LINKS WITH SULLIVAN.

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 17836, 8 October 1929, Page 9

LINKS WITH SULLIVAN.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Your article in last week's supplement under the above heading has aroused memories. The writer covered the story 1 airly well, Jmt he omitted a rather iimporlant item. The pseudo-evangelist posed as a 'brother of the great J. U. Sulli\an, the noted pugilist. The “evangelist had been on a visit to Australia, where it was reported he had not been too successful in a moneymaking venture and decided to go to America. When he reached Auckland cn route, an open-air service of one of tiie small sections of the church came under his notice and iie conceived the idea of becoming an evangelist, lie followed the procession to the church and duly professed conversion. He was a most enthusiastic convert, and, being possessed of a good voice, lie sung himself into favour. His fervour and singing won him fame, and it was not long ere he received a cordial invitation to conduct missions in Southern centres. He reached Christchurch in due course and was received with open arms in that oily of cranks. He had crowded meetings and his addresses and singing made a great impression. Reporters, however, proved his banc. They stuck at him and some slight variations in his statements were pointed out, thus arousing suspicion in some quarters as to his bona-fldes. It was, j however, his professed relationship to j the great pugilist that proved his undoing. A lady and gentleman attended one of his meetings. As soon as the lady saw the missioner she said to tier husband, “Surely that is Arthur Clampett, with whom we went to school at (an English village). The husband agreed as to identity, and that pricked the bubble. Clampett, alias Sullivan, had to seek another method of earning his living. Many good men and true were deceived by the evangelist, and there was a tierce controversy concerning his bonafldes before the final denouement. I was present at a church gathering at which there were representatives of several churches. One of the speakers rather j incautiously referred to the great work being carried on in Christchurch by I Sullivan. It was the spark to the j powder. I never before or since sawgrave clerics so heated. —I am, etc., SOUTHRON.