunshine ant
! where she could have u yellow birt
that would sing all the time.
No Temple 1t First
Il There was no million dollar temple
ut first. Mrs. Mcpherson gave he
dramatic movie illustrated sermon
in store rooms. Her first crowds o
10 became 500 the second time sh
preached. Ever larger audiences
Larger collections.
n There were gifts. Huge sums 0
money "for Gods work." A beauti
full home for herslf.
Meanwhile the world would not lie
Los Angeles have Mrs. McPherso1
all to itself.
The sophisticated eastern metro
politan world begged her to come I
them! London, New York. even he
old haunts of China begged her I
come back.
/ She filled q London engagement
, and went to New York twice-firs
| holding her revival in remote hal
| the second time down town in
:. fashionable sophisticated church.
Each time she returned to La
Angeles with more funds.
The Great Day
The time seemed ripe ut las
Aimee made her plea and the hOus
Of God seemed built overnight.
"I1l give the paint"
! "I'll give the lumber!"
"I'll do the plumbing!"
These shouts filled her revival ha
!, the night she told her flock Of he
! great dream.
81 The towers Of Angelus Temple 81
I seen for miles about. The wires I
station KFSG shine atop it.
The evangelist Is Is well known
$ listeners Of this station as to thoi
who see her In person.
J. Ten thousand curious, devou
= thrill-loving. worshiping people crow
d Angelus Temple three times eac
i Sunday fighting for chance to hes
: their woman leader.
This in an age of churches deplo
) ing that people will not 90 to church
e Copyright, 1926, NEA Service, Inc
NEXT: The gospel which MI
2 McPherson breaches, and how ri
D I Ap4vsa hAp rpnv3l