A PULPIT WONDER

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1696, 31 August 1904, Page 89 (Supplement)

A PULPIT WONDER

A CHILD EVANGELIST IN LONDON. BOY WHO HAS FACED THOUSANDS Lbnnio I/. Dennis, the boy preacher, folded his arms across his* little chest, crossed his feet, and assuming the airs of a man of 50, intimated that lie was quite prepared to be interviewed. In America, Lonnie Dennis is known'as the “Child Evangelist,” and in many respects lie is a remarkable boy. He is only just ten years old, yet he lias been a preacher for six years, and over a million people have been enchanted by Ilia remarkable gifts of oratory. With large black beady eyes, a mop of jetblack lmir, parted in the centre, with long curls hanging on Iris shoulders, and a sallow complexion, lie at once strikes even a casual observer as a Lay out of the ordinary run. Lonnie is a Zambo — the child oi a negro and a Red Indian. This raoa has furnished some of the ablest statesmen and ..soldiers to the Central American republics,. Several presidents of Nicaragua and Guatemalahave been Zaiubos. A press representative caught him just before ho was about to address a large. meeting in connection with the “Great American mm Tent,” conducted by Air Leonard Weaver, in the Holloway Road, one night recently. He arrived with his mother, who is a negro woman, and who sings at nearly all the meetings her sou tddresses. HIS FIRST S E!R M ON. “I preached my first sermon when I was three years and eleven months oM said the child evangelist, “and '! . 4 •-m----ricaai newspaper men com puts, ~ 1 have preached to 1425*U)U0

City, Georgia, and my father was a French Red Indian. Me was an evangelist and a contractor. Aly mother is r. black woman. Why did I start preaching? Well, .1 had a call to preach from God. when I was three years old. .1 could neither read nor write, but I was so certain that I.was an inspired preacher that I used to stick up dolls and preach to them. I am told they' were very long sermons. I told my parents that I was determined I-should go out, and preach the Scriptures, and after 1 had interviewed a 'large number'of ministers, the minister oil. Little Bethel Ohuroli, Atlanta City, at last, consented •• to allow me to preach to' his congregation. HIS PULPIT A TABLE. “You can guess my parents were quite startled and not a little astonished. I wai placed on a table and spoke for a quarter of an hour. The congregation were amazed that a child of my age, who could neither read nor write, should know so much about the Scrip- . tores.: People became quite curious to hear me, and almost before I could . realise what had happened every big city in the States wanted to- hear me. Sinco then I have preached in 4-3 of the States, and have - given my sermon, ‘How I was called to .the ministry at four years of age’ over 4000 times. . I have preached to audiences numbering many thousands in New York, Chicago, Boston. New Orleans, St. Louis, San j Francisco, Washington, and all the big I cities. Have I lout many converts? j Well, it is not for me to say, and I ! could not sav how many. In a two \ weeks mission in Toronto there were 150 j converts, and one night in Denver, Colorado, 250 people came up to the altar, held up their hands, and asked to be prayed for.” When lie was only five years old the boy evangelist addressed. an audience of over 3000 people in New York. He has been taking a few months rest, and is now on hi.s way to America after a tour in Palestine, France, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland.