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AN OLD MAN’S TZKTZTUAL LOUTH
HE other day at Concord Association at
Douglasville, Ga., a man of three-score
years and ten arose to speak, holding
the Bible in his hand.
In tones low and tender, but clear and
searching, he began about as follows: “I
hold in my hand a 800k —a very remark
able Book. It has stood the test of time
and smiled triumphant over the flight of
- - - mi -im i,m
years. Critics have pried, infidels have cursed, beasts
have fought and devils have laughed to scorn, while
those who love and pray have sung its deathless
truths amid the persecuting flames of many an earth
ly hell.”
By this time all eyes were riveted on the owner of
that thrilling voice and the speaker of those ringing
words.
Stronger and stronger the voice became; clearer
and clearer the message rang; masterful and more
magical the speaker’s thrall —until men marveled,
women wept and even little children looked on and
wondered as the preacher of God swept onward and
upward, portraying the conquests of His deathless
Book and the glories of His matchless Love.
An hour had passed, but the audience knew it not.
A child cried and the spell for the moment was
broken:
Well, it was not as great a victory as we had
hoped, but when it is remembeerd that two months
ago experienced campaigners like Seaborn Wright
and others predicted a “wet” victory of ten to fif
teen thousand, and when it is further remembered
that the ‘booze-bought” negro vote in Jacksonville
alone was large enough to turn the tide against state
wide prohibition in a state that was counted as
“wet” as the ocean and Gulf around her and her
myriad lakes within, we are forced to agree that
Florida “wet” by barely three thousand is a signal
prohibition victory.
Look at this telegram, received from one of the
loyal workers the day after the battle:
DR. STOUGHTON’S HONE-CONING RECEPTION
Ten weeks in England, speaking to the greatest
crowds that throng the ministry of any American
of today, that would be a head-turning experience
for many men, however great, but Broughton is used
to it.
Coming back to a vast congregation of three thou
sand and more, all eager to give their, famous pas
tor the greatest home-coming reception he has ever
had, that might turn some other man’s head, but
Broughton is used to that also.
These things only caused a “swelling of the heart”
with the Tabernacle pastor and bring him oftener to
his knees.
The mammoth Friday night reception on the 11th,
following the overflowing crowds that met him on
the first Sunday in November, told again to the on
looking world the priceless love of his own loyal,
royal people that would not let L. G. Broughton
leave Atlanta, even for London, the greatest city
on the globe.
After the twilight luncheon which will be a feat
ure of the Friday night winter lectures for Bible stu
dents and teaching, the scintillating, inspiring inim
itable W. S. Witham, wizard of finance and philan
thropy, took charge of the “welcome-home” exercises
and for a while the very atmosphere was electrical.
That is away the atmosphere has of being and doing
when W. S. Witham is on deck; and for Witham and
Broughton to be on one platform, and that platform
in The Tabernacle — well, we give it up!
The first Sunday at the Tabernacle, after Dr.
Broughton’s return will abide in the hearts of his
TLORIDA—A PROHIBITION VICTORY
DR. G. A. NUNN ALLY, A FOUNTAIN OF FLOQUFNCE
The Golden Age for November 17, 1910.
DR. G. A, NUNNALLY.
“Let the child cry,” said the speaker, “and never
mind about the dinner in the baskets—it is already
cold. Don’t bother about these paltry things —I have
Jacksonville, Fla., November 9.
Wm. D. Upshaw, Atlanta, Ga.
The negro majority of Duval county alone respon
sible for thrusting whiskey upon seven hundred thou
sand people in Florida. Hillsboro (Tampa) county
dry.
A. J. HOYT.
That tells the mingled story of glory and shame.
That whiskeyized negro vote in Jacksonville will
arouse the decency of the state and hurl the liquor
ites from power when the next battle of ballots
comes. But think of Tampa “dry.” That shows the
grow'th of decent sentiment in the land of tourists,
foreigners, yes, and militant Americans fast coming
into their own.
Charles L. Collins, the fearless, tireless leader of
people. It was indeed a mountain-top occasion.
The commodious house was packed and jammed.
dm'' /'
DR. LEN G. BROUGHTON.
The “standing room only” sign went out even before
the hour for service and many eager friends who had
a message for you yet—l’ve been seventy years bring
ing it to you.”
And the audience was enchained again. And when,
after nearly ninety minutes, the “old man eloquent”
left his enraptured hearers listening to the very mu
sic of the Choir Invisible just outside the Gates of
Pearl all hearts were thanking God anew for the
Book of God and the God of the wondrous Book.
That magical preacher was G. A. Nunnally, who
seemed anointed afresh that day to tell ‘ the old, old
story that he has loved so long.”
For forty years Ur. Nunnally has been a forceful
leader among the Baptists of Georgia and the South
and a molder likewise of the civic betterment of his
state and section. Offering in the convention at
Athens the resolution that led to the first prohibi
tion efforts in Georgia, he has lived, as few reform
ers have done —to see his dream come true.
In missionary and educational effort he has thought
more thoughts and planned more plans that have
flowered and fruited in constructive progress than
any other man living today, unless it be the patient,
plodding, powerful H. R. Bernard. It is a fitting rec
ognition of G. A. Nunnally’s constructive ability and
fidelity that he has been made Secretary of the Geor
gia Baptist Education Board. Three cheers for Geor
gia’s old man of “perpetual youth.”
the Anti-Saloon League, fought till he fell with his
face to the foe. Miss Minnie E. Neal, President of
the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, and one
of the most unselfish heroines we have ever known,
rarely slept, and then always with her armor on.
The tide was turning wonderfully and one more
week would surely have given us the victory. But all
this wise work only gives the cause of civic virtue
a glorious foundation of vantage, and prohibition in
Florida will come sure and soon.
Oklahoma stays “dry,” Tennessee went, not Re
publican, but prohibition, the avowed liquor candi
date who defied William J. Bryan and decency in
Nebraska was defeated, and with Florida dry except
about three thousand “booze-bought” negroes, we can
truly say— Prohibition is marching on!
flocked to hear the famous Atlanta preacher, went
away sorrowful because there was no room.
Tithing Day.
It had been announced that this first Sunday at
home would be set apart as “Tithing Day.”
When the tithes were collected and counted, there
was a sense of gratified thankfulness in the hearts
of the pastor and his flock, for they “did nobly.”
Work on the New Tabernacle.
Dr. Broughton was almost boyish in his eagerness
to see how the new Tabernacle building “had grown”
during fiis absence. He was elated to find the walls
up and the roofing ready to go on. He feels assured
now that the new building will be in readiness to
greet and receive the March Bible Conference in 1911.
Gained Eight Pounds.
The thousands of friends who are interested in
Dr. Broughton were deeply concerned about his phy
sical condition when he started on his vacation. But
the “burden lifted” when he arose before them with
“shorn locks,” and laughingly declared that he had
gained eight pounis. Sam Jones once said that
“Broughton consisted of five pounds of hair and
ninety pounds of backbone,” but we believe the status
has changed now, and feel assured that the added
eight pounds is actual fat as the incident of a hair
cut removes the possibility of “an overload of chew
ing gum.”
We voice the sentiment not only of the Taberna
cle congregation, but of the people of Atlanta, Geor
gia and America when we say:
“Welcome home, our own peerless L. G.
Broughton.”
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