GIRL EVANGELIST

Hokitika Guardian, 19 June 1929, Page 8

GIRL EVANGELIST

VISIT TO AUSTRALIA. SYDNEY, May 110. A great audience in Melbourne on Sunday listened with intense interest to a sermon in Wesley Church by a bright-eyed, dark-haired girl of 23 years—Sister Ida Worn bell, an evangelist who lias come to Australia for three years -at the invitation of the Methodist Church. Her subject was “England As I Know It,” She is to conduct regular services in Australia as she has done for the last six years in the English Midlands. There during the winter months she has been in the habit of speaking at three services on Sunday, and at one every night ol the week.

Sister Ida is a remarkable figure, as that record alone would indicate, and the story of how she became an evangelist is an interesting one. “When 1 was 10 I was converted,” she said on arrival at Melbourne. “Until then I had thought of going on the stage. 1 had studied elocution, and I love reciting, and I was often called upon to recite at church and charity affairs in Nottingham. Then, when I was converted L knew that 1 would have to preach. .My family was amused and said that they expected that idea to last about a fortnight. Then came the Goose Fair, v'.icTi is a big event in Nottingham, and our church arranged a social at wi.Tdi f recited. When 1 had finished ~io. minister said that 1 ought to be

a preacher. “lie did not know that 1 wanted t () *e one, but my best Iriend went to - .in ;tforwards, and told him, so he 7a vo me a week night meeting to speak at. Evidently he was pleased with uiat., for the next thing he did was to ask me to preach to a Sunday congregation of 2000. When I did 'at it got into the newspapers, and from then on I have never been without commissions to preach.”

Jn her spare time Sister Ida studies, and studies hard. She deprecates emotionalism in evangelistic work, and says that she tries to preach the Gospel with logic and coiiunousense. ft’ first impressions count lor anything Sister Ida is going to make her three years in Australia extremely profitable Hbr her church —that is, of course, from a spiritual point of view. She is not seeking wealth.