Joe the Turk

The following is taken and reworded from here.

Joe the Turk was a mountain of man being compared in size and shape to a prize fighter. He was described as rude and obnoxious, but at the same time he is one of the Salvation Army's great evangelists. Although he didn't always follow the rules he opend heaps of corps that lead for the way for new followers to have their corps in a more conventional way.

He was a shoemaker by occupation but one day he saw some Salvationists being attacked on the streets of London, and though knowing no English, he stepped in as their bodyguard. He travelled the country and would often see these salvos being persecuted so he would join in to protect them. Gradually he learnt what they were actually doing and was converted.

Joe's shoe shop became a colorful religious center, and he constantly thought of new ways to attract attention. He would attract attention in all sorts of ways, including umbrellas with hard core Turn or burn type slogans which lighted up, (lights werent common at this time) he wore funny clothes and He would stamp "Jesus Saves" all over the place.

When the town of Macomb, Illinois, was in the grip of a crooked mayor, Joe ran him out of town and took over until the people could hold an election. In another town, he saw a mob about to lynch the corps officer and braved the crowd to put the officer safely on the train. City after city Joe would be arrested for disturbing the peace with his open air meetings but he would boast being 'jailed 57 times for Jesus!'

After 38 years of adventurous service in the ranks of the Army, he retired in 1925. He was promoted to glory in his New York hotel room in 1937. Thousands called "Joe the Turk" their spiritual father.

Thats the sort of guy I want to be like. Someone crazy about seeing the world won for Jesus and doing whatever they can to get it done! How are you stepping out to win the world for Jesus?