Jimmie Moore of BucktownTrotter, Melvin E. (Melvin Earnest)
General
Jimmie Moore of Bucktown
Trotter, Melvin E. (Melvin Earnest)
Christian life -- Fiction; Missionaries -- Fiction; Poor families -- Fiction
The first day that was warm enough for people to stand outside
and listen, Mr. Morton had his big, white stallions hitched
to the gospel wagon, which was also white. The team had wintered
well and weighed 3400 pounds. As they stood champing their bits
outside of the Mission, Jimmie watched them for a few minutes
and then, turning to Morton, said, "Please, kin I go erlong,
Mr. Morton?"
"Where shall we go, Jimmie? We want to have about three meetings
this afternoon if the weather stays warm, as it is now."
"Have all t'ree of 'em in Bucktown," said Jimmie. "I bet I kin
git Dave Beach ter come over ter the corner ter see dem dere
horses, and I'll bet Fagin and Mike'll come over ter hear Bill
Cook make his speel, and say, come here er minute." Jimmie took
Morton off to one side, away from every one, and whispered into
his ear: "If you'll git Floe ter go down there an' sing dat
dere song erbout 'Tellin' yer Ma I'll be dere' [Tell Mother
I'll be There], it'll git der whole bunch out to der meetin'."
"Floe is not very strong, Jimmie, and I hardly think she would
care to sing in the open air."
"If she'll do et, will yer let her?"
"Oh, yes, if she cares to go I will be glad to take her with
us on the wagon. You must not tell her I wanted you to ask her,
Jimmie," said Mr. Morton as the boy started on a run to ask
Floe to sing.
"She'll be dere by der time der wagon is," said Jimmie, all
out of breath, "an' I'm goin' down now ter tell der gang you're
comin'."
Before the second song had been sung at least two hundred people
stood before the gospel wagon at the corner of the Market. All
ages, sizes, colors, kinds, some drunk, some under the influence
of morphine and opium, and some Greeks and Russians who could
not understand one word of the English language. On the edge
of the crowd were three or four girls from the Dolly resort,
and as many more from other houses of this same type near by.
Oily Ike, Fred Hood and Jewey were there; but Fagin, Mike, Dave
Beach and Jimmie were nowhere to be seen. When the male quartet
arose to sing, every one became very quiet and listened attentively
to the singing.
Morton read the first Psalm and then told the crowd just why
they were there. "We are here to tell you about the Lord Jesus
Christ and His power to save; because we know that every one
of you needs Him," said Morton.
This class of people can never be "fooled," and one endeavoring
to help them in a spiritual way must be very frank and honest,
and never, never use "nice" words or sayings to catch them.
They are very suspicious of everybody and when any one attempts
to win them to his way of thinking he must do it in a straightforward,
honest manner. Do not call them "dear friends" or "dear brothers
and sisters"; do not tell them that they are all good people,
as they at once begin to look for a collection box or expect
you to have something to sell. They say, "He's either a fool
or thinks I'm one."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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