Evening star., 1941-10-08

Henry McLemore America. big ten
evangelist: a gentleman who. with
out any particular training, and
almost without warning. has cal~-a
one of the worlds most notorious
sinners to come charging down the
aisle, throwing up sawdust like a
pup in a butcher shop.
Brethren and sistren. ! give you
w. Averell Hartman, leader of ths
American delegation to Soviet Rus
sia
Into this heathen country Evan
gelist Hartman has spread the gos-
pei and he has spread it the hard
way, too. He has had none Of the
trappings of the standard evange-
list. There isn't a cornet player in
his encourage. There isn't a piano
player or a singer of gospel songs.
He hasn't a tent even.
All he has had is a trunkful OF
money. and if Russia is the sort of
place We have been led TO believs
it is, money is handicap to a man
who seeks to make Russia see tbs
light. Russia doesn't believe in a
man having lot of money. Didn't
it work out a 5 and then a 10 year
plan to see that money was spread
around like gravy on a hot biscuit,
and to make sure that no man or
woman had more than enough cur
rency to starve to death On?
But this didn't discourage Evan
gelist Hartman.
His faith was so great that he
believed that the Russians could be
taught to overcome this dislike Of
money. So he started preaching
his first sermon was in that shrine
of holies where the only disbeliever
was Joseph Stain
I can picture Evangelist Harri-
mans sermon.
can see the setting.
For a backdrop there was moth
ing but a hand-worked screen, beau
tifully done in American dollar
signs.
For music there was nothing but
muted phonograph record of
President Roosevelt appealing to
the American taxpayer to chip in
another seven or eight billion dol
lars.
Evangelist Hartman talked plain
ly and simply, stressing only the
practical side of religion II the
Russians would see the light. then
money from the United States. like
mamma from heaven, would fiutter
down upon them.
His gestures were simple but elo-
ouent. AS he raised his arms, $40,
$50 and $50 bills futtered from his
hands. When he pounded the ros-
trum. and explained the Joys OF
religion. certified checks few from
his pockets
Occasionally there was a reverent
amen. brother!" from his CO.
worker in the fields of sin. Brother
Beaverbrook.
can see Stain as he listens to
this moving plea for religion in
Russia.
He looSens his collar and thinks
of all the decent persons that have
been killed on his order. He grins.
He thinks of all the churches that
have been torn down on his order.
He smiles. He thinks of all the
little people, the fine and decent
little people who have been ground
under his heel He almost laughs.
Then Evangelist Hartman men
tions Fort Knox. Fort Knox in Ken
lucky, where almost all of the gold
in the world Is stored.
Come, sinner Stain!
Get to your feet, brotherl
Get religion. you poor, benighted
creature.
Get wise, you bum. you.
There's gold in them thar hills,
II you'll only answer the call.
open the churches of your coun-
try, and the treasury of the richest
country on earth is yours"
Stain gets to his feet.
Yea, mani" he cries.
Il repent, I repent"
Somewhere on high a recording
angel must have made an even
blacker mark beside his name.