EVANGELIST’S TOUR

Evening Star, Issue 19352, 11 September 1926, Page 21

EVANGELIST’S TOUR

FINANCE EXPLAINED “ TEEADII3G 8H THE DEVIL'S TAIL" [Per United Jriipss Association.] AUCKLAND, September 10. Tbo following official statement regarding finance .and other aspects ol Gipsy Smith’s tour is made by the Pev. Lionel B. Fletcher, president of the Dominion Executive of tire mission, and tho Rev. A. J. Seamer, the secretary;— , “ Gipsy Smith, who for boon recognised as the * ree Church Council evangelist of England, him been invited often during the past tweiiy years to visit New Zealand. He has a last been able to accept the invitation, and is with us to-day as the gu«st 01 the Associated Free Churches of «cw Zealand. Tho financial arrangement is simple and clear. Gipsy Smith ha. neither asked for nor been given , au y financial guarantee other than sufficient to meet the bare expenses of himself and Mr and Mrs Young, his helpers. Neither ho nor either of his co-workers is in receipt of a salary from us, and ho has no financial interest whatever in the collections taken up day by day at his meetings. The committee has decided, however, to give to him whatever free-will offerings are handed in for that purpose on the final day (next Sunday). The proceeds of his lecture on Monday night are, of course, his own. In addition to the very considerable period occupied in travelling he is giving a month of his time to Auckland, and all he will receive in financial recompense is as stated above, iho amount will depend entirely upon what the people wish to give him, be rt little or much. As a similar arrangement has been made by us with reference to Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, Gipsy Smith and his party will receive as remuneration for tJie four months’ work tho amount of four days’ collections and the proceeds of four lectures. “ Recognising in Gipsy Smith a man trusted, revered, and loved by the Christian churches throughout the world, honored by His Majesty King George, and accredited uniquely as an evangelist, tho committee has undertaken to make suitable and adequate arrangements, which have entailed very heavy expenditure in rents, publicity, etc. There was ample justification for this undertaking in realisation that this would be most probably Gipsy Smith’s only visit to this dominion. There is now tho additional satJsiactiou of knowing that these arrangements as to buildings, etc., have not been in any degree too optimistic. The collections taKcn have been arranged to assist in defraying these expenses. None of the local workers in tho mission is receiving payment for the services rendered. Concerning the hymn books, we desire to state that probably no book has been sold in New Zealand with such a small margin above the actual expenses of printing and the purchase of the copyright. The conditions under which certain essential purchases of copyright were made precluded the issue of tho book in cheaper form. It is anticipated that there will be a loss, not a profit, on tho sale of the hymn books. M An explanation ol ins statement that there is organised resistance, and that publicans and gamblers are behind it (which was made on Wednesday evening), was given by Gipsy Smith at his meeting last evening. “ For the benefit of those who are hero for the first time.” he said, “ I will explain that there has been a certain amount of disturbance at some of the meetings. Someone has been stepping on the devil's tail, and he has been howling. I made a statement in a tew words last evening, and some folks have been attributing to me more than I said and more than I meant.”

Gipsy Smith said ho would not hurt an opponent, and would not do an injustice to an enemy if one came along. If ho found ho had done so he would admit his fault at once. “I am built diat way,” he added. “I want to bo a Christian, and 1 want to be a gentle-(AnrUo,.-o I r ,Vr,-l e, the opposition I said it was organised, and so it was. When I said publicans

, , IVA Al.l-v., .... . uiU llUo mean the licensed victuallers, for I never mentioned them. 1 meant that the opposition had been organised in an atmosphere of drinkers and gamblers. I do not blame Auckland for the opposition,” continued Gipsy Smith, amid applause. “I do not blame you law-abiding citizens. 1 blamo those who have got a strain of vulgarity in them and were not well bred. If they were well bred they would never oppose a religious service. The first time 1 went into a service as a gipsy boy I took my hat off. f did not even sit down; I was so tilled with awo and reverence.” (Applause.)