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arW38458 ''™'"' """""^ ""^"^ 
 Jerry McAuley : 
 
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 3 1924 031 766 524 
 
JERRY McAULEY 
 
 Founder of the Old McAuley Water Street Mission, 1872 
 Cremorne McAuley Mission, 1882 
 

 JERRY 
 McAULEY 
 
 An Apostle 
 
 
 to the Lost 
 
 INTRODUCTION BY REV. S. IRENAEUS PRIME. D.D. 
 
 PERSONAL RECOr. LECTIONS 
 By A. S. Hatch. James TalcoU, Mn. E. M. Whtttemon. 
 Mrs. Spencer IV. Coe, Rev. John Calvin Knox, and Con- 
 tributhns by J. H. Wybum, James A. Richards, and others 
 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 R.M.OFFORD,I.l..n. 
 
 
 
 SEVENTH EDITION 
 
 Rsviud and enlaiged 
 with new Illutintioni 
 
 
 
 AMERICAN TRACT SOCVETi 
 ISO NASSAU STREET. NEW YORK 
 
 
 «? 
 
7 5x ^'^ 
 
 COPYRIGHT, M85, 
 BY MXRIA MCAULBY 
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1907, 
 BY AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY 
 
To 
 
 MARIA, 
 
 raS WELL BSLOVKO AND LOVING WIPB AND TRUB HELPMBST, WHS FAtTHrULLT LABORBD 
 
 SIDE BY 5U>B WITH JERKY, SHAKING ALL THE TRIALS AND TRIUMPHS OP 
 
 HIS REDEEMED LIFE, AND WHO BRAVELY TOOK UP HIS 
 
 WORK WHERE HE LAID IT DOWN, WHEN 
 
 THE LORD CALLED HIM HOME, 
 
 C(i( Mumt to miiwtfttns SebirattB kg 
 
 THE EDITOR. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 During the summer preceding his death Jerry McAuIey 
 was planning for the preparation of a somewhat extensive 
 acconut of God's dealings with and through him. He pur- 
 posed waiting only for cooler weather before commencing 
 his task. But his death intervened ere the work had even 
 been begun. We have thus been deprived of many of the 
 records of the richest displays of God's grace in both the 
 Water Street and the Cremorne Missions. But enough have 
 been printed in the following pages to arouse the deepest 
 interest of Christian hearts. These records serve to show that, 
 in the dispensation of grace and graces, God is no respecter of 
 persons. As in nature the most resplendent gems are found 
 among the most uninviting surroundings, so grace gathers 
 out of the horrible pit and the miry clay many a bright 
 gem for the Saviour's diadem. And God works through 
 lowly instrumentalities. In this respect his choice is often 
 contrary to human judgment. Jerry was a very unpromis- 
 ing sinner to begin with, but God in His grace saved him. 
 After his conversion he seemed by no means a promising saint, 
 and ministers and others engaged in mission work did not 
 encourage him to believe that he was called to labor in that 
 direction. But God had called him none the less, and owned 
 &nd blessed him beyond all human conception or computa- 
 
vi Preface. 
 
 tion. It is indeed true that we have this treasure in 
 earthen vessels, that the glory may be the Lord's. 
 
 It is fitting that acknowledgments be made here of indebt- 
 edness to those friends who have helped to produce this, 
 volume. The first three chapters are taken from the little 
 work "Transformed," edited by Mrs. Helen E. Brown. 
 Three of the later chapters are devoted to personal recollec- 
 tions of the worker and his work, by A. S. Hatch, Esq. There 
 are no more interesting chapters in the book than these, and 
 they greatly enhance its value. That gentleman has placed 
 us under further obligations by the care and patience with 
 which he has read every line of this volume, revising where 
 necessary — a task which his long and intimate acquaintance 
 with Terry enabled him to do better than any one else could 
 have dene it. To the Rev. S. Irenaeus Prime, D.D., thanks 
 are due for the " Introduction." His reminiscences of Jerry, 
 couched in such tender and touching language, will serve to 
 awaken at the start a deep interest in the records which 
 follow. 
 
 My own part of the work has been a very modest one. 
 Collecting such material as already existed, and which best 
 served to present Jerry the outcast, Jerry the transformed, 
 Jerry the successful worker for souls, the matter has been 
 prepared for the printer without any attempt to give the 
 facts in any setting of beautiful language. The labor has 
 been a simple but very pleasant one. To have helped in any 
 way to publish the story of grace as it triumphed in and 
 through Jerry McAuIey is an honor greatly esteemed, and for 
 which the heart feels sincerely grateful to God. It is in- 
 deed to be wished that He may be glorified in the record as 
 He was in its subject. 
 
 May Christians who read these pages be encouraged to 
 
Preface. vii 
 
 work for the salvation of the most outcast of their fellow- 
 beings! May many of those who are as yet unsaved be 
 led by these records to seek Jerry McAuley's Saviour, the 
 Lord Jesus Christ. Of that blessed Redeemer it is written 
 in God's Book, the Bible, " He is able also to save them to 
 the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever 
 liveth to make intercession for them" (Heb. vii. 25). His 
 own words are : " Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are 
 heavy laden, and I will give you rest " (Matt. xi. 28). 
 
 The Editor. 
 
PREFACE TO SEVENTH EDITION. 
 
 Jerry McAuley died September i8, 1884. In the following 
 year the memoirs of his Life and Work were published, and 
 such was the demand for the work that, though the edition was 
 a large one, it was soon exhausted. Other and larger editions 
 followed, all of which found a ready demand. Christian work- 
 ers read the book eagerly, and were stirred to renewed faith 
 and zeal in their labors for souls who to them had previously 
 seemed lost almost beyond hope. New interest was aroused 
 in the Missions bearing Jerry's name. They were visited by 
 Christians who desired to help just such characters as Jerry 
 once was, and in this way the multiplication of such blessed 
 agencies became an important result. Indeed it is claimed 
 that more than a thousand rescue missions have been inaugu- 
 rated as the direct or indirect result of Jerry's life and ex- 
 ample. 
 
 The book was also widely circulated among prisoners in 
 jails, and many an inmate who read its pages began to see 
 that there was for him, as there had been for Jerry, a better 
 way of life. Some who read were converted in prison. Many 
 of these and others under conviction came, after their sen- 
 tences expired, to New York, bent on seeing for themselves 
 the inside of the Missions which Jerry had started. Again 
 and again have strangers risen in the Mission services to tell 
 of their salvation, declaring that it was brought about through 
 Grod's blessing on their reading of Jerry McAuley's Life, 
 which had come to the prison cell as a ray of divine hope. 
 Tempted souls read the book and were encouraged. It was 
 
Preface. ix 
 
 such a romance of providence and grace that it could not fail 
 to produce a wonderful effect. Little wonder, surely, that it 
 should be thus owned of God and blessed as a redeeming 
 agency, since every page as it was being prepared for the 
 printer was baptized with prayer, and many devoted Christian 
 souls prayed constantly for the usefulness of the work. The 
 volume went over the world cheering missionaries in many 
 lands. It was put into ships' libraries so that sailors might 
 read it. It was much blessed to men of the sea — a class that 
 have always received earnest attention at Jerry's Missions, 
 particularly so at the Water Street Mission, on, account of 
 the latter's location near the river front where sailors con- 
 gregate. Jerry always manifested a peculiar interest in sailors. 
 
 To-day there is a wide demand for a new edition of the 
 work. Jerry McAuley's name is treasured as truly as it was 
 in his most active and useful days. His Missions have passed 
 through twenty years more of marvelous history and are still 
 conducted in Jerry's way and in faith in Jerry's Giod. Still 
 are testimonies borne to the blessing received in the perusal 
 of the Lije and Work of Jerry McAuley, and applications 
 continue to come from far and near for copies of the work. It 
 is felt that another edition may well be published as a new 
 memorial of the goodness of God, and as a token of con- 
 tinued faith in His power and willingness to bless to the saving 
 of souls and the strengthening of believers the story of His 
 own matchless grace as revealed in Jerry McAuley. 
 
 The publication of a new edition affords the opportunity to 
 refer to the present condition of Jerry's Missions — the first 
 at 316 Water Street and the other at 104 West Thirty-second 
 Street, near Sixth Avenue. 
 
 Those who knew Jerry personally, and others who have 
 learned to love him as they have read of his conversion and 
 
X Preface. 
 
 subsequent devotion to the rescue of lost men and women, will 
 find interest in the brief additional chapter given to the setting 
 up of Jerry's silent yet eloquent memorial stone in Woodlawn 
 Cemetery, and to the dedication of the Jerry McAuley Foun- 
 tain at the junction of Broadway, Sixth Avenue and Thirty- 
 second Street. Such friends will find interest in the account 
 of the farewell services held in Cremorne Mission when Mrs. 
 McAuley laid down the work after eight years' superintend- 
 ence following upon the death of Jerry. The story of the 
 dedication of the "Sky-Pilot," a mission boat engaged in dis- 
 tributing the word of life to sailors on Long Island Sound, will 
 surely prove attractive. 
 
 The contributions of the Rev. Samuel H. Hadley, Mrs. E. 
 M. Whittemore, Mr. James Talcott, Mrs. Spencer W. Coe, 
 the Rev. John Calvin Knox, John Jaeger, James A. Richards 
 and others will be additional welcome features of this later 
 edition. 
 
 May God as graciously and widely bless this enlarged edi- 
 tion as He has the earlier ones ! May its records serve to em- 
 phasize the awful nature of sin in its effects on the lives and 
 souls of men and to show forth the willingness and power 
 of God to save from sin, and to use the lowliest instruments 
 when truly consecrated to His work for the fulfilment of His 
 loving purpose I 
 
 The Editor. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Iktroduction by Dr. Prime 3 
 
 I Transformed 9 
 
 II Struggles and Temptations 20 
 
 III Jerry Becomes a Missionary 36 
 
 IV Trials and Triumphs 48 
 
 V Water Street as It Was 58 
 
 VI More about Water Street 69 
 
 VII Trophies of Grace 78 
 
 VIII A Mistake and What Came of It 88 
 
 IX Evil Schemes Frustrated 100 
 
 X The Cremorne Mission 109 
 
 XI Another Chapter of Testimonies 120 
 
 XII Called Home 133 
 
 XIII On the Old Spot 145 
 
 XIV Characteristic Sketches and Personal Recollec- 
 
 tions OF Jerry McAuley 156 
 
 XV Recollections — Continued 162 
 
 XVI Recollections — Concluded 17S 
 
 XVII Every Evening in Water Street 183 
 
 XVIII Water Street Meeting — Concluded 195 
 
 XIX Tombstone and Fountain 209 
 
 XX Under the Care of Mrs. McAuley 213 
 
 XXI Mrs. McAuley's Farewell 226 
 
 XXII Mrs. Whittemore and the "Door of Hope'' .... 242 
 
 XXIII Samuel H. Hadlev's Story 246 
 
 XXIV A New Chapter on Old Water Street 253 
 
 XXV John Jaeger's Mission of the Living Waters . . . 262 
 
 XXVI John Calvin Knox, Prodigal, Penitent, Preacher . 272 
 
 XXVII Two Memorable Sabbath Afternoons 281 
 
 XXVIII The Jerry McAuley "Sky-Pilot" 288 
 
 XXIX Jerry McAuley in Print 294 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Jekry McAuley Frontispiece 
 
 Jerry's Pardon from Sing Sing 0pp. Page 22 
 
 Jerry's Faithful Wife 
 
 Old Helping Hand for Men 
 
 Present Old McAuley Water Street Mission . • 
 
 Cremorne McAuley Mission 
 
 Mr. Sidney Whittemore 
 
 Mr. a. S. Hatch 
 
 Memoriai. of Jerry in Woodlawn 
 
 Memorial Drinking Fountain to Jerry .... 
 
 Mrs. Sidney Whittemore 
 
 Delia 
 
 Rev. Samuel H. Hadley 
 
 John H. Wvburn and Family 
 
 John Jaeger, Missionary 
 
 Rev. John Calvin Knox and Wife 
 
 Second Rotterdam Reformed Church, Schenectady 
 
 Hymn, "It's All Right" 
 
 Yacht, "Jerry McAuley" 
 
 The "Blue Button" Flag 
 
 36 
 46 
 46 
 no 
 140 
 iS6 
 208 
 212 
 238 
 244 
 250 
 258 
 262 
 272 
 279 
 287 
 288 
 391 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 By Rev. S. Iren^eus Prime, D.D. 
 
 Returning home after my summer recess in 1884, I had 
 not been in my house five minutes when a gentleman called 
 to ask me to conduct the funeral of Jerry McAuley. 
 
 " Is he dead ?" I asked in a burst of mingled surprise and 
 sorrow. Before going away I had seen and heard the mani- 
 fest signs of consumption, and it was not wonderful that 
 such a life as he led in the days of his wickedness should 
 make him an easy prey to disease. He did not live out half 
 his days, though grace did come to the everlasting life of 
 his soul. 
 
 But it made me very sad. I did not know that this 
 strange man had such a place in my heart that now he was 
 dead I should feel as if the city and the world and I had 
 lost a friend. Jerry is dead ! Well, what was he to me that 
 I must grieve that I shall see his face no more ? He came 
 often to see me, and said little when he was there, but 
 seemed to love to sit near me, and look up with a tearful 
 eye and a pensive face, and a heart, I doubt not, full of sweet 
 hope and holy love. We never talked of the old, old times 
 when he was a thief and a robber, when he was a drunkard 
 
4 Jntroduction. 
 
 and blasphemer, when he was a convict in prison, and 
 afterwards an outcast and an outlaw. It is not in my 
 memory that a word ever passed between us about those 
 terrible days and nights of sin and shame, when he won dis- 
 tinction among the criminal classes as one of the worst of 
 men, a dangerous character, unfit to be at large — as unfit to 
 live as he was unprepared to die. It has always been a mar- 
 vel to me that men professing to be reformed from loath- 
 some habits should revel in the recital of their past sins, as 
 if they were heroes who had come out of a great battle, and 
 were now victors to be crowned and counted worthy of 
 honor. Jerry McAuley was not so. He kept in mind the 
 pit from which he was dug, but the memory of it filled him 
 with penitence and pain. He would speak of it when the 
 fact of his rescue would help a perishing brother to struggle 
 for deliverance; but he loved rather when with me to speak 
 of the life that he now livpd — " yet not I, but Christ liveth 
 in me : I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, 
 and gave himself for me." Delivered from the powers of 
 darkness and translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son, 
 this poor sinner, clothed and in his right mind, had put 
 away the old man with his lusts, and now a new man in 
 Christ Jesus was striving to walk humbly and softly before 
 God. He nevet seemed confident that he might not be de- 
 livered again into the hand of Satan, to be buffeted for a 
 season; but he sought sustaining grace and found it day by 
 day, till the convicted sinner was transformed into a re- 
 deemed soul by the Spirit of God and the victory of the 
 grave. 
 
 The next day was the Sabbath. The funeral was to be 
 in the afternoon. As the hour approached — and indeed all 
 the day — my thoughts had been dwelling on the fact that 
 
Introduction. 5 
 
 New York has no consciousness of the loss it has met : the 
 city knows not that one of the most useful men in it, one 
 of its most remarkable, wonderful men, is to be buried to- 
 day. Very few know 'or care about Jerry McAuley ; we are 
 going to the Broadway Tabernacle to talk of what he was 
 and what he has done, to a little congregation that will 
 gather there : if it were Dr. Taylor, the beloved and honored 
 pastor, the house would be crowded and the mourners would 
 go about the streets ; but poor Jerry — he is dead, and who 
 will be there to weep with us over his remains? Ah, how 
 little did I know the place that he filled in the heart of this 
 vast city! I was to conduct the funeral, and went early to 
 complete the arrangements. As I turned down from the 
 Fifth Avenue through Thirty-fourth Street, I saw a vast mul- 
 titude standing in the sunshine, filling the streets and the 
 square in front of the Tabernacle. Astonished at the spec- 
 tacle, and wondering they did not go and take seats in the 
 church, I soon found that the house was packed with peo- 
 ple so that it was impossible for me to get within the door. 
 Proclamation was made that the clergy who were to officiate 
 were on the outside, and a passage was made for them to 
 enter in. What could be more impressive and expressive 
 of the estimate set upon the man and his work ! There is 
 no other Christian worker in the city who would have called 
 out these uncounted thousands in a last tribute of love and 
 honor of his memory. And then eloquent lips spoke of him 
 and the great good done by him in fields of labor uninvit- 
 ing, and often repelling those who care for the souls of the 
 perishing among us. It was said that there is no pne pastor 
 in New York who is doing the work of this humble man 
 — no pastor who will leave a wider vacancy when he falls en 
 the high places in his field of duty. 
 
6 Introduction. 
 
 To read the story of his life and work is not like the 
 romance born of a lively fancy, for it is far more strange, 
 unreal, incredible, than the novel of the period. It involves 
 the supernatural. It has to do directly with the powers of 
 the world to come. Reading it, still more going into one of 
 the meetings where lost men and women come to be saved, 
 brings one at once into the midst of agencies that imply 
 for their power and success the immediate, direct, personal 
 presence and working influence of the Holy Spirit. If this 
 work is not of God, it is nothing ; worse than nothing — it is 
 an awful farce. To me it is a divine reality. It was no 
 fanaticism that in the days of the apostles led men to cry 
 out " What must I do to be saved ;" and when I have sat in the 
 midst of publicans and harlots, convicts and thieves, drunk- 
 irds and other vile and wretched human beings down so 
 Jow in misery and shame that no human arm is long enough 
 to reach them or strong enough to raise and save them; 
 when I have heard them in broken accents, amid sobs and 
 tears, tell what the grace of God has done for them, how it 
 had brought husbands and wives together in peace and 
 comfort, with happy children around them, after liquor and 
 crime and gaunt want had broken up the household ; when 
 I have heard scores and scores of such testimonies ascribing 
 all their salvation to Him who loved them and died for 
 them, lost and ruined by sin — the tears have run down 
 like rivers of waters from mine eyes, and I have prayed that 
 hundreds and thousands of preachers of righteousness like 
 Jerry McAuley might be taken from prison to go in the 
 name of Jesus to seek and to save them that are lost. 
 
 It is a good thing to write and print and spread the life 
 of such a man as the hero of this volume. It may kindle 
 the flame in many other hearts. Christians in other walks 
 
Introduction. 7 
 
 of life than he trod may be stirred to better living. And 
 (may God in infinite mercy grant it!) some poor, sinning 
 soul, some wretched and sinking soul, some poor sinner, 
 almost as bad as Jerry was, may read it in his extremity, 
 and cry out with this ransomed prisoner, " Lord save me, I 
 perish." 
 
JERRY MCAULEY. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 TRANSFORMED. 
 
 " Our young life had dark beginning, 
 Helpless and alone we lay ; 
 Knowing only sin and sorrow, 
 
 Till the Saviour passed that way." 
 
 The following autobiographical sketch of Jerry McAuley 
 and the beginning of his Christian work was written in 
 1875, mainly from Jerry's dictation, and was widely circu- 
 lated and read at the time, under the title of " Transformed ; 
 or. The History of a River Thief." With a careful revision, 
 and with some additional facts relating to the early part of 
 Jerry's redeemed life and the origin of the Mission in 
 Water Street, supplied in their proper connection by a 
 loving hand, it is here reproduced as the most fitting 
 introduction to the present volume. 
 
 I do not attempt this record of my life from any feeling 
 of vain-glory, or any craving for notoriety. Neither is it 
 because I have had a remarkable history. I have been a 
 great sinner, and have found Jesus a great Saviour ; and this 
 is why I would tell my story, that others may be led to 
 
lo Disadvantages in Youth. 
 
 adore and seek the blessed Friend who saved, and has thus 
 far kept me by his grace. 
 
 I was born in Ireland. Our family was broken up by sin, 
 for my father was a counterfeiter, and left home to escape 
 the law, before I knew him. I was placed at a very early 
 age in the family of my grandmother, who was a devout 
 Romanist. My first recollections of her are of her counting 
 her beads, and kissing the floor for penance. I would take 
 the opportunity while she was prostrated upon her face, to 
 throw things at her head, in my mischievous play, and when 
 she rose from her knees, it was to curse and swear at me. 
 At such times I can distinctly remember thinking, though 
 I could not have formed the thought into words, "What 
 sort of religion is this that requires such foolish worship, 
 and allows such sinful ways ?" I can trace my infidelity to 
 Rome to just these incidents. 
 
 I was never taught or sent to school, but left to have my 
 own way; to roam about in idleness, doing mischief con. 
 tinually, and suffering from the cruel and harsh treatment 
 of those who had the care of me. 
 
 At the age of thirteen I was sent to this country, to the 
 care of a married sister in New York City. Here I ran 
 errands in the family, and assisted my brother-in-law in his 
 business, and soon, by the practice of little tricks, became 
 well used to dishonesty, and was as great a rogue as one of 
 my years could be. After a while I felt I could live by 
 my own wits, and left my sister's home to take care of 
 myself. I took board in a family in Water Street, where 
 were two young men with whom I associated myself in 
 business. I earned what I could, and stole the rest, to 
 •apply my daily wants. 
 
 We had a boat, by means of which we boarded vessels 
 
Sent to State Prison. 1 1 
 
 in the night, stealing whatever we could lay our hands on. 
 Here I began my career as a river-thief. In the daytime 
 we went up into the city and sold our ill-gotten goods, 
 and with the proceeds dressed up, and then spent our time, 
 as long as our money lasted, in the vile dens of Water 
 Street, practising all sorts of wickedness. Here I learned 
 to be a prize-fighter, and by degrees, rapid degrees, rose 
 through all the grades of vice and crime, till I became a 
 terror and nuisance in the Fourth Ward. 
 
 I was only nineteen years of age when I was arrested for 
 highway robbery — a child in years, but a man in sin. I 
 knew nothing of the criminal act which was charged to 
 my account ; but the rumsellers and inhabitants of the 
 Fourth Ward hated me for all my evil ways, and were glad 
 to get rid of me. So they swore the robbery on me, and 
 I couldn't help myself. I had no friends, no advocate at 
 court (it is a bad thing, sinners, not to have an advocate 
 at court), and without any just cause I was sentenced to 
 fifteen years in State prison. I burned with vengeance; 
 but what could I do ? I was handcuffed, and sent in the 
 cars to Sing-Sing. 
 
 That ride was the saddest hour of my life. I looked 
 back on my whole past course, on all my hardships, my 
 misery and sins, and gladly would I have thrown myself 
 out before the advancing train, and ended my life. It was 
 not sorrow for sin that possessed me, but a heavy weight 
 seemed to press me down when I thought of the punish- 
 ment I had got to suffer for my wrong-doings, and an 
 indignant, revengeful feeling for the injustice of my 
 sentence. Fifteen years of hard labor in a prison to look 
 forward to, and all for a crime I was as innocent of as the 
 babe unborn. I knew I bad done enough to condemn me. 
 
1 2 Resolves on Obedience. 
 
 if it were known ; but others, as bad as I, were at liberty, 
 and I was suffering the penalty for one who was at that 
 hour roaming at will, glorying in his lucky escape from 
 punishment, and caring nothing for the unhappy dog who 
 was bearing it in his stead. How my heart swelled with 
 rage, and then sank like lead, as I thought of my helpless- 
 ness in the hands of the law, without a friend in the world. 
 
 I concluded, however, before I reached the end of that 
 short journey, that my best way was to be obedient to 
 prison rules, do the best I could under the circumstances, 
 and trust that somebody would be raised up to help me. 
 
 When I arrived at the prison — I shall never forget it — 
 the iirst thing that attracted my attention was the sentence 
 over the door : " The way of transgressors is hard." Though 
 I could not read very well, I managed to spell that out. It 
 was a familiar sentence, which I had heard a great many 
 times. All thieves and wicked people know it well, and 
 they know, too, that it is out of the Bible. It is a well- 
 worn proverb in all the haunts of vice, and one confirmed 
 by daily experience. And how strange it is that, knowing 
 so well that the way is hard, the transgressors will still go 
 in it. 
 
 But God was more merciful to me than man. His pure 
 eyes had seen all my sin, and yet he pitied and loved me, 
 and stretched out his hand to save me. And his wonderful 
 way of doing it was to shut me up in a cell within those 
 heavy stone walls. There's many a one beside me who 
 will have cause to thank God for ever and ever that he 
 was shut up in a prison. 
 
 I was put to the carpet-weaving business, and for two 
 years not a word could be said against me. All the keepers 
 and guards spoke well of me. I minded my work, and was 
 
Life in Prison. 1 3 
 
 quiet and orderly. I used to say my prayer — the Lord's 
 Prayer — every day, from a feeling that it was right to say it, 
 and that in some way or other it would do me good. I 
 tried to learn to read and write, and improved very much, 
 more especially in reading. Then I got cheap novels and 
 read, to pass away the time. I read many and many of 
 them. It was all the recreation I had, and diverted my mind 
 from my dreary surroundings. I was supplied with them 
 constantly, and, in consequence, my head was filled with 
 low and wicked thoughts. I took a fancy, from some of 
 the remarkable stories I read, that I might by some good 
 fortune by and by effect my escape from the prison, and then 
 my heart would fill up with murderous intentions toward 
 the man who put me in. 
 
 After this I was sick, and suffered a good deal for two or 
 three years, and became at times uneasy and intractable. 
 Then I had to suffer severe punishment; but punishment 
 never did me a particle of good, it only made me harder 
 and harder. 
 
 I had been in the prison four or five years, when, one Sun- 
 day morning, I went with the rest to service in the chapel. 
 I was moody and miserable. As I took my seat, I raised my 
 eyes carelessly to the platform, and who should I see there 
 beside the chaplain but a man named Orville Gardner, who 
 had been for years a confederate in sin. " Awful Gardner" 
 was the name by which I had always known him. Since 
 my imprisonment he had been converted, and was filled 
 with desire to come to the prison, that he might tell the 
 glad story to the prisoners. I had not heard he was com- 
 ing, and could not have been more surprised if an angel 
 had come down from heaven. I knew him at the first 
 glance, although he was so greatly changed from his old 
 
14 A Memorable Service. 
 
 rough dress and appearance. After the first look I began 
 to question in my mind if it was he after all, and thought I 
 must be mistaken ; but the moment he spoke I was sure, 
 and my attention was held fast. 
 
 He said he did not feel that he belonged on the platform, 
 where the ministers of God and good men stood to preach 
 the gospel to the prisoners ; he was not worthy of such a 
 place. So he came down and stood on the floor in front of 
 the desk, that he might be among the men. He told them 
 it was only a little while since he had taken off the stripes 
 which they were then wearing ; and while he was talking 
 his tears fairly rained down out of his eyes. Then he knelt 
 down and prayed, and sobbed and cried, till I do not believe 
 there was a dry eye in the whole crowd. Tears filled my 
 eyes, and I raised my hand slowly to wipe them off, for I 
 was ashamed to have my companions or the guards see me 
 weep ; but how I wished I was alone, or that it was dark, 
 that I might give way to my feelings unobserved. I knew 
 this man was no hypocrite. We had been associated in 
 many a dark deed and sinful pleasure. I had heard oaths 
 and curses, vile and angry words from his mouth, and I 
 knew he could not talk as he did then unless some great, 
 wonderful change had come to him. I devoured every word 
 that fell from his lips, though I could not understand half 
 I heard. One sentence, however, impressed me deeply, 
 which he said was a verse from the Bible. The Bible! 
 I knew there was such a book, that people pretended 
 it was a message from God ; but I had never cared for it, 
 or read a word in it. But now God's time had come, and 
 he was going to show me the treasures that were hid in that 
 precious book. 
 
 I went back to my cell. How dreary is Sunday in prison } 
 
Reading the Bible. 15 
 
 After the morning service in the chapel, the prisoners are 
 marched back to their cells, taking their plate of dinner with 
 them as they pass the dining-hall, and the rest of the day is 
 spent in solitude. Oh, those long, dismal hours ! I had 
 generally contrived to have a novel on hand, but that day 
 I had none. What I had heard was ringing in my ears, and 
 the thought possessed me to find the verse which had so 
 struck me. Every prison-cell is supplied with a Bible ; but, 
 alas ! few of them are used. Mine I had never touched 
 since the day I entered my narrow apartment, and laid it 
 away in the ventilator. I took it down, beat the dust from 
 it, and opened it. But where to turn to find the words I 
 wanted I knew not. There was nothing to do but to begin 
 at the beginning, and read till I came to them. On and on 
 I read. How interested I grew! It seemed better than 
 any novel I had ever read, and I could scarcely leave it to 
 go to sleep* I become so fascinated, that from that day on 
 it was my greatest delight. I was glad when I was released 
 from work, that I might get hold of my Bible ; and night 
 after night, when daylight was gone, I stood up by my 
 grated door to read by the dim light which came from the 
 corridor. I had supposed it to be a dry, dead thing — a 
 book only fit for priests and saints, but now, whenever- 1 
 could get a chance to communicate with my mates in the 
 workshop, I told them that it was a " splendid thing, that 
 Bible." 
 
 I never found that verse. I had forgotten it in my new 
 interest in the book. But I found a good many verses that 
 made me stop and think. At last I came to first Timothy, 
 fourth chapter, which begins in this way : " Now the Spirit 
 speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall de- 
 part from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and 
 
1 6 Some Strange Discoveries, 
 
 doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having 
 their conscience seared with a hot iron ; forbidding to 
 marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God 
 hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them 
 which believe and know the truth." I threw down the 
 book, and kicked it about my cell. " The vile heretics," I 
 cried ; " there's their lies. I always heard the old book was 
 a pack of lies. That's the way they hold us Catholics up." 
 
 Something seemed to whisper to me, " Go get a Catholic 
 Bible, and then you can prove this to be false." I couldn't 
 get rid of the thought. I took my first chance to go to the 
 library and ask for a Catholic Bible. They looked at me 
 pretty sharp, as though they would like to understand what 
 I was driving at ; but they gave me what I wanted, and I 
 took it to my cell. Eagerly I turned to that chapter. 
 There they were, the very same words, "forbidding to 
 marry," and "commanding to abstain from meats." But 
 there were notes in the margin, which boxed it up so, that 
 my suspicions were at once aroused. I said, " It surely is 
 the Word of God, and they are trying to get out of it." I 
 turned to various parts, to Kings, Isaiah, and other books, 
 and I found that the words in both were almost the same, 
 tlje meaning was the same always, and I was in despair. 
 Then I read the whole book through again, and liked it 
 better the second time than I did the first. The book of 
 Revelation particularly astonished me. I tried tp believe, 
 but I could not understand it. 
 
 I was resting one night from reading, walking up and 
 down and thinking what a change religion had made in 
 Gardner, when I began to have a burning desire to have the 
 same. I could not get rid of it ; but what could I do ? 
 Something within me &aid "Pray." I couldn't frame a 
 
He Desires to be Saved. 1 7 
 
 prayer. The voice said, " Don't you remember the prayer 
 of the publican, 'God be merciful to me a sinner'?" I 
 thought of my own religion, the Roman Catholic faith, in 
 which I had been brought up, and I asked, " Why can't I be 
 good in that ?" " But that will not save me as Gardner's 
 does him," I thought ; " it does not keep me free from my 
 sins." There was a struggle in my mind. " If I send for 
 the priest," I said to myself, " he will tell me I must do pen- 
 ance, say so many prayers, and do something for mortifica- 
 tion, and such as that. If I ask the chaplain, he will tell me 
 to be sorry for my sins, and cry to God for forgiveness. 
 Both can't be right." The voice within said, " Go to God ; 
 He will tell you what is right." 
 
 What a struggle I went through! I knew I ought to 
 pray ; but if there had been ten thousand people there I 
 couldn't have been more ashamed to do it than I was there 
 all alone. I felt myself blushing. Every sin stared me in 
 the face. I recollected the " Whosoever" in the Bible. 
 " That means you," said the inward voice. " But I'm so 
 wicked," I urged ; " everything but a murderer, and that 
 many a time in my will." The struggle did not seem all my 
 own ; it was as if God was fighting the devil for me. To 
 every thought that came up there came a verse of the Scrip- 
 ture. 1 fell on my knees, and was so ashamed I jumped up 
 again. I fell on my knees again, and cried out for help, and 
 then, as ashamed as before, I rose again. I put it off for 
 that time and went to bed. 
 
 This conflict went on for three or four weeks. It was 
 fearful. I wonder now at the long-suffering mercy of my 
 God. I wonder that the Holy Spirit was not grieved to de- 
 part from me forever. But at last the Lord sent a softness 
 and tenderness into my soul, and I shed many tears. Then 
 
1 8 A Terrible Struggle. 
 
 I cried unto the Lord, and began to read the Bible on my 
 knees. 
 
 The Sunday services seemed to do me no good. They 
 were dry and dead to me. Once in a whije a man full of 
 the Holy Ghost preached for us, and at such times I got a 
 
 little help. About that date Miss D began to visit the 
 
 prison, and I was sent for one day to meet her in the 
 library. This young lady had learned that I was seeking 
 the Saviour, and had asked to see me. She talked with me, 
 and then knelt down to pray. I felt ashamed, but I knelt 
 beside her. I looked through my fingers and watched her. 
 I saw her tears fall. An awe I cannot describe fell on me. 
 It seemed dreadful to me, the prayer of that holy woman. 
 It made my sins rise up till they looked to me as if they 
 rose clean up to the throne of God, and it appeared to me 
 as if they troubled God, they rose up so high. What should 
 I do ? Oh, what can a poor sinner do when there is nothing 
 between him and God but a life of dark, terrible sin ? 
 
 That night I fell on my knees on the hard stone-floor oi 
 my cell, resolved to stay there, whatever might happen, til) 
 I found forgiveness. I was desperate. I felt just like the 
 words of the hymn, 
 
 " Perhaps he will admit my plea. 
 Perhaps will hear my prayer, 
 But if I perish I will pray. 
 And perish only there." 
 
 I prayed, and then I stopped ; I prayed again, and 
 jitopped ; but still I continued kneeling. My knees were 
 rooted to those cold stones. My eyes were closed, and my 
 hands tightly clasped, and I was determined I would stay 
 so till morning, till I was called to my work ; " and then," 
 
Light at Last. 19 
 
 laid I to myself, " if I get no relief, I will never, never pray 
 again." I felt that I might die, but I didn't care for that. 
 
 All at once it seemed as if something supernatural was in 
 my room. I was afraid to open my eyes. I was in an 
 agony, and the sweat rolled off my face in great drops. Oh, 
 how I longed for God's mercy ! Just then, in the very 
 height of my distress, it seemed as if a hand was laid upon 
 my head, and these words came to me : " My son, thy sins, 
 which are many, are forgiven." I do not know if I heard a 
 voice, yet the words were distinctly spoken to my soul. 
 Oh, the precious Christ ! How plainly I saw him, lifted on 
 the cross for my sins ! What a thrill went through me. I 
 jumped from my knees ; I paced up and down my cell. A 
 neavenly light seemed to fill it ; a softness and a perfume 
 like the fragrance of sweetest flowers. I did not know if I 
 was living or not. I clapped my hands and shouted, 
 " Praise God ! Praise God !" 
 
 One of the guards was passing along the corridor, and 
 called out, "What's the matter?" "I've found Christ," I 
 answered ; " my sins are all forgiven. Glory to God !" He 
 took out a paper from his pocket and wrote the number of 
 my cell, and threatened to report me in the morning. But 
 I didn't care for that. My soul was all taken up with my 
 great joy. But the next morning nothing happened to me, 
 and I think the Lord made him forget it. What a night 
 that was ! I shall surely never forget the time when the 
 Lord appeared as my gracious Deliverer from sin. 
 
ao Seeking for Souls. 
 
 CHAPTER 11. 
 
 STRUGGLES AND TEMPTATIONS. 
 
 " In the way a thousand snares 
 Lie, to take us unawares. 
 Satan, with malicious art. 
 Watches each unguarded part." 
 
 From that time life was all new to me. Work was 
 nothing ; hard fare nothing ; scowls and harsh words 
 nothing. I was happy, for Jesus was my friend; my sins 
 were washed away, and my heart was full of love and 
 thanksgiving. I hated every sinful way. I had formerly 
 smoked, but something within now said it was wrong, and 
 I gave it up. 
 
 And the Lord began to use me in the prison among my 
 fellow-convicts. A great work was commenced there, and 
 spread from cell to cell. The prisoners began to read their 
 Bibles, to call upon God, and to praise the name of Jesus. 
 
 Jack Dare was the first man I began to pray for. There 
 had been a revolt in the prison, and he was one of the 
 leaders. This revolt occurred some time before my conver- 
 sion, but I had no hand in it. 
 
 Jack was in the same workshop with me, and was quite a 
 favorite. The convicts often paired off in friendships, and 
 he and I went together. If either of us had any little 
 luxury we shared it with the other, as children would do ; 
 and when I got salvation I wanted to share that with him 
 
A Trophy Won. 21 
 
 I approached him on several occasions with the subject, but 
 he repulsed me with sneers. He seemed to think I was 
 playing a bold game to get out of prison ; but he learned at 
 last that I was in earnest. 
 
 He found me several times weeping and poring over my 
 Bible. Once he lifted his hand to strike me, and even spit 
 at me ; but when I told him that I had no resentment, and 
 could stand it for Jesus' sake, he was touched. That 
 astonished him, I said nothing more for a week, and he 
 seemed to be getting worse all the time ; but I felt sure the 
 Spirit of God was striving with him. I kept on praying 
 with strong crying and tears, and I knew God would save 
 him. 
 
 One day ne told me he had been praying, but it seemed 
 dreadful to him to pray. I knew all about that from my 
 own experience. Not long after this, as he came out of his 
 cell one morning to go to work, I caught sight of his face, 
 and it was all lit up. He was at the head of the column, 
 and I near the foot ; he just glanced at me with a smile, 
 and gave an upward turn of his eye to heaven, and then I 
 knew it was all right with him. I could scarcely keep from 
 shouting. 
 
 The first one he told the good news to was the keeper. 
 " Jack," said he, " I'm glad you've got religion." It was 
 not that he cared for religion, but he was afraid of Jack, he 
 was such a desperate character, and now he knew he would 
 have no more trouble with him. 
 
 All the time I had to work for Christ was about half an 
 hour each day, and I improved it. This was when the 
 regular keeper was relieved, and we were allowed then to 
 talk. I had my men all picked out, and I went from one 
 to the other, saying the few earnest words I could say. 
 
22 Pardoned and Released. 
 
 Several of these were converted. One or two wandered 
 away when they left the prison, having no Christian friend 
 to look after them. Since that time they have come into 
 the Helping Hand, and have been sweetly restored. 
 
 About two years I went on thus. My faith was so 
 simple, I felt the Lord would give me anything reasonable I 
 might ask. And I never had a doubt until after I came qjat 
 of prison and mingled with Christians, and their wavering, , 
 unstable, half-and-half faith staggered me. My cell seemed 
 all that time like heaven, and I cared very little whether I 
 ever came out of it or not. The love of Christ was so 
 abounding, it drowned every trouble. No one could insult 
 me. If my comrades abused me, I felt that I could pray 
 for and forgive them. 
 
 After this I was led to pray for my liberty. At first I 
 felt that the desire to be set free was of the devil. But I 
 asked the Lord about it, and he gave me the assurance that 
 my desire should be granted. And it was: I received a 
 pardon from the Governor after having served about half 
 my time — seven years and six months. 
 
 When I got out of prison I was more lonely than I had 
 been in my cell. I could not go back to my old haunts and 
 companions, and I knew no others. If I had found a single 
 Christian friend at that time, it would have saved me years 
 of misery. And here I must say that it does not seem to 
 me right to turn men out of prison, and make no provision 
 for their future well-doing. Many a poor fellow has been 
 driven to crime, and back again to his prison-cell, for want 
 of kindly counsel and direction when he first came out 
 again into the world. 
 
 I wanted to do right, to please God. The first thing I 
 did was to inquire for a prayer-meeting. I was told of one ; 
 
Becomes a Backslider. 23 
 
 but when I got to the door I was afraid to go in. I had 
 never been to a Protestant meeting, and nobody invited me 
 in. I kept steadily away from the Fourth Ward, lest I 
 should be tempted by old associates. Unfortunately the 
 only friend I found directed me to a lager-bier saloon to 
 board. Lager-bier had come up since I went to prison, and 
 I did not know what it was. They told me it was a harm- 
 less drink, wholesome and good, and simple as root-beer. 
 I drank it, and then began my downfall. My head got 
 confused. The old appetite was awakened. From that 
 time I drank it every day, and it was not long before I 
 went from that to stronger liquors. 
 
 The night I stopped praying I shall never forget. I felt 
 as wretched as I did the day I went to prison. And now I 
 began a career of sin and misery which I cannot fully 
 describe. Satan got completely the upper hand of me. 
 The dear Saviour who had been so gracious and so precious 
 to me in the prison I let go. How I wonder now that he 
 did not let me go ! But he did not. 
 
 I had obtained work in a large hat-shop. The workmen 
 had a strike, and I was one of the ringleaders. We were all 
 dismissed, and thus I was thrown out of employment. 
 Then, it being war-time, I went into the bounty business. 
 Rascally business, that. I would pick men up wherever I 
 could find them, get them half drunk, and coax them to 
 enlist. They received the bounty, and I had a premium on 
 each of half the amount. I made a great deal of money 
 in this way, which I spent freely. I became a sporting 
 man, went often to the races, and my downward course was 
 greatly quickened. 
 
 I got in with a man, who has since died of delirium tre- 
 mens, and went boating with him on the river. We would 
 
24 Returning to the Old Ways. 
 
 buy stolen goods of the sailors, compel them to enlist on 
 fear of being arrested, and we took the bounty. We went 
 on for some time in this thieving, racing, speculating, and 
 bounty business. We kept a recruiting-office in New York 
 and another in Brooklyn, and found plenty to do, and 
 might have grown rich if I had saved what I made. 
 
 But all this time my conscience was far from easy. I 
 remembered the days at Sing-Sing when the glory of the 
 Lord shone in my cell, and I was shouting with joy for sins 
 forgiven, and improving every moment to win souls to 
 Christ. I knew I was all wrong, and yet I could not stop. 
 I seemed to be on a down track, and rushing at furious 
 speed. When I felt the most troubled I would go to drink- 
 ing, and try to drown conscience in whiskey. 
 
 After the war was over I went to boating exclusively, 
 buying and selling smuggled and stolen goods. There was 
 a good deal of this business among sailors and captains. I 
 gave counterfeit money for the goods, until I became well 
 known for this, and then I had to give it up, for no one 
 would steal for me when they found I gave them nothing 
 for it. From this I became a river-thief, boaj-ding vessels 
 at night, and doing the stealing myself. How many nar- 
 row escapes from death I had while engaged in this wicked 
 business ! 
 
 One night we were out on the river in our boat, looking 
 for chances. We had been disappointed in some of our 
 plans at Greenpoint, and pulled down to the Williamsburg 
 ferry, where we fastened our craft to the Idaho, one of the 
 regular ferryboats, to be towed across to the New York 
 side. We had steamed out a little way into the river, when 
 the Idaho was discovered to be on fire. It seemed but the 
 work of a moment from the first alarm, till the whole boat 
 
Narrow Escapes. 25 
 
 was in flames. The greatest confusion prevailed among the 
 crew and passengers. We let go as soon as we could, for 
 fear we should be swamped ; but before we could push off 
 two men jumped in. We rowed them to the shore and 
 then came back, not to save life, but to get booty. An- 
 other ferryboat came alongside and ' rescued about forty of 
 the passengers, but there were ten or twelve who threw 
 themselves into the water, and these we picked up. We 
 saved one Christian woman. We held on to her as she 
 clinched the sides of the boat with her hands. The whole 
 scene was terrific. The fire raging, the screams of the 
 perishing, the struggles of the poor creatures in the water, 
 impressed my mind deeply with the thought of the last 
 day and the fiery hell to which I knew the sinner must go. 
 And yet God used us wicked people in the midst of all this 
 terror and confusion to save his children. My partner 
 wanted me to let the people go, and pick up the cloaks, 
 hats, and various things that were floating in the river ; but 
 I said, " No ; I haven't got so low as that yet." And I 
 thank God now he helped me do what he did, and get all 
 those poor people safe to the land. 
 
 Another night in Brooklyn we stole a rope-fender off a 
 ship, the whole value of which was not more than a dollar 
 and a half, and yet for that we could run such fearful risks. 
 The captain of the vessel saw us, and seizing his revolver 
 fired at us, once, twice, four times. The balls came so close 
 that I Gould feel them as they whizzed past my head, but 
 they did not hit. God preserved me that time also ; for what ? 
 
 After I got round the wharf and out of danger, I felt 
 frightened more than before. Something whispered, " If 
 that bullet had hit you, where would you have been '" »xA 
 the response of my conscience was, " In hell." 
 
26 Almost Drowned. 
 
 All the time I was prosecuting this business, I had a 
 longing in my sober moments to be a better man, to lead 
 an honest and sober life ; but I felt that after all the joy 
 and peace I had before had, I never could come to God 
 again. Satan always quoted that text to me, " For it is 
 impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have 
 tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the 
 Holy Ghost, ... if they shall fall away, to renew them 
 again unto repentance." So to quell these memories and 
 convictions, I kept all the time under the influence of 
 liquor. If any one had spoken to me kindly and in a 
 Christian spirit at that time, it would have subdued me, but 
 no one came near the poor, wretched outcast. 
 
 One night we went over to Brooklyn on a plundering ex- 
 pedition. I was very drunk. There was a certain vessel at 
 the wharf which we had our eye upon, but I was too intoxi- 
 cated to do my share of the work, so I stayed in the boat 
 while my partner boarded the ship. By some mishap I fell 
 into the water. The boat went one way, and the eddy 
 carried me in another direction, and out from the wharf. I 
 went down and touched bottom, and rose to the surface. 
 Again I sank and rose. The third time, the thought came 
 to me, " This is the last, and now you are gone — you are 
 drowned." Hell seemed opening under my feet, and I 
 fancied I could hear the wails and shrieks of the lost. 
 Then something said, " Call on God." But how could I ? 
 I felt it was too mean ; I had sinned too fearfully. But I 
 did call, and the Lord heard me. I seemed to be Hfted 
 right up to the surface of the water, and the boat, which 
 had drifted off in another direction, was brought right to 
 me, so that I could get hold of it. I can't tell how it was, 
 but it always seemed to me a miracle. The water had 
 
Better Days Dawn. 27 
 
 sobered me, and after I got hold of the boat I managed to 
 get in. After I was in, something seemed to say to me, 
 " God has saved you for the last time. If you ever go out 
 on the river again, God will let you drop into hell and be 
 lost." It was a very clear, strong impression on my mind, 
 but instead of softening me it made me angry. 
 
 I took my partner into the boat without a word. We 
 rowed across the river, and I went home and dried my 
 clothes. What a load of guilt was upon me ! I could think 
 of nothing else to do, and to rid myself of it I drank, and 
 drank, and drank. But no amount of liquor could drown 
 that inward voice. In spite of all, I would have gone out 
 again, but my partner met with an accident which prevented 
 his going, so, notwithstanding my desires, I did not. We 
 had no money ; I couldn't borrow, and I was actually in 
 want. 
 
 This may seem strange to some ; but while we made a 
 good deal of money in our wicked life, we laid up nothing, 
 but spent as fast as we got it. It was the wages of iniquity, 
 and as the Bible says, " put into a bag with holes," so that 
 it did us no good. 
 
 The sting of conscience remained with me, and a strange 
 desire to be out of this wicked business, and in some honora- 
 ble employment. It seemed wonderful that such feelings 
 should so haunt me all the time ; but now 1 can see that it 
 was the convicting power of the Holy Spirit that was pursu- 
 ing me, and would not let me go until I had been brought 
 back from my wanderings. 
 
 The John Allen excitement had just commenced in Water 
 Street, and the good Christian people were going through 
 the ward to bring in the sinners to the meetings. I was sil- 
 ting in my room one of these wretched days, when J heard 
 
28 He Finds a Friend. 
 
 a stranger in the hall below. The landlady was ill up-stairs, 
 and the person who had entered came up. Just outside my 
 door I heard a pleasant voice say to her, " Do you love 
 Jesus ?" That voice — those words ! It seemed like long- 
 forgotten music. It recalled the past happy days when I 
 had known the love of Jesus, and my heart was deeply 
 touched. 
 
 " No, indade, do I love Jesus ; and who is he ?" was the 
 rough answer I heard. 
 
 "My good woman, and don't you know who Jesus is?" 
 and then the person passed on to the top of the house, to 
 see another inmate of the house, whom he had been sent to 
 visit, and the landlady came into my room. 
 
 " Who is that ?" said I. 
 
 " Oh, it's one of them tract pedlers," said she. 
 
 "Why don't you treat the man with respect?" said I. 
 
 She was silent, but I thought at once that perhaps this 
 man, whoever he might be, might get me a job of honest 
 work ; so I went out and waited on the landing till he came 
 down-stairs. He saw me ; but I was a frightful-looking ob- 
 ject, and I think he was a little scared at facing me. How- 
 ever, I accosted him, and he told me to come down-stairs 
 and he would talk with me. I had a colored shirt on, an 
 old pair of pants, and my hair was cropped pretty close. I 
 don't wonder the missionary didn't want to talk with me on 
 the landing, but preferred to have me below on the pave- 
 ment. 
 
 We walked out together, up the street, till we came to 
 the New Bowery. As we approached the Howard Mission 
 he invited me in. I didn't know until then that there was 
 such a place. A gentleman there met us, and spoke to me 
 very kindly. They both said that if I would sign the pledge 
 
A Wonderful Text. 29 
 
 they would see what they could do for me. The idea struck 
 me as it never had done before, that a drunkard like me 
 couldn't get work, and there was no hope of decent employ- 
 ment unless I did reform. So I signed it. But I told them 
 I shouldn't be likely to keep it, that I had taken it many 
 times before, and broken it. I wanted to be honest, but I 
 knew I couldn't keep it. "Try it again," they both said, 
 " and ask God to help you." " Well, to please you, I will," 
 I said. 
 
 I went right home from there and told my partner what 
 I had done. How he laughed ! " You take the pledge !" 
 he said. He had a bottle of gin in his hand at that moment, 
 and turning out a glass offered it to me. " Tom," said I, " I 
 have just taken the pledge." But I drank it ; and as I put 
 down the glass, I added, " Now this is the last drink I shall 
 ever take." " Yes, till you get the next," said he. 
 
 Just at that moment in walked the missionary. I kept as 
 far away from him as I could, so that he might not smell my 
 breath. I think if he had asked me I should have honestly 
 confessed what I had done. But he did not. He only in- 
 vited me to go out and walk with him. I went ; and as we 
 walked I told him I was going out on the river that night, 
 for we were dead broke, I was hungry, and must have 
 money. 
 
 He looked sad and troubled. " Jerry," said he, " before 
 you shall do that, I'll take this coat off my back and pawn 
 it, and give you the money." 
 
 I looked at the coat and saw it was worn and old, and I 
 was touched to the heart. It was as much as I could do to 
 keep the tears out of my eyes. " Here's this good man," I 
 said to myself, " poor, as I know he must be, willing to take 
 the coat off his back and pawn it to keep me from doing 
 
30 Coming Back to God. 
 
 wrong." I don't know as he saw the effect of his words, but 
 I hung my head. 
 
 " I will give you a text out of the Bible," said he. " ' Seek 
 ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all 
 these things shall be added unto you.' " 
 
 I remember my answer : " I'll take that text and trust 
 God." 
 
 Then he went away, and in a little while he brought me 
 fifty cents. I got something to eat, and we did not go out 
 boating. 
 
 The next day, as Tom and I were in our room together, 
 the missionary with some Christian ladies came in to see us. 
 They talked with us a while, and then said they would pray. 
 I wished they wouldn't, but I had not the courage to say so, 
 and they went on. Those prayers had a wonderful effect 
 upon me. 
 
 Day after day my new friend followed me up, and s ; 
 closely that I could get no chance to drink. "Tom," I 
 would say, "I'm going to turn over a new leaf." But Tom 
 would answer, "Will the Lord come down from heaven to 
 give you a beefsteak?" The missionary would often repeat 
 the text he had given me, but Tom wouldn't accept it. I 
 felt, however, that I could. I had had some experience 
 which he had not, and I believed the Word of the 
 Lord. I might add that afterwards the devil got Tom into 
 trouble, and as a result of his choice he was sent up to 
 prison. 
 
 Soon after this we were invited to the missionary's house 
 to take tea. He lent me a coat to wear. After tea they 
 had singing and prayer. I cried and cried. 
 
 "Pray for yourself," said he, "and God will save 
 you." 
 
New Temptations. 31 
 
 " I don't know how," I said ; " I can't put the words to- 
 gether." It wasn't that I had forgotten all about praying; 
 but after I had sinned so fearfully, I felt afraid to utter 
 such solemn words. 
 
 " Pray the prayer of th^ publican," some one cried ; 
 " ' God be merciful to me a sinner.' " 
 
 I prayed it. My heart was all broken, and I repeated 
 the words over and over. 
 
 " Put in ' For Jesus' sake,' " said the missionary. 
 
 So I put that in, and oh, the joy that came into my 
 heart ; not like the first time, but more calm and peace- 
 ful. 
 
 " I am saved," I cried ; " Jesus has saved me." 
 
 Oh, the joy and excitement of that evening! I shall 
 never forget it. These good people had come down into 
 the Fourth Ward to labor among the very lowest of low 
 and wicked men and women, and God had given them a 
 trophy in me, one of the hardest cases in the ward. How 
 their faith was strengthened ! 
 
 After that the missionary used often to walk round with 
 me, his arm in mine. This was a great help to me, for all 
 my old companions had heard of my conversion, and it was 
 such a strange event that they would shout after me. So 
 it was a protection to be with some one whom they truly 
 respected. It is not so much of an event now for a noto- 
 rious sinner to be converted in Water Street. The wonders 
 of God's grace have been greatly multiplied down there 
 within the last few years. 
 
 But before this came about I had a long and trying pro- 
 bation. I found work in the Ferry Company. There I 
 was tempted, and drank again. My good friend the mis- 
 sionary had left the city, the meetings were given up. 
 
32 Saved from Suicide, 
 
 and I felt lonely and sad. I had not then joined any 
 church. 
 
 Maria (afterwards my beloved wife and fellow-worker) 
 was out of the city, and I felt I must go and see her. I 
 took Sunday for the visit, though conscience told me I was 
 doing wrong. It was a cold, snowy day. I went in the 
 stage, and when we reached the half-way house all the 
 passengers got out and drank. They looked at me as they 
 were taking their hot whiskey, seemingly with pity, as 
 though I couldn't afford to buy. My pride was touched. 
 I went up to the bar and asked for sarsaparilla. The man 
 handed me a gin-bottle and glass. There was an inward 
 conflict, and I grieved the Spirit. 
 
 Coming back from my visit, I lost the stage, and had to 
 put in at a hotel. There the devil made me drink again. 
 I could only think of the house ' ' empty, swept and gar- 
 nished," where the unclean spirit had dwelt. " Then goeth 
 he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked 
 than himself, and they enter in and dwell there ; and the 
 last state of that man is worse than the first." The un- 
 clean spirit had come back and I was in a sad plight 
 
 I went out of the hotel and went straight' to a church 
 which was open. I sat down, and though I was drunk, I 
 seemed to know what was going on. I was very angry 
 with myself, and cursed God. I said, " I'll never go back 
 to Water Street, to disgrace God and the good people 
 there." I made up my mind I would kill myself. 
 
 I went out from the church and took the cars for home. 
 What a day I had spent! My brain was on fire. My heart 
 was cast down. My conscience was sore. Yes, I thought 
 again, " I will kill myself." I made up my mind to let my- 
 self down from the platform and let the cars go over me. 
 
Joining the Church. 33 
 
 But the conductor was there and pushed me in. While I 
 •was watching my opportunity the Holy Spirit came to me, 
 and my heart was softened. The next night I went to a 
 meeting, confessed my sin, and asked Christians to pray for 
 me, and I prayed myself that God would forgive me. 
 
 I fell once after that, but God lifted me up again. 
 
 The Sunday after this last slip I went into the Howard 
 Mission, while the Sunday-school chHdren were singing. I 
 sat down on a side seat, and then I saw on the platform 
 the gentleman mentioned in the next chapter who had pre- 
 viously been introduced to me by the missionary, and had 
 spoken kind and encouraging words to me. He looked at 
 me and recognized me with a friendly smile and nod. I 
 felt ashamed to look him in the face. Just before the 
 meeting closed I got up and slipped out of the door for 
 fear he would come and speak to me. I did not want him 
 to know that I had been going wrong. But he was too 
 quick for me. He caught me in the passage outside the 
 chapel-door before I could get down the steps. He held 
 out his hand, and, seeing my downcast looks, said, " What 
 is the matter, Jerry ?" I held back my hand and said, " I 
 am not fit for you to speak to me." He said "Why, 
 what is the trouble ; tell me all about it ?" I then said " I 
 have been in hell for three days," and I told him what had 
 happened. He gave me a warm squeeze of the hand, and 
 then, putting both his hands on my shoulders and looking 
 me straight in the eye, with his own moist with sympathy, 
 he said, " Don't give it up, Jerry ; try again, and keep trying, 
 and hold on to Jesus." His words and look and hearty 
 grip strengthened and encouraged me wonderfully. 
 
 All this time I had kept up the use of tobacco, and that 
 created a thirst in me. And I didn't belong to any church, 
 8 
 
34 Sunday Work Refused, i 
 
 and so had no Christian influence to hold me. But soon 
 after that I joined a Methodist Church on probation, and 
 that strengthened me. 
 
 I had another trial. I was required to work on Sunday. 
 I told my employer I was not only reformed, but trying to 
 lead a Christian life. 
 
 " Jerry," said he, " you are no better than I. I am a 
 Christian man, but I have to work on Sunday, and you 
 must too. I want you to come to-morrow to work." 
 
 But I felt it was wrong, and did not go. On Monday 
 morning I was discharged. I felt badly, for he was a 
 church-member, and I a poor weak beginner in the Chris- 
 tian life. 
 
 " Never mind," said my boss, trying to console me ; 
 " you go to work and I guess it will be all right." 
 
 " No, I won't," said I ; " I will trust God." 
 
 But I would not leave until I had seen my employer. I 
 found him leaning over the side of the ferryboat. I tapped 
 him on the shoulder. 
 
 " Captain C," said I, " have you discharged me for wish- 
 ing to keep the Sabbath ?" 
 
 He made no answer, but I knew he had heard me. I 
 tapped him on the shoulder again. 
 
 " Captain C, have you discharged me for trying to do 
 right?" 
 
 " Jerry," said he, " you haven't accommodated me, and I 
 can't accommodate you." 
 
 " Good-morning," said I, and walked away. 
 
 After I began to try to live right, I went on for some 
 time without work; then my friend the missionary came 
 back, and introduced me to Mr. H., a rich gentleman in the 
 city. Mr. H. shook hands with me, and told me to keep 
 
A True Friend. 35 
 
 on doing right, to trust God, and when I was in want to 
 come down to his office and see him ; ^nd he gave me his 
 number. The shake of his hand and his encouraging words 
 built me up. I resolved that I would never go to him for 
 money, but his kindness put new life into me ; and I often 
 went to him after that for encouragement and advice. No 
 matter how busy he was, he always had a kind word for 
 me, and would often excuse himself from his big friends to 
 talk with me. 
 
36 A Full Surrender. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 JERRY BECOMES A MISSIONARY. 
 
 " Chosen, not for good in me, 
 Wakened up from wrath to flee. 
 Hidden in the Saviour's side 
 By thy Spirit sanctified; 
 Teach me here on earth to show 
 By my love, how much I owel" 
 
 Soon after this I got a job of work, was led into scenes of 
 temptation, and fell again. But this was the last time. I 
 resolved to give up tobacco, went into a Christian family 
 who found employment for me, and I gave myself wholly 
 to God. 
 
 And here let me say a word about tobacco. I consider it 
 a great stumbling-block in any Christian's life ; but when a 
 man has had an appetite for liquor and is trying to keep 
 from drinking, the use of tobacco is positively fatal. It will 
 surely bring him back to his cups. If I had given it up 
 when I gave up rum, I believe I should have had none of 
 those fearful falls which I have described. I was led at last, 
 by the grace of God, to do the clean thing — to give up 
 every sinful habit, and from that time Jesus has kept me. 
 
 After a time my work ceased, but the money I had saved 
 lasted me some time. When I got to the last five dollars, 
 I went into my room and prayed most earnestly for work, 
 and before I came out I felt the assurance that my prayer 
 
JERRY'S FAITHFUL WIFE 
 and Co-Helper in all his Mission Work 
 
A Happy Vision. 37 
 
 was answered. In a few days a situation was offered me 
 in the custom-house for four dollars a day. But there I 
 preached Jesus too much, and was soon turned away. 
 
 Then I got steady employment in another place, where 
 also I testified for Jesus. I had been there only a little 
 while before a companion began to swear. I reproved 
 him. 
 
 " We can get along without swearing," said I. 
 
 " What !" said he, " are you a churchman ?" 
 
 " No, I am a Christian, or trying to be one," I replied. 
 
 So I was spotted among the workmen, and pointed out 
 as one of the "hypocrites." One man, a German, I was 
 permitted to lead to Christ, 
 
 One day I had a sort of trance or vision. I was singing 
 at my work, and my mind became absorbed, and it seemed 
 as if I was working for the Lord down in the Fourth Ward. 
 I had a house, and people were coming in. There was a 
 bath, and as they came in I washed and cleansed them out- 
 side, and the Lord cleansed them inside. They came at 
 the first by small numbers, then by hundreds, and after- 
 wards by thousands. 
 
 Before I came out of this vision I was in tears. Then 
 something said to me, " Would you do that for the Lord if 
 he should call you ? Would you do it for Jesus' sake ?" 
 And I answered, " Yes, Lord, open the way, and I will go." 
 I felt that I could go down there where I had always lived. 
 I was used to the filth and misery, the drunkenness and 
 Romanism, and I wasn't afraid of them. I felt sure I 
 should be called to work for Jesus down there. 
 
 A Httle while after that my health gave way, and I took 
 a vacation. I went with my wife to Sea Cliff, to attend the 
 camp-meeting. All the time the thought of this work was 
 
38 The Way Opened. 
 
 pressing upon me, and I prayed God to open the way for 
 me to talk to the Christian people there about it. He gave 
 me the opportunity. From there I went to Sing-Sing 
 camp-ground, and presented it, and afterwards to Ocean 
 Grove. Many were interested in the proposed work, and 
 gave me larger or smaller sums to help it along, until I held 
 in trust four hundred and fifty dollars. 
 
 Then the Lord opened the way for me to begin the work 
 in a small way at 316 Water Street, next door to where 
 John Allen's dance-house used to be, and where the meet- 
 ings had been held in which I had first testified for Jesus 
 after I had been brought back to him in the way I have re- 
 lated. The house had previously been a notorious dance- 
 house of the worst sort. At the time of the John Allen ex- 
 citement as it was called, of which I have already spoken, 
 the lease of the house had been bought by my friend Mr. 
 H. ; the dance-house people had been turned out with all 
 their ungodly traps, and the building opened for a mis- 
 sion. Afterwards when the lease had run out and the 
 owner wouldn't renew it, Mr. H. bought the property so 
 that it might be kept for a mission. There were a good 
 many around there who would have been glad to see it 
 turned into a devil's mission again ; but they were disap- 
 pointed. 
 
 At the time when the Lord put it into my heart to begin 
 a mission, the house was occupied as a kind of side-station 
 by the City Mission and Tract Society, to whom Mr. H. had 
 given the use of it. 
 
 I went to him one Sunday at the Howard Mission and 
 told him about what I wanted to do, and about the four 
 hundred and fifty dollars that I had raised. He seemed to 
 discourage me a little at first. He said, " Jerry, if you start a 
 
The Helping Hand for Men. 39 
 
 mission you will have to give your time to it ; you have got 
 a good situation and good wages, where you are respected 
 and trusted, which you will have to give up. Don't you 
 think you can serve God and do good and earn your bread 
 and butter at the same time right where you are ?" I 
 thought then, and I knew afterwards, that he was trying 
 me to see how much I was in earnest. I told him my heart 
 was set on working for the salvation of such as I used to 
 be ; that I was sure the Lord had put me up to it, and that 
 I was willing to trust Him. He looked at me a minute, and 
 then, putting his hand on my shoulder, and smiling as if 
 convinced, he said, " Well, Jerry, there is the old house in 
 Water Street ; it belongs to me ; you may have the use of 
 that. I will speak to the City Mission people and get them 
 to give it up ; go ahead, and God bless you. I will help you 
 all I can." 
 
 The City Mission and Tract Society, at his suggestion, 
 cheerfully consented to leave the house at our disposal. 
 We went down there in October, 1872, laid out the four 
 hundred and fifty dollars in cleaning and repairing the 
 house, and opened the place as a resort for the forlorn way- 
 farers, sailors, and others who frequented the locality. We 
 put up a sign, " Helping Hand for Men," which has been the 
 guide-board to bring many a poor soul to the foot of the 
 cross. 
 
 No one need suppose that I could undertake and go on 
 in such a work without opposition. My relatives, and my 
 wife's also, were Roman Catholics, and were greatly dis- 
 pleased with us. One of my sisters came to talk with me. 
 I tried to convince her of the truth from the Scriptures. I 
 told her there was no other name given under heaven 
 whereby men can be saved but the name of Jesus. I could 
 
40 Debating with a Priest. 
 
 not convince her, nor she me, so she went to one of the 
 priests about it. 
 
 " I am a converted Protestant," said he, " and know both 
 sides, and I will soon fix him." 
 
 My sister wanted me to go with her to see him. I had 
 no desire to go for the sake of argument, but for her sake 
 I said I would, to show her too that I was not afraid. She 
 couldn't read, and didn't believe what I had told her of the 
 Bible. " But," said I, " the priest is a learned man, and he 
 will know that I speak the truth." My wife went with us, 
 and a niece who had been brought up in a convent, and was 
 very bigoted and bitter against the Protestants. 
 
 " You have come here to be convinced of your errors," 
 said the priest, as we seated ourselves in his room. 
 
 " I did," said I, " if you can convince me from the Bible. 
 Excuse me one moment, father ; do you believe it to be an 
 inspired book ?" 
 
 " Certainly." 
 
 " Do you believe this of the Protestant Bible?" 
 
 " Certainly ; there is but little difference." 
 
 " I am glad you feel so, to start with," I saJd. 
 
 " You will allow the Catholic Church to be the first," he 
 said to me. 
 
 "Yes, if you leave the Roman out," I answered. But he 
 took no notice of that. 
 
 " Christ said," he went on, " that the gates of hell should 
 not prevail against his Church. Now if the gates of hell 
 have prevailed, Christ was a liar." 
 
 That sounded hard, and I felt that my Master was in- 
 sulted, but I kept quiet. 
 
 " I want to show you," he said, " that the gates of hell 
 have not prevailed. The first Church was made up of the 
 
Meeting Error with Truth. 41 
 
 twelve apostles. One of these was a traitor ; but the gates 
 didn't prevail then, and haven't since. Have you ever read 
 the history of Rome ? Well, they were fearfully wicked in 
 Luther's time. They themselves acknowledged that the 
 Church was corrupt and needed reformation. But still the 
 Church did not go down. Do you believe Luther was a 
 good man ? He could not have been, for no man is good 
 who breaks his vows." 
 
 " A bad vow is better broken than kept," I said ; but he 
 did not reply to that. 
 
 " Do you believe in the Mass ?" he asked. 
 
 " No, I never read of the Mass or Confession in the 
 Bible. It is a most degrading thing to bow down before 
 a fellow-man to worship him." 
 
 " You are not required to do that. We take the sins on 
 us, and stand between you and God." 
 
 " Then you stand in the place of Christ. Now God says, 
 ' Go into your closet, and pray in secret, and he will re- 
 ward openly.' Isn't prayer the same thing with confes- 
 sion ?" 
 
 He owned that it was, but said, " Does not James say, 
 ' Confess your faults one to another ' ?" 
 
 " Yes," said I, " that is just what we do in our prayer- 
 meetings. When we have been led into sin we say so, and 
 repent and come to Jesus, and testify of his willingness to 
 receive us." 
 
 " Well, that's right." 
 
 " And now," said I, " while we are on this point, you 
 have as good a right to confess to me as I have to confess 
 to you. ' Confess to one another,' the Bible says. Then 
 what do you do with these verses : ' There is none other 
 name given under heaven among men whereby we can be 
 
42 Faithful and Fearless. 
 
 saved,' and, ' There is one mediator between God and man, 
 the man Christ Jesus ' ? You presume to be the mediator. 
 You take my sister's sins, for instance, on yourself, you say, 
 and bear them to God." 
 
 Then I told him my experience. " I have been a drunk- 
 ard and a thief, one of the wickedest men that ever lived. 
 I have been in State-prison, and yet this Jesus, who is 
 despised in your Church, has picked me up out of the gutter, 
 has washed and cleansed and saved me. But you say all 
 the Protestants will be damned." 
 
 " Oh, no," said he, " no ; I believe that every good Prot- 
 estant will go to heaven; but the turn-coats — they will 
 surely be lost." 
 
 " My sister can tell you what a bad man I was, and what 
 has been done for me. According to your theory, this is 
 just to fit me for hell, and it must be the work of Satan." 
 
 " Satan often becomes an angel of light." 
 
 " Then he certainly has become a friend to me. But no, 
 that is not so ; I am not a slave of Satan, I am a free man. 
 Jesus has set me free, as the Bible says he will do for every 
 one that believes in him." 
 
 "We don't follow the Bible." 
 
 " What do you follow ?" 
 
 " The traditions of the Church." 
 
 " I didn't come here to argue. Father G., but to convince 
 my sister of the truth. I am not afraid of the priest. The 
 Lord has opened my eyes. Your people are afraid of you. 
 You will lie to benefit the Church ; but God has said, ' All 
 liars shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire 
 and brimstone.' " 
 
 I talked fearlessly and faithfully to him. My heart was 
 full of peace and joy, and I believe the Lord that night ful- 
 
Mrs. McAuley's Conversion. 43 
 
 filled his word, and made the weak and foolish things to 
 confound the wise. 
 
 I feel that a word about my wife, and the way in which 
 she was led to Christ, will be appropriate here. She too 
 was the fruit of Water Street mission-work, and I am sure 
 that my work at the Helping Hand would not be half so 
 successful as it is without her. She is truly a helpmeet from 
 the Lord to me. 
 
 Her mother's death made her young life a very sad one. 
 When she grew up she was obliged, like thousands of 
 others, to earn her own living, and for that purpose came 
 to the city. Here she was exposed to temptation on every 
 side. She went into worldly pleasures, as young people 
 are apt to do, and before long acquired a love for drink. 
 About the time of my conversion she was invited into the 
 John Allen Mission. She attended the meetings, but the 
 gospel invitations she heard did not seem to do her any 
 good. They fell upon her ear, but that was all. They 
 sounded to her, as she often says, like an unknown tongue. 
 And yet they were not altogether new, for they called up 
 to her memory things she had heard in her childhood, 
 when she had been a member of a Protestant Sunday^ 
 school. And here, I think, is encouragement for Christian 
 people to bring in such children into their Mission Sunday- 
 schools, even if they do belong to another faith. 
 
 The mission-workers labored with Maria very kindly and 
 faithfully, but still she was not converted. She did, howJ 
 ever, promise to seek salvation, and after a while was per- 
 suaded to leave the city, and to remain a while with a Chris- 
 tian family in the country. Her friends hoped that in this 
 way, by leaving the places of temptation, and living among 
 good people, she would be brought to choose the right way. 
 
44 Becomes a Bible Reader. 
 
 Here she was taught in religious things, attended family 
 worship, and read the Bible, but still her heart was not 
 reached. 
 
 Later God led her down East, and there alone, while 
 asking prayers in a little Methodist church, God spoke, and 
 claimed all the glory. Suddenly the blessed truths of the 
 gospel were revealed to her. They came to her, just as 
 knowledge seems to open to a little child, we don't know 
 how, only we find, when we are not looking for it, that the 
 child knows. Her blind eyes in an unexpected moment 
 were touched, and she saw ; her deaf ears were unstopped, 
 and she heard. The way of salvation opened before her, 
 and the words she had so often heard, and which had slipped 
 off from her like water from a rock, were all at once full of 
 life and power. They took hold of her conscience and 
 heart; the lessons of her childhood came to her with a 
 meaning they had never had, and she believed on the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, and was saved. 
 
 When Jesus was revealed to her she received him gladly, 
 and gave herself wholly to him. It was no half-way work 
 with her. Her faith was childlike, her love simple and ear- 
 nest. She at once received power to lift her out of the 
 bondage of sinful appetite, and her soul was possessed with 
 a love for sinners, and a desire to lead others to the same 
 precious Saviour she had found. She could not rest day or 
 night for the longing she had to tell the glad story of her 
 salvation. 
 
 She came back to the city and commenced missionary 
 work, in the employ of some Christian ladies, as a Bible- 
 reader in the Fourth Ward. She found easy access to tene- 
 ment-houses, liquor-saloons, and dens of infamy, and in every 
 place testified of the grace of Christ, and besought sinners 
 
Commencing Mission Work. 45 
 
 to behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of 
 the world. Many listened, forsook their evil ways, and 
 came to Jesus, who are living witnesses for the Lord to- 
 day. 
 
 I bless God that He permitted us to be united, and to 
 work together in the Helping Hand ; and I hope God will 
 let us live a great while to labor for souls. We find it sweet 
 to work for him, and though we know we are in ourselves 
 very weak and helpless, and prone to mistakes, yet we trust 
 in the Lord, and feel that his precious blood is applied 
 every moment to cleanse and save us. Glory be to 
 Jesus ! 
 
 By the kindness of some Christian friends in the city, a 
 dinner was provided on Thanksgiving Day, soon after we 
 took possession of the Mission-house. Bountiful provision 
 was made, and the needy and outcast were freely invited to 
 come in. The day closed with a religious service, and the 
 Holy Spirit was poured upon the assembled company. It 
 was a time long to be remembered ; and under its solemn 
 influence the Lord put it into our hearts to appoint a simi- 
 lar meeting for the next evening. From that time to the 
 present, now more than three years, the humble chapel of 
 ■ch2 Helping Hand has been opened and lighted every 
 evening for a gospel service. Hundreds of souls have been 
 converted to God in this hallowed spot. The Lord has 
 truly honored the place and the work. 
 
 The meetings are led by Christians of various denomina- 
 tions in New York and Brooklyn, and it is wonderful how 
 the workers have been blest of God in their earnest effort 
 to do good to others. I am on the spot all the time with 
 mv wife, and our work is by no means confined to the 
 
46 Praying for a New Building. 
 
 evening service. Multitudes of poor sinful ones come in 
 during the day for help and counsel. We point them to 
 Jesus, the great Physician and Helper of body and soul, and 
 many a one has it been our pleasure to lead to the fountain 
 opened for sin and uncleanness. 
 
 But my vision is not yet fully realized. The house of 
 the Lord, with the bath, the chapel, and all the furnishings 
 which I saw, has not yet been given. It is the dearest 
 hope of my life to see it. I pray daily that the Lord will 
 provide the means to put up just such a building, for it is 
 needed in this Fourth Ward, as a refuge and safe harbor for 
 the poor souls tossed up and down on the billows of sin 
 and misery. And I have faith to believe that in God's own 
 good time it will be accomplished.* 
 
 Meanwhile we are watching for souls, humbly trusting in 
 the grace of God and the gift of hi^ Holy Spirit, which 
 alone can draw them out of the bondage of Satan into the 
 liberty of children of God. 
 
 This short sketch of my life I now lay as an offering on 
 God's altar. I have told enough of my sin to magnify the 
 riches of divine grace which reached out the hand of love 
 and gently drew me in from the depths of iniquity into his 
 loving favor. My prayer is, that the story of what Jesus 
 
 * In the year 1876 the old building at 316 Water Street in wluch Jerry 
 commenced his work was torn down, and a substantial three-story brick 
 building was erected for the use of the Mission on the same spot; thus 
 realizing in great measure his vision, and the hopes and aspirations to which 
 it had given birth. About this time the Mission was incorporated under the 
 title of The McAuley Water Street Mission, and became the owner of the 
 property free from debt. Its work still goes on, constantly illustrating the 
 power of Jesus to save, perpetuating the memory of its founder, and hoii> 
 oring the Redeemer whom be loved and served. 
 
Praying for a New Building. 47 
 
 has done for me may encourage other sinners to trust io 
 him for the same glorious, free salvation. 
 
 Note. — We have now come to the end of the little work "Transformed," 
 published by Jerry. He intended writing a larger volume during the winter 
 of 1884-85, and would no doubt have done so had not death ended his 
 earthly labors. Happily some further accounts of his worlc were dictated 
 by Jerry from time to time before his death and these have furnished the 
 material for many of the succeeding pages. 
 
48 A Thanksgiving Service. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 TRIALS AND TRIUMPHS. 
 
 " When we cannot see our way. 
 We should trust and still obey; 
 He who bids us forward go, 
 Will instruct the way to know.'' 
 
 In the preceding chapter brief reference was made to the 
 origin of the Water Street Mission meetings. Speaking 
 later to a friend of the Thanksgiving there mentioned, 
 Jerry thus described the memorable occasion : 
 
 " On Thanksgiving we gave a good dinner to one hundred 
 and fifty poor people ; and afterwards we had a kind of a 
 family prayer-meeting, Brother Rue proposing to give thanks 
 for the grand day we had experienced. We got together for 
 prayer and singing, and while this was going on the outside 
 people flocked in and crowded the house. 
 
 " Such a sight I never saw : sinners crying, ' God have 
 mercy on me ! ' ' Lord help me ! ' and while I was on my 
 knees the Lord said, 'You had better open the door every 
 evening.' And so I did ; and this was the beginning of 
 the grand revival since carried on at the Water Street Mis- 
 sion, commencing in such a humble way, and yet doing such 
 a great work among all sorts of people — rich and poor, high 
 and low." 
 
 All along the work was one of faith. Feeding many 
 needy persons every day, even with the simple food pro- 
 vided, and carrying on the meetings every night, was not 
 
Living by Faith. 49 
 
 accomplished without means. But Jerry believed that the 
 work was God's, and that so long as God wished him to 
 carry it on the money would be forthcoming. 
 
 So the testing times were trusting times, and days of 
 trial were days of happy triumph ; for God greatly honored 
 the humble faith of these two earnest ones. Jerry says : 
 
 " As we had made it a rule to neither beg nor run in debt, 
 our finances would frequently run very low, and we found 
 ourselves more than once with very little in the treasury ; 
 then again we would feel rich when we found we had $10 
 in cash. We borrowed no trouble about finances, but 
 trusted wholly in the Lord." 
 
 In the first printed report we find many incidents serving 
 to illustrate the spirit in which the work was carried on. 
 From among these we select the two following: 
 
 "Before the cold weather set in the workers prayed 
 earnestly for the winter's supply of coal. Two business 
 men were talking about it just then in their office down- 
 town. One of these men had been converted but a few 
 months before at the Mission, and felt moved to send in a 
 thank-offering to the Lord. The other had been for many 
 months a devoted worker there. Said the first, ' Let us 
 join and send them coal enough to last the winter months.' 
 The thought was of God, before whom the earnest prayer 
 had just gone up. It was done, and all trouble on that 
 score was settled. 
 
 " On another occasion a gas-bill came in, and there was 
 not a cent in the treasury ; but it was taken to the Father, 
 to whom belongs the silver and the gold. In the course of 
 the day a letter was received containing just the amount of 
 the bill, and the car-fare of the messenger who should go 
 to pay it." 
 4 
 
50 An Empty Treasury. 
 
 During the first year of this useful work 26,261 meals 
 were furnished to hungry men, lodgings were given to 5144, 
 and a great deal of clothing was supplied. This was all 
 done without any accumulation of debt, money coming to 
 hand as it was needed. 
 
 Of two instances in which his faith was tried, but was 
 found firm and proved victorious, Jerry thus speaks: 
 
 " I call to mind one instance, and relate it to show how 
 we were led. One night we found the Mission without a 
 cent, and forty odd tramps to feed and nothing to offer 
 them. It was a time to test my views, for I had declared I 
 would let the Lord have his way, and whenever he ceased 
 to provide, I would accept it as an evidence that he did not 
 want us to go on, and as he supplied our necessities, would 
 consider he was pleased to have us continue. I felt for 
 those poor hungry men. Some of them had probably not 
 tasted a bit of food for two and three days ; they had no 
 money to help themselves, and when they came on Satur- 
 day night we usually kept them over Sunday, but on this 
 night we were broke. 
 
 " We proceeded to the Mission-room and commenced the 
 services, and some souls were saved. But even when nine 
 o'clock had come, strange to say no one had handed us a 
 penny. As the meeting drew to a close and nothing came, 
 oh how dark everything looked ; my faith trembled. I could 
 hardly keep from crying as I looked into the hungry faces 
 of my poor tramps and converts. I spoke to my wife about 
 them, and she replied : 
 
 " ' The Lord will provide ; you see if he don't ! ' 
 
 " I closed with a heavy heart and dismissed the meeting, 
 and my wife took her position at the door, as usual, to 
 shake hands with the folks as they went out. A lady 
 
Help in Time of Need. 51 
 
 passed out with her husband, and after going five or ten 
 yards suddenly stopped, and coming back to my wife said, 
 ' Mrs. McAuley, we keep a baker-shop in Cherry Street, 
 and I just happened to think you had better send up and 
 get $5 worth of bread ! ' There was God's hand in answer 
 to prayer, and we soon had enough for all and some to 
 spare. 
 
 " Another time we had used our last cent. We said noth- 
 ing about it in the meeting, but prayed secretly for the 
 dear Lord to interpose for us. Meeting was dismissed, and 
 shortly after the people began to leave a man«came in from 
 the street and handed me a package. I opened it, and to 
 my astonishment found $100 in it. The sight of it nearly 
 took my breath away. I looked at it a moment, and then 
 at the poor fellow who brought it, and finally said to him, 
 ' Where in the world did you get this ? ' 'A man gave it to 
 me just outside, and told me to hand it to you,' he replied. 
 ' Who was he ? ' I said, as I turned it over and looked at it on 
 every side to see if there wasn't sometiiing wrong about it. 
 ' I don't know,' said the man, who now seemed as much sur- 
 prised as I was. ' A man out on the sidewalk handed it to 
 me, and said, " Here, hand that to Jerry ;" that's all I know.' 
 I counted it again : it was all there — one hundred dollars J 
 ' Whew ! ' said I, we'll never be poor again ! ' 
 
 " Thus the Lord always interfered, but generally not until 
 we were actually or pretty nearly dead broke and really 
 needed it, proving himself a ' present help in time of 
 trouble.' " 
 
 The financial difficulties of the work were by no means 
 the only ones to be surmounted. 
 
 Jerry says, " When the every-night meetings commenced, 
 then also began our troubles, for the devil woke up. Crowds 
 
52 Some of the Difficulties. 
 
 of the lowest people used to come to the door to disturb the 
 meetings, throwing brickbats and garbage, and anything they 
 could lay their hands on, into the room. The police gave 
 us no protection at that time, although I saw the captain 
 time and again, but to no purpose." 
 
 It is greatly to be regretted that Jerry should have had 
 to make such a statement in reference to those who are 
 paid and pledged to preserve order and keep the low and 
 vicious under restraint. We would gladly suppress that 
 part of this record which relates to the police and their ne- 
 glect of duty, but to do so would be to keep out of sight 
 some of the severest obstacles with which our brother had 
 to contend. It is only fair to say, however, that at, times 
 during the history of the work the officials of the partic- 
 ular precinct in which Jerry labored, as well as those at 
 head-quarters, appreciated him and the work he was doing, 
 and showed an earnest desire to afford all the protection in 
 their power. We shall give in Jerry's own words some of 
 this side of the history of the Water Street work. Those 
 who knew him best will know that he did not relate such 
 incidents in a spirit of boastfulness, or to show his own 
 prowess. They were drawn from him as illustrating the 
 nature of some of the difficulties which he had to encounter. 
 
 " During the early history of the Mission there were two 
 notorious dens directly opposite our place, on the other 
 side of the street. These were inhabited by a rabble of the 
 lowest order, and they used to gather together and yell and 
 make all sorts of unearthly noises to disturb the meetings. 
 We found out one day to our great satisfaction that some 
 wealthy men had purchased the property where these dens 
 stood, and that they were to be torn down and two new 
 houses built in their places. We congratulated ourselves 
 
Unexpected Troubles. 53 
 
 that this was a good thing for us, and a cause for thanks- 
 giving. How little we knew what trouble it was to bring 
 us into, even before the houses were built ! Many of the 
 workmen employed on them were a hard lot of drinking, 
 boisterous fellows. Every one that passed along the street 
 was at their mercy, and their language was filthy and 
 brutal beyond all description. 
 
 " A young, well-dressed man was passing one day, and 
 one of them turned the hose on him and flooded him with 
 water. Of course he resented the insult, and hard words 
 began to fly back and forth. A crowd soon gathered, and 
 after considerable talk the laborer threatened to knock out 
 the young fellow's brains with a pickaxe, and the latter 
 dared him to do it. I was standing in the door of the 
 Mission looking quietly on, when, as the workman raised 
 himself, as likely as not to split the young man's head open, 
 his eye caught sight of me. Whether he thought I was in 
 the way of his taking vengeance on the stranger, or whether 
 he was loaded up with bitterness on account of what he 
 had heard about the Mission, I do not know, but in a mo- 
 ment he turned all his venom upon me. ' What are you 
 looking at, you dirty turncoat, you miserable hypocrite, 
 you ? ' he yelled, and followed with a torrent of foul words. 
 I was astonished, and said to him, ' See here, you must 
 remember we are not all of us bad here, and if yoi^ don't 
 shut up that foul mouth of yours, I'll take you to the 
 station-house.' 'Come over here, you,' he yelled in fury, 
 adding a lot more of his vile words. Then I walked over 
 and caught hold of him by the collar. I had a deputy- 
 sheriff's badge, and had the right to make arrests. As I 
 grabbed him his ' pal ' slipped up behind me, and swing- 
 ing his great heavy shovel over his shoulder, was about 
 
54 Shameful Persecution. 
 
 to hit me. But I gave the fellow I had hold of a shove, and 
 landed him into a great pile of loose sand brought there 
 for building purposes, and while he was scrambling and 
 floundering to get out I piled the other fellow on top of 
 him. It was enough to make any one laugh to see those 
 fellows trying to get out of the soft sand, and afraid all 
 the time I was going for them again. Seeing a police- 
 man coming I beckoned to him, and ordered him to arrest 
 the scoundrel who began the row. He was about to do so 
 when another policeman came running up. He took in 
 the situation, and whispered something in the first one's ear. 
 It was only a word, but it acted like magic. The M. P 
 dropped his prisoner, and without a word grabbed me by the 
 collar and arrested me as the offender. Of course I made 
 no objection to going with him, although I knew he had no 
 business to arrest a man wearing a badge and in the per- 
 formance of his duty. 
 
 " How delighted the rabble were ; and the policemen, enter- 
 ing into their spirit, gave them a good chance to gloat over 
 their seeming victory, by walking me as slowly as possible 
 down that wicked street to show me up. ' There he goes,' 
 yelled one. ' See the dirty turncoat ! ' ' Bad luck to the 
 likes of ye ! ' screamed another, and so on, with oaths, 
 curses, and blasphemies, devoting me to any place but 
 heaven, and wishing me anything but blessings. We 
 reached the station-house, and the joy of the officials over 
 catching such a troublesome fish was plain enough. 
 
 " One of the workmen made the complaint that I struck 
 the other on the nose and knocked him down. ' Is that 
 so ? ' said the sergeant ; ' did he hit you ? — show me the 
 marks.' ' Him lave any marks on me ! I'd knock his brains 
 out/ was the reply. ' Arrah, go lang wid ye ! Faith he 
 
Threatening the Mission. 55 
 
 did,' insisted the complainant ; and they were near coming 
 to blows between themsdves, and made the place ring with 
 their oaths and hard words. They contradicted each other 
 so that the officials began to look blue as the hopes of 
 making out a case against me died away. The foreman of 
 the building now interfered and said, ' I saw the whole 
 thing. My men have been drinking a little too much ; ' 
 and then he described the affair as it was, concluding by 
 saying, ' I didn't see him strike either of them.' With 
 this the captain boiled over as he saw I was going to slip 
 through his fingers after all, and shaking his fist under my 
 nose he called me all manner of names, and said, ' I'll lock 
 you up, anyway. I'll break up that old nuisance of a Mis- 
 sion for you. It keeps the whole place in an uproar. I'll 
 send you back to prison again, where you belong. That old 
 Mission is a nuisance.' 
 
 " ' He has a shield on too, captain,' interrupted the police- 
 man ; ' just look at him ! and he has a great big club down 
 there at his ould mission to knock men down wid.' At this 
 the captain grabbed me by the collar and tore my vest 
 open, exclaiming, ' I'll take it off you ! ' I pushed him 
 back, and raising my finger said, ' Captain, I dare you to 
 put your finger on that shield ! ' As I spoke he started for 
 me again, but the opening of the outside door caught his 
 attention, and there was my wife coming in. He did not 
 know her, and growled, 
 
 " ' What can I do for you, madam ?' 
 
 '"What are you going to do with that man?' she 
 questioned. 
 
 " ' What in is that to you ? ' he retorted fiercely. 
 
 " ' A great deal, sir ! He is my husband ! ' she answered 
 calmly; and I then interrupted them by saying to her. 
 
56 A Happy Outcome. 
 
 ' You go see Mr. Dodge or Mr. Hatch.' She hurried down 
 to Mr. A. S. Hatch, who was one of our reliable stand-bys 
 in time of trouble, and told him the story. Mr. Hatch was 
 unable to leave his office just then, but he put her in a car- 
 riage and sent her to the Superintendent of the City Mis- 
 sions, with a note. He went with her to Mr. William E. 
 Dodge, Sr., and this noble man of God was all stirred up in 
 a moment. ' Jerry shall not sleep in that place one night if 
 it costs $SO,cxx) to get him out,' he exclaimed. ' Not even 
 if a special court has to be called immediately ! ' 
 
 " My wife knew whose hands the case was in, and, as it was 
 now after the time for meeting to commence, she hurried 
 back to the Mission to look after things there. Her heart 
 was sad and heavy as she thought of me up in that old 
 station-house among those lions, and though she had com- 
 mitted me to God, she could not help feeling anxious, and 
 somewhat cast down. In this mood she came to the door 
 of the Mission, and looking inside she started back all in a 
 heap. She has often since spoken of the peculiar feeling 
 she had when, looking into the chapel, she saw the meeting 
 running in good style, and Mr. Jerry McAuley — if you 
 please — sitting in his usual place, leading the meeting. She 
 could hardly believe her eyes, and giving them a good rub 
 took another look and finally concluded that it was either 
 her husband that she had left a short time ago in the hands 
 of the sharks, or his ghost sitting there, or else that the whole 
 thing had been an ugly dream from the beginning. She 
 knew she was wide awake, and as I didn't look very ghostly, 
 she settled the matter quite readily in her own mind, and 
 walked in with a hearty ' Thank God ! ' and took part in 
 the meeting. 
 
 " This was the way I came to be released : The foreman's 
 
Jerry s True Prediction. 57 
 
 statements were hard to reconcile with what the drunken 
 men had said, and what the officials would have been glad 
 enough to prove against me ; and so after talking and plan- 
 ning and scratching their heads over it, the sergeant 
 whispered to the others, ' It won't do ; that commitment 
 won't stand, so we'd better tear it up ; ' and suiting the ac- 
 tion to the words, he demolished it and scattered it on the 
 floor. The foreman now interposed for his men, and said, 
 
 " ' My men have been drinking some, sir ; but if you will 
 let us get back to work now I'd like it.' ' Go on,' replied 
 the captain ; and then, glaring at me like a wild beast cheated 
 out of a good haul, he said fiercely, ' Get out of here ! Get 
 out!' 
 
 " ' I thought you were going to lock me up, captain ? ' I 
 said quietly. 
 
 " ' G-e-t o-u-t ! ' he yelled. 
 
 " ' I thought you were going to lock me up ? ' I continued. 
 ' Now I dare you to do it ! Why don't you ? ' 
 
 "'G-e-t o-u-t!' 
 
 " ' Yes, I'll get out,' I replied ; ' but mark you, captain, I'll 
 be in this ward when you are turned out of it.' And I was ; 
 for shortly after this we heard that he was censured and 
 fined, and he then resigned. But he caused me a great deal 
 of trouble before my prophecy came true ; for as soon as I 
 got out of his clutches that time he picked out the very 
 worst man he had on the force — a brutal and foul-mouthed 
 fellow by the name of Fitch — and sent this ' guardian ' as 
 my ' protector,' with orders from headquarters to keep him 
 for just that post. ' Arrah, Jerry,' he said when he came 
 on, '/'// make it hot for yer ! ' — and he kept his word.'" 
 
58 Sad Scenes and Sounds. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 WATER STREET AS IT WAS. 
 
 "Go labor on, spend and be spent, 
 Thy joy to do the Father's will; 
 It was the way the Master went, 
 Shall not the servant tread it still ?" 
 
 But even Fitch was more than matched by Savage, an- 
 other officer whose beat included the street in front of the 
 Mission-house. An account of some of this man's proceed- 
 ings we find prefaced with a reference to Jerry's campaign 
 against the dens by which he was surrounded. The terrible 
 condition of the neighborhood in which the Mission was 
 located is only too vividly seen by this account. 
 
 Jerry says : " About this time I became so grieved over the 
 desolation and wickedness all around us that my soul was 
 stirred within me, and I couldn't stand it any longer. I 
 knew it was my duty to do all I could to reach these poor 
 fallen creatures and bring them to God, and thus check to 
 sonjie extent the devil's work ; but it now seemed to me that 
 some one ought to strike at the fountain-head, and break up 
 
 those miserable dives. I went to , and he referred me 
 
 to his agent, , and from him I went to a number of 
 
 others. I was all stirred up, and I could not sleep nights. 
 I would toss on my bed, listening to the hideous sounds 
 from the streets below — cries, groans, mad laughter, and 
 broken snatches of songs, with occasional cries of ' Murder ! 
 
A Troublesome Policeman. 59 
 
 murder ! ' At daylight I would start out again to see if some- 
 thing couldn't be done to stop up these heli-holes — the 
 cause of all the trouble. I received plenty of promises, and 
 that was the end of it ; until, finding I had worn out a pair of 
 shoes and received no help, I became hopeless of doing any- 
 thing in that way, and went for them the best I could on 
 my own hook, trusting in God to strengthen me and give 
 me success : and he did, until I kept the police headquarters 
 so warm they hated to see me coming, and would say when 
 I came with a new case, ' There comes that McAuley again. 
 Who in the world has he got now f ' 
 
 " The policeman who was now stationed on that beat soon 
 began to let us know that his sympathy was with the rum- 
 sellers and dives. His name was Savage, and he was rightly 
 named ; for he was as great a savage as ever I saw. I had 
 thought nothing could be worse than Fitch had been, but 
 this brute was worse than all. When he couldn't think of 
 anything else to worry us, he would walk into the Mission- 
 room — in direct violation of his orders — while the meeting 
 was going on, and stamp over to where we had a little shelf 
 on which a Bible and a newspaper or two were usually found, 
 and stamping as hard as he could with his great heavy boots, 
 he would pick up a newspaper, throw it down again, and 
 stamp, stamp, stamp, all the way back to the door, and if I 
 would go for him, he would get out before I could get at 
 him. I was standing in the door one night, while he stood 
 outside with some of his friends, and finding he could not 
 get in to disturb us without passing me, he commenced 
 grinning to one of his pals. 'Ah, I'm not going to look 
 after his ould Mission,' said he, after throwing out a number 
 of other slurs. 
 
 " ' Why, of course,' I answered good and loud, ' of course 
 
6o The Woes of the Fallen. 
 
 you won't; but if I'd sling you 2, couple of dollars occasion- 
 ally, as all these miserable gin-mills do, you'd watch for me, 
 wouldn't you ? ' 
 
 " He grated his teeth savagely, and dropped his hand to his 
 club like a flash ; but I started towards hina, and looking 
 him square in the eyes, said : ' If you dare to touch me with 
 that club, it'll be the last job of the kind you'll ever under- 
 take ! You haven't got that poor woman to club to death 
 now! ' 
 
 " He started back astonished, and soon left me to myself. 
 My blood was up, for I had in my mind a case which I will 
 tell you about, to show what a brute he was and what kind 
 of encouragement the poor fallen ones sometimes receive to 
 help them to reform. 
 
 " One of those poor unfortunate girls, under the influence 
 of liquor, and not knowing what she was doing, wandered 
 out on the street and created some disturbance by singing. 
 Savage went for her, and began clubbing her with his heavy 
 night-club. It was not daybreak yet, and everything else 
 was so still, we could hear her screams, and distinctly count 
 the heavy blows of that terrible club— thug— thug— thug- 
 like pounding a great ox. I could not stay in bed, so, run- 
 ning to the window, I looked out to see if I could catch him 
 at it. There was a greqt pile of mortar opposite us, where 
 they were building the new houses, and just as I reached the 
 window he struck her and knocked her down into the mor- 
 tar. She stretched up both hands at arms' length, begging 
 him not to kill her. He struck first one arm and then the 
 other with his club, and they dropped, as if broken by the 
 blows. He then beat her out of the mortar and across to 
 the curbstone on my side of the street ; when, as she made 
 one more effort to regain her feet, he knocked her down 
 
Heartless Officials. 6r 
 
 with another blow, and she dropped on my cellar^oor. I 
 dashed up the window, and called to him, ' Hold on therel 
 Why don't you take that woman in, if she's done wrong? 
 What do want to kill her for, say ? ' 
 
 " ' What's that your business ? ' he answered, as soon as 
 he recovered from the surprise caused by hearing my voice. 
 
 " ' I'll show you in the morning,' I retorted. ' Now you 
 take her to the station-house, or I'll make you pay dear for 
 your brutality to a helpless woman.' 
 
 " He picked her up, and started around the corner with 
 her, and I went back to bed. I learned afterwards that she 
 became so weak, no doubt from the clubbing, that she couldn't 
 walk ; so he called another policeman like himself, and wheo 
 they found her unable to go without being carried, they feD 
 to clubbing her again, first one striking her and then the 
 other ; and those who heard it said her screams were ter- 
 rific. 
 
 " A man was clubbed to death on the same beat about this 
 time, under very suspicious circumstances. Part of Savage's 
 beat was travelled during certain hours of the night by a 
 Dutch policeman. The latter, on going over his beat one 
 morning, found, he said, the body of a man who had un- 
 doubtedly been clubbed to death and then thrown behind 
 a box. Savage blamed it on the poor Dutchman, and of 
 course it would not do for me to say the former did it, as I 
 had no personal knowledge of the fact. I take no pleasure 
 in referring to these painful memories, but in order to rightly 
 understand our struggles at that time, you must know some< 
 thing of the obstacles we had to contend with, many of which 
 were actually brought in our way by the very ones the city 
 was paying to protect us ! During all this time the meet- 
 ings were going on first rate." 
 
62 What Sustained Jerry. 
 
 But opposition was not confined to the minions of the law. 
 Those who do not know the kind of stuff of which our hero 
 was made may wonder that the work was not given up in 
 despair. But besides having a fast faith in God, he was pos- 
 sessed of great personal courage, and opposition only served 
 to keep his enthusiasm stirred up. At the same time, in 
 speaking of those days of difficulty, Jerry invariably at- 
 tributed his success to God. These are his words : " It was 
 a tremendous struggle to carry on this work under such diffi- 
 culties, and as I look back to those stormy times I see the 
 mighty hand of God leading and supporting me through it 
 all. If it had not been for his all-sustaining grace I should 
 have quit and got out of that wicked locality as fast as my 
 legs would carry me, but he sustained me so fully that I did 
 not even think to myself of giving up the fight. There was 
 a special policeman detailed to look after the Mission at 
 night, but he soon proved as much an enemy as any, until I 
 took his number and complained of him, and he was moved 
 out of the ward. 
 
 " The meetings continued to do good during all this time. 
 The Lord poured out his blessing, souls were saved, and the 
 devil seemed to grow more mad every day. Seeing they 
 could not get the best of us while we were looking at them, 
 the rabble tried some new tactics, and would wait quietly 
 until the meetings were started and going, when they would 
 smash the windows. Some one would be praying or talking 
 when crash would go a pane of glass. This continued un- 
 til there was hardly a pane of glass left in the house. We 
 wired them up then and left but one exposed ; this being 
 toward the back of the building, near where the organ stood, 
 had thus far escaped the fate of the others. 
 
 " The meeting had commenced one afternoon when bang 
 
Fixing the Mission. 63 
 
 came a brickbat through the window, close by the musi- 
 cian's head. ' Oh,' he exclaimed as the brick whizzed 
 past him, 'what's that?' 'Oh, that's nothing,' I replied 
 quickly ; ' they send whole paving-stones sometimes ; that 
 is only a piece of brick ! ' ' Hallelujah ! ' cried out one of 
 the audience ; ' let them come ! The Lord is our defence, 
 so they can't harm us ! ' 
 
 " It was about this time that the houses opposite being 
 finished, they were thrown open for tenants, and a man 
 named Johnny Wagstafif — a wretched fellow — moved in. 
 He came with two big car-loads of furniture, and strutting 
 around made all the show he possibly could. As he was 
 about to go into the house with the last lot of goods some 
 old acquaintance standing outside spoke to him, and he 
 turned laughingly and said, ' Oh, I thought I'd come down 
 and keep Brother McAuley company.' We hated to have 
 that rum-hole there, for we had prayed God that no such 
 place should ever prosper there. We kept on praying, and 
 Johnny found us a thorn in his flesh, for we cut off his 
 customers and hindered his sales. He fought hard, and 
 was determined to beat us anyway if possible. I shall 
 never forget one Fourth-of-July night. They had made up 
 their minds to fix me and the ' Ould Mission' that night 
 anyway : so they procured an old barrel and placed it in 
 the middle of the street ; they then set a watch at the door, 
 and as soon as any one rose to testify they lighted 2, pack 
 of fire-crackers and dropped them into the empty barrel. 
 Of course with the terrible racket they made a man 
 couldn't hear his own voice. This seemed to promise to 
 be a great success and break up the meeting entirely, and 
 would have done so if a happy thought had not helped 
 me out. After we had tried several times in vain to hear 
 
64 Fire-works and Testimonies. 
 
 each other, I said to the congregation, ' Now I want you 
 to watch me : I'll select a hymn ahead of the time, and the 
 moment I say " Sing!" just sing with allyourmight, and when 
 I say, " Testify !" be ready and spring right up.' A convert 
 arose and opened his mouth, when bang! bang! bang! 
 went the fireworks in the barreL 'Sing!' I shouted, and 
 they fairly roared ; my ! what lungs they had, and you 
 couldn't hear those old fireworks at all ! Just as soon as 
 that pack was out I called ' Testify ! ' and a brother jumped 
 up, and before they could get the next pack ready and 
 rightly on fire he was through, and then we drowned the 
 racket again with a grand old hymn. I knew they could 
 not keep this up forever on account of the expense, and 
 soon they quit it and began to fire their roman candles at 
 the back of the house ; but we kept right on, and we never 
 had a better meeting. It was certainly a' lively one all 
 through, and as one expressed it afterwards, ' We had a 
 red-hot time.' Several were helped spiritually, and among 
 others one soul was gloriously saved! Johnny grew poorer 
 and poorer, and after a while his trouble increased daily, 
 and at last his wife died and he gave up. 
 
 " He came into the Mission, and I shook hands with him 
 and talked to him kindly, He soon moved out, and it 
 wasn't much trouble for him to move now, for instead of 
 his car-loads of furniture he had only an old scuttle partly 
 full of coal! He died shortly afterwards, and the place was 
 again ' To let.' We carried the matter to God, and prayed 
 him to break up whoever came in there to sell rum ; and 
 that prayer was heard, for fifteen or sixteen failed one 
 after the other and moved out — several having lost all their 
 money trying to do the devil's work in that place." 
 
 Of another occasion Jerry speaks as follows : 
 
Battle with a Bully. 65 
 
 " A friend whose gifts were given by the wholesale had 
 charge of the meeting on the night in question, and stood 
 with the open Bible in his hand reading. I had not reached 
 the chapel, but was on the stairs coming down. Mr. A. 
 had just finished a sentence, and was about to read further, 
 when a fellow let out an unearthly yell — like an Indian — 
 'Silence,' he shouted"; and Mr. A., who had never heard 
 such an awful sound in his life, jumped as if he had been 
 shot, and nearly dropped the Bible from his hands. I came 
 in a second after, and couldn't think what was the matter. 
 My wife kept nodding to me and pointing at the giant of a 
 fellow who roared so. I didn't know anything about it^- 
 though I could see something had happened ; but out of 
 respect to the Book that Mr. A. was now reading again, 
 I asked no questions. 
 
 " In a moment or two we were startled by another un- 
 earthly yell, and I walked down to where this man sat. 
 He was a perfect giant, with great, broad, massive shoulders, 
 and his red shirt being open at the neck showed the heavy 
 matted hair on his breast, making him look like a lion. I 
 spoke to him kindly, and told him he would have to be 
 good or go out, and informed him that we always insisted 
 on good order. He pointed over his shoulder to his chum 
 sitting behind him, as much as to say that it was he that 
 created the disturbance; but I paid no attention to his 
 motions, and kept on talking to him. I then went back to 
 my seat, determined to keep an eye on him. 
 
 " Mr. A. went on with the reading and pretty soon I saw 
 this bully drop his head, and in another minute he uttered 
 that terrible yell for the third time. I knew I was in for 
 it now, for if I let this fellow get the best of us our last 
 hope of ever going on with our meetings undisturbed 
 
66 A Desperate Contest. 
 
 would be gone. I thought of this, and then I looked at him, 
 and knew that a row with such a great brute of a fellow 
 was no joke ; but the work of the Lord was at stake, so I 
 walked down to where he sat and told him firmly he must 
 leave. 
 
 " ' Ah, go on ! ' he growled. ' What's the matter wid 
 you?' 
 
 " ' Come,' I answered quietly, ' you must go out, or I'll 
 put you out.' 
 
 " He looked at me a moment, but made no move to do 
 as I told him. I then reached out and caught him by the 
 collar, when he coolly threw his arms over the back of the 
 seat, locking his hands together with a grip like a vise, 
 and said, with a grin, ' Go ahead, old fellow.' I suppose 
 he thought I could not lift him. I ran my hand down to 
 get a good hold of his shirt-collar, and surging back, I 
 brought him to his feet, bench and all. I dragged him out 
 into the aisle, but he clung to the long bench till one end 
 of it suddenly struck the ceiling and that broke his hold. 
 I grabbed him by the throat now, as he struck at me square 
 from the shoulder and tried to hit me between the eyes ; 
 but he soon found out that I had not forgotten all I knew 
 of the ' manly art ' when I stopped his blows cleverly, and 
 in return gave him another shove nearer the door, tighten- 
 ing my grip on his throat all the time. 
 
 " He kept hitting at me like a madman, but failed every 
 time to get a blow home on me, while in the mean time 
 we were getting nearer and nearer the door. When not 
 striking at me he would clutch at anything and everything 
 — the benches, the heads of those near him, whatever he 
 could get hold of — trying to stop his progress. 
 
 " I felt the God of battles was my helper, and I was bound 
 
Winning ike Victory. 67 
 
 to win. It was like a battle between the kingdoms of good 
 and evil. By the time we got to the door we were in such 
 a fearful struggle that when we struck the doors — about 
 two inches thick, and built of hard wood — we carried them 
 clear off the hinges, and split one door all up. By this time 
 he was black in the face from my grip on his throat, and he 
 gasped, ' Let go ! 1-e-t, g-o ! I'll be-have ; 1-e-t, g-o, J-e-r- 
 J-e-r-r-y.' 
 
 " ' Ah,' I said, as I gave him one more squeeze and a 
 tighter one, and shoved him off. ' Ah ! ah ! you great old 
 coward, you're no man after all ! ' He begged hard, and I 
 let him go. When we got out on the sidewalk where I had 
 dragged him, I found it had been a put-up job ; for across 
 the street stood a lot of his chums shouting, ' Give it to 
 him, Jackson. Give ould Hallelujah Jerry fits ; ' but they 
 did not try to help him. ' He won't give it to him, nor 
 you either,' I replied. 
 
 " As soon as Jackson caught his breath he ran across the 
 street where there was a new building, and he and some of 
 the rest picked up bricks and prepared to brick-bat me. I 
 didn't give them time, but walking coolly over to them I 
 said, ' Ah, you cowards, drop those bricks — drop them ! ' 
 and they did, and ran for their lives. I then saw two 
 policemen standing looking oa and laughing at them. 
 
 " I then returned to the Mission, and joined in singing 
 ' Rock of Ages, cleft for me,' which they had been singing 
 all through the row. Things went on about as usual after 
 this, but the would-be disturbers were a little more careful 
 for fear of meeting with a similar defeat, for this man 
 Jackson was one of the worst men in that worst of streets. 
 
 "After a while, however, another disturber came in and 
 thought he would try a new trick on me. He made some 
 
68 Another Disturber. 
 
 disturbance, but I saw he had been drinking, and said, 
 ' Don't mind that poor fellow, friends ; he has been taking 
 a little too much gin.' 
 
 " ' Not a drap of gin, Jerry,' he replied. ' Nothing but 
 good ould bourbon whiskey.' 
 
 " I saw he had got to be bounced, so I started up a good 
 hymn and went for him ; when he saw me coming he laid 
 right down on his back on the floor, thinking I couldn't 
 get him out in that position. It may be he had heard how 
 I put Jackson out, and took this way of getting the best 
 of me. 
 
 " ' All right, young man,' says I ; ' if you prefer going out 
 that way, I've no objections ; ' and taking him by the collar 
 on the back of his neck I dragged him down the aisle and 
 out he went." 
 
Water Street Man-traps. 69 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 MORE ABOUT WATER STREET. 
 
 " Put thou thy trust in God, 
 In duty's path go on, 
 Fix on His work thy steadfast eye, 
 So shall thy work be done." 
 
 Some idea of the neighborhood in which Jerry worked is 
 necessary to a right understanding of the nature of the 
 task upon his shoulders. We have quoted already some of 
 his words in reference to his surroundings. Upon another 
 occasion he thus describes them : 
 
 " But few can have any idea of the terrible dens with 
 which this wicked locality was crowded. The basements 
 were especially loathsome, several having particular names, 
 such as ' The Well,^ ' The Man-trap,' etc. They were 
 merely holes in the ground under the houses, where the 
 tide backed in twice a day at high-water. In each of these 
 dark holes, without any window or outlet, with no sinks or 
 anything in the form of an opening, for any purpose what- 
 ever, except the entrance from the street, from four to six 
 girls or women and as many men used to live. From these 
 death-holes the girls would come out and button-hole men 
 as they passed by ; sometimes they would snatch the hat 
 from a sailor's head and dart back into their den. If he 
 was wise he would keep right on and let his hat go, for if 
 fool enough to go inside it would be the worse for him ; 
 he would most likely be thrown out after being beaten and 
 
70 Ill-gotten Gains. 
 
 robbed, if not murdered, for sometimes men never came 
 out of those holes alive. The inmates of these filthy dens 
 died off rapidly, but their places were filled right away by 
 others! 
 
 " This terrible state of things weighed on my mind so that 
 I could not sleep at night, but tossed restlessly upon my 
 bed, and I felt that to clear my conscience I must do some- 
 thing to break up these fearful places. I found to my 
 astonishment that the owner of the property where these 
 places were kept was a very rich man living on Broadway, 
 and was considered a very nice, respectable gentleman. I 
 went to him with my burden, but he paid no more attention 
 to me than he would to the barking of a dog. I could not 
 for the life of me understand how this fine gentleman could 
 be so indifferent to things that seemed so terrible to me. 
 My astonishment was not so great when afterwards I found 
 out that each of these holes brought him in from $30 to 
 $40 per month ! 
 
 " Seeing that it was no use to expect anything from this 
 man, I next applied to a well-known Society, and laid the 
 matter before the agent. The latter was very enthusiastic, 
 and told me with perfect assurance he would attend to it 
 right away, ' and he would soon have Water Street as quiet 
 as Fifth^Avenue.' Encouraged by this I went home and 
 waited to see what they would do. 
 
 "I was becoming discouraged again when I didn't see 
 anything of the tremendous clearing out that had been 
 promised, until one day on looking out of the window, I 
 saw some policemen standing near the curbstone on the 
 opposite side, staring up at the Mission. My first thought 
 was that the Mission was on fire, so I walked over and in- 
 quired, ' What's the matter ? Is it on fire ? ' ' No,' one of 
 
Fighting the Rum-sellers. 71 
 
 them replied, ' we were sent down here to watch the Mission.' 
 I looked at them in astonishment ; to watch the Mission, 
 while here in broad sight, and within a few feet of them, 
 these wicked wretches were robbing and plundering every- 
 body they could get hold of. 
 
 " ' Why,' I exclaimed, as soon as I could control myself, 
 ' I didn't want any one to watch the Mission, but I want to 
 break up these dens around here ! ' ' Oh, we've got nothing 
 to do but to obey orders,' was the cool answer ; ' and all 
 the orders we got was to come here and watch the Mission.' 
 I finally went to another temperance man, paid him some 
 money, but with no better results ; but by this time I was 
 learning how to attend to the matter myself, so having 
 received some money from Mrs. Dr. Barnet and another 
 lady, and adding to it the little I had, I went to work. I 
 selected some of the converts to get the proper evidence as 
 witnesses, and then would bring the parties into court, and 
 having good clear testimony to actual offences committed, 
 I secured convictions, and thus broke up these dens one 
 after another, until they became as scarce as they had once 
 been plentiful. 
 
 "But it was no easy matter, and I had to contend with a 
 bitter opposition, not only from the proprietors of the 
 places themselves, but from their friends among the lawyers 
 and others holding official positions ; judges, lawyers, and 
 some of the police authorities began to go for me, but 
 knowing I was in the right, I fought on. A lawyer, whose 
 name has been before the public a good deal lately, kept 
 me on the witness-stand for two hours and a half at one 
 time, insulting and abusing me, in trying to clear a man 
 named Dugan whom I had arrested. The facts of the 
 case were as follows : 
 
72 An Invisible License. 
 
 "This fellow (Dugan) kept a dive, and I went in and 
 demanded to see his license in order to secure evidence in 
 this way that he was the proprietor. The bar-tender 
 replied, ' The license is locked up in the safe, and can't be 
 got till the man who has the key comes in.' I knew this 
 was a trick, for the law demands that the license shall be 
 hung up in a conspicuous place, where anybody can see it. 
 I waited patiently, until one day, while standing at the door 
 with the policeman who was to be stationed at the Mission, 
 I saw Dugan enter his dive. I spoke to the policeman, 
 and asked if he would go over with me. ' Certainly,' he 
 replied, and over we started. We had almost reached the 
 door when he suddenly stopped and refused to go any 
 farther. 
 
 " ' Why, what's the matter ? ' I asked. 
 
 " ' Oh, I don't want to get into a muss, for Dugan is a 
 friend of the inspector, and he'd go for me.' 
 
 " ' Ah, you old coward ! ' I replied ; and there I was, the 
 laughing-stock of the whole crowd of ruffians and degraded 
 women who were looking on. I was not defeated, however, 
 in the attempt to arrest him, for shortly after this I had him 
 taken up and brought before the judge, and that was the 
 time when I received the rough handling from the lawyer. 
 
 " I not only had to put up with the abuse of the lawyers 
 and others, but was bothered with repeated intentional 
 delays. The case was called several different times, but 
 each time there was some pretended reason for laying it 
 over: twice or more they pretended that Dugan was too 
 sick to put in an appearance, and thus the thing was kept up 
 to worry my life out. My lawyer failed to do his duty, so 
 in the end I lost the case. 
 
 " Shortly afterwards Dugan was really taken sick, and grow- 
 
Returning Good for Evil. "jj, 
 
 ing worse, it looked as if he was going to die. I knew how 
 he hated me, but I also knew he was now sick and in trouble, 
 so I went over and knocked at his door. ' May I come in?' 
 I asked kindly ; ' I don't want to intrude on you, but would 
 like to come in if you will let me.' He recognized my 
 voice, but nevertheless he answered faintly, ' Yes, come in if 
 you want to ! ' 
 
 " I entered, and after talking with him and his wife a 
 short time, I knelt in prayer. I prayed earnestly for them, 
 and held them up in the arms of faith to a sin-pardoning 
 Christ, who never turned one poor trembling soul away, and 
 who loves even his enemies, and would do them good. 
 They were both very much broken up, and wept freely, and 
 I left. 
 
 " Encouraged by my first visit, I called again, and brought 
 a beautiful, sweet bouquet of flowers. Again I called, and 
 this time managed to secure a few peaches, they being very 
 scarce at that season of the year, and brought them to him. 
 He seemed to appreciate my kindness, and was more broken 
 up than ever. We talked over matters, and, referring to 
 his business of his own accord, he said he was very sorry 
 he ever engaged in the rum traffic at all : knew it was 
 wrong, but once in he could not get out without losing 
 everything he had, and this he had not the moral courage 
 to do while in health and strength. He lingered a short 
 time, and died from exhaustion." 
 
 In all the history of our brother's work it is most inspir- 
 ing to see that the more and the fiercer the opposition, the 
 more did God honor his labors. So he speaks as follows of 
 one of these seasons of bitterest opposition on the part of 
 the enemies aroused : 
 
 " Meanwhile the work of soul-saving went on with wonder- 
 
74 Captain and Engineer Saved. 
 
 ful success, and God's presence was manifested more and 
 more. There would be as many as twenty-five or thirty 
 forward for prayers at one time, while the aisle would be 
 crowded with those unable to get seats. Still the meetings 
 increased in interest and attendance until, there being no 
 room inside, the people gathered around the door on the 
 street. We could not find standing-room for more than 
 half of those who wanted to get in. 
 
 " The revival took effect for a while among the captains of 
 the Baltimore freight-boat line, and became of considerable 
 
 interest. One captain by the name of B was converted, 
 
 as were also all of his crew excepting the cook. 
 
 " One night his engineer, having heard from others, came 
 to see for himself what was going on. The captain was 
 there that night seeking help, and before the meeting 
 closed the engineer became deeply convicted and knelt to 
 ask God to forgive his sins. While we were all on our 
 knees some one whispered to me that Captain B. and his 
 engineer did not speak to each other. ' Is that so ? ' I 
 answered, and getting off my knees I went to where he was 
 and whispered : 
 
 " ' Captain, you must be an a«^«/ hypocrite?* 
 
 " ' Why ? How so ?' he replied in astonishment. 
 
 " ' Because you claim to be seeking the Lord, and yet you 
 won't speak to so-and-so over there, and are holding hatred 
 in your heart. Shame on you ! ' 
 
 " He dropped his head, and leaving him I went softly over 
 to the engineer and whispered the same words to him. It, 
 was but a moment when they both sprang to their feet at 
 once, as if moved by the same impulse, and meeting, fairly 
 hugged each other, and wept, and then knelt down together 
 and cried to God for forgiveness. They prayed earnestly 
 
Reconciled to God and Man. 75 
 
 for mercy, and the captain was the first to receive the 
 answer. He clapped his hands, and the joy was beam- 
 ing in his face. But he had hardly time to straighten up 
 fully when the engineer also caught the joyful sound of for- 
 giveness and was on his feet in an instant ; and then they 
 began shaking hands and hugging each other again. 
 
 " The Spirit of the Lord had touched them, and all their 
 enmity and hatred had vanished like the dew before the 
 rising sun. Others soon caught the spirit, and gathered 
 around them, shaking hands and rejoicing, shouting and 
 weeping with them, until some of the outsiders ran across 
 the street, thinking the old Mission was tumbling down. 
 
 " I asked one of the boatmen who was saved at that time, 
 when he was testifying, ' How do you know you were con- 
 verted ? ' 
 
 " ' Well, I'll tell you,' he replied ; ' I went from here to 
 my boat, and locking the door, just made up my mind never 
 to open it until converted. And I kept my word!' 
 
 " ' How could you tell when it was done ? ' 
 
 " ' Well, I'll have to explain that in my own way,' he 
 answered, ' but it seems to me the Lord just took, as it 
 were, something like a barnacle-scraper [a keen, sharp- 
 edged, three-cornered piece of steel, fastened to a long 
 handle and used to scrape off the little shellfish and other 
 deposits that gather on the bottom of vessels] and scraped 
 my heart all out clean, and I haven't felt anything wrong 
 there since ! ' 
 
 " Another came forward, and I asked him to pray for him- 
 self. 
 
 " ' I can't. I don't know how,' he replied mournfully. 
 
 " ' Oh yes, you can — ^just say the Lord's Prayer,' 
 
 " ' I don't know it.' 
 
76 An Original Prayer. 
 
 " ' Did you never hear it ? ' 
 
 " ' No; I've heard about it, but I never heard it.' 
 
 " ' Well, just pray in your own way. Ask the Lord for 
 what you want in your own words.' He bowed his head, 
 and in a moment broke out, ' O Lord ! O Lord ! scratch 
 my sins out, and then keep them scratched out ! ' and the 
 Lord answered that simple but honest prayer." 
 
 These stories of redeeming grace might be multiplied a 
 hundredfold had full records been kept, but Jerry appears 
 to have had little care for making up grand totals. When 
 souls were saved he gave God the glory, and was en- 
 couraged to go forward in efforts to win others, leaving 
 the record to be made up in heaven. The few cases that 
 follow in these pages are illustrative of many more. 
 
 "One night," he says, "we had a wonderful meeting ; a 
 Catholic girl was earnestly seeking salvation. She had pleaded 
 and prayed for forgiveness for a long time without experienc- 
 ing any change, while the Spirit of God seemed to hover over 
 that congregation and every other prayer was stilled in awe, 
 as all present listened breathlessly to the simple but deep 
 and fervent petition of that poor girl. She actually seemed 
 to talk to God face to face, with a holy reverence that sub- 
 dued every listener and hushed every doubting thought. All 
 at once she ceased praying aloud, and bowed her head in 
 silence upon the seat, while a peculiar hush rested on every 
 heart, as if expecting a quick answer. After a moment's 
 silence she slowly raised her face toward heaven, and, with 
 hands outstretched, whispered distinctly, ' He is coming I 
 He is coming!' bringing her hands together in triumph as 
 she uttered the last word. Her prayer was answered, her 
 faith accepted. She made no farther demonstration for a 
 moment, and nothing could be heard but her deep breathing 
 
A J'rodigal Reclaimed. "jj 
 
 and the subdued sobs of some others kneeling near her, 
 wnile they actually trembled so that the rattle of the bench 
 at which they knelt could be distinctly heard, in spite of 
 their efforts to hold it still. This girl became a remarkably 
 earnest and devout worker. It was really wonderful to 
 witness her faith and her success in reaching others, espe- 
 cially women, and bringing them to Christ. She remained 
 faithful, and removed to the far West afterwards, where she 
 continued an efficient and highly esteemed Christian worker. 
 
 "It was about this time that an Irishman who had worked 
 for McCreery & Co. of Broadway came to us. He was a 
 remarkably handsome man, and came of a wealthy family of 
 consequence in Ireland. He was dissipated and almost a 
 wreck, when a trip to this country was proposed, to remove 
 him beyond the influence of his old associates, and thus 
 reform him. But change of place is not a change of heart, 
 as was soon shown in his case, and new comrades of similar 
 habits are not hard to find in America, when a person has a 
 little money to share with them in debauchery. 
 
 " He grew worse until his father refused to send him any 
 more money to squander, and in this condition some one 
 brought him to the Mission. He was led to seek the Lord, 
 and was soundly converted. He kept up a correspondence 
 with his father, who soon discovered by the general tone of 
 his letters that there was some remarkable change in his 
 boy for the better, and after a further trial he received him 
 to his affections again, and sent him money with which to 
 return home in joy and restored confidence. He came and 
 bade us a tender good-by, and said he expected to have 
 one of his father's houses opened and run as a Mission sim- 
 ilar to the Water Street Mission, as soon as circumstances 
 would permit." 
 
jS A Hungry Stranger. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 TROPHIES OF GRACE. 
 
 "Welcome, welcome! sinner, here! 
 Hang not back through shame or fear; 
 Doubt not, nor distrust the call; 
 Mercy is proclaimed to all. 
 
 "Welcome, weeping penitent; 
 Grace ha^ made thy heart relent. 
 Welcome, long estranged child; 
 God in Christ is reconciled." 
 
 " Another remarkable incident occurred about this time. 
 A gentleman from the West, afterwards the editor of the 
 / Record, came to New York on some mining busi- 
 ness. Being a drinking man, he drank to excess, spent 
 his money, neglected his business, and at last he became so 
 reduced he could not raise the price of a drink, or even a 
 meal to keep body and soul together. Famished with 
 hunger, he wandered down to the Battery, where he saw a 
 crowd around a street-preacher. Anything was better than 
 to be alone, with the craving of the rum appetite, the 
 gnawing desires for food, and the lashings of his conscience, 
 as he thought of the cheerful home and loving, trustful 
 wife who was expecting his return, while he was wandering 
 here a penniless, deserted drunkard. He went toward the 
 gathering and took his seat on one of the benches. He 
 listened a while, but felt no interest. Finally it seemed 
 
Finds His Way to the Mission. 79 
 
 he could do without food no longer, and turning to a dirty 
 tramp who sat on the bench beside him, he asked, ' Say, 
 where can a fellow get something to eat ? I'm dead broke, 
 and have had no food for several days.' The tramp 
 turned toward him and said, 'Why, don't you know! Why, 
 go up to Jerry's, of course ! it's a big lay-out about ten 
 o'clock Sunday morning. All the bums here take it in, I 
 tell yer ! Yer get a good bowl of soup and a chunk o' 
 bread ; and say,' he continued, as he smacked his lips in 
 anticipation, ' the soup's got meat in it too ! ' He had no 
 choice now, so getting the directions from his new acquaint- 
 ance, he came to the Mission. I saw him as soon as he en- 
 tered, and picked him out as a peculiar case. He carried a 
 cane, not worth pawning, and though he bore every mark 
 of dissipation, a judge of human nature could see in a 
 moment that he had seen better days. I walked up to him 
 and received him cordially, treating him as a visitor; shook 
 hands, spoke pleasantly, etc., as if I didn't know he was 
 dead broke, and in want. He looked at me and said, ' Say, 
 I'm hungry ; won't you give me something to eat ? ' 
 
 " I took him up to the corner of the table, gave him a 
 knife and fork — the rest had to go for it with their fingers — 
 and in half a minute the bowl was empty, and bread, meat, 
 and all were devoured. I filled it the second time carelessly, 
 pretending not to notice his hunger. 
 
 " After he had eaten sufficiently, I talked with him about 
 his soul. I was deeply in earnest, and he felt it, and finally 
 broke down, wept, and prayed. He then told me his story. 
 ' Oh,' said he, in tears, ' I'm a man that has a happy home, 
 and a loving wife with a dear little child. I have not writ- 
 ten home, and they have no idea where I am. I came on 
 here to see about some mining stock, but I fell into bad 
 
8o A Wife's Sad Search. 
 
 company and took to drinking, and all my money is gone, 
 and I dare not write home now.' He did not get clearly 
 saved, though he made some effort in that direction. He 
 left off drinking, and telegraphing home, his wife sent him 
 $ioo to return to Michigan with. I bade him good-by, 
 and shook hands with him as he left to take the train ; but 
 alas for him ! he concluded to take one drink, thinking it 
 no harm if used in moderation ; and the first, as usual, de- 
 manded a second, and he remained in the city, and his 
 waiting wife and child were disappointed in their expecta- 
 tion of father's return. He became beastly drunk, and 
 after a short spree found himself penniless and friendless 
 again. In despair he went and enlisted in the navy, think- 
 ing in this way to bury himself from the eyes and search of 
 all his friends, and at the same time be placed where he 
 could not get hold of the cause of all his trouble — the 
 cursed rum. His wife waited patiently for him ; but failing 
 to see or hear anything of him, she could stand the sus- 
 pense no longer, and came to New York to look for him. 
 
 " She searched in every direction, but failed to find him ; 
 and then, remembering that his address had been 316 
 Water Street, she almost gave up all hope, for on inquiring, 
 she heard that Water Street was the lowest, most wicked 
 street in the whole city. Almost broken-hearted, she came 
 down to the Mission, and supposing from what she had 
 heard that it was a bad house, she trembled to come in 
 and make any inquiries. She decided, after waiting as long 
 as she dared, to take a look in at the windows anyway, and 
 shading her eyes with her hands, she peered in through the 
 glass, and was struck to see right before her eyes two 
 mottoes, ' Have Faith in God,' and ' Stand up for Jesus,' 
 on the wall. ' Surely,' she thought, ' this ^an't be a bad 
 
Seeking her Husband— finding the Saviour. 81 
 
 house ; and she finally mustered up courage enough to come 
 inside, and not seeing her husband, to inquire of the janitor. 
 ' Does Mr. M live here?' 
 
 " ' No ma'am,' replied the person questioned ; ' he did 
 stop here, but has gone home to his family out West.' 
 
 " ' When did he go ? ' she asked fearfully ; the man an- 
 swered, and she knew from the date mentioned that he 
 would have reached home weeks before she left there if 
 nothing had happened, and with a stifled moan she sank 
 faint-like on a seat. 
 
 " The truth now burst upon her mind that he was again on 
 one of those fearful sprees. No one could tell her where — 
 in the city, or in some railroad town along the route from 
 here to her home ; no one could tell her, whether in prison 
 or out, whether dead or alive; who could know? She 
 thought of this, and then of her deserted home and little 
 one so many miles away ; and heart-broken, hopeless, and 
 worn out, she burst into tears. As soon as she could con- 
 trol herself sufficiently she told him who she was, and then 
 we came in and did what we could to comfort her. 
 
 " She began a diligent search for her poor drink-enslaved 
 husband, but for a long time it was all in vain. She em- 
 ployed the best detectives she could get. In the mean time 
 she knelt, burdened and sin-sick, at the feet of Christ, and 
 was gloriously saved. 'Just think of it, coming 1500 miles 
 to get converted ! ' she exclaimed. Surely God moves in a 
 mysterious way. She continued the search without getting 
 any track of her husband, until, becoming completely dis- 
 couraged in all human efforts, she took it all to God in 
 prayer and left it with him. 
 
 " She was about to start for home, when Mr. M was 
 
 discovered in the Navy Yard. Steps were immediately taken 
 6 
 
82 Husband and Wife Saved. 
 
 to get his release, and they were surprised to find so little 
 opposition from those who knew him there ; but we soon 
 learned that it was because his melancholy and despondent 
 state of mind unfitted him entirely for any service ; and not 
 only affected him, but his comrades also, to such a degree, 
 they too were made homesick. He became a nuisance, 
 and they were actually glad to get rid of him with his 
 blues. 
 
 " The devoted wife went after her repentant husband, and 
 as soon as they could get to the city they came direct to 
 the Mission, and bowed together before God. Such a 
 sight was scarcely ever seen on earth ; and as the poor fel- 
 low, amid the sobs and prayers of his wife and the rest of 
 us, gave his heart to Christ, we felt assured there was joy 
 in the presence of the angels of God. 
 
 " He returned home with his now happy companion, and 
 we soon heard that his business had proved a success, and 
 was bringing him in a great deal of money ; his prosperity 
 proved too much for him, however, and he fell from his 
 Christian profession. He remained in a backslidden condi- 
 tion but a short time, and returned to the Lord again, was 
 fully recovered, and remained so to the hour of his death, 
 when he passed over in the full triumphs of faith. 
 
 " His happy death was an evidence of God's wonderful 
 power to rescue the poor drunkard from the grip of sin, 
 and clean him up for heaven." 
 
 Among the many marked and memorable trophies of 
 grace was a man formerly known as " Rowdy" Brown, the 
 name perhaps sufficiently indicating the character of the 
 individual. But so far from marvelling that such a man 
 should be saved, we remember that grace saves the lost. 
 Our divine Redeemer only vindicates his name as such, and 
 
Story of " Rowdy" Brown. 83 
 
 illustrates the nature of his mission on earth, when he saves 
 those lowest sunken in the degradation of sin. " Rowdy" 
 Brown's story is thus told by Jerry: 
 
 " About this time there occurred one of the most remark- 
 able events of our history. There was a certain man called 
 ' Rowdy' Brown, a great, powerfully-built, courageous fel- 
 low, who was a terror to the Fourth Ward. He had been 
 a mate on the Liverpool packets, and was a savage brute. 
 He hated religion and everything belonging to it. Once 
 he happened to see a man sitting on the forecastle reading 
 his Bible, and without a word or sign of provocation. Brown 
 drew back his heavy boot and kicked the poor fellow square 
 in the mouth, knocking his teeth out, and disfiguring him 
 cruelly. He went to California once, and while there, it 
 was reported, killed several men. We always receive such 
 rumors carefully, knowing how things grow and are exag- 
 gerated by travelling from one to another ; but there was 
 probably some truth in the stories, for when questioned by 
 me he did not deny them, and in fact acknowledged that 
 there was something in it by explaining to me how some of 
 the cases occurred. 
 
 " He seemed utterly fearless of consequences to himself, 
 as he proved by standing one day cursing a man to his face 
 who stood with a revolver in each of his hands, and fired 
 both their contents into his body. That's the kind of man 
 Rowdy Brown was. 
 
 '• He was stopping at Mr. Rhody's new Sailors' Home, 
 when he was told that one of his sailor chums was con- 
 verted at the Mission. He was mad when he heard of it, 
 and swore a big oath, adding, ' I will take a bottle of 
 whiskey down there, and when that feller gets up to talk, 
 I'll take him by the upper jaw in one hand and the Jower 
 
84 A Wonder of Grace. 
 
 jaw in the other, tear his mouth open, and pour the whiskey 
 down him or break his back in the attempt.' And he 
 meant it, and was capable of doing it. 
 
 " I did not know of his threat or of his coming, or I should 
 have been on the watch for him. He came armed with the 
 black bottle, and waited for his old companion to testify, in 
 order to carry out his plan. While waiting he listened, and 
 listening, became interested, until all of a sudden he felt a 
 strange feeling coming over him, and he began to tremble. 
 He fought it off with all his natural obstinacy, but it was no 
 use : it continued to grow stronger, and when his friend 
 arose to testify, this human lion was as tame as a lamb. 
 When the testimonies were ended, and sinners were invited 
 to come forward. Brown stood up and called out 'Oh, 
 pray for me ! ' 
 
 " Everything was in a state of quiet but intense excitement 
 in a moment, for many present knew his desperate character. 
 We gathered around him, and how he cried for mercy I It 
 was awful to hear that man groan and beg! His strong 
 body was racked with the anguish of his soul. He contin- 
 ued seeking in this manner until the meeting closed, but 
 apparently with but little encouragement. On the second 
 night, after getting into his bed, he was praying earnestly, 
 when suddenly the light broke into his heart, and he knew the 
 work was done. He jumped out of bed, and soon aroused 
 his mate who slept with him, with his shouts of praise to 
 God for his pardoning mercy. He became a diligent 
 worker, and sometimes in his earnestness would go out on 
 the street, pick up a poor sailor, and almost haul him into the 
 Mission. When the invitation was given to those anxious 
 to be saved to rise for prayers, he would put his arm under 
 theirs and fairly hoist them up. Melted by the burning. 
 
A Captain Astounded. 85 
 
 loving prayers, many a man would weep and yield himself 
 to be saved. 
 
 ^ " Brown was liberal with his means, and often on his re- 
 turn from a voyage he would give us fifteen or twenty 
 dollars at a time to help on the work. 
 
 " How he lived his religion aboard ship and among his 
 associates can be best told by relating the following inci- 
 dents : He shipped on one occasion, after his conversion, 
 aboard the West India brig Nellie ; the captain was ashore 
 one day while at Matanzas, and met an old acquaintance, a 
 captain also, whom Brown had formerly known and in fact 
 had beaten unmercifully a few years before. After a few 
 minutes' conversation the captain of the Nellie remarked, 
 ' Captain, do you know who is converted ? ' 
 
 "'No, I don't.' 
 
 " ' " Rowdy" Brown.' 
 
 " ' What ! ' exclaimed the other, looking at his friend as 
 if he thought him crazy, ' Rowdy Brown ! ' then adding 
 slowly, after a moment's silence, ' I don't believe it.' 
 
 " ' Well, he is, all the same, and is aboard my brig now/ ' 
 
 " ' I can't believe it,' continued the doubter. ' Do you 
 know he gave me a most unmerciful thrashing once, besides 
 cutting away my brig another time ? He was a devil; he 
 can't be converted.' 
 
 " ' Yes, sir, he is,' insisted the first, ' and he is going to 
 have a prayer-meeting on board to-night* Come and attend 
 it, won't you ? ' 
 
 " The other made no reply, but seemed completely bewil- 
 dered by the astonishing news he had just heard, and they 
 parted. 
 
 " ' Rowdy ' Brown had fixed up the deck of the Nellie, and 
 had a great canvas stretched for an awning, with a sign paint- 
 
86 Jerry McAuley's Prayer-Meeting Aboard. 
 
 ed, bearing in large letters, 'JERRY McAULEY's PRAYER- 
 Meeting here this afternoon at three o'clock.' 
 He would run the boats backward and forward, and bring 
 off loads of sailors to the meeting. A revival broke out, and 
 spread among the crews of the different vessels. Gentlemen 
 and ladies also from the shore, who were from the United 
 States but were living there, came aboard and became 
 deeply interested in the meetings. 
 
 " One day ' Rowdy ' Brown went ashore, and, meeting a 
 sailor he knew slightly, asked him to come to the meeting. 
 The man showed a bitter, hateful spirit, and replied, with a 
 sneer, ' No, I wotCt / ' 'Do come, oh do ! ' said Brown 
 earnestly ; and yielding to a sudden impulse, before the 
 man could reply he fell on his knees, and with eyes filled 
 with tears, begged him to come to Christ. The man looked 
 at him for a minute, but hardening his heart against those 
 strange pleadings, growled, ' No, I won't go: I've been to 
 McAuley's in New York, and he couldn't convert me, and 
 you can't neither.' 
 
 " Brown declared, on meeting some of his Christian helpers 
 directly afterwards, that as soon as that man said those words 
 all interest for him left, and he had a strange feeling as if cold 
 water had struck him, and arose from his knees, wondering 
 what it meant. The next day the man who so bitterly re- 
 fused the offers of mercy was working on a scaffold over 
 the side of his vessel, when suddenly he was missed by 
 some one who wanted him. The scaffold was empty ; and 
 though the vessel was searched, he could not be found. 
 Shortly afterwards his body was discovered through the 
 clear water, lying face downward with his mouth in the sand 
 at the bottom. He was fished up, and a black bottle, 
 partly filled with liquor, was found in his pocket. He 
 
Dying in the Faith. 87 
 
 probably became drunk, and fell off the scaffold into the 
 water. It was a strange affair, and so affected his shipmates, 
 who seemed to think it was the voice of God in a fearful 
 providence, that they became serious, and the captain of 
 the vessel, with his entire crew, were brought to the 
 Saviour. 
 
 " From the last account we received from Brown he was 
 doing well, had secured some property in Canada, and was 
 living a consistent Christian life. Later on we heard of his 
 death, and had every reason to believe he died in the 
 faith." 
 
88 A Mistake and What Came of It. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 A MISTAKE AND WHAT CAME OF IT. 
 
 " Sow in the morn thy seed, 
 At eve hold not thine hand ; 
 To doubt and fear give thou no heed. 
 Broadcast it o'er the land, 
 
 " Thou canst not toil in vain ; 
 
 Cold, heat, and moist and dry. 
 Shall foster and mature the grain 
 For garners in the sky." 
 
 Before us lies a copy of the " Report of the Helping Hand 
 for Men, 316 Water Street, for the years ending October 
 1873 and 1874," from which brief extracts have already 
 been made. It is of itself an interesting document, and 
 bears upon its cover the words of the Lord Jesus, "Accord- 
 ing to your faith be it unto you." Interest is added to the 
 pamphlet by reason of Jerry's trial of faith in connection 
 with its publication. We will let him tell the story in his 
 own words. 
 
 "About this time (October, 1874) something happened 
 that proved how God will take even our ignorance and 
 blunders and make them to glorify him, if we are only hon- 
 est in trying to serve him. It was thought best to get out 
 a report of the Mission in order to let people know what 
 we were doing. We could not afford to get out an annual 
 
Faith and Works Illustrated. 89 
 
 report, and so we had to make one for every two years an- 
 swer. This was rather new business to me, and consider- 
 ing it a big undertaking, I thought it ought to be done on 
 a large scale. So I ordered ten thousand copies printed I 
 When I spoke of it to the others interested they were taken 
 all aback, and were almost indignant. ' Ten tJwusand copies ! 
 Why, Jerry, what are you thinking about ? Where is the 
 money to come from to pay for such an amount of print- 
 ing ? ' Of course I felt bad, and I told them it was new 
 business to me, and I had done the best I could. They 
 acted as though they felt that my being sorry would not 
 pay the bills, and were only half satisfied. 
 
 " In my trouble I remembered Him who had never failed 
 me when I trusted Him. So I said, ' Well, never mind : I 
 have faith the Lord will send some one to pay it.' I 
 was determined now to make the best of it, and that as 
 long as we had them on our hands to pay for they should 
 not be idle ; so after considerable thought I struck a novel 
 plan to use them. I persuaded Brother Charles Anderson 
 to help me, and we went up-town on a pilgrimage to get 
 them among the churches. We started out, each with a 
 great pack of reports on his back, to fulfil our mission. 
 We failed to lighten our burdens at the sanctuaries, with, 
 I believe, but three exceptions — Dr. John Hall's, Dr. Wil- 
 liam Taylor's, and Dr. Booth's churches, where they let us 
 leave some. I approached the sexton of Dr. Hall's and 
 told him what I wanted, and begged him to assist me. ' I 
 want you to assist me,' I said ; ' you know we are poor and 
 trying to do good, yet hardly able to live along ; by just giv- 
 ing your consent to let me lay these in the pews before the 
 people come you may do a great deal of good.' He made 
 no objections after a little, and going in I distributed them 
 
go Jerry's Faith Honored. 
 
 in the different pews, and took my departure, leaving results 
 with the Lord. The next day a carriage drove up to the 
 Mission door and two ladies stepped out. I had been pray- 
 ing for help, for I thought I had done some terrible thing 
 and was awfully burdened over getting the little Mission in 
 debt. As I saw them entering my heart jumped up into 
 my throat. Faith said, ' There's an answer to your prayer.' 
 No, thought I, that can't be, for they have not had time to 
 read the reports yet, unless they did so while the doctor 
 was preaching or as soon as they reached home, which did 
 not seem likely. 
 
 " They came in and began to talk with me, and I saw from 
 their words that they had seen the inside of the pamphlet. 
 They handed me fifty dollars each and departed, refusing 
 to give any names. I was happy — ' What a miracle ! One 
 hundred dollars ! Whew ! Three cheers ! ' said I, hardly 
 able to hold myself in ; * we're safe now. Here's the 
 money. Hurrah ! ! ' I needn't add that my wife and I had 
 a little praise-meeting all by ourselves right away. 
 
 " A young lady named Miss S , a member of Dr. John 
 
 Hall's church, also found the report in her pew, and turning 
 over the leaves carelessly saw something that attracted her 
 attention, and, as she told us afterwards, she soon became so 
 interested she didn't get a word of the doctor's big sermon, 
 and before the meeting closed she made up her mind to 
 come down and see for herself. She got an escort, and came 
 to the old tumble-down Mission. After attending a num- 
 ber of the meetings she became very deeply interested 
 about her ov/n soul's salvation. One Sunday night she was 
 there, and we had a wonderful meeting : the Lord bared 
 his arm there that night in power ; everybody felt it, and 
 there were many tears and sobs as God touched heart after 
 
''An Awful Wicked Sinner." 91 
 
 heart in that room. While the meeting was in progress, 
 
 Miss S slipped a beautiful cluster diamond-ring from 
 
 her finger, and at the close of the service she passed it 
 quietly into my wife's hands, and whispered earnestly, 
 ' Here, Mrs. McAuley, take this and sell it for the good of 
 the Mission. Do pray for me, won't you ? I'm an awful 
 wicked sinner ! ' We were surprised ; such a beautiful, 
 well-dressed young lady ' an awful sinner ! ' and coming to 
 be saved ! Why, that was worth more than all the diamond- 
 rings in the world ! We talked with her the best we could, 
 and she said as she left us that she would call the next even> 
 ing about tea-time. 
 
 " She came as she promised, and after some talk about 
 spiritual things she knelt down alongside the old sofa and 
 we prayed for her, and before she arose she gave her heart 
 to Christ. All she could say was, ' I'm verj/ unworthy, but 
 if the Lord can condescend to take me, I will take him as 
 my Saviour.' 
 
 " She arose from her knees simply trusting in the Lord. 
 The hour for meeting had now arrived, and as we started to 
 go down-stairs to the chapel she said, 'You must not ask 
 me to speak in the public congregation ; if you should, it 
 seems to me I should faint.' 'AH right,' I answered, 'i/ 
 you faint, I'll have some one ready to pick you up.' 
 
 " We went into the chapel and I opened the meeting. I 
 had scarcely had time to sit down, when we were all amazed 
 
 to see Miss S jump to her feet, and with glowing words 
 
 testify to Christ's power to save. The Lord blessed her in 
 the act, and blessed her testimony to the good of others. 
 She has continued faithful, and has acted in an efficient 
 manner as a volunteer missionary wherever she has resided 
 since. The ring, we were afterwards told, cost her three 
 
§2 The Gambler Saved. 
 
 hundred dollars, but the Lord gave her the signet-ring of 
 adoption, worth a thousand times more than all' the dia- 
 monds in New York. 
 
 " About this time in our history a professional gambler 
 named William Fitzmorris, supposed to be the inventor of 
 the envelope game, came to the Mission. He had been 
 keeping a gambling house up-town, but according to his 
 statement, had to come down so heavy to keep on the right 
 side of the police, that his business would not stand the 
 strain. So he moved into a new place in a basement, and 
 stationed three men at different points as lookouts, to keep 
 the police from coming on him unawares — finding it 
 cheaper to keep three men under salary than to pay the 
 blackmail he had been paying before. 
 
 " A certain notorious policy-dealer offered him three dol- 
 lars a day to write policy-slips. How wonderfully God 
 works, and how little we know what is to come of our 
 plans ! Fitzmorris accepted the job, and came down to see 
 about it. Standing on the corner he saw our lamp, and 
 asked somebody, ' What's that ? ' ' Why, that's Jerry 
 McAuley's. You ought to take it in ; it's as good as a 
 theatre.' He came in to see the fun, but became inter- 
 ested, and the testimonies melted him all up and he came 
 forward, knelt down, and was saved. He gave some fearful 
 descriptions of his terrible business, and the scenes he had 
 witnessed while engaged in it. He told how men of fami- 
 lies would come in and stake little by little their earnings 
 until every cent was gone ; then, fascinated by the game, 
 they would strip off their clothing piece by piece until they 
 could go no farther ; of the young girls sent by mothers 
 to buy policy-slips for them, — sent into these hell-holes, amid 
 the cursing and obscenity of the loungers there, by their 
 
A Dying Testimony. 93 
 
 own mothers, — until step by step they began to be crazed 
 over the game and would buy for themselves. From an ex 
 periment it grew to be a habit, from a habit it became a 
 passion, and in the end they would sell themselves to get 
 money to gamble with. 
 
 " His revelations were published in the daily papers, and 
 his old associates became so enraged that they threatened 
 to kill him. 
 
 " We kept him with us, however, and thufe protected him 
 from their fury. His health continued to fail, and we ex- 
 pected soon to have the sad task of laying him in the grave ; 
 but his friends came and took charge of him, and by his 
 consent removed him to their home. He got no better, 
 and it was plain to all that his end was near. He did not 
 fear death, but continued strong in his faith, and clear in 
 the assurance of his acceptance with God through Jesus 
 Christ. Finally, when almost gone, he made a request to be 
 carried to the dear old Mission, where he had found peace 
 to his poor soul, that he might there testify to the precious 
 love of Christ once more. Finding his heart was set on it, 
 his friends consented, and he was brought in a carriage to 
 the Mission, and there, held up on his feet by a man on 
 each side of him, he gave his dying testimony. 
 
 " It was a wonderful time ! It seemed as if we stood on 
 the steps of Heaven, and you couldn't hear a breath. He 
 stood and, with feeble voice and shining face, every word of 
 convincing power, gave his last testimony : ' I know I am dy- 
 ing ; I know it, and because I know it I came here to give my 
 dying testimony, to speak once more in this hallowed spot 
 ere my tongue is silent forever.' You never can put on 
 paper the tones of his voice or the effect of that wonder- 
 ful scene. No one who was there will ever forget it." 
 
94 Souls Coming from Far and Near. 
 
 Tidings of the old Water Street work have gone out into 
 all the earth, and fruits of grace gathered within its walls 
 are to be found in all quarters of the globe. The audi- 
 ences from night to night had always more or less of a 
 transient nature, and while often persons living close by 
 despised the place, men and women from afar found in it a 
 beacon-light, directing them into the haven of eternal blessed- 
 ness. Still at times gems for the Saviour's crown were gath- 
 ered at its doors. Some of the neighbors were converted, 
 as the following story will show. Jerry in his record says : 
 
 " The converts were not from among our neighbors, but 
 were mostly visitors, wanderers, sailors, etc. One or two 
 neighbors from across the street finally ventured to drop 
 in. One case is well worth repeating. One night a beauti- 
 ful little child about five years old came to the door. She 
 was a lovely little thing, with bright blue eyes and long 
 golden curls — a perfect little picture, notwithstanding the 
 poor care she had received. 
 
 " She turned to the man at the door, and asked, ' Say, 
 Mister, won't you please let me in ? I'll be good if you will.' 
 ' Oh no,' he said, looking down at the little waif ; ' you 
 couldn't behave.' ' Yes I will ; I'll be awful good, 'cos I 
 want to hear the singing.' He yielded to her entreaties, 
 and she went in, and folding her little hands on her lap sat 
 as quiet as a mouse until meeting closed. 
 
 " The next evening she came again, leading by the hand 
 another little girl, younger than herself, but looking very 
 much like her. She again asked permission to go in, and 
 having referred to her good behavior the previous night, it 
 was granted. They walked deliberately up to the very 
 front seat, and lifting her little sister well up on the bench, 
 Mollie sat down beside her, and closely watched everything 
 
An Inhuman Mother. 95 
 
 that was said or done. They behaved beautifully, and at 
 the close of the meeting my wife kissed them both, and 
 then gave them a chunk of cake each, and they ran out 
 happy enough. This happened sevecal nights, and they 
 always got their kiss and cake. 
 
 " One night during the meeting the mother of the little 
 girls came to the door drunk, and asked if the children 
 were there. The man replied he thought they were, when 
 she said, ' I'll be thankful to ye, Mister, if ye'll go in and 
 kick them two children out.' 'We don't do things that way 
 here,' said the man ; when she called ' Mollie, MoUie 
 Rollins, come out here ! ' 
 
 " Poor little Mollie turned pale and trembled, and looked 
 at me with such a frightened look, like a scared bird. The 
 mother screamed out her name again, and added, ' I'll give 
 it to you, going in there with those black Protestants, you 
 little wretch ; ' and as poor Mollie came out, dragging her 
 little sister after her, the drunken mother caught her by the 
 beautiful curly hair, and flung her clear off the ground. 
 ' I'll kill you if you go in there again,' she screamed. 
 ' Do they give you any beer in there, say ? ' The poor 
 little thing looked up, though the tears were in her eyes, 
 and said : ' O mamma, ain't you awful ! they don't drink 
 any beer in there, and they don't get drunk neither ! ' The 
 next night, just as service commenced, in walked Mollie and 
 Jennie again. ' Ain't you afraid your mother will kill you ? ' 
 we asked. ' Oh no,' she answered quickly, as she turned her 
 blue eyes up to my face ; ' I ain't afraid. I like the singing' 
 Everybody around the Mission loved those darlings, and 
 was pleased to have them there. We missed them for two 
 or three evenings, and afterwards learned the father had 
 returned from a sea-voyage. The husband and wife both 
 
96 Sheltering the Homeless. 
 
 went on a terrible spree with the money he brought, until 
 finally he brutally turned the mother and little ones out of 
 the house into the cold October night-air. 
 
 " That night, about eleven o'clock, Mrs. McAuley heard 
 her name called. She listened a moment, and recognized 
 Mollie's voice calling from the street, ' Mrs. McAuley, O Mrs. 
 McAuley, come down. I want to tell you something.' After 
 a minute the little voice rang out again : ' Mrs. McAuley, O 
 Mrs. McAuley.' On going down, my wife learned that the 
 father had put them out, and they had been on the roof. As 
 the wind blew cold, the little one said to her mother, ' Mam- 
 ma, I know a place where the wind won't blow, and where 
 we won't be afraid.' 'Where's that?' asked her mother. 
 ' Over in the Mission,' said the child. My wife came up- 
 stairs, saying to me, ' Mrs. Rollins is there with her children. 
 I have let them in ; I believe it may be the salvation of that 
 woman's soul.' We took them upstairs, where we had the 
 only accommodation the old Mission-house afforded. It 
 was a rickety affair, but was the best we could do. There 
 was a straw tick there, and a few old quilts, and as they 
 turned in Mollie looks up to her mother and says, ' Thank 
 God, mother, we have a good bed to-night.' 
 
 " In the morning we gave them their breakfast the same as 
 we had ourselves, and sat with them at table. We never 
 mentioned anything to the mother about her conduct, but 
 treated them kindly, and after breakfast they left. This 
 was the first step towards reaching that poor woman, and it 
 turned out that the little acts of kindness were not lost. 
 
 " The man having spent his money, went off to sea again, 
 but left the family his advance-money, and this was the 
 mother's opportunity for another big spree, and she made 
 the most of it. She spread it everywhere, and soon the 
 
Won by Kindness. 97 
 
 money was gone. But rum must be had, and one thing 
 after another went to the pawn-shop, till there was nothing 
 left that would bring a penny. The poor children were 
 dirty and unwashed, and their hair was all matted and 
 tangled, and they looked fearful. They came in one day, 
 their lips blue with the cold. My wife warmed them and 
 then washed them, combed out their hair, and curled it 
 beautifully over their foreheads. She then begged two 
 little dresses from a friend who had some small girls ; the 
 dresses were somewhat worn, but were neat and clean, and 
 the dear little things were happy as larks. When they 
 went over where their mother was drinking, she hardly 
 recognized them. ' Oh,' said she, ' what happened you ? 
 Who did that? ' The rum-seller's wife remarked, ' Why, I'd 
 never known them ! ' ' Nor I,' said the mother ; ' I hardly 
 knew them myself ; well, you look good, anyhow.' This 
 was the second blow on that hard heart. 
 
 " Shortly after this, the long spree began to tell on Mrs. 
 Rollins, and she was taken sick, and after suffering awhile, 
 she sent Mollie over after my wife. This being the first 
 move towards us she had ever made, we hailed it with 
 joy. My wife went as requested, accompanied by a 
 friend, and oh, what a miserable sight met their ^yes ! 
 The room robbed of everything movable but the remains 
 of a bed, fragments of broken dishes scattered all around 
 the dirty floor, the room cheerless, fireless, comfortless. 
 The dishes that were not broken were dirty and piled 
 every way, while the stench of the neglected room was 
 fearful. They found her stretched with the horrors 
 (delirium tremens) and without saying much to her, 
 straightened up the room, made a fire after getting some 
 coal, and then the friend went home and brought over a big 
 
98 - Bearing the Cross. 
 
 pitcher of good strong hot tea, and told her to drink it, 
 which she did in a hurry. This helped her somewhat, and 
 they talked to her about her condition, and pointed her to 
 the Lamb of God for help, and prayed with her. 
 
 "These acts of kindness were the hardest blow of all to 
 her prejudices, and she broke down and said, ' If ever I get 
 well of this spell I'm going to come over, Mrs. McAuley, 
 and see you at the Mission.' 
 
 " She got well, and one night she came into the Mission 
 during the meeting. We were singing the ' Stone rolled 
 away,' when she screamed right out, and starting from her 
 seat, ran through the kitchen, thinking to get out that way. 
 My wife followed quickly and caught her, and then kneel- 
 ing down beside her, prayed earnestly with the poor sob- 
 bing creature. She found the Lord's help, and He so 
 sweetly saved her, that it was apparent to all. 
 
 " At first she used to put an old shawl around her head and 
 draw it well over her face, and then go around the block 
 before entering the Mission, to keep the neighbors from 
 recognizing her ; but afterwards she would walk straight 
 across the street to and from her home, singing the 
 ' Stone rolled away.' 
 
 " She was bitterly persecuted, because she was a turncoat 
 as they termed it. Her door was broken in, slops were 
 thrown over her, and they even caught the poor little 
 children and beat them, hoping to enrage her, and thus 
 make her return to drink again. 
 
 " The errors of her past life began to tell on her, and she 
 became very ill with consumption. The people she had 
 spent all her money with would not do anything for her, and 
 we took her to Dr. Cullis' Home for Consumptives in Boston. 
 We went with her, and left her in the good doctor's care. She 
 
A Funeral at the Mission. 99 
 
 grew gradually worse, until almost at death's door. She had 
 a dream or vision one day, in which she thought every one 
 had forsaken her : even we had ceased to love her, and God 
 had forgotten her, but suddenly she heard a voice, ' I 
 won't leave you. I'll be with you all the time.' And she 
 was encouraged. She also thought that Mrs. McAuley 
 stood by her bedside, and she felt relieved. Dr. C. wrote 
 us to come on if we wanted to see her alive, and we went 
 immediately to Boston. 
 
 " My wife walked in and stood by the bed, and when the 
 poor invalid opened her eyes she smiled faintly, and said, 
 ' That is just where I saw you stand,' and she reached up 
 and clasped her poor bony arms around my wife's neck, and 
 oh! such a scene I never witnessed before. I could not 
 stand it, and went out of the room and let them sob away ; 
 but I heard her murmur, ' Oh how I love you both ! I love 
 you better than my own children.' This more than paid 
 us for all our efforts. The next day she passed over in the 
 triumphs of faith and redeeming love. Before she died she 
 expressed a desire to visit that place in Water Street 
 where God spoke peace to her soul, and added, " Dead 
 or alive, I want to be under that blessed roof once more." 
 In accordance with this wish, her body was brought on to 
 the Mission for burial. 
 
 " There was a very large turnout to the funeral services, 
 and a stranger gathering never was seen. There were pres- 
 ent many ladies and gentlemen from the first circles of so- 
 ciety, and there were several of Mrs. Rollins' old comrades, 
 some of them dragging their children with them to get a last 
 look at the face of their late acquaintance. Many of those 
 parents were confirmed drunkards of the lowest typp, and had 
 entered this Mission for the first time in their lives ; yet all 
 this seemed forgotten in the presence of the dead." 
 
lOO The Queen of Frauds. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 EVIL SCHEMES FRUSTRATED. 
 
 " Their hearts shall not be moved 
 
 Who in the Lord confide ; 
 But firm as Zion's hill, 
 
 They ever shall abide ; 
 As mountains shield Jerusalem, 
 The Lord shall be a shield to them." 
 
 While possessed of a native shrewdness which, sanctified 
 as it was, helped him much in his work, Jerry did not for- 
 get to seek for wisdom from on high. But for this he 
 would no doubt have been deceived to his cost again and 
 again. As it was, the Lord cared for his servant, and the 
 well-planned devices of the enemy were constantly frustrated. 
 One or two cases Jerry thought worthy of record, and they 
 are appended. 
 
 " We have met a great many frauds while engaged in this 
 work, but the greatest of all — the very Queen of frauds — 
 appeared in our history one time, and I have no doubt if the 
 Lord himself had not overthrown her designs a terrible re- 
 proach would have been put upon both my wife and me, and 
 we might have been entirely ruined and our work broken up, 
 
 " We were down at Asbury Park for a few days' rest when 
 this creature came upon the stage of action. Brother and 
 Sister S. had been to their regular services at the John Street 
 Church, and were on their way home to Williamsburg, when 
 they thought they would stop into the Mission for a few 
 
A Plausible Story. loi 
 
 minutes, inquire after our health, and get a drink of ice- 
 water or lemonade. They had talked awhile with the jani- 
 tor, and were just going away, it being after ten o'clock, 
 when there was a sudden rap at the outside door. When 
 the janitor opened it he found a fine-looking young woman 
 standing there. He let her in, and then the visitors lis- 
 tened to her story. 
 
 " The girl stated that she was homeless and friendless, and 
 being at a loss where to go had stepped up to a policeman, 
 a few moments before knocking at our door, and inquired 
 of him where she could find a respectable night's lodging. 
 He did not treat her properly, she said, and turning from 
 him she raised her eyes and saw the Mission. She knew 
 she would be safe with Christian people, and so without 
 hesitation knocked at the door. 
 
 " Her previous history was a sad one, and our friends 
 listened to it with the deepest interest and sympathy. Her 
 father, she said, had been wealthy up to a short time before 
 his death, and when he died he left her $3700 in care of 
 her brother, who was older than she was. The brother 
 became intimate with the son of a rich gentleman where he 
 boarded, who was a fast young man and soon led him into 
 dissipation. His constitution, not strong at best, gave 
 way under his excesses, and he went into hasty consump- 
 tion, and soon died. Just before his death he gave his 
 sister's money to this young associate to turn over to her. 
 The man promised faithfully to carry out the dying request 
 of his late comrade, but as soon as the latter was laid in his 
 grave he went on a long spree, and kept it up until the 
 money was all gone, his own health broken, and he also 
 brought ,to death's door. 
 
 " When he died all hope of ever getting her money van- 
 
102 Suspicions Aroused. 
 
 ished, as the father refused to be held for the debt. In this 
 condition she wandered around until she knocked at the 
 Mission door for protection. Mr. and Mrs. S. were greatly 
 interested in her story, and when she concluded they pro- 
 ceeded to find a place where she could stay until morning, 
 as it would not do, on account of the speech of the people, 
 to leave her there alone with the janitor for the remainder 
 of the night. 
 
 " After a great deal of trouble they found accommodations 
 for her and went home. She paid her own bills, and after- 
 wards got a boarding-place in Monroe Street, and came to 
 the meetings every night. 
 
 " We came home about this time, and supposing, as a mat- 
 ter of course, they had investigated the matter, we took her 
 into our confidence and did all we could for her. 
 
 " My wife felt a little uneasy sometimes about Jessie, as 
 she called herself, and then blaming herself for her sus- 
 piciousness, treated her more kindly than before. 
 
 " My eyes began to be opened after a while by some of her 
 actions when off her guard. Once when my wife and I 
 were talking about coming to Thirty-second Street to open 
 the Cremorne Mission, the girl overheard us, and exclaimed, 
 without thinking, ' Oh, good ! I'm glad of it ; I'm well ac- 
 quainted up there around the Cremorne Gar ' She 
 
 caught herself suddenly, but her prudence came too late. 
 I was looking her square in the eyes, and saw her confusion 
 like a flash. I said nothing, however, until she left the 
 room, when I turned to my wife and remarked, ' She is 
 from that neighborhood after all.' This put us on our 
 guard, but we feared to do her injustice or hurt her feelings 
 by showing any suspicions until we were certain that she 
 was playing a game. 
 
Delusive Promises. 103 
 
 " She came running in one day shortly after, and appeared 
 in great glee as she exclaimed, ' Oh, good news ! good 
 news ! I've got word from that father, and he is going to 
 pay me back, with interest, the full amount his son squan- 
 dered for me ! I'll tell you what I'll do,' she continued 
 excitedly, ' I'll give it all to you to start that mission up in 
 Thirty-second Street. Won't that be grand ? ' I heard her 
 words, saw her earnest and apparently honest manner, and 
 she seemed so enthusiastic and generous, I began to believe 
 in her again, and to scold myself for my suspicions. Of 
 course I was glad to hear her offer of the money, for I was 
 then very much exercised about how I was to get the 
 means to open the expected mission up-town. I intended 
 to put a mortgage on a little property I owned, and put in 
 all my own available cash, with what I could raise in other 
 ways ; but all this would be far too little for even a fair 
 start. Here, thought I, is the whole thing all worked out for 
 us ! I now proposed to myself to accept her offer, and 
 secure her by the, proposed lien on my property until the 
 first anniversary, when it would be an easy matter to return 
 her the money again with interest. The skies looked all 
 bright again for my proposed Thirty-second Street Mission. 
 
 " ' When will you go,' I asked her after a while, ' to 
 receive the money ? ' 
 
 " ' Oh,' she replied, ' in about three weeks from to-day I 
 will take you and Mrs. McAuley with me, and we will go 
 
 over and get it, bring it to Mr. H , and take a receipt 
 
 for it. We can then draw it as we want to.' After the 
 three weeks had gone by, and she made no move to go 
 after it, I asked the reason, and she answered, ' Oh, I've 
 concluded to get it expressed to my boarding house, and 
 then take it to the banker's.' I thought it strange that 
 
I04 A Well-laid Plot. 
 
 she would have so large an amount sent to a boarding 
 house, but held my tongue, determined to hide my sus- 
 picions until the proper time. Shortly afterwards came the 
 closing of the plot. 
 
 " She came in one evening, and told us the money had 
 been sent over as proposed, and was now at the house in 
 Monroe Street, all done up in envelopes. 'All right,' I 
 answered ; ' as soon as meeting is over we will go down 
 and get it.' 
 
 " The meeting went on as usual, and after it was over we 
 started out with her to bring home the three or four thou- 
 sand dollars! 
 
 " We went together to the house, and leaving us standing 
 on the sidewalk she went into the house to get the money. 
 I felt a misgiving that she would not come out again, or 
 that we were in some way having a job put up on us, and 
 turning to my wife, as the front door closed upon our 
 guide, I said, 'There she goes, and we will see her no 
 more.' ' Yes, we will see her again,' was the positive 
 reply ; and sure enough, in a little while out came the 
 lady with the packages of envelopes ! 
 
 " ' Have you got it ? ' I asked, when she reached the pave- 
 ment. 
 
 " ' Yes ; it's here all right,' she replied. ' Here it is,' 
 (handing a package to my wife). ' It's all done up correct, 
 and in good shape.' 
 
 " ' All right,' I answered, pushing the package back into 
 her hands. ' You keep it, and walk ahead with Mrs. 
 McAuley, and I'll follow close behind and protect you if 
 needed.* The fact that she wanted one of us to carry the 
 valuable package struck me as rather strange, and I was 
 determined to be on the look-out for any plot that might 
 
The Plot Developed. 105 
 
 have been cooked up to get us into trouble or entrap us, 
 and tiien say we had appropriated the money. So, satisfying 
 myseh that my revolver was all right, in good condition, 
 and handy if needed, I followed them slowly, watching 
 carefully 5very dark alley and doorway, and every sharp cor- 
 ner, thinking that at any minute some fellow might spring 
 suddenly upon us as we passed through that dangerous 
 locality. Th»j whole thing seemed so odd, that I felt pretty 
 sure there was tc be some strange ending to it all, for the 
 idea had grown upon me that there was some deep-laid plot 
 against us to injure our work, and I was determined not to 
 be caught napping. Whether she was afraid to give the 
 signal, seeing we were so fully on our guard, or not, I can't 
 say, but anyway there was no attempt at harming us, and 
 we reached the Mission in safety. Calling in one other as a 
 witness, I turned to the girl and said : 
 
 " ' Now, Jessie, I want you to stand where you are and 
 open those packages, and show us the money before this 
 witness.' 
 
 " ' Oh, it's all here!' she replied ; and then fumbling over 
 the envelopes as if examining their contents, she continued : 
 ' Yes, it's all right — in checks — and you take it just as it is. 
 We won't count it now, it is so late and we're all so tired. 
 We can all come together the first thing in the morning, 
 and count it out all right.' 
 
 " ' Pull them out, and count them now, before we go to bed,' 
 I exclaimed, as I saw like a flash of lightning through the 
 whole dodge. ' You can't leave that package in our care 
 and then ruin us by swearing in the morning that we stole 
 the money out during the night. Open them ! quick ! ' 
 
 " She trembled like a leaf, and the packages on being 
 opened were found to have nothing in them ! 
 
io6 The Exposure. 
 
 " ' Who put you up to that infernal trick ? ' I said to her 
 sternly as I fixed my eyes upon her face. ' Come, out with 
 it ; whose plan is it ? Everything else having failed, this 
 was the last hope, was it ? ' 
 
 " She refused to answer, however ; nor could we ever learn 
 positively who was at the bottom of it. I shall always be- 
 lieve, however, that it was a put-up job. Thus did the 
 dear Lord interfere again to save us from the plots of our 
 unprincipled enemies, as He had done before and has so 
 many times since. 
 
 "The girl, seeing she was caught beyond escape, got 
 awfully scared at the prospect of arrest and imprisonment, 
 and broke down, sobbing and crying like a child. She made 
 some acknowledgments, but refused to give any names. 
 She wept bitterly ; and what do you suppose we did then ? 
 Knelt right down tlure and prayed for her, with our own 
 hearts all melted up with gratitude to God for the wonder- 
 ful deliverance He had just wrought out for us, and cared 
 for her until she could get ready to leave." 
 
 Those who knew Jerry best will recognize him readily in 
 the following incident, given in his words : 
 
 "A fellow came in one day shaking all over as if he had 
 the palsy. He trembled like a leaf from head to foot. 
 
 '"What's the matter?' said I. 
 
 " ' Oh, the Lord sent me here ? ' 
 
 " ' I don't know whether He did or not,' I returned ; 
 /or he looked like a dead beat ; ' did no one else send 
 you ?' 
 
 " ' Yes,' he answered slowly, pulling a dirty crumpled 
 paper from his pocket, which he had probably carried about 
 six months. I looked at him sharply, when he exdlaimed, 
 
Not Ready to Die. 107 
 
 ' Oh, help me — I've got the horrors — I'm almost dead — do 
 help me ! ' 
 
 " I pitied the poor fellow, so I took him in without furthel- 
 questioning, led him up-stairs and put him to bed, called' 
 a doctor, and did all I could for him. I could not do much 
 with him spiritually, for he claimed to be a Christian and 
 ' all right.' ' It is true,' he said, ' I drink a little, but 
 they all do that where I came from.' He was taken worse 
 one day and was so cramped that he was sure that he 
 was going to die right off. ' Oh, oh,' he screamed, ' I'ni 
 going to die ! ' I knew he wasn't in a very bad way, so con- 
 cluded to improve my opportunity. 
 
 " ' Oh, you're all right, you know ; you'll only go to heaven 
 any way ! ' 
 
 " ' Oh, but I can't die so.' 
 
 " ' Oh, yes,' I continued, ' you can ; it isn't hard for a 
 Christian to die, you know ! ' 
 
 " ' Oh, oh ! help me ! I'm dying ! ' 
 
 " ' Why, you ought to be happy ; why don't you sing ? ' 
 
 " ' Oh ! oh ! ' 
 
 " ' It's glorious, airCt it, to be a Christian ? ' 
 
 "'Oh! oh!' 
 
 " ' Why, my friend, you ain't scared, are you ? ' And so 1 
 talked with him in this way until he became ashamed, and 
 then I said to him soberly, ' Now, my friend, you ought to 
 get right with God. Just see how frightened you were 
 when the first pain touched you. Oh, why don't you get 
 saved ? ' I failed to get him out clear, though he claimed 
 to be grateful, and made great promises of help to the Mis- 
 sion when he got well. One day he left, and we supposed 
 he had gone for good, when a few days afterwards in he 
 
io8 An Impostor. 
 
 walked with a bundle of dirty clothes under his arm. When 
 I approached him he said: 
 
 " ' Jerry, the Lord sent me to you to have these clothes 
 washed ! ' 
 
 " ' Did he ?' said I. ' Well, the Lord sent me to fire you 
 out ; ' and out he went like a rocket — dirty clothes and all." 
 
The Cremorne Mission. 109 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE CREMORNE MISSION. 
 
 " E'er since, by faith, I saw the stream 
 Thy bleeding wounds supply, 
 Redeeming love has been my theme, 
 And shall be till I die." 
 
 Thus far we have spoken only of Jerry's labors in the 
 Water Street Mission. For over two years previous to 
 his death he carried on a similar work in the Cremorne 
 Mission at 104 West Thirty-second Street. Of the origin 
 of that work he once said to a reporter : 
 
 " Dr. Talmage was the first one that started me to think- 
 ing about it. That was over two years ago. Dr. Talmage 
 had been around the dives and seen what was going on and 
 preached about it, you know. I had been around New 
 York some, and I thought I knew the worst places in it ; but 
 I was mistaken, for I'd never seen anything so bad as this 
 neighborhood. The first time I found out what it was 
 really like happened this way: There was a fellow they 
 called Happy Joe came up one night and got a little full, 
 and began to sing a hymn he'd heard down at our Water 
 Street place ; and at last he said, ' Let's have a Jerry 
 McAuley prayer-meeting, right here ! ' Well, the girls 
 jumped at the idea, and he took me off, and made fun of 
 the whole thing. Well, sir, that blaspheming rascal was 
 the cause of my coming here ! Those girls were so inter- 
 
no Seeking the Lord' s Way. 
 
 ested from his description that two of them came down to 
 Water Street in a carriage to our meetings, and then often 
 came. One of them came to me afterwards and wanted 
 me to help find her sister, who had got into some bad place 
 up-town, she was afraid. Mrs. McAuley and I got inter- 
 ested, and we came up to look for the girl's sister. We 
 started in at Bleecker Street, took in ' The ' Allen's, Harry 
 Hill's, ' Wes ' Allen's, and all the rest there, and camp up 
 and went to nearly all the Sixth Avenue dives. Before we 
 got through I made up my mind that this was a worse 
 place than Water Street, and resolved, if the Lord would 
 help me, to start a Mission up here. I finally fixed on this 
 place, because it was about the worst I could find," 
 
 Mrs. McAuley says : " We felt that our work in Water 
 Street was done, and the time had come when we ought to 
 make a change. After this visit it seemed to us that the 
 cry went up to heaven for a mission here, that some of the 
 hundreds of young men and women frequenting these dens 
 and dives might be saved. We went home and prayed God 
 if he wanted us up here to open the way ; and if he didn't 
 want us here to put up a barrier so high we couldn't climb over 
 it. After many prayers and tears and with much fear and 
 trembling, we found a place. Then we asked God if he 
 wished us to come, to send the means that day. The answer 
 came, and soon we had $9000. Then a number of Christian 
 gentlemen were invited to become trustees, and the place 
 was fitted up and the work commenced." 
 
 In June, 1883, Jerry felt led to commence the publication 
 of a journal which he named yifrry McAuley' s Newspaper, 
 which continued to be issued every month. It contained 
 in its columns accounts of the Cremorne and other Mission 
 meetings in New York, with the testimonies of converts, 
 
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 CREMORNE McAULEY MISSION 
 
 West 32d Street 
 
 Founded by Jerry, January, 1882. In charge of his Widow, 
 
 after his Death in 1884, until March, 1892 
 
Jerry McAuleys Testimonies. 1 1 1 
 
 just as they were uttered in the meetings. From among 
 these we have culled a handful of Jerry's own testimonies. 
 It is to be regretted that more of them have not been re- 
 corded. Those of them in print we give without comment. 
 
 MISTAKEN PROPHETS. 
 
 I never undertook anything, but the prophets said, 
 " Jerry, you've made a mistake." When I started the Water 
 Street Mission, none of these wise fellows would come near 
 me for a while. One man said : " Well, if it's a success, I'll 
 give you $25." " Yes," I thought ; " if;" and ?/they were all 
 like you it could not be a success." When I came up-town 
 they said again, " Now Jerry has made the mistake of his 
 life." Even some of the trustees objected, and said, " Water 
 Street Mission will go down if Jerry leaves," — as if Jerry 
 McAuley was anything, or that God couldn't do without 
 me. Not so. This Mission would just run on the same if 
 I should die to-morrow morning. Why if any of you has 
 the money I'll go and start a Mission right away at a place 
 over here called " Hell's Kitchen," and another somewhere 
 else, and they would all be full, and God would save souls. 
 Now you want to tell the story just as it is — if God has 
 taken you out of a dirty hole, say so. 
 
 COMMENCING THE WATER-STREET WORK. 
 
 When I first went into a meeting it was during the John 
 Allen excitement. They asked whoever wanted prayers to 
 stand up. " Well," thinks I, " them fellows can't hurt me 
 praying for me ;" so I stood up, and here I am to-day. I 
 didn't go o£E to Harlem then, or some other place where no 
 one knew me, to start a Mission and work for God, but I 
 
112 The Beginning in Water Street. 
 
 went right to work where I was well known. I went to a cer- 
 tain minister, and he said : 
 
 " Why, you are wild, Jerry, to try and start a Mission 
 down there. Why, they'll kill you the first thing, and fire 
 you and the old benches out doors together." 
 
 " Well," I replied, " let them ! I've taken and given a 
 good many hard knocks for the devil, and I think I can 
 stand and take a few for the dear Lord Jesus ; so I shall 
 start right there where I am most needed, and where no 
 one else wants to go." 
 
 " Well, go on then, if you must, and here is five dollars 
 for you anyway, and God bless you." 
 
 And we went to work. I got five or six of us up in 
 one corner of that old house, and we roared away on 
 " Rock of Ages," and " There is a fountain filled with 
 blood ;" that's all we knew. We didn't know high metre 
 from low metre, but we went at it with all our might, for 
 we meant it. No one came in for quite a while, when finally 
 I discovered the reason : the old man I had at the door 
 wouldn't let any one in. He had the door locked, and kept 
 them all out. He wasn't going to let any of those bad 
 characters in to disturb our meeting — not he. We had some 
 strange work, but see the results. The Water Street Mis- 
 sion is alive to-day, with a number of branches in this coun- 
 try and in England. The Cremorne Mission stands to-day 
 as a branch of the old Water Street, and there are several 
 branches from this one already. 
 
 CONFESSING FOR CHRIST'S SAKE. 
 
 There are a great many here to-night whom the Lord has 
 made happy. Many more have happy homes who at one 
 
The Story to Tell. 113 
 
 time had no home at all. We owe a great debt of grati- 
 tude. Just see what comforts I am surrounded with ! See 
 my happy, comfortable home, see ail the dear kind friends 
 I have now ; yet this was not always so. I once lived a 
 crooked life, I am ashamed to say so, but for Jesus' sake I 
 confess it. It serves to keep me humble to refer to what I 
 was. It keeps pride down and crucifies the flesh. If we 
 humble ourselves the Lord says He will lift us up ; but if 
 we exalt ourselves He will cast us down. If we lift our- 
 selves up we will soon fall. Now, let each of you be 
 prompt to testify for God to the things you know of his 
 dealings with your souls. 
 
 THE STORY TO TELL. 
 
 Did you ever read in the Bible about that fellow in the 
 tombs? He tore all his clothes off and broke his chains, and 
 nobody could help him. But Jesus came along and saved 
 him, and put a new suit of clothes on him, shoes and all — 
 no second-handed things ; but what did the fellow do ? 
 Why, I expect he straightened up his coat collar and put 
 on a white choker and said, " Well, I guess. Lord, I'll go 
 along with you and have a good easy time, and folks will 
 think I'm respectable !" But Jesus said to him, " Go back 
 among the people that knew what a miserable old tramp you 
 were, and tell them what wonderful things God has done for 
 you." And I can imagine I see him go back and get up on 
 an old barrel, and tell the people what a miserable wretch 
 he was until Christ found him. 
 
 POWER OF TESTIMONY. 
 
 Some folks get wonderful pretty and precise, and afraid 
 to tell what God has done for them ; and some poor listen^ 
 
114 Saved through Testimony. 
 
 ing soul, hearing these nice kid-gloved sinners talk, says to 
 himself as he starts to go out, " They are a lot of pretty 
 cranks, with their soft talk," when just then some hon- 
 est soul will get up and say, " I was a hard case ;" then the 
 poor fellow going out stops and listens to catch evety word ; 
 and as the man goes on to tell his story, the other sits 
 down interested, gets all broken up, as he thinks, " That's 
 just where I am to-night ;" and soon the tears begin to run 
 down his cheeks, and the next thing he is forward for 
 prayers, then takes his place in the congregation to tell the 
 old, old story, so new to him. Love testimony? [he contin- 
 ued.] I guess I do. That man there [pointing to Orville 
 Gardner] came to prison where I was under sentence of 
 fifteen years, and told how God saved him. I knew what 
 he was before, and I got all broken up, and went back to 
 my cell, got on my knees, and Christ saved me. Always 
 give your testimony just as it is. 
 
 NO HALF-HEARTED RELIGION. 
 
 God has saved me. I was almost a tramp ; but see the 
 difference to-night. He has taken the appetite for that 
 frightful rum away. I remember living in a basement over 
 in Brooklyn without even a chair or a bed in it ; in fact, we 
 didn't have anything : yet He has taken us up, washed us, 
 and made us clean in His own blood. A half-hearted re- 
 ligion won't do for me. I want something more solid, and 
 this religion of Jesus Christ saves and keeps me. 
 
 A TEST THAT TOLD. 
 
 When I was in the old way, I remember one night steal- 
 ing $100 worth of sugar from a schooner. After my con- 
 
A Test that Told. 115 
 
 version, one evening I was in Dover Street Mission, when 
 who should come in but the captain of the schooner. He saw 
 me, and asked those around " what they were doing with 
 Jerry McAuley there ?" They told him Jerry was converted, 
 when he said, " he would rather believe the Devil was con- 
 verted than McAuley." 
 
 They called me down to him, and the captain said, " Do 
 you know me?" I said, " I think I've seen you somewhere." 
 The captain replied, " I think you have. Do you remember 
 the sugar you beat me out of?" " I really don't know," I 
 said : " I've beat so many." He told me the circumstances ; 
 and then I said, " Well, I've been converted, and to prove it 
 to you I will give you the $icK)." But he said he had beaten 
 the owners and I had beaten him, and so we would call it 
 square. I tell you, my friends, it pays to serve the Lord, 
 1 hope some poor soul may to-night conclude to be honest 
 with himself and with God. Come on the Lord's side 
 to-night. 
 
 FORGIVEN MOST, PRAISE MOST. 
 
 Those of us whom God has taken out of the dirty hole 
 ought to be always telling of his goodness. It hurts me 
 when God's people act as if they were ashamed to speak for 
 him. I am no hair-splitter, and what God says to me I be- 
 lieve because he says it. You heard about the fellow who 
 was describing a little fly to another friend, and he talked 
 about the various parts of the fly, and so on, and wondered 
 how they could have been produced, and " look," says he, 
 " at this tiny foot. How could it ever have been made ?" 
 " Oh don't bother me," said the other. " God said. Let 
 there be flies, and there was flies, and I know there is plenty 
 
1 1 6 Slack Christians. 
 
 of them, and that is enough for me." Some people are hair- 
 splitters. " If I get religion, how will so and so come out ?" 
 Well, let God take care of that, and do you do your duty. 
 He saved me several years ago, and he has kept me by sim- 
 ply trusting in him. 
 
 SLACK KIND OF CHRISTIANS. 
 I was thinking of what that lady wha is seated over 
 there said, when testifying to-night, about moderate-drinking 
 and prohibition. It is a terrible thing to profess to be a 
 Christian and still drink rum. Why don't all the preachers 
 preach radical temperance ? Shall I tell you ? Because 
 some of them dabble in the accursed stuff themselves! 
 They sip it, and a few of them defend its use as a beverage (?), 
 and call me a " lunkhead " and an " ignoramus" and " a poor, 
 uneducated fanatic." Well, I'm willing to be called a fana- 
 tic in this matter, and I don't deny I am " uneducated " and 
 an " ignoramus." I never pretended to be anything else ; but 
 this I know — souls do get saved here, and poor drunkards give 
 up their drink and become happy, sober men, husbands, and 
 fathers. Moody says, " God don't choose men according to 
 their abilities, but chooses the man or woman next to Him; 
 that is, the one who lives nearest to Him." Some folks 
 don't know what it is to live near the Lord. They have no 
 moral backbone, no strength of character, nothing in them 
 for good or evil, and never will have. You ask them why 
 they don't come to meeting, and they'll say, " Oh, it's too 
 crowded up there at McAuley's," or " It's too hot up there at 
 the Mission." I'd say to them, " I'm thinking you'll get a 
 hotter place if you don't stir yourselves — a place you won't 
 get out of easy, either." Here are ungodly men and women 
 sweltering away every night, and these dainty professors think 
 
The Wonderful Difference. 117 
 
 it's too hot. I wonder if the dear Jesus ever complained of it 
 being too hot to help souls ? These are the kind that won't 
 take a stand for temperance or anything else. I don't see 
 how you can put wine on your tables, or drink it yourselves, 
 right in the presence of your children. May God help you 
 to-night to see these things as they are! How would you 
 like to give me a bottle of wine and see me rolling in the 
 gutter, cursing and blaspheming the name of God instead of 
 praying? Yet you are doing it to others who might be 
 as useful. Young converts start well : God saves them from 
 drink, and their homes brighten up ; they get good employ- 
 ment, and begin to move in society. Again, they see your 
 so-called moderation, and then say, " He is a good Christian 
 man, and it can't be so wrong after all to use it in modera- 
 tion ;" and he tastes, drinks, falls, and dies ! Who's to blame ? 
 I know of an old woman down-town who no doubt com- 
 menced as a " moderate drinker," but when I saw her she 
 was such a helpless sot that she soon after died through rum. 
 
 THE GREAT CHANGE. 
 
 I am glad the Lord has permitted me to live and to 
 meet the friends of other years here to-day. I met Mr. 
 
 H coming out of the bank once with $150,000 in his 
 
 hand as he canse out he took my arm, and I told him I'd 
 have cut his head off once for half that amount. And I 
 would; but see the cfhange now. Here . I am, with as good 
 a suit of clothes on as he has ! He carries a good watch, 
 and, see there [pulling out his timepiece], so do III 
 once couldn't sport a wooden watch. I speak this way, 
 just to show what the gospel can do for a man if he will 
 only be honest, and let God have his way. Why, I used to 
 sleep on the dock, with a stringpiece for my pillow I 
 
Ii8 Soul Seeking. 
 
 HE WAS CALLED A TURNCOAT. 
 
 The testimonies of this evening, [he said, huskily] will 
 tell in eternity. I am sick to-night, and ought to be up- 
 stairs, but I desire to see souls saved. I was taken sick 
 first in Water Street, and grew worse while on my knees 
 with the poor sinners crying for mercy, but would not stop 
 until I got through. Then I crawled up-stairs on my hands 
 and knees. That was my first attack of pneumonia. When 
 I'm to die, and it may not be long, I want to die on my knees, 
 praying for lost souls. I don't care how you bury me — any 
 old box will do. I don't want any money spent on flowers for 
 me. There are small fortunes spent on flowers at some funer- 
 als, and I think it would be better to give it to the poor. I 
 would rather some poor soul that I was the means of 
 leading to the Lord would put one little rose on my grave 
 than have the wealth of a millionaire.* 
 
 My testimony to-night is, the Lord picked me up when 
 I was a dirty tramp, without a friend or cent in the world. 
 The Roman Catholic folks, who heard of my conversion, 
 called me a " turncoat ;" but I had no coat to turn — ^nothing 
 but an old red shirt — when I came to Jesus. 
 
 HIS METHODS NOT APPRKCIATED. 
 
 When I was first converted, I used to get up at every 
 chance I got and tell the people I had been an old 
 drunkard, and one of the trustees of the church didn't like 
 it ; and one said he wished I would not tell the people 
 what I w£is. 
 
 * In view of Jerry's wish, here recorded, the incident mentioned at the 
 close of Chapter XII. is peculiarly interesting. 
 
Taking up the Cross. 119 
 
 We did not know how to put on airs, but went right in 
 for solid work. We would go into the congregation, and 
 talk to the people, and lead them to the altar. 
 
 One night my wife got a young lady to come, and we 
 knelt down beside her to help her to the Lord ; several of 
 the pillars were sitting quietly on the platform doing 
 nothing, and one of them, a " big gun," said sneeringly, 
 "Jerry and his wife will talk that girl to death." Wife 
 heard it and arose and took her seat, but I didn't hear a 
 word ; and 'twas well I didn't : just as wife got up, the 
 Lord wonderfully saved that girl. Oh, how happy she was ! 
 It was a good thing we did run the risk of talking her to 
 death, for she died shortly afterward, and went over in the 
 triumphs of faith, and is now " safe in the arms of Jesus." 
 
 TAKING UP THE CROSS. 
 
 I hope all the converts will feel the responsibility that 
 rests on them to-night. If you feel it's too heavy a cross 
 for you to bear, you ought to ask God to take it away. I 
 used to think it was a terrible thing to talk in meeting and 
 tell what God had done for my soul. At first when I used 
 to get up there would come a great lump in my throat that 
 nearly choked me, but I would jump up and hang on to the 
 seat, and say " I love Jesus," and flop down as if I was shot, 
 I always felt better for it. Let every one improve th» 
 time to-night. 
 
1 20 Enduring the Shame. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 iVNOTHER CHAPTER OF TESTIMONIES. 
 
 " Saved by grace, oh, blessed tidings. 
 Wonderful His love to show, 
 Jesus died to bring salvation 
 To the perishing below. 
 
 Saved by grace, through Jesus' blood 
 Made an heir and child of God 1" 
 
 NOTHING TO BOAST OF. 
 
 We, the converts especially, are responsible for this 
 meeting. It depends on us whether it proves a success or 
 failure. If we keep still, nothing can be done ; but if we do 
 our duty promptly and keep in the Spirit — speaking and 
 singing as God wants us to — this meeting will be a success. 
 Most certainly is this true of those of us whom God has 
 taken out of the lowest depths. Some seem to think if a 
 man gets up and tells how low he was, " a poor forsaken 
 drunkard," " a miserable thief," etc., that he is boasting of 
 his shame. I tell it here often, and yet it hurts me every 
 time; hurts me right here [he continued, pointing to his 
 heart], and I can't get rid of it ; it may be pride, but 
 whatever you may call it, it's there ! For Jesus' sake and 
 for his glory I'll endure the shame, and tell plainly what he 
 has done for my soul. 
 
 Now I want you all to testify and tell what God has 
 done for you, and be as short as you can. You have. 
 
The Father's Love. 121 
 
 probably, all heard about the three men with the pot of 
 stir-about, haven't you ? Three hungry men had a pot of 
 stir-about set before them, but had only one spoon, and the 
 stir-about being too hot to use their hands, one was to use 
 the spoon and then pass it to the second, and so on. Now 
 what would you think if one fellow took the spoon and 
 kept it all the time and let the others starve ? Well, pass 
 around the spoon. The meeting is open now for testi- 
 mony. Don't you see it ? 
 
 THE PRODIGAL SON. 
 I read that scripture about the Prodigal Son a long time 
 ago, and I thought I was like one of those characters, and 
 I thought the other didn't have much religion either 1 
 Why, he got mad when the poor wanderer came home, and 
 then went off growling and grumbling. He was one ©f 
 those nice, goodish boys who brag about always staying at 
 home and taking care of everything — very nice, precise 
 folks — kid-glove sinners; but they are usually like this 
 fellow — not half as good as they think themselves to be : 
 for here is your never-did-wrong chap growling and getting 
 mad at his poor old father, and it don't say the Prodigal 
 ever did that ! What did he growl about ? Why, because 
 the father loved his own child, and was glad to see him 
 coming home after staying away so long — was glad to see 
 him even though he was in rags, barefooted, and heart-sick! 
 There are some of those steady brothers around yet. Well, 
 I praise the dear Lord I am his child to-night. 
 
 NOT ALL FROTH. 
 I am saved from being a drunkard of the worst kind. I 
 was a gambler and led a crooked life for years. I was 
 
122 Soft Words for Sinners. 
 
 brought back to Christ in what was called the " John Allen 
 excitement." It may have been an excitement, but it was 
 not all froth after all, for I was saved there, and I know of 
 others in Water Street who were saved, and lived saved 
 afterwards. I love God to-night, and I love precious souls, 
 I saw a poor man here to-day with the shakes, fighting 
 against rum, and I pitied the poor fellow with all my heart. 
 I know if he holds on to God in prayer he will come out all 
 right. I've seen it done often before this. Now let any 
 one testify to what they know to be true in this Christian 
 life. 
 
 NO REPROACHES FOR SINNERS. 
 
 Jesus saw Zaccheus up in the tree and he knew him, knew 
 all about him ; but I notice he didn't call him an extortion- 
 ist, or a robber, or any hard name, but merely said, " Come 
 down, Zaccheus ; I'm going to take dinner at your house to- 
 day!" Didn't accuse him of anything. He never does. 
 Never calls those who come to him hard names ! He never 
 called one of those poor unfortunate women a " Magdalene" 
 once — not once in his whole history. No, sir ! The bigger 
 the sinner the more tender Jesus was. He never was harsh, 
 only with one class of people — those hypocritical Pharisees ; 
 those dead church-members who professed religion, but 
 hated Christ, and were only hypocrites. He went for them ; 
 and so he ought, and so do I go for them, and I intend to 
 keep it hot for them. I praise Jesus for the wonderful 
 change he has made in my life in the last few years. It 
 would make a wonderful picture to paint me as I was when 
 I first came to God, and as I am here to-night. He cleansed 
 me inside and out. 
 
About Confessing. 1 23 
 
 TWO YEARS OF PRAYER. 
 
 A friend who came to the Mission a skeptic, bA>t was tt 
 length converted, had given his testimony, whec Mr. Mc- 
 Auley rose and said : 
 
 " That testimony did my heart good, not simply because 
 the speaker referred to me or my prayers, for I don't know 
 as they had anything to do with his conversion. It might 
 have been in answer to the prayers of some of the godly 
 men and women who come here, or it may have been my 
 wife's prayers. I cannot tell. We did pray for him, it is 
 true ; and to be honest with you, I got discouraged over him. 
 I thought him one of the hardest cases that ever came into 
 those doors. Think of it, two years praying Readily for 
 one man before he yielded ! 
 
 " I can say to-night I am saved by the tender mercy of 
 God. I owe all I have to-day to Him — home, friends, and 
 everything. I love the Lord to-night for all he has done 
 for me. The meeting is now open; let th« time be im- 
 proved." 
 
 ABOUT CONFESSING. 
 " I don't see," said he, " how any one can get over, under, 
 or around that verse about confessing. Some people say * It 
 isn't our style to stand up and speak; we don't do that sort 
 of thing in our church.' But there stands the Word of God ; 
 and I tell you the testimony of Orville Gardner in State's 
 Prison was the means of bringing me to Christ. I had heard 
 preaching there for seven or eight years without its having 
 any effect upon me at all, because I had no confidence in 
 the minister. We must be honest with God. My prayer to 
 Him is that He will keep me honest. It's not the way I 
 talk before you, but the way I live, that must telL" 
 
1 24 A Lively Imagination. 
 
 FELL DOWN, BUT DID NOT STAY DOWN. 
 
 In the early part of my experience I stumbled a great 
 deal, but God saw I was honest, and he helped me over 
 , the rough places. I will have to acknowledge, for I hate 
 ' hypocrisy and I can't help hating it, and won't be a hypo- 
 crite myself, that I became discouraged once or twice in the 
 beginning, and let go of God and went back into sin. Yes, 
 I went back to the rum and all, but I didn't stay there. 
 I came back to the Lord again, and He forgave me ; and, 
 seeing I was determined to be honest and true, he blessed 
 me again, and has kept me ever since. The trouble with 
 some men is they have no backbone, and if everything don't 
 go to suit them, they let go, fall, and stay there. If a man 
 knocked one of you down would you stay there and let him 
 kick the life out of you ? No ! Of course you wouldn't — 
 you'd get up and try and save yourself, wouldn't you? 
 Well, that's the way to do with Satan: if he gets you down 
 by some foul blow, don't you lie there and let him kick you 
 to death, but jump up and strike out for yourself 1 
 
 NOT IMAGINATION. 
 
 We used to have our trials too. The devil would torment 
 us, and men and women too, v/ould revile us and call us 
 " turncoats," etc. One fellow said to me, " O Jerry, you 
 only imagine yourself into it ; the whole affair is just the 
 work of your imagination." 
 
 " Well," I replied, GOOD for imagination !" 
 
 "Well, that's all it is!" 
 
 '' All right," I said, " I used to be just like you are now, 
 wretched, ragged, friendless, homeless and unhappy ; now 
 see me, I am contented ; have a good conscience and every- 
 
Jewels in Strange Surroundings. 125 
 
 thing I need. Say ! why don't you imagine yourself into it 
 then too? It's so e-a-s-y, and it's certainly better. Just im- 
 agine it, why don't you ?" No, my friends, it is not all im- 
 agination, but you can all prove it for yourselves if you will, 
 to-night. 
 
 NO ONE TOO BAD. 
 
 The Lord is good to me; if I. had my just deserts I 
 would not be here. I tell you, I believe that if ever God 
 left anybody outside the gate it would be me. Since I 
 found mercy I know that none can be too bad for the Son 
 of God to lift up, and cleanse, and save. Did you ever 
 know Jesus to speak a harsh word to a sinner? The worse 
 the sinner, the kinder the Lord Jesus was. 
 
 THE SOUL BENEATH. 
 
 I suppose I was the first one to open a place for tramps, 
 and we would have as many as fifty or sixty at once to 
 provide lodgings for ; they would be stretched out on the 
 benches and then on the floors, until there was not room to 
 put your foot down without stepping on them. They were 
 a terribly degraded set — hungry, ragged, and alive with 
 vermin ; but we looked beyond all that, and saw only souls 
 for whom Christ died and whom he desired to save, and 
 every now and then God found a real jewel among them. 
 
 When I first started out I had a pretty hard time, and I 
 expected I would. Some people seem to think the Lord 
 is going to send a convoy of angels and float them off to 
 heaven as soon as they are converted ; but that's a mistake. 
 It wouldn't be good for us if it was so, for we'd never grow 
 in grace one particle. 
 
126 Silent Christians. 
 
 SIGHTS NEAR THE SEA-SHORE. 
 
 I'm saved to-night from everything that's wicked and 
 bad. I was down to the sea-shore to-day to attend a 
 Sunday-school gathering. On our way home the train 
 stopped at a station, and a crowd rushed in until every inch 
 of room was taken up, and such a crowd ! Men and women, 
 old and young, and the fumes of their breath were sickening 
 — regular bucket-shop rum. Just think of it; men and 
 women too, with flushed faces, reehng brains, and with 
 their breath so offensive with poison that it would knock 
 a decent man down ! They had not been crowded in but 
 a few moments before the atmosphere of the car was unfit 
 for a hog to breathe. Yet these were men and women made 
 in God's own image ! I am glad I am saved from being a 
 drunkard and a public nuisance. God will save every one, 
 if we will only get honest, and come to him for help on our 
 knees. 
 
 Let all do their duty to-night, and remember the one- 
 minute rule. Some one said a few nights ago, in speaking 
 of this one-minute rule, that there was " no liberty here." 
 Such fellows want to get up and take up the whole 
 time themselves, spinning it off by the yard, and then 
 they'll go off and say, " Oh, we had such liberty down at 
 McAuley's." Yes, but they had it all to themselves : no one 
 else had a bit ! Now, let all speak short and to the point. 
 
 GETTING RID OF "THE BLUES." 
 
 The meeting is open for testimony. We will never see 
 this night again. May the Lord help us to testify for him, 
 for we may never have another opportunity ! Some come 
 here night after night and always keep still, never speak at 
 
GocTs Power to Save. 127 
 
 all. I often think if God's cause here depended on you, 
 it would be a poor affair. Some folks come here with the 
 blues, they say, and can't talk. Why don't you get rid of 
 them before you come here, or else get up and confess, 
 and get blessed ? I often come when I feel like lying 
 down in the aisle, I' feel so bad ; but I see the need of put- 
 ting forth an effort to rescue poor perishing souls, and so I 
 ask God to help me, and do t^ie best I can. Don't you know 
 the Lord takes a worm sometimes to thrash a mountain ? 
 I am saved to-night from everything wicked and bad. I was 
 once without a friend, without a home, without God, and 
 without a hope for either world ; now I have all of these, 
 and have had for fourteen years. Some good people think 
 that God can't save a blackguard ; but if you will come 
 here often, you will be wonderfully disappointed when you 
 see some that God saves here ! I was once one of the 
 dirtiest, drunken, fighting old tramps you ever saw. God 
 converted me in an instant ; I never swore an oath since 
 that day, nor knocked a man down — that is, in anger ; I 
 used to have to carry them out on my shoulder down in 
 Water Street Mission ; but what I claim is that God takes 
 the ugly fight all out of a man when he converts him — 
 don't make him a coward, but takes away all desire to 
 harm any one else. God always makes a way of escape for 
 us. I have had men draw back to strike me, but they 
 didn't do it, and if they had I don't know what I should 
 have done ; but God made a way of escape, somehow or 
 other, so they didn't strike me. 
 
 Now, I want you all to take hold here to-night, and 
 make this an interesting meeting. You can't find any 
 better place than this to go. Just hear this singing. Talk 
 about your paid choirs, why this beats them all ! Some of 
 
128 A Great Change. 
 
 them get their ten thousand dollars a year, but they can't 
 compare with this. I have a great many gentlemen and 
 ladies, uotown and down, speak to me about this wonder- 
 ful singing, and they all say they never heard the like. Do 
 you know why? because we're singing for Jesus here! 
 That's what makes the melody, "making melody in your 
 hearts!" Now, let all speak, and tell what God has done for 
 your souls. 
 
 ****** 
 I am a monument, to God's grace and God's mercy and 
 God's forbearance. The longer I live the more I see it and 
 feel it. May the Lord keep me humble ! May the Lord 
 keep me grateful ! I don't care much about the world ; it 
 looks small to me. Perhaps it would look bigger if I had 
 better health. I have cause to love God. He picked me 
 up from a terrible hole, and washed me from my sins. 
 Now you have heard the biggest debtor to grace that is in 
 the room ; let the next heaviest debtor follow me. 
 
 HUMBLE AND HAPPY. 
 
 The Lord has been at work, and the more the Lord 
 works the more humble I feel. I pray God to keep me so, 
 for I know that without Him I could do nothing. I have 
 nothing to be proud of ; I am proud of my Saviour, and not 
 of myself. I was a notorious drunkard and gambler. Even 
 my wife does not know some of the sins I committed, and 
 she never will till the Day of Judgment. I don't know 
 what to say to express my feelings of thankfulness. I 
 know I have been converted, that is, if conversion is 
 ceasing to love that which is evil and loving that which is 
 good. I know that divine grace saved me from a drunk- 
 
' ' Getting Religion. " 129 
 
 ard's grave. Now there are many here who can thank God 
 with me for saving them, and whom he has cleaned inside 
 and out. They ought to tell others the story. Don't let 
 us be like the nine lepers who were healed by the Lord 
 Jesus, and never came back to thank Him. 
 
 HE HAD GOT RELIGION. 
 
 I don't encourage any one to be careless or to run any 
 risk of falling from God, but when they do fall I shall take 
 them back again and help them to God. It is a dangerous 
 thing to give way to sin and fall from our love to God ! 
 We might fall once too often and die ere we could recover. 
 Yes, it's dangerous to fall even once, for God might cut us 
 off. Oh, how terrible it would be ! Why it's like stepping 
 right out of heaven into hell ! Isn't it awful ? I fell three 
 times when I first started. I was ignorant ; I knew nothing 
 of the Christian life or its peculiar duties or perils, so I had 
 to learn by bitter experience. Some persons have asked 
 me, " Do you really believe you were converted before your 
 falls?" Yes, I was; I know I was converted while in a 
 prison-cell. Why, I was so happy I fell like a dead man on 
 ray cell-floor, and didn't know anything for a long while. 
 When I got up I couldn't contain myself. I knocked 
 things around and shouted, and I suppose made a terrible 
 to-do. The keeper heard it, — a tall old Jew we called 
 " Shadpole," because he was so long and slim, — and slipping 
 along with his slippered feet to my door he peeked in 
 between the bars and hollered, half-scared like, " What's the 
 matter in there ?" I didn't answer him, but kept right on ; 
 I couldn't help it; and he yelled again: 
 
 "Say, what's the matter?" 
 
130 Jerrys Plan Overruled. 
 
 " Oh," I cried, " I've got religion !" 
 
 " What ?" 
 
 " I've got r-e-1-i-g-i-o-n," I answered again. 
 
 " I'll give you r-e-1-i-g-i-o-n," he growled, and proceeded 
 to take down my number for a cold shower-bath for next 
 morning. I suppose he thought I needed cooling off, but J 
 never got it. The Lord made that man lose his book or get 
 confused about the number or something, for I was not 
 punished at all. I went to work after that conversion like 
 any other converted man, and if I do say it myself, others 
 were led to God. I only had a half hour at a time, but 
 I improved it among my fellow-prisoners to say a word of 
 kindness, and we would often shed tears together. Oh yes, 
 I believe I was converted even though I was so foolish as 
 to fall away for a season afterwards. I believe you may 
 possibly fall away, but I advise you to come back quickly, 
 get forgiven, and never run any risk of falling again by your 
 own carelessness or failure to watch and pray, and trust 
 Jesus. I never could see how any Christian could be idle. 
 I can't keep still ; I must be doing something for others, or 
 I'd die. 
 
 THOUGHT HE WOULD BE A DETECTIVE. 
 
 Did you ever hear how near I came to being a regular 
 paid detective? Well, I'll tell you. I thought I might as 
 well do something for myself, and concluding I'd make a 
 good detective I went to A. T. Stewart's large place and 
 applied for a position as a detective. The man looked at 
 me awhile and seemed dubious about it. 
 
 "Don't you know," he asked, "that it requires a great 
 deal of talent to be a detective ?" 
 
Last Public Testimonies. 131 
 
 " Yes, I know it, and I believe I have the necessary tal- 
 ent, sir, to make a success of it." 
 
 "Have you had any previous experience in this work, 
 and knowledge of the class of characters you will have tc 
 deal with?" 
 
 " Oh, yes, quite an experience." 
 
 " Where, and under what circumstances ?" 
 
 So I had to tell him who I was, what I'd been, and all 
 about it. When I got through he looked at me in astonish- 
 ment for a moment, but finally said, " You will undoubtedly 
 hear from me in a few days in regard to this matter. I'll 
 send you our decision in that time. I can encourage you 
 with the assurance that it will be favorable to your wishes." 
 
 I went home, and was looking for the man to send me the 
 answer, but before he had time to do so the Lord sent me 
 the pneumonia and laid me upon my back for six weeks ; so 
 my detective job was all lost, and I've stuck to the mission 
 work. God has given me a great many souls for which I 
 am very grateful, and am very much encouraged to hold on 
 as long as I may live. 
 
 LAST TESTIMONIES. 
 
 It was Jerry McAuley's earnest desire to testify with his 
 dying breath to the power of saving grace. This God per- 
 mitted him to do publicly up to within a very few days of 
 his departure. On the evening of Friday, September 12, 
 less than a week before his death, he said in the Mission 
 meeting: 
 
 " I feel as if I want to testify always, and even with my 
 dying breath, to the goodness of God in saving me. Some 
 times I do not seem to have words to express my feelings 
 
132 Effect of the Bible. 
 
 of thankfulness to Him for His great mercy, or words to 
 praise Him for His goodness in saving me from going down 
 to perdition." 
 
 On the night of Sunday, September 14, his last Sunday on 
 earth, after listening to the story of the woman of Samaria, 
 Jerry said : " She was a hard case. Respectable women 
 would not have associated with her ; but the Son of God 
 condescended to talk with her." Our br®ther spoke of the 
 woman's selfishness. She wanted Christ's gift so that she 
 might not any longer have the trouble of coming to the 
 well to draw'water. He then spoke of himself as he once 
 was, in no mild or measured terms. " I was a brute, I was 
 one of the worst devils ever let loose in society, but the 
 glorious Gospel contained in that blessed Bible civilized me. 
 It is the greatest civilizer in the world. There is no power 
 like it. It made a man and a Christian and a good citizen 
 of me." 
 
Summoned by the King. 133 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 CALLED HOME. 
 
 " My kingly King at His right hand 
 My presence doth command. 
 Where glory, glory dwelleth, 
 In Immanuel's land." 
 
 In the dealings of God with his people infinite wisdom 
 and infinite love ever blend. All things, death included, 
 work together for good to those who love the Lord. Thus 
 while we record the decease of him to whose memory these 
 pages are devoted, it is in the blessed confidence that there 
 was no mistake in the time of his departure. Our God 
 knew best when to take his servant. Jerry McAuley was 
 called home on September 18, 1884, being then forty-five 
 j^ears of age. He had long been ailing, and knew that the 
 call home would probably come suddenly when it did come. 
 And sudden indeed it was! On the day previous to his 
 death Jerry was in the very best of spirits. In the after- 
 noon he. and Mrs. McAuley spent a brief while in Centrals- 
 Park, but immediately on their return home Jerry was • 
 seized with a hemorrhage of the lungs. Physicians were 
 sent for and speedily arrived. It was on that night, while 
 expecting that every moment would be his last, that he said 
 to one of the converts of the Mission, pointing upward as 
 he spoke, " It's all right up there." He was too much ex- 
 
134 Safe in Port. 
 
 hausted to say more. Soon there came a little relief and 
 some promise of improvement. On the morning of Thurs- 
 day he requested his wife to read a psalm to him, and he 
 listened with evident interest as she did so. On Thursday 
 afternoon, when his wife said to him, " Jesus is your 
 Saviour," he twice nodded assent. At four o'clock, or a 
 very few minutes after, another hemorrhage came on, and 
 within three minutes his spirit had taken its flight. Pain 
 and suffering were for him things of the past. He had 
 entered into his reward. 
 
 Since Jesus wept at the grave of Lazarus, it cannot be 
 wrong for us to weep in the hour of bereavement ; but 
 while we sorrow, we do " not sorrow as those who have no 
 hope." The Christian sings, 
 
 " Death no longer now tre die; 
 We but follow Christ on high.'' 
 
 The loss of a friend, the loss of an honest, loving, conse- 
 crated worker we mourn. Yet, with resigned hearts and 
 submissive wills, we bow to the dispensation of our all-wise 
 and ever-loving Father in Heaven, and say, " Even so, 
 Father ; for so it seemed good in Thy sight." Remember- 
 ing how God saved Jerry McAuley, and how useful in win- 
 ning souls God made him, we rather rejoice at the sanctified 
 life and its glorious success, than mourn at the so-called 
 death. Nay, as we think of the reward that awaited him, 
 the rest that remained for him, the welcome of the Re- 
 deemer, the greeting of many now in glory who were saved 
 through his instrumentality, we can even rejoice at his de- 
 parture. 
 
 Even his death was not without fruit. One who looked 
 upon his face as the body lay in the casket, then and there 
 
Broadway Tabernacle: Funeral Service. 135 
 
 resolved by God's help to start in the new life. Nor has 
 Jerry ceased to serve the Lord whom he loved. In that 
 bright world where he now is the inhabitants serve their 
 King unceasingly. They rest not day nor night doing his 
 will. Saved from a life of sin, let us thank God that Jerry 
 McAuley was TRANSFORMED; saved forever from 
 suffering and sorrow, let us thank God that he has been 
 TRANSLATED. 
 
 The following account of the Memorial Service held in 
 the Broadway Tabernacle is taken from Jerry McAulefs 
 Newspaper, of which mention has already been made. The 
 account of the Memorial Service at No. 316 Water Street is 
 from the same source. 
 
 Broadway Tabernacle, Thirty-fourth Street and Sixth 
 Avenue, was thronged on Sunday afternoon last (Sept. 21). 
 The audience-room, the long deep galleries, the many 
 aisles, the doorways and vestibules, were crowded. Hun- 
 dreds of disappointed people were unable to find entrance, 
 and turned away, many of them after coming miles to be 
 present at the Memorial Service. The exercises com- 
 menced at half-past two o'clock. The Rev. S. Irenaeus 
 Prime, D.D., senior editor of the New York Observer, pre- 
 sided. The Tabernacle choir sang some pieces, and yir. 
 George W. Stebbins sang some solos. 
 
 It was a most solemn and affecting service. The Rev. 
 Dr. Deems, Pastor of the Church of the Strangers, read the 
 Scriptures, and when he came to the words, " Forasmuch 
 as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord," our 
 hearts felt that this was peculiarly true of Jerry McAuley's 
 work. 
 
 Dr. Prime, before calling upon the speakers who had 
 
136 A Plea for Outcasts. 
 
 been chosen to address the large audience, referred briefly 
 to his intimate acquaintance with the deceased. In him, 
 he said, we had proof that the grace proclaimed in our holy 
 religion could save and keep any man. If that could not, 
 nothing could. 
 
 The Rev. Dr. William M. Taylor, Pastor of the Broad- 
 way Tabernacle Church, had just returned from Europe. 
 The second item of intelligence he received on his return 
 was the fact of Jerry McAuley's death. He had thought 
 of the words of St. Paul, " As sorrowing, yet always rejoic- 
 ing." To the widow it brought sorrow, and there was 
 sorrow as we thought of the loss sustained in the work. 
 But to both sorrows there was a sure antidote. 
 
 " We commend the widow," he said, " to the Saviour. He 
 will minister to her comfort, until the call shall come to 
 her, ' Come up higher.' 
 
 " In thinking of the man and his work, there are one or 
 two things which have been deeply impressed upon my 
 mind. As I have listened to his testimony, and the 
 testimonies of those whom he has led to Christ, I have 
 said, ' I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is 
 the power of God unto salvation to them that believe.' If 
 Jerry could be saved, who not ? After Jerry, anybody ! 
 The world's outcasts can be saved by Christ. Jerry would 
 say, and he could say it without affectation, ' Christ Jesus 
 came into the world to save sinners, and I am chief.' 
 Jerry was an instance of a conversion in prison. We some- 
 times get an idea that there is no use in sending chaplains 
 to prisons. There is a good deal of a feeling of despair in 
 the Church about work for prisoners. We should have 
 greater faith in such work. Let us learn to think more 
 
A Wonderful Redeemer. 137 
 
 for them when coming out of prison. Just as Paul in 
 Damascus fell into the hands of Barnabas, Jerry at length 
 fell into good hands. He once said he felt it so good to be 
 trusted after he came out of prison. 
 
 " ' Deal gently with the erring, as thy God hath dealt with 
 thee ! ' Jerry's case is a beautiful illustration of how God 
 brings good out of evil. Through the evil of Jerry's early 
 life God fitted him for special labor. A history like that 
 helps one to understand what God means when He says, ' I 
 will restore the years which the locusts have eaten.' The 
 years destroyed by sin were made up by the multiplied 
 usefulness of the later years of Jerry's life. Thus let 
 sinners put themselves in the Lord's hands. He will 
 restore the years which the locusts have eaten. What a 
 glorious Gospel! What a powerful Saviour! What a 
 wonderful Redeemer we have 1 Haply some one is here 
 to-day, almost swept in by the crowd, who is enslaved by 
 evil habits. Take courage. As contact with the bones of 
 the prophet Elisha started the dead man into life, so coming 
 into contact with the truths this casket preaches now may 
 you be brought to life !" 
 
 Mr. A. S. Hatch, Jerry McAuley's old and tried friend, 
 spoke with great feeling. " The impulses of my heart," he 
 said, "would lead me to sit beside this casket a silent 
 mourner ; but," he added, " no one except his wife knew 
 Jerry better than I did. It was my privilege in the begin- 
 ning of his struggle up toward a better life to encourage 
 him by the warm grasp of a helping hand and to speak to 
 him words of hope and cheer; and it has been my privilege 
 also, when clouds and darkness have gathered about my own 
 pathway, to be uplifted and comforted by the simple and 
 childlike, yet robust faith of Jerry and his wife, and by their 
 
138 The Grief of Thousands. 
 
 sublime trust in the loving Providence of God. If I should 
 keep silence I might seem faithless to the memory of my 
 dead friend. 
 
 " Jerry McAuley is dead. There are but few names which 
 linked with such an announcement would have aroused a 
 more widespread interest than is felt to-day wherever men 
 say to each other 'Jerry is dead;' not because a great 
 man, as the world counts greatness, is gone, but in recogni- 
 tion of a humble, sincere, and earnest life, devoted for six- 
 teen years to the uplifting and saving of lost men and 
 women. The flags of the city are not at half-mast to-day ; 
 no drums will beat in the funeral procession that will bear 
 him to his last resting-place to-morrow ; no volleys will be 
 fired over his grave. Yet thousands of lowly hearts are 
 bowed down with grief for the friend they have lost ; while 
 men and women in all classes of life who owe him a debt of 
 gratitude they are not ashamed to own, are pondering with 
 bowed heads and chastened hearts the lessons of the life and 
 death of this once despised and hunted river thief, but for 
 sixteen years the chosen servant of God, signally honored 
 and used of Him. No fulsome eulogy would be in place 
 over this now still and lifeless form. Could Jerry rise up in 
 his coffin and speak, he would himself rebuke the man who 
 should utter it. For Jerry gloried not in himself, but in the 
 blessed Saviour who had transformed him from what he once 
 had been to what by wondrous grace he had become. He 
 was always humble, for he always remembered the pit from 
 which he had been digged. He continually rejoiced in the 
 power of Divine love, and of the grace of Jesus Christ that 
 could so save and keep such as he. He used to say to the 
 outcasts who felt that they were so low down in sin that 
 there was no hope and no salvation for them, 'There is 
 
A Lesson for the Church. 1 39 
 
 hope in Jesus Christ for anybody, for He saved me.* His 
 labors spent for the salvation and redemption of the lost 
 were not in vain ; and his steadfastness to the end, and 
 his triumphant death, have now confirmed and empha- 
 sized the lessons of his life, and his constantly reiterated 
 testimony to the power of Jesus to save. The Church of 
 Christ needed the lesson of his sixteen years of labor, and 
 their wonderful fruits. Although theoretically all Christians 
 believe that the vilest sinner may be saved, yet there is 
 much practical unbelief and scepticism on the subject, when 
 they are brought face to face with some of the worst forms 
 of human depravity and of the wretchedness wrought by sin, 
 and are called upon to believe, and to act as if they believed 
 in reality, that individual human wrecks are worth trying to 
 save. It is this lesson, that none are so utterly lost but 
 there is hope in laboring for their salvation, that there is no 
 depth of human degradation to which the arm of Jesus 
 cannot reach down and from which His grace cannot lift 
 the sinner up, that the life and work of Jerry have taught 
 us. In conclusion, I would hold up Jerry, as he loved best 
 to hold himself up, as I know he would most wish to be 
 held up in this place to-day — as a monument of divine grace, 
 as a signal example of the power of Jesus' blood to cleanse 
 the vilest sinner. 
 
 " Let our lives be such that when we are called upon to 
 step out from the ranks of the living and take our places in 
 the shadowy procession of the dead, we may be able, as 
 Jerry was, to look back upon years spent in earnest work 
 for the Master, and looking forward and upward say with 
 Jerry, ' It's all right.' " 
 
 Mr. Sidney Whittemore then spoke of the world-wide 
 
140 A Grand Possibility Illustrated. 
 
 influence of the deceased's work. Many had gone out 
 from Water Street to be missionaries all over the globe. 
 Jerry was strong as a lion for courage, yet had a heart gen- 
 tle as a woman's. He once spoke roughly to a man who 
 refused to cease his musical performances during the hours 
 of the Mission services, and afterwards went to the man to 
 ask his forgiveness for his somewhat hasty words — and 
 this although the man's insults had brought them out. 
 
 The Rev. Dr. Deems said a stranger might well ask the 
 meaning of this great audience. Here were the clergy, 
 here were men of means, women of culture, all come to pay 
 a tribute of respect to whom ? To a hunted river-thief. 
 It was the romance of grace and of Providence. It was not 
 his ancestry, his beauty, his brains, or his services to science 
 that brought out these thousands of people. It was all 
 because one day in prison Jerry accepted God's offer of 
 salvation, and took Christ as his present, personal, and 
 sufficient Saviour then and there. We could all do that. 
 Then he was a forcible illustration of the possibility of the 
 redemption of a human soul from the bottomless pit of the 
 lowest degradation. Why labor with such — they will fall 
 back? many asked, but here was one man who for sixteen 
 years had fought the battle against the old sins and lusts 
 and passions, and had conquered. Dr. Deems closed with 
 an eloquent appeal to the unsaved. Were there not some 
 present who had heard Jerry's appeals from the Mission 
 platform and who had not heeded them. Though Jerry's 
 uttered appeals had not moved them, should not the ap- 
 peal of his silent lips win them now? 
 
 These addresses were followed by the singing of a solo 
 by Mr. Stebbins, who rendered it with his usual tender 
 
Mr. SIDNEY WHITTEMORE 
 Long Time Friend of Jerry and his Wife 
 
The Sunlit Cross. 141 
 
 pathos amid the intense silence of the audience. As he 
 sung the words, 
 
 " We too must come to the river side, 
 One by one, one by one ; 
 We're nearer its brink each evening tide, 
 One by one, one by one," 
 
 the stillness seemed almost painful, and it was difKcult to 
 restrain the pent-up feelings of the heart. The Rev. 
 Wilbur F. Watkins followed in a prayer that was most 
 tender and touching : the choir sang " I will sing of my 
 Redeemer," and Dr. Prime invoked the apostolic benedic- 
 tion. 
 
 The casket containing the remains of the deceased was 
 decorated with floral tributes at once chaste and beautiful. 
 A cross lay thereupon, and at the close of the prayei 
 offered by Dr. Watkins the rays of sunlight which had 
 been streaming through the windows all the afternoon 
 reached the cross, and by their effulgence lit it up with a 
 dazzling brightness. It seemed as though Heaven would 
 bear shining witness to the efficacy of the cross as the 
 power by which our departed brother had been lifted out 
 of darkness into light, out of death into life. It was a 
 most impressive incident and a striking type. The light of 
 God's saving power does fall on the cross of Calvary, and at 
 the cross is light, the light of hope and life for all, no matter 
 how lowly nor how lost. 
 
 The service over, the audience passed by the coffin to take 
 a farewell look at the remains of the honored missionary, 
 nearly two hours being occupied by the sorrowing throng in 
 paying this tribute of respect to the dead. Next day all that 
 was mortal of the deceased was laid away in Woodlawn Cenu 
 
142 A Touching Incident. 
 
 etery. There the sacred dust will rest until the archangel's 
 trump shall sound, and those who have fallen asleep in 
 Christ shall rise immortal. " Precious in the sight of the 
 Lord is the death of his saints" (Psalm cxvi. 15). " Blessed 
 are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth. Yea, 
 saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors ; and 
 their works do follow them" (Rev. xiv. 13). 
 
 " There is no death ! The stars go down, 
 To rise upon some fairer shore ; 
 And bright in heaven's jewelled crown 
 They shine for evermore." 
 
 The following incident, published in the New York 
 Herald at the time of Jerry's funeral, serves to show how 
 ready Jerry was with a word of sympathy for any one in 
 trouble who came across his path. It shows also that such 
 words are remembered and treasured even by those whose 
 appearance promises little lasting impression. 
 
 Two gentlemen — one of them a representative of the 
 Herald — were standing at or near one of the entrances of 
 the Tabernacle, when a shabby-looking old man, who had 
 been lounging on the outskirts of the crowd, approached 
 them and said : 
 
 " ' Beg pardin, gents, but seein' as you were kinnected 
 here and seein' as how I ain't posted on ways and things, I 
 thought I'd ask you for a favor.' 
 
 "Both of the listeners were turning away expecting an 
 untimely appeal for alms. But the other said, ' I've heard 
 it's the right thing to send flowers and sich to put on the 
 coffin of any one who's bin good to you. Well, I don't 
 know, gents, whether I've got the rights of it or not. But 
 there's somethin' here for Jeriy,' 
 
A Lowly Tribute. 143 
 
 " He took off his tall, battered hat as he spoke, and felt 
 in it with trembling fingers. ' It ain't any great shakes,' he 
 said, and he took out a little bunch of white flowers. Then 
 looking up, as though to read in the faces of the listeners 
 approval or disapproval, he went on, apologetically : 
 ' They're no great shakes, I allow, and I 'spect they mayn't 
 set off the roses and things rich people send. I'm a poor 
 man, you know, but when I heard Jerry was gone, I gets 
 up and says to myself, " Go on and do what's fash'nable ; 
 that's the way folks do when they want to show a dead 
 man's done a heap for 'em." So there they are.' 
 
 " The usher took them. 
 
 " ' And when you drop 'em with the rest, though they 
 ain't no great shakes,' he added, with the old apologetic 
 look, ' Jerry, who was my friend, '11 know,' and his voice 
 trembled ; ' he'll know they come from old Joe Chappy.' 
 
 " ' What did he do for you ?' the reporter ventured. 
 
 " ' A great deal,' the old man replied. ' But it's long ago 
 now. My gal had gone to the bad, and was dyin' without 
 ever a bite for her to eat. I got around drunk, but it 
 sobered me, and I hustled about to hunt up some good 
 man. N. G. They asked if she went to Sunday-school and 
 all that. O' course she didn't. How cud the poor gal? 
 Well, they called her names, sed she wus a child o' wrath, 
 and I went away broken-hearted, when I come across Jerry, 
 and he went home with me and comforted me, and he sed 
 that Almighty God wouldn't be rough on a poor gal what 
 didn't know no better. She died then, but I ain't forgot 
 Jerry." 
 
 " The poor old wreck could not be prevailed upon to 
 enter, and the crowd was so great that the little bunch of 
 flowers could not reach the casket. But the reporter 
 
144 Preserved as a Treasure, 
 
 thought, as he saw the floral emblems there, that none of 
 them would be sweeter to the dead than that simple 
 offering." 
 
 The incident is a true one, and the little bunch of white 
 flowers has been tenderly preserved by Mrs. McAuley. 
 Who shall say that the memory of Jerry and of some fur- 
 ther word spoken by him may not be the means even yet 
 of bringing the man who gave them to a knowledge of 
 Jerry's Saviour? 
 
Water Street Memorial Service. 145 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 ON THE OLD SPOT. 
 
 " The dead are like the stars by day, 
 Withdrawn from mortal eye, 
 Yet holding unperceived their way 
 Through the unclouded sky. 
 
 "By them, through holy hope and love, 
 We feel, in hours serene, 
 Connected with a world above, 
 Immortal and unseen." 
 
 The Memorial Meeting held at 316 Water Street on Sun- 
 day afternoon, September 28, will not be forgotten by those 
 who were present. Not only were tributes of esteem to 
 the memory of Jerry McAuley uttered by those who were 
 coworkers with him or who knew him and his work, but 
 many who had been led by him to Christ testified as to 
 what grace had done for them through our departed 
 brother. 
 
 It was eminently appropriate to hold a memorial service 
 on the old spot where he commenced his work, and where 
 for so many years God so richly blessed him to the salva- 
 tion of souls. The Mission-hall was packed, and at every 
 window were persons who could not find room inside, but 
 bore the discomfort of standing all the way through, listen- 
 ing with deepest attention. 
 
 The exercises commenced precisely at the hour arranged, 
 half-past two, and continued for two full hours with unflag- 
 10 
 
146 A Memorable Song. 
 
 ging interest. General Clinton B. Fisk presided, and after 
 the congregation had sung the hymn, " They are gathering 
 homeward one by one," called on Rev. J. W. Sanford to 
 read from the Bible and pray. The Scriptures selected were 
 most appropriate, and were impressively read, the prayer 
 was simple and solemn, and then we sang the words, " I 
 heard the Saviour say, etc." The chorus brought to Gen. 
 eral Fisk's recollection some of the scenes in the old Mission 
 building, which preceded the one in which we met on this 
 Sabbath afternoon. Often in the old days, when, kneeling 
 with Jerry and his wife and others, some soul was born into 
 the Kingdom, Jerry would say, "sing' Jesus paid it all.'" 
 Reference was made to the memorial meeting of the pre- 
 vious Sabbath at Broadway Tabernacle. The audience on 
 that occasion the speaker likened to a slice of metropolitan 
 life cut lengthways, so that there was some of the top crust, 
 some of the bottom crust, and some of all between. The 
 best of saints and the most sinful of all were there. Men 
 high in financial circles, in social life, and in professional life, 
 were the pall-bearers in the funeral procession which wended 
 its way from 104 West Thirty-second Street to the Taber- 
 nacle. A stranger might have asked. Who is this at whose 
 death the city is stirred ? Was he a great warrior whose 
 sword saved the Republic ? No ! although he was a victor, 
 his victories were those of mercy, not of carnage. He 
 was not a statesman eminent in the forum. He was a sim- 
 ple, unlettered man. On his coffin were the words, " Died 
 September 18, 1884. Jeremiah McAuley, aged 45 years." 
 That was the story. 
 
 He had been one of the worst of men, but became one 
 of the best, simply through the blood of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ. Accepting Christ for himself, he had been used 
 
Swearing Johnny' s Conversion. 147 
 
 of God to preach the Gospel by his words and by his 
 walk. 
 
 General Fisk spoke of his early association with Jerry in 
 the work, and of its extended influence. In Liverpool one 
 night he heard a rough-looking sailor speak in a seamen's 
 mission-meeting. Though the man was rough his face 
 shone. " I found Jesus over there in America," he said, 
 and all who heard him listened in wonder. This man was 
 known as Swearing Johnny. " When we were paid off I 
 took my money to the saloons, and then pretty soon I 
 was drunk again. Then I went out into the street, and 
 the snow was beating against my face. As I passed along 
 the street I heard singing, and stopped to listen. I heard 
 them sing ' Jesus loves even me.' ' I'll go in and see about 
 it,' I said to myself." He went in and there he saw " that 
 wonderful man, Jerry McAuley," and he led him to Christ. 
 " Yes," said his wife, " and it has been nothing but Jerry 
 McAuley and ' Jesus loves even me ' ever since Johnny's 
 ship came home." At Marseilles General Fisk heard a 
 very similar testimony from another redeemed man, and 
 Mrs. McAuley, he said, had letters from all parts of the 
 globe — letters baptized with many tears — which testified 
 to the work done by this one good man. The speaker con- 
 cluded with an earnest appeal for renewed consecration. 
 " Let us consecrate ourselves anew to the service," he 
 said. " Catch the standard ere it falls. In the first regi- 
 ment I led into the field in the war, the boy who carried 
 the banner fell almost at the first firing ; his brother sprang 
 forward and grasped the standard, so that our flag never 
 went down. See that the standard that Jerry has dropped 
 be not allowed to fall." 
 
 One of the early and most helpful friends of the deceased 
 
1 48 Hand Picked Souls. 
 
 missionary was the Hon. William E. Dodge, now in glory. 
 He was often in the Mission meeting, and knelt with those 
 who sought salvation and prayed and labored with them. 
 The memory of his love of the work made it all the more 
 pleasant to hear from his son, the Rev. E. Stuart Dodge. 
 He likened Jerry to a jewel taken up from the depths, but 
 the speaker would have us glory not in Jerry McAuley but 
 in the grace magnified in him. We must remember in 
 speaking of him that he always glorified his Master. He 
 told men and women that Jesus could save. Poor lost 
 souls came to him and heard that there was a Saviour 
 mighty to save, and so were converted. Jerry honored the 
 Gospel as revealed in the Bible. He read the Bible, talked 
 the Bible, preached the Bible. It was God's Word, and in 
 it was revealed the power of God to save. Jerry believed 
 in prayer. When he prayed he did not pray all around the 
 universe. If he was interested in a soul he just prayed for 
 that particular soul, and God heard and saved. Moreover, 
 Jerry believed in hand-picked souls. The best fruit is not 
 shaken from the tree, but picked by hand, one by one. 
 So he would hold up Christ before one soul. He believed 
 in the power of the Spirit of God. He did not believe that 
 his efforts or anybody's else would save. He believed that 
 God's Spirit would bless the truth about the blood so that 
 it would do its own convicting and converting work. " What 
 a difference this truth worked in him ! Once a dock thief, 
 Jerry McAuley went up to heaven, his arms all full of 
 sheaves. Let us magnify and honor the Gospel of God, 
 which makes such a change !" Two thoughts the speaker 
 impressed in closing. " If there is one here who has not 
 given his heart to the Saviour," he said, " remember that 
 God saved Jerry McAuley, and He can save you. God 
 
Recollections of Jerry. 149 
 
 lifted Jerry up, and you have no right, therefore, to despair 
 or to doubt God's mercy. Christian workers, since God 
 used this instrument for His own mighty purposes, no one 
 can say, ' God cannot use me.' We cannot do Jerry 
 McAuley's work, but we can do our work as Jerry did his — 
 with consecrated hearts and true faith." 
 
 Rev. E. D. Murphy was the next speaker. He has been 
 pastor of the Mariners' Church on Catherine Street for 
 more than twenty years. He said that thinking of what 
 Water Street was twenty years ago, this audience seemed 
 perfectly wonderful. It was at that time one of the worst 
 streets in the city. He recollected the first religious meet- 
 ing attempted there. He recalled, too, the first time that 
 he ever saw Jerry McAuley. The latter was rather a 
 rough-looking man then. It was in the midst of the John 
 Allen excitement that Jerry came to him and said, " I've 
 served the devil very faithfully in the Fourth Ward " (the 
 Bloody Fourth, it was often called then), " and now I want 
 to try to do something for the people there. If some per- 
 son would rent a building, I would fit it for men who have 
 just come out of State's Prison." He would have cots for 
 them to sleep on, and bread and coffee to give them in the 
 morning, he said, and have a prayer-meeting for them in the 
 evening. Mr. Murphy had no doubt of Jerry's honesty, 
 sincerity, and earnestness ; but he must confess that he did 
 doubt the man's ability and judgment. Not liking to dis- 
 courage him, he recommended him to see Mr. A. S. Hatch, 
 and Rev. G. J. Mingins, the city missionary in that ward. 
 The next thing Dr. Murphy heard about it was that a build- 
 ing had been rented and the work was begun. " We learn 
 that God's ways are not our ways," said the speaker 
 " Who would ever have thought of selecting Jerry for the 
 
150 Coming to Close Quarters. 
 
 work he did. But Jesus died to save sinners, and in His 
 sight a thief's soul is as precious as any. God desired to 
 reach such, and so made choice of one of the least promis- 
 ing, and baptized him and filled him with the Holy Ghost, 
 and told him to go to work." Jerry's ready mother-wit, 
 the tenderness of his appeals to the unsaved, his prayers, so 
 simple, tender, gentle, as though talking with the Lord, and 
 his personal work with souls, passed under review. Then 
 Dr. Murphy said that hundreds of sailors had come under 
 his notice in his church work, who had been led to Christ 
 by Jerry McAuley. Every single night Jerry had hold of 
 somebody. 
 
 Dr. Murphy concluded his remarks by emphasizing the 
 value of personal work with souls. In connection with his 
 house of worship are eight or nine inquiry-rooms which 
 have proved the birthplace of many souls. In personal con- 
 versation men cannot pass the truth presented over to their 
 neighbors. They know it is addressed to them individually. 
 At the close of the address two of the members of Dr. 
 Murphy's choir sang a duet : 
 
 " We shall sleep, but not forever, 
 There awaits a glorious dawn. 
 We shall meet to part — no never, etc." r 
 
 General Fisk said he had letters from some of the Cre- 
 morne Mission trustees, expressing regret at their inability 
 to attend the service, owing to absence from town. Messrs. 
 J. Noble Stearns, John H. Boswell, Samuel E. Hiscox, and 
 James Talcott were all heard from. The latter closed with 
 these words: "As we hold this service in his memory, may 
 our own hearts be filled with a deeper love for Christ, and 
 our lives receive a fresh impulse to work for souls, that the 
 
Jerry as a Commentator. 151 
 
 world shall not be poorer because this brave, true heart has 
 gone to its reward." 
 
 Mr. A. S. Hatch, another of the trustees, and who was 
 used under God as a sheet-anchor for Jerry McAuley when 
 the latter started on his career as a Christian worker, fol- 
 lowed with an address. The chairman said that Jerry would 
 often speak to him of Mr. Hatch's good help. " I could 
 not have struggled on to success," the redeemed man would 
 say, " had it not been for the brotherly sympathy and help- 
 fulness that Christ Jesus inspired toward me in the heart of 
 Mr. Hatch. He trusted me. General, and that's what saved 
 me." 
 
 Mr. Hatch said that he loved Jerry with a love and sor- 
 rowed for him with a sorrow which could not be expressed 
 in words, and he would not therefore attempt to speak of 
 his own emotions at his death. But here on the spot where 
 Jerry first bore testimony to the power of the Lord Jesus 
 to save, and where he first commenced his work, the speaker 
 thought it peculiarly fitting to draw some lessons from his 
 life. He was a remarkable man in many respects. Almost 
 without worldly education, he became by grace and prayer 
 and the study of God's Word learned in the wisdom that is 
 from above. He had a remarkably vivid apprehension of 
 those portions of Scripture which are particularly adapted 
 to the class whom he mainly sought to reach. Those who 
 had heard him speak of the prodigal son, of the thief on the 
 cross, of the publican in the temple, of the woman taken in 
 adultery, or of her who washed the feet of Jesus with her 
 tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head, would 
 never forget it. The sweetness and tenderness which grace 
 had infused into that naturally rough nature were wonder- 
 ful to see, and would ever be remembered by those who 
 
152 Jerry's Last " Slip. " 
 
 had seen them poured out over kneeling and repentant 
 sinners, or experienced them in private relations of personal 
 friendship. It was beautiful to see the flowers and fruits 
 of grace blossoming and ripening on the branches which 
 Jesus had grafted on that rugged trunk. A more earnest, 
 faithful, conscientious, and devoted laborer for the Master 
 whom he loved, and for the lost men and women over whom 
 his heart yearned, never lived than Jerry McAuley. Jerry 
 loved to proclaim the power of Jesus to save to the utter- 
 most all who come to God by him. It was not two weeks 
 since the speaker was asked if he believed there were any 
 permanent results from this mission work. " Why, look at 
 Jerry," was the reply ; " he has stood." " Well, perhaps 
 he'll slip," was the inquirer's response. When Mr. Hatch 
 told Mrs. McAuley of this incident a day or two previously, 
 she replied, "Yes, he has slipped — slipped into heaven." 
 The speaker said that the truth proclaimed by Jerry so con- 
 stantly in his life, namely, Christ's power to save to the ut- 
 termost, had been enforced and emphasized by Jerry's 
 death. His steadfastness to the end and his triumphant 
 death had silenced forever the doubting suggestion that 
 he might yet fall away. He could not fall now. Another 
 lesson learned was that it paid to work for, and spend 
 time and money for the redemption of, the outcast and de- 
 graded. It was worth while to spend time and money on 
 any soul for whom Christ had died. 
 
 In concluding Mr. Hatch said that to the unsaved sinner, 
 despairing perhaps because so low down in sin that he thinks 
 there is no salvation for him, Jerry seemed to be saying 
 still, " Look at me ! Jesus saved me : there is hope for you." 
 To the child of God he said that no labor, money, or pains 
 spent in proclaiming th^ Gospel to the lost and perishing is 
 
Tributes from the Converts. 153 
 
 spent in vain. If Jerry's death should enforce these lessons, 
 he would not have died in vain. 
 
 The order of the meeting was then changed. The ap- 
 pointed speakers had accomplished their tasks, and those 
 who owed their conversion to Jerry McAuley, as God's 
 chosen instrument in connection with his Water Street 
 work, were asked to speak. Mr. J. F. Shorey, the superin- 
 tendent of the Water Street Mission, said he was saved in 
 connection with Messrs. Moody and Sankey's meetings in 
 New York, eight years ago. He had not long been intimate- 
 ly acquainted with Jerry personally, but he had become very 
 familiar with the results of his work, as he had heard so 
 many testify how Jerry had led them to Christ. 
 
 Several converts followed, and their testimonies were 
 most touching, full of expressions of gratitude to God for 
 having brought them under Jerry's influence. 
 
 Of one of these tributes of gratitude— first to God, and 
 then to Jerry — a full report was kept. It was the tribute 
 of a young man. He said : 
 
 " It was eight years ago last February that I came from 
 my home in Brooklyn to the Water Street Mission. I had 
 never heard testimonies before, but then I heard young 
 men saying how happy they had been since Jesus saved 
 them. I thought that if he saved them he would save 
 me. I had a good home and Christian parents, but I was 
 not happy, for I was sinning against God. Jerry got hold 
 of me, and bid me go up to the bench, and the friends 
 would pray for me. Well, I determined to put my trust in 
 God's promises, and that night I started in the new way. 
 Next night I went to the Mission again. I had not had a 
 good day. I had not acted as a Christian ; so when Jerry 
 asked me, 'How do you feel to-day; how have you got 
 
1 54 That Dear Old Bench. 
 
 along?' I told him it had been a pretty poor day with me. 
 ' Well, don't be discouraged,' he replied, and then bid me 
 go again to the bench and pray. I had a happier day next 
 day. In the evening Jerry said to me, 'Well, how has it 
 been to-day?' Then when I told him that I had been 
 happier and had felt Christ's keeping power, he responded, 
 * Get up and tell us about it then.' This was eight years 
 ago, and Jesus saves me to-day. One night I remember 
 that some sailors were at the bench — that dear old bench — 
 where so many found the Saviour. We almost reverenced 
 it ! One of these sailors longed to trust the Saviour, but 
 could not see the way clear. How could he trust so as to 
 be kept safe henceforth? That was the question. Said 
 Jerry, 'Can't you trust the Lord from here to the door?' 
 Yes, he thought he could do that. ' Then can't you trust 
 Him from the door to the corner?' was the next question. 
 Light burst into the man's heart and beamed upon his face, 
 and he exclaimed, ' I see the whole of it, glory to God,' It 
 is just trusting Jesus, simply trusting every day. I have 
 not only Christian parents now, but I have a Christian wife 
 too. I owe my salvation and all the blessing that has 
 come since under God to Jerry McAuley. I put the Lord 
 Jesus first and Jerry McAuley after. When men used to 
 talk of what Jerry had done for them, he would say, ' Don't 
 give me any glory, boys ; give God the glory. If I have 
 been of any use to you it is all God working through me.' 
 In Jerry's death I have lost one of my best friends." 
 
 Could any words have more forcibly shown first Jerry's 
 humility, and next his apt way of dealing with souls ? He 
 encouraged new converts in the early days of their Christian 
 life ; when they felt that they had made any progress and 
 overcome any temptation through Christ, he would have 
 
Jerry's Humility. 155 
 
 them rise and testify. The testimony helped and strengths 
 ened the converts who uttered it ; encouraged other con- 
 verts, and impressed those who were yet in the darkness 
 and bondage of sin. How suggestive, too, the words, 
 " Don't give me any glory, boys !" To be successful in 
 Christian work, self must be kept down, and Christ must be 
 exalted. In Water Street, at the Cremorne Mission, any- 
 where, everywhere, God honors those who seek to honor 
 and glorify Him. 
 
156 Mr. Hatch's Remimscences. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 CHARACTERISTIC SKETCHES AND PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS 
 OF JERRY M-^AULEY. 
 
 By A. S. Hatch. 
 
 The ways of God are oft beyond our ken, 
 And wiser far than ways of mortal men; 
 Whom man rejects, the Lord doth often use; 
 His corner-stone the builders did refuse. 
 
 I BECAME acquainted with Jerry McAuIey about the time 
 of his restoration from the sad relapse into which he had 
 fallen after his release from Sing Sing prison. The desper- 
 ate and reckless life which he had led in the interval, as 
 bounty-broker, gambler, prize-fighter, rough, drunkard, and 
 river-thief, is graphically portrayed in his autobiography. 
 
 All this, with his previous criminal and prison life, had 
 left an unmistakable impress upon him, and his appearance 
 told plainly enough what he had been. 
 
 To the ordinary observer he was perhaps as hard and hope- 
 less a looking case as one would be likely to encounter in 
 tramping the worst streets of New York day and night for 
 a month ; and in his dull eye, rough aspect, and illiterate 
 speech, there was little promise of the future evangelist, or 
 of the wonderful career of consecrated usefulness in the sal- 
 vation of depraved and outcast men and women and of 
 Christian influence, reaching to all classes in life, which has 
 since made his name familiar, and his life and work a sacred 
 
Mr. A. S. HATCH 
 
 Banker, Philanthropist, and Ex-Pres. N. Y. Stock Exchange. 
 
 One of the staunchesl Friends of Jerry, as well as of 
 
 his Wife and Widow, untd his Death 
 
The Wickedest Man in New York. 157 
 
 memory, among those who love Jesus and believe in His 
 power to save. It would have been a penetrating eye and a 
 lively faith indeed that could at that time have transfigured 
 Jerry, in imagination, into an instrument of moral and re- 
 ligious force in the world, even in the hands of Divine 
 power. 
 
 It is with no irreverent memory of my dead friend that I 
 sketch this picture of him as he then appeared. It is only a 
 dim reflection of the portrait which, with inimitable effect of 
 mingled pathos and drollery, he used to paint of himself as 
 he was when the missionary found him in his den in Cherry 
 Street ; not that he gloried in the picture, or in the revela- 
 tions of sin and crime of which it was the product, but 
 because he gloried in the power of Jesus to save, and loved 
 to magnify that power, and to illustrate it by what was to 
 him its most real and conscious manifestation — the contrast 
 between what sin had once made him, and that to which 
 grace had redeemed him. 
 
 Shortly before the time of which I am writing, Mr. Oliver 
 Dyer, a vigorous writer on current local events, had written 
 and published in Packard's Monthly for July, 1868, an arti- 
 cle entitled " The Wickedest Man in New York," which had 
 a wide circulation and excited a profound interest. It was 
 extensively reproduced in the daily and weekly papers 
 throughout the country, and eagerly read by all classes. It 
 was a revelation to many of the moral and Christian people 
 of New York and elsewhere, who had before known nothing 
 of the inner life of the dance-houses, rat-pits, and other cen- 
 tres of vice and human degradation with which Water 
 Street and its surrounding thoroughfares were at that time 
 crowded. It brought down on that previously benighted 
 region an army of curiosity-seekers, clergymen, missionaries. 
 
158 In the Lioris Den. 
 
 religious enthusiasts, and others, who contemplated the scene 
 of the " Wickedest Man's" exploits with varied emotions 
 and comments. Some good people were distressed with the 
 thought that Oliver Dyer had only succeeded in advertising 
 the dreadful business on which the locality thrived, and, by 
 investing it with a spice of romance, had only made its 
 naked repulsiveness more alluring to the vicious tastes of 
 many who had previously shunned it as too deep a depth 
 for them. But the keen wits of the proprietors of the dens 
 which filled the neighborhood, and their practical eye to 
 financial results, soon grasped the true outcome of it all ; and 
 they hit the nail on the head when they said with blunt 
 sincerity, " It has spoiled our business. All these white cho- 
 kers and black coats, and all this respectability, and hymn- 
 singin', and prayin', and preachin', are keeping away our cus- 
 tomers ; and these fellows don't buy any beer or whiskey, or 
 dance with the girls." And after a few months many of 
 them had thrown up the sponge and quit in disgust. 
 
 Meanwhile some of the missionaries and workers con- 
 nected with the Howard Mission had been exploring this 
 moral wilderness, and among other noted apostles of vice, 
 had fallen in with John Allen, the " Wickedest Man" of 
 Oliver Dyer's article. 
 
 Allen was of respectable family, and a man of good intel- 
 ligence, fair education, and considerable means. Two or 
 three of his brothers were ministers of the Gospel. At this 
 time he seemed to glory in the audacity and hardihood with 
 which he sinned against light. His dance-house was a place 
 of the vilest resort, and he ruled with an iron band and a 
 heart of stone the wretched women who inhabited it, and 
 the hapless sailors and others whom they enticed into it. 
 By some peculiar tact, aided by the mysterious influences of 
 
Prayer in a Dance-house. 159 
 
 Divine grace, the missionaries and the Christian gentlemen 
 who accompanied them in frequent visits to this vile den, 
 found their way to the good graces of its hardened master. 
 
 One day they proposed that he should permit them to 
 hold a prayer-meeting that evening in his dance-hall. In a 
 spirit of good-humored bravado he told them they might 
 try it if they liked, and take the consequences, but refused 
 to have anything to do with it himself. That evening, after 
 the scraping of the fiddle and the shuffling of feet had 
 ceased, one of them stepped quietly into the room, and 
 kneeling in the middle of the sanded floor, said, "Let us 
 pray ;" and before the astonished company had taken in the 
 meaning of the unwonted spectacle, he was pouring out, in a 
 voice thrilling with emotion, his eyes streaming with tears, 
 an earnest prayer to God for the souls of all present, from 
 John Allen down to the wretched fiddler in his corner. 
 The effect was magical. Instead of the expected scoffs and 
 gibes which Allen had predicted, and which the brave mis- 
 sionary had braced himself with the enthusiasm of martyr- 
 dom to meet, there was utter silence for a few minutes, 
 save the voice of prayer, and then a sob here and there, 
 and finally tears and sobs all around that room, whose walls 
 had heretofore echoed only the profane and obscene speech 
 and the hollow laughter of undisguised licentiousness and 
 riot. 
 
 These events marked the beginning of the " John Allen 
 Excitement" as it was called, to which Jerry refers in his 
 autobiography. 
 
 Allen himself so far yielded to moral and religious in- 
 fluences as to become thoroughly ashamed of his wretched 
 business, and to abandon it. He offered his house for reli 
 gious meetings, which for a while were continued there, took 
 
i6o Conversion 0/2,16 Water Street. 
 
 part in them himself, and expressed a desire for reformation 
 and a better life. He was, after all, a man with a tender 
 spot in his heart. He has come to me and told me of his 
 struggles with the demons that had taken up their abode in 
 his soul, and has laid his head on my shoulder and sobbed 
 like a child, as he told me that he would give all he had in 
 the world to bring back the pure iniluences of his child- 
 ,hood, and blot out the record of his sinful and debauched 
 life. He was, however, a vain man, and courted the noto- 
 riety of being held up as a hard case reformed. He was 
 saturated with vice and with the appetite for drink, and, 
 although manifestly touched and moved, he did not seem 
 to show those evidences of thorough reformation, and of 
 the work of grace in his heart, which those interested in 
 him hoped at one time to witness. He never went back to 
 the miserable business in which he had been so long en- 
 gaged, but opened a respectable grocery-store in Roosevelt 
 Street, and died a few years afterward. It is not for human 
 eye to discern, or human tongue or pen to say, that the 
 influences of the remarkable religious outburst, in which he 
 had unwittingly cut so conspicuous a figure, were lost upon 
 him, or that on the banks of Jordan, or midway in its 
 swelling stream, he did not meet and know the Saviour 
 who had died for him, and hear repeated the gracious 
 words that had opened the gates of Paradise to a dying 
 thief on Calvary, eighteen hundred years before. 
 
 After meetings had been held in his dance-house for 
 a while, it was thought best to transfer them to another 
 place, and the lease of a neighboring notorious dance-house 
 was bought out and the work transferred to it. This was 
 No. 316 Water Street, where Jerry McAuley first publicly 
 testified of salvation and where he afterward commenced 
 
Preaching in Strange Places. i6i 
 
 his own work, and where the " McAiiley Water Street Mis- 
 sion" now stands. 
 
 I have thought that the foregoing brief sketch of the 
 beginning of active Christian work in Water Street would 
 be of interest to many not familiar with its history, and 
 would not be inappropriate here, on account of Jerry's refer- 
 ence to it, and its connection with his own restored life and 
 his subsequent work for the Master in the same locality. 
 
 It seemed at that time to those who were actors in the 
 scenes to which I have referred, almost as if a veritable 
 miracle was being wrought in the opening to religious in- 
 fluences and work of this abandoned and vice-ridden part 
 of the city ; as if the Holy Spirit went before them and pre- 
 pared the hearts of the godless throng who inhabited and 
 frequented it, and held the mouths and hands of those who 
 would before have cursed and stoned the messengers of the 
 Gospel. I have myself spoken from the steps of John 
 Allen's dance-house to a crowd filling Water Street almost 
 from Roosevelt to Dover, and been listened to with quiet 
 respect, where a few months before it would have been con- 
 sidered as much as a man's life was worth to attempt to 
 hold a religious service in the open air. We held prayer- 
 meetings in Kit Burns' rat-pit, — a rough amphitheatre in the 
 rear of a bar-room, — with the dogs growling, and the rats 
 squealing in their cages under the benches, while Kit's cus- 
 tomers, thronging his bar-room, looked on in respectful 
 silence, any tendency to the contrary being promptly sup 
 pressed by Kit himself. 
 
 11 
 
1 62 Jerry's Sincerity, 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 RECOLLECTIONS CONTINUED. 
 
 ' Christ first and last, Christ all day long, 
 My hope, my solace, and my song; 
 His love so full, so sweet, so strong. 
 Christ for me, Christ for me." 
 
 Unpromising as Jerry's appearance then was at first 
 sight, there was something irresistibly winning about him, 
 which at once awakened the interest of those who came 
 in closer contact with him ; and I became impressed, before 
 I had known him long, with the sincerity of his purpose, 
 and a sort of sturdy, manly independence and earnestness 
 which characterized him. I saw a good deal of him, and 
 we became fast friends. 
 
 After Jerry left prison he met for the first time one 
 whom he greatly respected and dearly loved, and who 
 afterwards was destined to become his devoted wife and 
 helpmeet in the work to which their Master called them 
 both. Some months previous to their marriage, Maria 
 visited her father's home down East, and while there, in a 
 little prayer-meeting at the Methodist church, God re- 
 vealed Himself to her longing heart, claiming alone the 
 glory of her new birth. Shortly afterwards, while visiting 
 her eldest sister, Mrs. Hatch, at the latter's home in New 
 Bedford, the inspiration of her new joy was the means of 
 her sister's conversion. When Maria returned to New 
 
A Wedding Ceremony. 163 
 
 York, she and Jerry were solemnly joined in marriage, the 
 writer and a few other friends being present. I do not 
 think I ever in my life was at a wedding which afforded 
 me more genuine satisfaction. Their sincere affection for 
 each other, sanctified by grace, was a revelation to me. 
 The past was never alluded to by either except to glorify 
 God. Their mutual devotion and what they were to each 
 other through all the trials and vicissitudes of their subse- 
 quent lives, and their final victory over the past, in re- 
 deeming the time, and winning the respect of all who 
 knew them, and until death parted them, does not need to 
 be told. 
 
 One of the first evidences of the change which grace 
 had wrought in Jerry was an ever-present desire and effort 
 on his part to be honest with God in all things great or 
 small, even those which might seem of little importance, 
 but which Jerry knew full well, from his own experience, 
 might prove a stumbling-block to some weak brother. It 
 was this blunt and uncompromising honesty before God 
 which was one of the immovable planks in Jerry's religious 
 platform. 
 
 " Be honest with God, and with yourself," he used to say 
 to those professing repentance and desire for a better life, 
 and yet seeming to be keeping something back ; " you can't 
 put off any humbugging lies on Him ; you may cheat me, 
 and maybe cheat yourself, but you can't cheat God. Turn 
 yourself inside out, and make a clean breast of it." 
 
 There was little room in Jerry's heart for hatred of any- 
 thing, after it became filled up with grace and with the 
 spirit of the Master ; but he did hate hypocrisy. This was 
 
164 A Keen Scent for Hypocrites. 
 
 about the only form of human weakness and depravity for 
 which he did not have unlimited charity and compassion. 
 He could not bear a hypocrite. It seemed as though he 
 could not breathe with patience the air that was tainted with 
 his presence ; almost as though he had a kind of magnetic 
 consciousness, that there was a hypocrite somewhere about, 
 before he got within a block of the Mission. He always 
 wanted to " fire them out" and keep them out. 
 
 This was about the only point on which Jerry and I ever 
 split. I used to think sometimes that he was too hasty in 
 his judgment, and too hard on those whom he thought were 
 not honest. I used to tell him that he might mistake 
 human inconsistency and the results of human weakness 
 for hypocrisy, and that there was hope that even a hypo- 
 crite might be reached by Divine grace, if he kept coming to 
 the meetings. We had some lively discussions about it, but 
 I could never make much impression on his convictions in 
 this respect. I had abundant occasion to admit that Jerry 
 had an uncommonly keen scent for hypocrisy, and sham 
 and fraud of every kind, and that his intuitions in detect- 
 ing them were generally correct. 
 
 One night in Water Street a man who had come forward 
 in the after-meeting was asked by Jerry, as his custom was, to 
 pray for himself. He began praying in a conventional and 
 stereotyped way, for all the poor sinners in the room, for 
 the heathen, and for everything else but his own salvation. 
 Jerry, feeling that the true ring was not there, kept still as 
 long as he could, and then turning to the man, said, " Look 
 here, my friend, you had better ask God to have mercy on 
 your soul," in a tone that would have seemed harsh and 
 unfeeling to any one who did not know as well as Jerry 
 did the kind of m£in he was talking to. 
 
A Peep at Jerry s Home. 165 
 
 Jerry and his wife both had a very vivid sense of the 
 change which grace had wrought in their lives and lot. 
 
 I used to visit them in the humble lodgings, always 
 scrupulously neat, in which they lived while Jerry was work- 
 ing at one thing and another that he could find to do, 
 before the Mission was opened. I had taken tea with them 
 one night, — they were living in Division Street then, — and 
 after tea we sat talking, and they told me a great deal 
 about their past lives. Their thoughts were all of the 
 wonderful things that God had done for them, and their 
 talk of the past seemed to bring home to them with renewed 
 force that night the blessedness they were then enjoying. 
 After relating some of the sad and bitter experiences which 
 sin had brought them, Maria, looking around the homely 
 but cheerful room, and then at Jerry, and then at me, drew 
 a long breath, and with a happy smile and glistening eyes 
 said, " Can it be possible this is us ?" 
 
 In those early days Jerry set an inestimable value upon 
 every token of trust in him. He had been so long hunted 
 and dogged and accustomed to the thought that he was an 
 outcast and outlaw whom nobody would trust out of sight 
 with the value of a cent, that it was a new and sweet expe- 
 rience to him to be trusted. What a moral invigorator a little 
 timely confidence and reliance on his honor was to him, and 
 may be to others in like circumstances, as illustrated in one 
 or two incidents, was often referred to in his public tes- 
 timonies. He used to say, after telling what a miserable 
 wretch, and moral and physical wreck he was before Jesus 
 picked him up, " Just look at me now [holding open his 
 coat and making a comical gesture of looking himself over], 
 I have everything a man could want. I have plenty to eat, 
 
1 66 Jerry among the Bankers. 
 
 a good home and good clothes, and / am respected and 
 trusted. Think of Jerry McAuley, the biggest bum that 
 used to hang out around this ward, turned into a respec- 
 table citizen. Why, a few years ago, if a man with five dol- 
 lars in his pocket met me coming down the street, he'd cross 
 over on the other side, and lucky for him too ; but now I 
 go down town, walk into a big banking-house, take an arm- 
 chair, put up one leg over the other, and talk with the boss 
 as big as life ; and they don't set any detectives to watch 
 me either, or send for a policeman to run me out. This is 
 what Jesus has done for me — made a man of me ; and he 
 will do it for you too if you will let him." 
 
 While Jerry was out of work, before he got steady em- 
 ployment, he used to come to me once in a while to see if I 
 could put him on the track of something to do. One day I 
 said to him, " Jerry, I have got a job for you if you will take 
 it. " His eyes brightened. 
 
 " I'll take anything that's honest," he said. 
 
 " Well, Jerry," I said, " I have got a little yacht down in 
 Gowanus Bay, that wants watching until I can sell it. Now 
 I want you to go and live on it, and take good care of it, 
 keep everything clean and in good order, and see that 
 nobody runs off with anything, and I will pay you $ — a 
 month and your grub." 
 
 " Will you trust me to do that ?" he said, with an expres- 
 sion on his face that, between what was to him the 
 comical side of anybody trusting him with valuable prop- 
 erty, and the emotion which the idea of being trusted 
 awakened when he had fairly taken it in, was a study. 
 The unaccustomed luxury of feeling that he was trusted, 
 got the upper hand, and his eyes filled with tears. 
 
 The bargain was struck, and the next day Jerry took up 
 
Confidence Appreciated. 167 
 
 his quarters on the little vessel. The boat had a lot of sil- 
 ver-plated ware on board of no great value ; but, as Jerry 
 told me afterwards, he thought it was " all solid silver, and 
 worth a mint of money ;" and, knowing that Gowanus Bay 
 was infested with river thieves, he was greatly oppressed 
 with the responsibility, and used to lie awake nights with 
 his revolver cocked, and jump up and creep out on deck at 
 the slightest sound of the stealthy dipping of oars. He 
 told me afterwards that he was haunted with the fear that 
 something might be stolen from the boat, and that when it 
 was missed I would think he had betrayed his trust, and he 
 determined that if anybody got anything out of that boat, 
 it should be over his dead body. " After you had trusted 
 me, I couldn't stand it, you know, to have you think ill of 
 me, and I would have died first," he said. Jerry often 
 used to tell this story, portraying his anxieties and describ- 
 ing his night encounters with imaginary river-thieves, with 
 inimitable effect, and would say, " When I found I was 
 trusted like that by a man who knew all about my past life, 
 I began to respect myself and think, ' Jerry McAuley, there 
 is a chance for you after all, and you will be somebody yet 
 before you know it,' and it gave me a big boost." 
 
 It was some time before Jerry succeeded in getting steady 
 employment. He worked for a while on one of the ferries, 
 then as a 'longshoreman, then on a steamship dock, always 
 ready to turn his hand to anything by which he could earn 
 an honest living. The persecutions of godless fellow-work- 
 men who mocked at his religion ; the injustice of foremen 
 who encouraged them, and embraced every opportunity to 
 place him at a disadvantage ; the requirement that he 
 should work on Sunday, and other like causes, drove him 
 
1 68 A Seriotis Question and a Safe Answer. 
 
 out of these different employments one after another, 
 These discouragements, however, never shook him from 
 his purpose to live an honest life, and to live it according to 
 the light with which the Holy Spirit had illumined his con- 
 science. 
 
 After a while the writer found a vacancy for a porter in 
 a sewing-machine establishment on Broadway, where he was 
 well known, which he determined to secure for Jerry, The 
 question which persons interested in procuring employment 
 for ex-convicts have often found an embarrassing one natu- 
 rally arose. Should I tell them frankly what he had been, 
 and try to induce them to take him and trust him, with a 
 full knowledge of his past criminal life, and his present pur- 
 poses to serve God and be an honest man ? Or should I 
 suppress all this, and simply recommend him as a man in 
 whom I had confidence, and trust to the chances of his past 
 remaining unknown ? I am aware that many good people 
 have held opposite opinions as to the best course to be pur- 
 sued in such cases. In Jerry's case it was decided in what I 
 believe to be the only right way, and the best and safest for the 
 reformed man or woman in the end. I talked with him about 
 it ; told him that, while it might be more difficult at first to 
 find a place for him involving any trust or responsibility, if his 
 story was frankly told, I was sure it would be better in the 
 long-run to be square and open about it and trust God ; tljat 
 if he went into this place, for example, under false or con- 
 cealed colors, some one might turn up at any time who had 
 known him, and, pointing him out, whisper in the ear of his 
 employers or his fellow-workmen that they were harboring 
 and working side by side with a man who had worn the 
 stripes and been behind the bars ; when he would probably be 
 turned out in disgrace, no matter how honest and faithful 
 
He would not be a Fraud. i6g 
 
 he had been, and be a marked man. Jerry fully agreed 
 with me, and, with the unflinching honesty to which I have 
 already referred, saidj " I don't want any hiding or dodging. 
 I won't be a fraud in any way, whatever else I am. I want 
 to be just Jerry McAuley, and nothing else." I then went 
 to the establishment mentioned, and told them frankly about 
 Jerry's past life — ^who and what he was, and what I knew he 
 was resolved hereafter to be. I told them what I had seen 
 and known of his new life, and expressed my entire confi- 
 dence in his sincerity and honesty. They looked grave at 
 first, but became warmly interested in my account of Jerry. 
 They hesitated, however, fearing that his past career would 
 be discovered, and make trouble among the others. Finally 
 I said, " Take him ; trust him ; make no attempt to conceal 
 his history ; let all your other men know that you know all 
 about him, and have taken him for what he is, and I will be 
 responsible for him ; if he runs oil with anything, send me 
 the bill." They took him, and he remained in their employ- 
 ment until, in the enjoyment of the confidence and respect 
 of the entire establishment, he left it to open the Mission 
 in Water Street. When I told him, after he had been there 
 a while, what I had said to them, and added laughingly, 
 " If you should get away with a half-dozen truck-loads of 
 sewing-machines some night it might break me," he said 
 with an amused look, but with emotion, " You shall never 
 be ashamed of me or sorry you said that. If the cellar 
 where I work was a gold mine, or had diamonds lying all 
 around loose, your promise should never cost you a cent." 
 
 While he was working there I used to call frequently to 
 see him. He worked in the packing-room in the basement, 
 which had an entrance down a flight of steps on the side 
 
1 70 Jerrfs Love of Singing. 
 
 street. When I wanted to see him I used to run in that 
 way. One day I called, and did not see him in his usual 
 place. I waited a while, and presently he came out from 
 behind a pile of packing-cases in one corner, with a radiant 
 face. He said, " When I get lonesome and discouraged, and 
 feel the blues coming on, I go down on my knees behind 
 that great pile of boxes and pray, and then I am all right 
 again." 
 
 Jerry was passionately fond of singing, and had great faith 
 in its efficacy as a means of grace to the converts, and in its 
 power to attract those whom he sought to reach. He 
 would say, when a verse of a hymn had not been sung to suit 
 him, " Try that again ; sing as if you meant it, and don't 
 go to sleep over it. It will do you good. Why, if people 
 should judge by the way you sung that verse they'd think 
 your religion was an awfully dull and up-hill business. Now, 
 let's raise the roof;" and suiting the action to the word, he 
 would sing as if his whole soul and body went into the hymn. 
 
 Sometimes at the beginning of the meeting, when the 
 chapel was not filling up as fast as he would like to see it, 
 he would give out a hymn like " Pull for the shore," or 
 " Let the lower lights be burning," in which there was ample 
 scope for volume of sound, and say, " Open both the doors 
 there wide. Now sing so they can hear you clear down to 
 Dover Street and up to James Slip." And they did. 
 
 He was very impatient of long-winded harangues in a 
 testimony-meeting, and was inexorable in enforcing the 
 " one-minute rule" with which he had placarded the chapel, 
 even at the expense of giving oflence to thin-skinned people 
 who were unused to his blunt ways and did not know 
 
Suffering but Praising. 1 7 1 
 
 the wealth of tender solicitude for sinners that lay under- 
 neath his sharpest criticisms and his rudest speech. " These 
 long-winded fellows kill the meeting," he would say. 
 " Wind 'em up and set 'em a-going, and they don't know 
 when to stop. Now speak short. If you've come in here 
 with a long yarn all fixed up nice, with a beginning and a 
 middle and an ending, just cut off both ends and give us 
 the middle. I was a poor drunkard, a miserable loafer and 
 tramp, without a decent coat to my back, full of wickedness 
 and sin, and a terror around this terrible ward. Jesus 
 picked me up and saved me, and has kept me saved. Glory 
 to His name ! There's my testimony, and it didn't take me 
 a minute to tell it either." 
 
 When his health began to fail and the trouble with his 
 lungs, the seeds of which had perhaps been sown in those 
 dreadful nights on the river, had begun to be serious, he 
 would sometimes, after an attack of pneumonia or a hemor- 
 rhage, almost literally crawl down-stairs to the meeting. 
 At such times he would say, with a tenderness and solem- 
 nity that filled our hearts with emotion and our eyes with 
 tears, "They say I've got only one lung and part of another. 
 I am weak and sore, and it hurts me sometimes to talk ; 
 but I think of what the dear Jesus suffered for me, and 
 my heart is xfuU. I am happy. Sometimes I think I can't 
 live very long ; it seems as if my lungs were all gone ; but 
 while I've got a piece of a lung left I want to use it to 
 speak for Jesus. I want to praise Him with my dying 
 breath." 
 
 He had a wonderful faith — a faith which was childlike in 
 its simple and confiding trust, yet firm as a rock. It was of 
 
172 Consecrated Persistency, 
 
 a very practical sort too. He believed in direct and specific 
 answers to prayer, of which he had frequent and unmistak- 
 able experiences, and in the interposition of God in matters 
 unseen and unknown by us until the need, and the divine 
 hand supplying it, are revealed to us at the same time. 
 Once the old building in Water Street needed some repairs, 
 and when the plaster had been stripped off the ceiling, 
 showing the ends of the beams all rotted away, Jerry said, 
 " It seems as though God's hand held up that old second 
 floor, for there was nothing else to hold it up ;" and he be- 
 lieved it. 
 
 He was very persistent in whatever he undertook, in 
 accordance with what he believed to be the will of the 
 Lord. His obstinacy in the pursuit of anything to which 
 he was persuaded that God had called him was beyond the 
 power of human persuasion or reasoning to overcome. 
 
 When he felt that his work in Water Street was done, 
 and that he was called to labor up-town, I did not think 
 it was wise for him to leave Water Street, broken in health 
 as he was, and assume the responsibilities and labors of a 
 new enterprise ; and I earnestly and honestly opposed it. 
 But notwithstanding his love for me and his respect for my 
 opinions my disapproval did not cause him to falter or 
 waver for a moment, and the Cremorne Mission was the 
 result. 
 
 I was afterwards glad to see and to acknowledge that 
 Jerry's divinely-guided impulses were right, and that what 
 I thought my cool-headed judgment was wrong. 
 
 His work and its influences were not limited to any par- 
 ticular class. His principal aim was the salvation of out- 
 
All at One Fountain. 1 73 
 
 cast men and women ; for this he labored and thought and 
 prayed ; but his work had a reflex influence which spread 
 out through all classes, and by means of it hundreds of 
 refined and cultivated people were led to Christ, and a mul- 
 titude of Christians were aroused and animated to higher 
 and better lives, and to more earnest and believing work 
 for Jesus. 
 
 He used to say, after exhorting the drunkards and those 
 low down in sin to come to Jesus and be saved, and calling 
 on the Christian people present to pray for»them, "and 
 don't let us forget the kid-glove sinners, who need it as bad 
 as any of these poor fellows." "God is no respecter of 
 persons," was one of his favorite sayings ; and nothing de- 
 lighted his heart more than to see a seal-skin sacque or a 
 broadcloth coat, at the bench side by side with an old red 
 shirt or a ragged and dishevelled dress, the wearers of both 
 taking in the water of life from the same fountain. 
 
 Jerry's public speaking was often a curious mixture of 
 pathos and wit, quotations from Scripture, and the vernacu- 
 lar slang of the class whom he addressed. The conventional 
 notions of propriety of refined and fastidious Christians 
 were sometimes startled and shocked by his quaint and 
 blunt speech, his mimicry, his total disregard of the tones 
 and manner which they had previously regarded as insepa- 
 rable from proper and becoming religious speech, and his 
 revelations of the sin and depravity of his past life ; but 
 when they came often enough to see how all this was sig- 
 nally blessed and honored of God to the salvation of men, 
 their jealousy for the proprieties went down before their 
 interest in the results. 
 
 I have frequently seen Christians restless and ill at ease, 
 
174 Jerrys Touching Prayers. 
 
 and manifestly disturbed, as they listened for the first time 
 to one of his characteristic exhortations or testimonies, and 
 afterwards melted to tears, and swept into resistless sym- 
 pathy with him, his work, his methods and all, as they 
 listened to one of his indescribably tender and touching 
 prayers over some sobbing penitent, and felt themselves 
 borne by it nearer to the cross of Christ and the gate of 
 heaven, than the studied rhetoric of the pulpit or the 
 dignified propriety of a church prayer-meeting had ever 
 brought them. 
 
Jerrys Characteristics. 175 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 MR. hatch's " recollections."— Cb«t/«</^«/. 
 
 "Grace all the work shall crown, 
 Through everlasting days; 
 It lays in heaven the topmost stone, 
 And well deserves the praise." 
 
 It would be difficult, if not altogether impossible, to so 
 analyze Jerry's character or define the sources of his influ- 
 ence and success as to create out of them an available model 
 upon which other regenerated roughs may be moulded 
 into future Jerry McAuleys. His downright sincerity, his 
 earnestness and singleness of purpose, his indomitable 
 pluck and perseverance, and his devout piety are indeed 
 alike worthy and susceptible of imitation by any man, 
 whatever his past record may be, who yields himself up, 
 as Jerry did, to the love and service of the Lord Jesus. 
 
 Those peculiarities and distinctive traits which went to 
 make up his personality cannot be portrayed like the well- 
 defined lines and curves of a mathematical figure, to be 
 copied and reproduced at will. The coming transformed 
 rough or criminal, who shall set out to become by imitation 
 a second Jerry McAuley will probably prove a lamentable 
 and ludicrous failure. He imitated no one ; he was himself 
 inimitable ; he stands alone, a unique example of the Divine 
 selection of material, which, in its rough state, it is safe to 
 say, ninety-nine out of every hundred religious experts would 
 have unhesitatingly rejected ; and of what may be wrought 
 
176 His Originality. 
 
 by the grace of God and the love of Jesus out of and 
 through the sort of stufT that Jerry was made of. 
 
 It is alike impracticable to formulate his methods, as a 
 system or a plan of Christian work. He worked in his own 
 way, in the only way in which it was possible for him to 
 work, and in many respects as he alone could have worked 
 successfully. He could not be pared down, or rounded off, 
 or adjusted to any pattern set by another, or fitted to any 
 conception that well-meaning friends may have entertained 
 as to what he ought to be and do. He was Jerry McAuIey 
 by the grace of God, and as such let us be thankful for him. 
 
 His work, and that of the missions which bear his 
 name and perpetuate his influence, and the undeniable 
 success which even the severest critics of their direct 
 and homely way of attacking sin and saving sinners have 
 been compelled to recognize, have, however, given a 
 new value to methods and instrumentalities which had 
 previously been contemplated by many conservative and 
 over-refined Christians with grave distrust, and in some 
 cases even with undisguised contempt ; and have imparted 
 a new impulse to their use, in connection with missionary 
 effort for the salvation of the lost and for the reclamation 
 of those whom the more refined and stately ministrations of 
 the pulpit have failed to reach. 
 
 The holding of nightly meetings throughout the year 
 without interruption or break, where men and women 
 burdened with sin, broken down and shattered by de- 
 bauchery and vice, homeless and hopeless, hungry, ragged 
 and defiled, drunk or sober, fresh from the prison or the 
 gutter, are welcomed, are made to feel that somebody cares 
 for them and that their wretched past has not maide de- 
 cency and respectability in this life and salvation in the 
 
New Methods of Work. 177 
 
 life to come impossible to them, and are taught that 
 Jesus died for them and that God loves them ; the direct, 
 unconventional, blunt presentation of religious truth, in lan- 
 guage which is familiar to the classes to whom it is ad- 
 dressed and the force of which they can appreciate; the 
 personal experiences and testimonies of those who have 
 been saved, carrying practical conviction and hope to the 
 hearts of others who are what the saved ones once were, 
 and persuading them that there is salvation for them also — 
 these are among the more prominent characteristics of 
 Jerry's work which have been so signally honored and 
 blessed of God to the salvation of many, and which have, 
 through it, become more conspicuous features in missionary 
 effort than ever before. 
 
 This is especially true of the practical preaching of the 
 Gospel of salvation through the personal testimonies of the 
 saved; and it has been found that, just as the personal 
 witness of a blind man whose eyes have been opened is 
 a more effective advertisement of the skill of the physi- 
 cian who opened them, to send other blind men to him, 
 than a whole volume of essays on the theory of blind- 
 ness and its cure, so the sincere and simple declaration, " I 
 was a drunkard, a gambler, a thief, homeless, ragged, de- 
 spised and outcast, and Jesus picked me up and saved me, 
 and has made me respectable and happy, filled my soul 
 with peace, and opened to me the gates of Paradise," has 
 infinitely more power to attract the faith of others in like 
 wretchedness and despair to the Jesus who has done all 
 this, than a whole library of sermons on the nature of sin 
 and the theology of the plan of salvation. 
 
 Multitudes of Christians have felt their pride of culture 
 
 humbled, their refinements of taste in respect to religious 
 
 13 
 
1 78 Power of Testimonies. 
 
 methods rebuked, and their sense of the power of Divine 
 grace and of the superiority of infinite wisdom over human 
 judgment in the selection and use of means, lifted up 
 higher, as they have seen in Jerry's meetings how God has 
 chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the 
 wise, and the weak things to confound the mighty, and the 
 base things and things which are despised, that no flesh 
 should glory in his presence ; and have learned in humilia- 
 tion and shame for their past fastidiousness, that it ill be- 
 comes human frailty to despise or criticise or hold in light 
 esteem that which God has honored and dignified. 
 
 In explanation of many of the testimonies which are 
 heard in these Mission meetings, the following extracts from 
 the report of an address delivered by the writer of these 
 notes, at an anniversary of the McAuley Water Street 
 Mission five or six years ago, may not be out of place. 
 
 The experience and observation of the intervening years, 
 in intimate connection with work of this kind, has in no 
 wise changed or modified the views then expressed. 
 
 " Although the testimonies given in these meetings are well 
 understood by those who are familiar with them and with 
 the personal histories of those who utter them, occasional 
 visitors from an entirely different condition in life, and ac- 
 customed to quite another phase of religious experience, 
 may sometimes misapprehend them and question the genu- 
 ineness of the spiritual experiences of which they are the 
 expression. 
 
 " It is difficult for Christians whose position and circum- 
 stances in life when converted were those of respectability 
 and comfort to realize all that religion — salvation through the 
 Lord Jesus Christ — means to many of these people whose tes- 
 
Salvation Present and Practical. 1 79 
 
 timonies are to be heard there. While it means to them the 
 same cleansing from sin, the same inward peace, the same 
 hope of heaven, that it means to others; it means to 
 many of them, in addition to all this, much more besides. 
 To many of them it means, not only reconciliation to God, 
 but also reconciliation to human laws and to human society. 
 To some of them it means no more fear of the policeman's 
 grip or the detective's stealthy tread ; no more dread of the 
 prison and the gallows ; no more weeks in the Tombs ; no 
 more months on Blackwell's Island ; no more dreary years 
 at Sing Sing o;- Auburn. To them it means an honest life ; 
 the confidence and trust of their fellow-men ; liberty to walk 
 upright in broad day, unhunted, and without a price upon 
 their heads ; and the sweetness of eating in fearless security 
 the bread of honest toil ! 
 
 " To many others it means no more dreadful carousals in 
 beastly drunkenness ; no more bruised and aching heads ; 
 no more smashed crockery and mutilated furniture ; a wife 
 broken-hearted no more; and their children fleeing from 
 them no more in terror ! It means no more journeys to the 
 pawn-shop ; no more homeless wanderings in the streets by 
 day ; no more sleepless nights in station-houses, or in dirty 
 dens, or on the docks, or in the gutters ! 
 
 " To these men and women salvation means decent cloth- 
 ing instead of rags, cleanliness instead of dirt and vermin. 
 It means parents reconciled, home restored, wife and chil- 
 dren happy and smiling. It means food and raiment and 
 employment and friends and self-respect, and everything 
 else that makes human life comfortable and happy. We 
 need not wonder, therefore, that, in attempting to tell what 
 Jesus has done for them, they speak of these things. Good 
 Christian people, coming as visitors to these meetings, and 
 
i8o A Story Not Soon Told. 
 
 hearing these testimonies but once, or only at long inter- 
 vals, are sometimes disturbed with the fear that these men 
 and women are not soundly converted. Hearing them, in 
 the fulness of their gratitude, and in the warmth of their 
 love, tell of the homes, the friends, the food, the clothing, 
 the good wages, and the comforts of life which the service 
 of God has brought to them, the stranger may sometimes 
 say, ' Why, these people seem to value salvation only for the 
 material comforts and rewards which it brings to them ! ' 
 
 " We who know them, and hear them often, know better 
 than this. When they speak here, they are limited in their 
 testimonies to one minute, in order that as many as possi- 
 ble may have an opportunity to speak at each meeting. A 
 man cannot tell all that he feels and knows of the love of 
 God and of the blessings of salvation in one minute. One 
 has to hear them ten, twenty, fifty times, before all that 
 they have to tell of the goodness of God and the happiness 
 of serving their new-found Master and Redeemer comes 
 out. I have heard some of them testify a hundred times ; 
 and each time have found that not half the story of their 
 redemption had yet been told. And we who have heard 
 their testimonies most frequently, and know their hearts 
 and their lives best, have found that those who have the 
 most grateful sense of these present blessings and material 
 benefits, which the love and service of Jesus have brought 
 into their lives, and who speak first and often of these 
 things, have also the strongest faith in God, the sweetest 
 experiences of inward peace and spiritual communion with 
 him, and the brightest and most stedfast hope of eternal 
 life. 
 
 " These testimonies show that if there is one truth of the 
 Gospel more clearly illustrated in the experiences of the 
 
// Pays in This Life. 1 8 1 
 
 people converted in this mission than another, it is that 
 ' godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of 
 the life that now is, and of that which is to come.' To the 
 poor, wretched, homeless wrecks of body and soul, that 
 drift into the meetings, the truth is preached in every testi- 
 mony : ' It pays in this life to serve Jesus,' 
 
 " It is of but little use to preach this truth to the well-to-do 
 sinner, surrounded by wealth, friends, and all the comforts 
 of Hfe. He thinks that he already has the ' promise of the 
 life that now is.' Salvation means to him self-sacrifice, a 
 surrender of some of the riches, pleasures, and self-indul- 
 gences in which he revels. To move him to repentance and 
 godliness, you must appeal to his conscience, and his duty 
 to his Maker, and must turn the current of his thoughts to 
 ' that life which is to come.' But to many of the outcasts 
 who wander into these meetings there is little need to 
 preach of a heaven and a hell hereafter ; for when they come 
 in sorrow and penitence to the Lord Jesus, and surrender 
 themselves to Him, they are fleeing from a present hell on 
 earth ; and when they are converted a heaven begins to 
 them right here and now. 
 
 " Their most frequent thoughts and expressions, therefore, 
 are not so much about the penalties of sin and the rewards 
 of righteousness in the life to come, as about this truth — 
 which has been revealed to them — that ' godliness is profita- 
 ble unto all things, having promise of the life that now is.' 
 To them the dividing line in human existence is not so much 
 the grave separating between time and eternity, as it is the 
 hour in which they were lifted up out of a visible hell on 
 earth, into what is to them a present heaven, and began to 
 enjoy the ' promise of the life that now is.' 
 
 " Afterward, when they have come to realize the terrible 
 
x82 Good for Both Worlds. 
 
 abyss of eternal woe from which the blood of Jesus has re- 
 deemid them, and their hearts begin to take in some con- 
 ception of the things which God hath prepared for them 
 that love Him, then their faith lifts itself up and takes hold 
 on eternal realities, and they learn the higher strains of the 
 song of redemption. But they never cease to remember 
 and to testify that it is Jesus who, in saving them from sin 
 now, has saved them from the wretchedness and shame 
 which sin had brought into their lives." 
 
 The preparation of the foregoing sketch has been a labor 
 of love. Its purpose, however, has not been merely to en- 
 circle the head of Jerry McAuley with a glory, after the 
 manner of the old masters in adorning their canvas with 
 saintly figures; nor to throw a halo of romantic interest 
 around his life and work ; but rather to seek to bring into 
 stronger light, if possible, some of the practical lessons 
 which they suggest. 
 
 If it shall reawaken in the heart of any lost and despair- 
 ing sinner, hopes long overlaid with sin and buried out of 
 sight and consciousness under the wreckage of a reckless 
 and debauched life ; or if it shall give an encouraging im- 
 pulse to any, who, having been born into the kingdom of 
 God out of the rough places in life without education or 
 previous Christian training and burdened with a sense of 
 their lack of those requirements which go to make up a con- 
 ventional outfit for usefulness, are sorrowfully asking " What 
 can I do for Jesus ?" ; or if it shall serve to stimulate any of the 
 Christian men or women into whose hands the providence 
 of God may bring it, to more believing and earnest work for 
 the salvation of those whom, perhaps, they have hitherto 
 considered beyond hope — its highest aim will have been 
 fumUed. A. S. H. 
 
In Water Street with Jerry. 183 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 EVERY EVENING IN WATER STREET. 
 
 Hark ! how the blood-bought hosts above 
 Conspire to chant the Saviour's love 
 In sweet harmonious strains ! 
 
 We'll join the song ! for we can tell 
 How sovereign grace dissolved the spell 
 
 That kept us bound in chains ; 
 And from that dear and happy day, 
 How oft we've been constrained to say 
 
 That grace triumphant reigns ! 
 
 In the year 1880 a pamphlet entitled " Down in Water 
 Street Every Evening" was prepared by Mr. William R. 
 Bliss of this city. The little work gives a graphic portrait 
 of the Water Street meetings as conducted by Jerry that is 
 worthy of being recorded in more permanent form. That 
 part of its contents has, therefore, with slight condensation, 
 been copied, and is presented in the two following chapters. 
 It was the custom then, as it is now, after a brief service of 
 song, to offer prayer for divine blessing, and then to read 
 from God's Word. This done, Jerry would introduce the 
 testimonies by giving his own. These are his words as given 
 in the pamphlet mentioned : 
 
 " The meeting is now open for testimonies. Every one 
 who wants to speak for the Saviour can have one minute to 
 speak in. There are a good many here that have got reason 
 to testify what the Lord has done for them. Now don't be 
 
184 Eleven Years' Experience. 
 
 afraid to do it ! Stand right up, young converts ! Jesus 
 said, ' Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I 
 confess before my Father in heaven.' Stand up and con- 
 fess him, and it will give you a good boost towards heaven 
 every time you do it. Speak short, or you'll rob somebody 
 else of a chance ; long-winded speeches will kill a meeting 
 quicker than lightning ! If any of you feel like making a 
 long speech, just cut ofl both ends and give us only the 
 middle of it ! 
 
 " I'll tell you my experience, and I won't be long about 
 it. This blessed Jesus saves me. He saves me to-night 
 from being a drunkard, and a gambler, and a thief, and a 
 fraud, and everything else that you can put in. He saved 
 me eleven years ago ; and he saves me more to-night than 
 he did then, because I've grown in grace. Bless his holy 
 name forever ! When I tell you that Jesus saves me, I 
 mean just what I say ! There's no sham about it ! I don't 
 tell you I was a drunkard, and a thief, and a fraud, to glory 
 in it. But I want you rough men to understand what Jesus 
 has done for me. Yes, when I was such a miserable sinner 
 that I hadn't a friend, this blessed Jesus picked me up out 
 of the mud, and saved me from desiring to do those things 
 which I had been doing. And he saves me now. Who 
 wouldn't love the name of Jesus ? The meeting is open." 
 
 Two or three immediately stand up to speak. 
 
 This man, thirty-two years old, was born and brought up 
 in Water Street ; became a fearless and desperate burglar ; 
 and came into the chapel for the first time about two years 
 ago, direct from the New Jersey State Prison. He says : 
 
 " If there's any unfortunate wretch here to-night, down 
 deep in crime as I was, I want him to know what Jesus has 
 done for me. My heart sometimes fills right up when I 
 
Liberty from God and Man. 185 
 
 think about it. I've been through all kinds of sin. I never 
 was intemperate. But I've been a desperate man, and I've 
 committed the worst crimes. I've been twice in State prison. 
 Many were the sad, sad years I've spent alone behind the 
 prison bars ! I thank God that I ever came into this Mis- 
 sion ! I came here looking for work. I didn't want religion : 
 I wanted an honest job. I listened to the testimonies, and 
 I saw that the men were in earnest ; and when Jerry gave 
 the invitation to come forward for prayers, I went. I knelt 
 down and prayed. I couldn't grasp the meaning of it. But 
 God in mercy heard me, and how he has blessed me since! 
 When I first came in here, I had just been serving a term of 
 seven years and seven months out of ten years. The man 
 that went in with me got twenty years, and it was only by 
 the mercy of God that I didn't get it ! 
 
 " But Jesus has forgiven my sins, and has made me a happy, 
 peaceful, and contented man, which I never was before. 
 Once I was afraid to go through the streets by daylight lest 
 the first policeman I met should tap me on the shoulder 
 and say, ' I want you ! ' But now I can look any man square 
 in the face and feel that I am honest, and am trying to do 
 what is right in the sight of God. My friends, if I didn't 
 know there's a reality in this religion I'd chuck it up ! I 
 wouldn't stand here talking in this way ; and my only object 
 in telling this is to induce some man who has been as bad 
 as I was to come to Jesus and be saved from his sins." 
 
 A 'longshoreman says: 
 
 " Jesus saves me to-night from being a drunkard, a gam- 
 bler, a thief, and every sinful habit. He has taken the desire 
 for sin away from my heart, because I ask him to do it 
 every day. A little more than six years ago I and my wife 
 were good-^for-nothing drunkards. What we had on our 
 
1 86 A Home Revolutionized. 
 
 backs when we first came into this Mission, put together, 
 wouldn't have fetched fifty cents in a junk-shop. Blessed 
 be God, it isn't so now ! If you knew what my home was 
 six years ago, and see it to-night, you'd say I've got out of 
 hell into heaven ! My old friends alongshore told me they'd 
 give me to hold on until I'd got a dollar to spend. But, 
 blessed be God, I haven't gone back yet ! What is there to 
 go back to ? Jesus keeps me, and he has sweetly kept me 
 and my wife for six years and a little more. Every promise 
 in the Bible has been fulfilled in my case. Although I used 
 always to steal sugar regularly from vessels I was discharg- 
 ing, I haven't stolen the value of one pin from any man for 
 more than six years, and haven't desired to ! Blessed be 
 God for this salvation ! Christian friends, pray for me." 
 This man's testimony has suggested the singing of 
 
 " What a friend we have in Jesus, 
 All our sins and griefs to bear," etc. 
 
 His wife follows him, saying : 
 
 " Six years ago there was never a more degraded sinner 
 than I was, to my shame be it said. My home was a drunk- 
 ard's hovel, and the principal thing there was the rum-bottle. 
 I kept coming to this Mission, but there was so much Ro- 
 manism rooted and grounded into me that it took a long time 
 for me to be willing to let Jesus in. But I can now say, 
 to the glory of God, that my sins are all forgiven, and the 
 past is under the Blood. In place of the rum-bottle we 
 have the Bible in our home, and it isn't kept for ornament ; 
 and if God calls us at any time, we are all packed up and 
 ready to go." 
 
 The young man now speaking is a steam-engineer, ac- 
 customed to earn fifty dollars a month. For ten years he 
 
It Made a Man of Him. 187 
 
 spent all his earnings in the rum-shops of Water Street and 
 its neighborhood : 
 
 " I do thank God that I ever came into this Mission ! It 
 has made a man of me ! I knew about it for years before I 
 came in ; but I preferred to spend my evenings in those 
 places on the corners over there. I never had a white shirt, 
 nor an overcoat, or any comfort or happiness, before I came 
 here, although I had money enough. I hadn't written my 
 mother for nine years, but when I began to come here I 
 wrote to her about it. I earn less wages now than I did 
 when I was serving the devil ; but I have got more, because 
 I don't use it to support the rum-sellers, and I don't spend 
 any of it in sin. Jesus saves me and keeps me every day ; 
 and oughtn't I to be thankful for it?" 
 
 This man is a graduate of Dartmouth College, where, he 
 says, he acquired his intemperate habits because he was 
 allowed too much money by his parents. He has practised 
 law in Massachusetts. Intemperance brought him to New 
 York, and he had been entirely abandoned by all, family and 
 friends, except his wife, when by chance he strolled into the 
 Mission from a low grog-shop in Chatham Square, where he 
 was existing : 
 
 " It is not long that I h^ve been coming to these meet- 
 ings. When I think of what I am now and what I was last 
 summer, I am astonished. I had nothing then. I have 
 everything that I need now. When my last cent was gone 
 I told my companion if he would go and sell my old linen 
 coat we'd take a drink with the money. When he brought 
 me the money I thought we had better get something to 
 eat, as we had not had anything for two days. So we went 
 and got two bowls of soup. That night I strayed into this 
 Mission, and I have not drunk any liquor since ! The other 
 
1 88 A Narrow Escape. 
 
 day I met my old companion, and he wanted to treat me. 
 ' What will you take ? ' said he. Said I, ' I'll take a box of 
 paper collars, as I need some ; but no more rum for me ! ' 
 The Lord Jesus has saved me, and I desire to serve him." 
 
 Another who was converted here, but is now living in a 
 Western town, has come in to express his gratitude : 
 
 " I can look back more than six years to the blessed Sab- 
 bath when God first sent me into this Mission, and began 
 his work in my heart. I began my drinking career on 
 Broadway, then drifted into the Bowery, and had got down 
 into Water Street when the Mission arms caught me. I was 
 thinking about it to-day, and I shuddered as I looked and 
 saw how few steps more it was to the river ! I realize how 
 very narrow was my escape from destruction! God has 
 been good to me in many ways, and, best of all, he has kept 
 me in the straight path." 
 
 A pale-faced man, recently from prison, says : 
 " I was a criminal from boyhood. My first sentence to 
 prison was when I was nine years old. I have served four 
 terms in prison. When I happened to come into this meet- 
 ing one night — and I was received with open arms — I was 
 tired of sin, tired of eating bread and water behind the bars. 
 The testimony I heard, together with the words of Mr. 
 McAuley, had a reaction on my mind. I knelt down and 
 prayed, and my sorrows were healed. I now have a voca- 
 tion, and I love my Saviour." 
 
 A young man who works in a printing-oflfice follows : 
 " I am only twenty^two years old. I was a drunkard four 
 years : in Albany, and Boston, and this city. Being a com- 
 positor by trade, I got work wherever I went. But my 
 wages all went for drink, and at last I became an inmate of 
 a low den in Chatham Square. For months I scarcely left 
 
A Strange Bed and a Hard Pillow. 189 
 
 it; when I got stupidly drunk I went into the back room 
 and slept on the floor, with forty or fifty others like myself. 
 My bed was a couple of newspapers, and a cheese-box for 
 a pillow. I was going such a way that I'd have turned 
 up my toes in a month or two longer, if I hadn't come in 
 here. One Sunday evening I thought I would go down here 
 and listen to the singing. When the invitation was given to 
 come forward for prayers, I went. And I went a good 
 many times afterwards. I was a Roman Catholic, and it 
 seemed hard work for me to get changed. But at last 
 Jesus extended his hand, and led me out of darkness into 
 light. He keeps me daily by simply trusting him." 
 
 This large man, with a beaming face, is the captain of a 
 three-masted schooner : 
 
 " It's very hard work to sit still here ! There's no one in 
 this room who has more reason to bless God than I have ; 
 and I should do injustice to the dear Lord if I should not 
 give my testimony. I feel that I owe all that I am to-night, 
 in answer to my mother's prayers. At fourteen years of age 
 I went to sea, as my father had done ; and I never shall for- 
 get that my mother kneeled down with me before I went 
 away, and she prayed, ' O Lord, keep my son from tempta- 
 tion ; he goes out to take his father's place,' The dear 
 Lord followed me to sea. He has saved me from sin, and 
 given me a clean heart ; and he gives me the evidence, 
 every day I live, that I am born of God ; that I am an heir 
 of heaven ! I am so glad to recomrtiend this same Jesus to 
 every sinner. Yes ; blessed be his name ! He can save if we 
 will only let him." 
 
 The man now rising to speak is a steamship officer : 
 
 " I thank God for ever having let me come to this Mis- 
 sion. When I was a youth I went to sea, and soon learned 
 
I go A Happy Exchange. 
 
 to sin ; I used to get drunk, and had a sore head and a sore 
 heart all the time. I didn't have a friend in the world. I 
 never lived right until God led me into this place. When I 
 gave Jesus my heart he saved me from my sins, and they 
 are no more to me. He has taken everything wicked out of 
 my desires. Jesus is my Saviour, and I don't do the things 
 I used to do, because he saves me. I know it is good to 
 be a servant of Jesus. I know it is hard to be a servant of 
 the devil. Since I've been serving God I've never had to 
 look for a ship. I ought to be thankful, indeed ; and I 
 hope you will pray for me. I'm far from what I ought to 
 be." 
 
 " I need thee every hour, 
 Most gracious Lord," etc., 
 
 is now sung. 
 
 This man is a truckman for the Bridgeport steamers : 
 " My testimony to-night is that Jesus saves me. I had a 
 good home once, and a good mother who prayed for me. 
 But I slammed the door in her face ; and for nine years I 
 gave all my earnings to the gin-mills, and had to go a-beg- 
 ging and to prison. I heard about this Mission one night 
 in a thieves' den in the Bowery. I wasn't sober when I first 
 came in here. The clothes I had on — some belonged to my 
 father and some to my brother. I didn't suppose I was 
 worth saving. I didn't know that anybody cared for me. 
 I heard the testimonies of men who had been drunkards and 
 thieves, like as I was. I thought I'd try to get this salva- 
 tion ; and I did. I went out of here that night a sober man. 
 Some ladies at the door shook hands with me and asked me 
 to come again. It touched my heart. I hadn't received 
 any such kindness since I left my mother. For nearly three 
 years now I've had the evidence in my heart that I am 
 
Heard His Own Life Described. 191 
 
 saved. I have been living careless lately ; but by the help 
 of God I'll live so no more." 
 
 This young man came here from Sing Sing prison. There 
 are sometimes fifteen or twenty men in a meeting who, like 
 him, have been " behind the bars": 
 
 " I am one of those Christ came to save. I want to tell 
 how he has saved me from my sins. When I first heard 
 the testimony of these men here, telling how they were 
 drunkards and thieves, and all that, I wasn't sober myself. 
 I sat off there by the door. But I heard what the men 
 said, and I said to myself, ' That's my life to a cent ! ' I 
 was arrested in the street right opposite here, and I got 
 five years in Sing Sing. I got the shower-baths, and the 
 ball and chain, there. I was in a lot of fellows that tried to 
 escape from prison on a raft. We got caught. One of 'em 
 was shot. If I'd been shot I know I'd been in hell to-night. 
 When he was adying he asked me to pray for him. I didn't 
 know how to pray! Never prayed in my life till I came into 
 this Mission ; and when I was invited I bounced right up for 
 prayers. I didn't wait. Jesus heard my prayer, and I feel 
 he has saved me. I know it. I like to come to the front 
 and tell it now, because there are some fellows coming here 
 that's just the kind I was, and I know Jesus can save 'em 
 from their sins if they want to be saved. I never was happy 
 till Jesus saved me." 
 
 This is an Erie Canal boatman now speaking : 
 
 " I bless God, to-night, that I have got an experimental 
 religion. The religion of Jesus is a religion that I can talk 
 about ! I haven't had it but a short time, but it fills me 
 with joy and peace every day ; and God being my helper, I 
 will tell of His saving grace as long as I live." 
 
 Then a man rises and says in a quiet tone : 
 
1 92 Swinging His Sledge for Jesus. 
 
 " My dear friends : I want to say that when I first came 
 in here, about four years ago, I was a poor lost drunkard, 
 without a coat to my back or shoes to my feet. I know I 
 was a nuisance everywhere. I wasn't worth ten cents ; and 
 I was ready to fight any man that put his fist in my face. 
 But, my dear friends, it isn't so now. God has given me 
 and my wife clean hearts and clean ways, and everything 
 that we need, and has given me a humble and quiet spirit ; 
 and he has made us civil. If a man now strikes me on one 
 cheek I think I am willing to turn to him the other also, if 
 thereby I can serve God. I swing my sledge every day at 
 my work with heavenly thoughts, and sometimes I forget 
 my mate on the other side of the anvil, and keep striking 
 as if it was one more blow for Jesus. My Christian friends, 
 pray for me that I may ever be humble and faithful." 
 
 A young man, who has spent many years in prison, says, 
 in an unpretending manner: 
 
 " I am thankful that God gives me a disposition to tell 
 what he has done for me. I thank him for keeping me 
 to-day in a time of temptation. I thank him for bringing 
 me in here to-night, and not letting me roam around the 
 streets as I used to do, committing all kinds of crimes. I 
 want you all to pray for me." 
 
 Another now rises and says: 
 
 " I am glad to testify that Jesus saves me from my sins. 
 How thankful I ought to be ! He saves me from gambling 
 and the use of tobacco and rum, and from everything that is 
 wicked and sinful. He makes me a clean Christian." 
 
 He is followed by a captain of a tug-boat, saying: 
 
 " When I came in here a few months ago, the testimonies 
 pricked me to the heart, and I didn't have any rest until 1 
 went to Jesus. Now I can say. ' For me to live is Christ, to 
 
Seamen Saved. 193 
 
 die is gain.' I seek his blessing and guidance every morn- 
 ing before I start my boat, and every night after I have 
 tied her up. I am trusting in him all the time." 
 
 This speaker is an officer of a sailing-ship: 
 
 "Friends," he says, "I've been following the sea all my 
 life. When I wore ship and began to sail under the Lord's 
 directions my shipmates said, ' You just wait and see how 
 soon you'll get fetched up with a round turn.' But, thanks 
 be to God, I haven't been fetched up yet ! Jesus keeps me. 
 He guides me with his counsel. He is the confidence of 
 the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon 
 the sea." 
 
 We sing 
 
 " He leadeth me I O blessed thought I" etc., 
 
 when a sailor rises and says : 
 
 " I've been a desperate man, but now I'm a sinner saved 
 by grace. I came along here and I heard the testimonies in 
 the meeting. I reckoned the men were honest, and I made 
 up my mind to wear ship and sail in the Lord's service. 
 Ho 1 shipmates, there is no service like that ! Bless the 
 Lord ! I've squared my yards by the lifts and braces, and 
 I'm bound to glory now !" 
 
 Another sailor says : 
 
 " The first night I went away from this place I went 
 aboard my ship and kneeled down in my cabin, and prayed 
 the Lord to save me from my sins. And when he saved me 
 I felt as my ship might feelwhen all the barnacles have 
 been scraped off from her : I felt as if I had been scraped 
 off clean inside and outside." 
 
 Then an old woman, with an Irish accent, says : 
 
 "This blessed Jesus saves old women too! I was a 
 18 
 
194 Saves Old Women Too. 
 
 drunken old thing, and told lies, and lived in a dirty hole, 
 and had nothing. Thanksgiving night my four years was 
 up since I first came in here. I was drunk then, but I 
 haven't been drunk since, and never will be, God helping 
 me! The Almighty God is good to me in everything. He 
 sent me a turkey Thanksgiving Day, with money tied to the 
 end of it, and I had turkey for seven days. When I came 
 to Jesus I hadn't two cents in my pocket. Now, blessed be 
 God ! I've got a clean home, and a carpet and pictures, and 
 I wouldn't be ashamed to ask any lady to come in there; 
 and I've got a clean heart inside too ! But I have to watch 
 and pray. Mr. McAuley told me never to go to my bed 
 without praying to the dear Jesus that saves us all, and to 
 pray every morning ; and I do. If there's anybody here that 
 don't love Jesus, they can't do better than kneel down and 
 pray to him. Jesus can save you, and he can take care of 
 you, too." 
 A German woman, who lives on a gravel-scow, says : 
 " Jesus saves me, too. I was a very bad woman a good 
 many years. I cursed, I sold rum, and I quarrelled with 
 everybody. I had a wicked temper. When the fire wouldn't 
 burn in my stove, I kicked it, and I tore up my Bible, which 
 I brought from Germany, to kindle the fire ! I was good 
 for nothing when I came in here. But, my dear friends, 
 Jesus has taken me up and forgiven my sins and made me 
 happy. I wouldn't go back on Jesus ; not for fifty dollars 
 a week! Jesus gives me more, because He gives me all I 
 need. There's nothing good for me to have that the Lord 
 doesn't give it to me. He gives me my daily bread, and 
 what do we need more ? We didn't carry nothing into the 
 world and we can't carry nothing out. One morning we 
 ^ad no bread, and my husband had no work. I went out 
 
The Basket Filled. 195 
 
 to look for work. I ought to have taken a pail with me, 
 but I took a basket, and I stood on the corner and I prayed, 
 'Jesus, help me!' Then I went to Sixth Avenue, and a 
 man came up and said, ' My good woman, do you want 
 some work? ' I said, ' Yes, sir.' He said, ' What have you 
 got a basket for?' I said, ' I don't know; but my husband 
 has no work and nothing to eat.' He said, ' Can you scrub 
 my store ? ' I said, ' Yes, sir.' When I got through he filled 
 up my basket with bread and potatoes, and he put on top 
 a leg of mutton, and told me to come to-morrow! Jesus 
 takes care of us. He gives me a good home, and he makes 
 me and my husband happy all th£ time." 
 
196 More Strains of Rejoicing. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 WATER STREET MEETING — Concluded. 
 
 " He Ibveth me; O joy divine ! 
 Celestial light doth round me shine. 
 And though unworthy I may be, 
 I know that Jesus loveth me." 
 
 The man now speaking is a truckman : 
 
 " I was once as bad a man as there was in this ward^ 
 But I had a praying mother, and God heard her prayers at 
 last, when I got so low that I couldn't help myself. I had 
 plenty of money once, but I spent it all for rum. When I 
 first came into this Mission I was without a dollar, without 
 a friend, and without a home. I had nothing but hard 
 knocks ; but I've got a good home now, and everything I 
 need. I have made some sad falls since I began to serve 
 the Lord, but I trust I have been forgiven." 
 
 A young man says : 
 
 " I thank the Lord Jesus that he saves me to-night from 
 being in a rum-shop, or down in a ditch with somebody 
 beating my eyes out. He gives me a desire to be with 
 God's people." 
 
 Immediately another says, with tears in his eyes : 
 
 •' When I first came in here I wasn't fit to be seen. I was 
 a perfect wreck. Nobody would have anything to do with 
 me — not even my family. I was such an outcast. But 
 Jesus has saved me, and kept me now nearly two years. 
 
He Read the Testimonies. 197 
 
 What a Saviour that is who takes you up after everybody 
 else has thrown you down! I'm so thankful to him! I 
 wonder at myself when I think of the change the blessed 
 Jesus has made in me and my home. He has given me a 
 home that's a perfect heaven on earth !" 
 Then another young man says: 
 
 "I never shall forget the night of October 18, 1879, when 
 the Lord Jesus gave me a new heart in this room. He has 
 suppressed my appetite for intoxicating drinks. He helps 
 me to resist temptation, and he makes my life all sunshine." 
 A man, who speaks with difficulty, rises and says: 
 " I was brought up with the roughest men ; there was a 
 gang of twelve of us ; three of 'em have been hung. I lived 
 right round here ; knew all about sin ; never knew anything 
 about God ; didn't care. Got up and went to bed every 
 day just the same. Sometimes was cruising round all night. 
 I had a little boy that died. I loved my boy ; never loved 
 anything pise so much. I felt bad when he died ; sat look- 
 ing at him in the coffin, and thought about death. Then 
 somebody came along and gave me a little book what told 
 about this Mission. I read two pages of testimonies; I be- 
 gan to think about God. I came here to get that same re- 
 ligion. I've been coming ever since. I was in the house 
 that stood here in '49 — a dance-house. I was a boy thirteen 
 years old then. Thank God, I have a Saviour now for 
 twenty-one months. I'm sending my children to school to 
 learn what their father didn't know. I'm fetching up my 
 children in the fear of the Lord." 
 
 A man rises and announces himself as a stranger: 
 " I never was in here before, but going by the door I 
 heard the singing, and thought I'd come in. I believe the 
 Holy Spirit is working in me, and gives me courage to stand 
 
198 A Journalist Saved. 
 
 up. I had a good, praying mother. I ran away from hef 
 nineteen years ago, when I was seventeen years old, and I 
 haven't seen her since. I've been a drinker, and a wanderer 
 all about the world. These testimonies touch my heart. I 
 feel a desire to live a better life. I want to ask you to pray 
 for me that I may be saved." 
 
 Prayers are offered on this request ; and then we sing — 
 
 " Come, ye sinners, poor and needy. 
 Weak and wounded, sick and sore{ 
 Jesus ready stands to save you. 
 Full of pity, love, and power; 
 He is able, He is willing; doubt no more." 
 
 This young man has been well educated : 
 
 " I never knew what it was to be poor, until I became a 
 drunkard. I have been a journalist ; for several years I was 
 proof-reader in the Government Printing Office at Washing- 
 ton. I lost my position through the use of alcoholic drinks, 
 and when I first came into this room — well, a scarecrow, 
 with any respect for his calling, would have blushed at me ; 
 would have left his place in the corn-field and walked out 
 when he saw me coming ! I had been on a spree for seven 
 weeks; was in rags, houseless, homeless, and friendless. I 
 was impressed with the sincerity and earnestness of the 
 testimonies I heard here. I found sympathizing friends 
 here. To-night I rejoice in a Saviour, and have in my heart 
 the evidence of sins forgiven. I am now eight weeks old in 
 the Christian life, and I pray that I may be faithful to the 
 end." 
 
 This speaker is a companion of the last. They came to 
 the Mission together, from a rum-shop in Chatham Square, 
 where they had spent most of their time ; ten of their com- 
 
A Little Girl's Prayers. 199 
 
 panions in that place have followed them here, one after the 
 other, and all are living the new life. 
 
 " It is now nearly eight weeks since I gave my heart to 
 God ; and when I remember all his loving-kindness to me, 
 my heart is full. I was a miserable drunkard, cast off by 
 my family, and had no object in life except to get money to 
 spend for liquor. I came here from curiosity one evening, 
 and, being vividly impressed by the testimonies, I went for- 
 ward when the invitation was given, and on my knees asked 
 God to forgive me for the past. He mercifully heard my 
 prayer. He has taken the desire of strong drink away from 
 me, and given me assurance that I am one of his children. 
 Jesus is very precious to me every day. I ask to be remem- 
 bered in your prayers." 
 
 This speaker is another convert from the same place : 
 
 " I shall never forget the night when I first entered that 
 door — all broken up, good for nothing, without hope and 
 without friends. I had been serving the devil for forty-two 
 years. I graduated number one in his school. What did 
 he do for me ? He left me without five cents in my pocket ! 
 I see some of my old companions standing near the door 
 there now. You needn't drop your heads down ; you 
 needn't feel ashamed to be here ! It was here I first found 
 hope and encouragement. 
 
 " If you will give me an extra minute, I would like to tell 
 a short story connected with my new life : 
 
 " About twelve months ago a motherless girl, only four- 
 teen years of age, whose father was a drunken outcast on 
 the streets of New York, became a Christian. Soon after, 
 she called on a Christian lady, and said, ' I have read in the 
 Bible that where two or three are met together in Christ's 
 name, there he is also. I want to ask the privilege to have 
 
20O A Family Made Happy. 
 
 a prayer-meeting in your house every morning before I go 
 to school, to pray for my father ; and as God may not know 
 whose father we are praying for, let us repeat his name in 
 every prayer.' For months they prayed, but God did not 
 answer. At last, on the night of the 28th of September, 
 1879, that father wandered into this Mission, and knelt weep- 
 ing in penitence, asking God for Christ's sake to pardon his 
 sins. That child was my daughter, and to-night I thank 
 God that I have found the way of salvation." 
 
 This man is a marble-polisher : 
 
 " It will take a long time to tell what Jesus has done for 
 me. It's nigh three-and-twenty months since I first came 
 into this Mission. I wasn't sober then. I had just stolen 
 the last penny that my wife had in the house. When I 
 came in that door, I thought I was coming into a sing-song 
 place. My oldest girl, eleven years old, never slept on a 
 bed until after I came here. The children laid down on a 
 bundle of rags in the corner and got up ready-dressed in the 
 morning, because they slept in their clothes. You ought to 
 see my wife and children now, if you want to know what a 
 change the religion of Jesus has made in my home. To- 
 night Jesus saves me from being a drunkard, a gambler, and 
 a thief. I thank God that I am now what he intended me 
 to be — an honest laboring man. I can go through the 
 streets to-night a free man in Christ Jesus." 
 
 A young man who speaks very earnestly, says: 
 
 " When I first came in here I was almost dragged up to the 
 front; but I'm glad to come to the front now. I'm so glad 
 this religion is free to all. I'm so glad it's as good for the 
 drunkard as for the moral man. When God called Noah to 
 make the ark, he done it just as much for the mosquito as 
 for the elephant. When my mother died I was drunk. I 
 
Husband and Wife Testify. 201 
 
 went to look at her dead body. I kissed her cold lips, but 
 I couldn't shed a tear. But when Jesus showed me my heart 
 I could cry. I was in prison Thanksgiving Day a year ago. 
 But now Jesus saves me, and feeds and takes good care of 
 me. Pray for me." 
 A young man says, with emotion : 
 
 " I shall never forget Thanksgiving night, 1879, when I 
 first came in here. I was a drunkard. If I ever had a good 
 thought I took a drink to wash it out. I found friends and 
 the Saviour here. Now I'm drinking > from heaven, and 
 don't thirst any more." 
 Another rises and says : 
 
 " I can testify to-night for Jesus, that his yoke is easy 
 and his burden is light." 
 Another man says : 
 
 "When I came into this Mission, two years and eight 
 months ago, I was a poor lost drunkard. I hadn't hardly 
 any shoes on my feet. Now I'm not in want of shoes or 
 anything else. I can't thank the dear Jesus enough for 
 what he has done for me. He gives me peace and joy in 
 my heart all the time." 
 This man is employed in Jersey City : 
 " My dear friends, I once led a wild and reckless life. I 
 came into this Mission three years ago and gave my heart 
 to my Saviour. I erected a family altar in our home. It is 
 a regular little paradise now. We always used to have a 
 fight and tumble down before we went to bed. Now we 
 always have prayers." 
 His wife rises and says : 
 
 " I thank God for the patience he had with me in my 
 wicked life, and for saving me now. I praise his holy name 
 to-night, and I pray that he will always keep me humble." 
 
202 A Poor Thief Saved. 
 
 A young man says : 
 
 " I thank God when I think what I am and what I was 
 eleven months ago. After trying repeatedly to save myself, 
 I gave my heart to God, and he has made a new man of me. 
 When I started I found the road kind of hard on account of 
 being brought up a Catholic. But I learned to take every- 
 thing to Jesus, and found him always ready to hear my 
 prayer. I once had a strong appetite for drink, and I got so 
 I couldn't earn enough to satisfy it, and I became dishonest 
 and had to serve a couple of terms in prison. But I thank 
 God I am a free man now in Christ Jesus," 
 
 This man, about fifty-four years old, has spent more than 
 half his life in eleven different English and American prisons. 
 He says : 
 
 "This blessed Jesus saves me from being a thief. My 
 parents were thieves. When I was eight years old I was in 
 the same prison with my mother and aunt. I was trans- 
 ported to Van Diemen's Land for seven years, and I've got 
 on my back the marks of the floggings I received there, nigh 
 forty years ago, for trying to run away. I kept on stealing, 
 and was sent to Australia for ten years ; and when I got out 
 I was stealing again, and they sent me to Gibraltar for five 
 years. I was three years in a solitary cell, and never came 
 out ! God gave me health and strength, and in all the times 
 I was coming out of prison I tried not to steal any more, but 
 I had stealing on the brain. When I came into this Mission, 
 on the 1 8th day of March, 1878, I was just down from Sing 
 Sing, where I had been doing four years. But God has 
 taken the desire for stealing out of my heart and put a 
 better desire there; and I haven't had a thought to steal 
 since. 1 am trying to serve God now. I ask an interest in 
 all your prayers." 
 
Jerry Extends the Invitation. 203 
 
 This man is a porter in a warehouse : 
 
 " There is, therefore, no condemnation to them who are 
 in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the 
 Spirit ; and I am glad to-night to testify that there is no 
 condemnation for me! Jesus Christ is a perfect Saviour. 
 He saves me completely. I feel the truth of that in my 
 heart every day, and we can all have the witness of the 
 Spirit in our hearts at any time if we only let Jesus give it 
 to us. I thank God that I am not knocking around this 
 ward to-night, as I was three years ago, beating some fellow- 
 man and spending my evenings in lager-beer saloons, drink- 
 ing and cursing, and taking God's name in vain. Oh, blessed 
 be God for this salvation which is free to all !" 
 
 This man, a Swede, has been connected with the Mission's 
 work for several years. He says : 
 
 " My youth was spent in smuggling. At the age of four- 
 teen I lost a beloved brother in that nefarious business, 
 which changed my way of life and sent me to sea from Lon- 
 don. I was convicted of sin while on board the ship Black 
 Adder, in Shanghai River, after I had challenged a man to 
 fight. God's Holy Spirit touched me, and I resolved to lead 
 a better life. After three months the Lord sweetly forgave 
 me while I was working ballast in the ship's hold at Hong 
 Kong, and to-night he saves me." 
 
 The testimonies are ended by the singing of a hymn, after 
 which Jerry again speaks. He gives an invitation to all per- 
 sons who are tired of sin and want to live a better life, and 
 to all backsliders, to stand up and come forward towards the 
 platform for prayers : 
 
 " We're going to have prayers now. Don't you want to 
 be saved to-night ? Who'll stand up for prayers ? There's 
 one ; there's two ; three; there's another ! Don't be afraid 
 
204 He Describes His Former Self, 
 
 to stand up. It don't make any difference what kind of 
 clothes you've got on. Satan is telling some of you not to 
 do it. He holds you back. I tell you Satan is no friend of 
 yours. He goes round putting up all sorts of jobs on sin- 
 ners ; and he makes it pretty hot sometimes. You can't get 
 the best of him ! You've got to call upon the Lord for as- 
 sistance if you want to get rid of your bad habits, and you've 
 got to keep asking for it till he gives it. He won't be long 
 about it. 'Ask and you shall receive,' is what he says. We 
 need his help, every soul of us, great and small. When I 
 see people who think themselves smart and cunning, dab- 
 bling in sin and forgetting God, I wonder they ain't suddenly 
 snapped off, squelched just where they are ! They all need 
 help. Put 'em all in a bag — the rich sinners and the poor 
 sinners — and shake 'em up, do you think there'd be any dif- 
 ference in 'em when they came out ? 
 
 " You hear some people saying the Bible is a sham, and 
 religion is all a hoax. Well, it may be to them, but it's 
 God's power to me. Yes ! Look at me, friends ! Once I 
 was a loafer and a rough. Never knew what it was to be 
 contented and happy. Head on me like a mop ; big scar 
 across my nose all the time! I had an old red shirt, and a 
 hat that looked as if it had been hauled up out of a tar-pot ! 
 If I had a coat, it was one of the kind with the cuffs up here 
 to the elbows ! split open in the back ! Latest style 1 D'ye 
 see ? You couldn't find any drunken rowdy on the corner 
 worse-looking than I was. I cursed God ! I held up my 
 hands and cursed him for giving me existence. Why had 
 he put me in a hell on earth ? Why had he made me a thief 
 and a drunkard, while he gave other people wealth and 
 pleasure ? And then I suddenly thought that he had done 
 none of those things. It was I that brought myself to what 
 
They Call Me Mr. McAuley. 205 
 
 I was ! Yes, I did it myself ! I made myself A drunkard 
 and a thief, and then went and accused God of it ! Oh, God 
 is good, my friends ! He is wise. He is merciful. If you 
 want common-sense — and who don't ? — ask him for it ! 
 
 " Some people say, ' Ah, I'm too bad ; God wouldn't give 
 me a show.' That's all a mistake ! He can save the vilest 
 sinner ! God will take what the devil would almost refuse ! 
 The very worst people are welcome to him. Didn't he save 
 the thief on the cross ? I knew a man who came here into 
 this place to lick another for saying .' Jesus saves me.' Well, 
 Jesus saved that very man himself. He came looking for a 
 fight here, but the fight was all knocked out of him ! God 
 did it. He went away like a cur trembling in a sack, and he 
 became a good Christian man, and he's a Christian now. 
 That's the way it is. Jesus is willing to save every one who 
 asks him honestly to do it. 
 
 " My friends, I want to tell you that it pays to serve 
 Jesus. He's a good friend. I used to hang round that rum- 
 shop on the corner ; and they were glad enough to have me 
 there as long as my money lasted. But when that was gone 
 — ' Jerry ! take a walk ! Take a walk around the block and 
 cool off ! ' I felt the insult down in my heart. It stung me. 
 But I couldn't help it ; I was such a slave to my appetite. 
 I hadn't a friend in the world. But I can tell you it's not so 
 now ! I have had friends and everything I need since I be- 
 gan to love and serve Jesus. Just look at me ! Do I look 
 like a fraud now? I'm a new creature, inside and out! 
 I'm honest, I'm clean, and respected, and happy! Why, 
 those rich rum-sellers over there respect me now. They call 
 me Mister McAuley! 'Good-morning, Mr. McAuley !' 
 They are very polite! D'ye see? I can go into a bank 
 now, and the president will ask me into his private ofHce, 
 
2o6 A Free Salvation. 
 
 while the big guns have to stand outside! 'Sit down, sir; 
 what can I do for you ? ' And then he'll take me round and 
 introduce me to the cashier ! Ha ! twelve years ago if he'd 
 seen me coming into his bank he'd set the dogs on me, or 
 send for a policeman to run me out ! 'Fraid I'd steal all the 
 money ! Can't you see what the religion of Jesus has done 
 for me ? I tell you, the religion of Jesus makes a wonderful 
 change in a man. I've got good friends, and a good home, 
 and a good wife. And I've got money in my pocket, besides 
 a clean heart full of joy and peace ! The blessed Jesus has 
 done it all. Do you want to know how to get those things ? 
 The Bible says how — 'Seek first the kingdom of God and its 
 righteousness, and all those things shall be added unto you,' 
 
 " There was a time when I'd cut a man's throat for a five- 
 dollar bill, and kick him overboard ! Do you suppose I'd do 
 it now? Eh? Why not? 'Cause I've got the grace of 
 God in my heart ! Jesus saves me, and he can save any 
 man. There's not a poor homeless fellow here to-night that 
 isn't welcome to salvation. Jesus says, ' Him that cometh 
 unto me I will in no wise cast out.' And the Bible says, 
 ' He tasted death for every man.' Yes ! Jesus died for 
 every poor fellow that hasn't got any home or friends to- 
 night ! Won't you come to him and let him save you ? 
 Won't you come now ?" 
 
 After this invitation some of the converts canvass the as- 
 sembly and encourage every one to come forward for prayers 
 who is inclined to do so, while all stand up and unite in 
 singing a penitential hymn : 
 
 " Just as I am — without one plea, 
 But that Thy blood was shed for me, 
 And that Thou bidd'st me come to Thee — 
 O Lamb of God, I come." 
 
Some Original Prayers. 207 
 
 AH kneel down while one or two prayers are offered. 
 Then each of the new-comers is asked to pray for himself. 
 On such occasions fifteen or twenty poor miserable men may 
 sometimes be seen on their knees— a position in which most 
 of them were never seen before. 
 
 To the suggestion to pray for themselves some of them 
 reply, " I can't !" " I don't know how !" " I never prayed in 
 my life !" " I can't pray in English !" But when told that 
 Jesus understands all languages, ^nd that prayer is only ask- 
 ing him sincerely for what they most want, and that if tHe 
 heart is right and honest the words are of little importance, 
 because he looks at the heart and not at the lips, they ex- 
 claim, sometimes sobbing, " O God, save me !" " O God, 
 have mercy upon me, a sinner !" " O God, take away my ap- 
 petite for rum !" " O Jesus, I have been a very bad man. I 
 want to do right; help me !" " O Lord, scratch out my sins, 
 and keep them scratched out !" " Make my bed in heaven, 
 O Lord !" " O Lord, forgive the past of my life ; and bless 
 my aged mother to-night, who don't know where I am !" 
 
 Others, not knowing what to say, have repeated something 
 which was taught them in childhood by religious parents. 
 Evidences of early religious instruction are often revealed 
 by the suppliants on these occasions — even by men who 
 have become gray-haired in sin. Among the wretched men 
 who for the first time prayed for themselves, was one who 
 repeated the Lord's Prayer, another repeated a part of the 
 Apostles' Creed, and another the infant's prayer, " Now I 
 lay me down to sleep," etc. 
 
 These words — reminiscences of a time, long ago, when a 
 loving mother watched over him and prayed for him — may 
 be supposed to represent what the man in his penitence 
 wanted to say, but did not know how. 
 
2o8 The Work Goes On. 
 
 The result of these meetings is thus constantly illustrat- 
 ing the truth that every man is a sinner, and that Jesus is 
 the only Saviour, and that he is able and willing to save 
 immediately the vilest wretch who comes, like the leper, 
 " beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying 
 unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean" 
 (Mark i. 40). 
 
 It is gratifying to be able to record the fact that the Water 
 Street meeting is still carried on. Souls are saved there con- 
 stantly. It is one of many flourishing memorials of Jerry's 
 redemption and consecration to Christ. It is no doubt true, 
 
 " The evil that men do lives after them ; 
 The good is oft interred with their bones." 
 
 But this is not always the case. Through God's mercy it 
 is not so in the case of Jerry McAuley. There are very 
 many souls, some in glory and others yet upon earth, who 
 were led to Christ through his instrumentality. And this is 
 not all, for, besides this, it is a blessed fact that the means 
 and forces which he was permitted to put in operation for 
 the salvation of lost men and women, remain and are still 
 richly owned and blessed of God to that end. 
 
MEMORIAL TO JERRY 
 and Plot in Woodlawn, the Result of Voluntary Contributions 
 
Memorials to Jerry. 209 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 TOMBSTONE AND FOUNTAIN. 
 
 "Thou of life the fountain art! 
 Freely let me take of Thee; 
 Spring Thou up within my heart. 
 Rise to all eternity.'' 
 
 After Jerry's death it was determined to erect two silent 
 memorials to his work — one a stone over his grave in Wood- 
 lawn Cemetery, and the other a drinking-fountain for man 
 and beast, in the public street near the Cremorne Mission. 
 There were rich men and women who would gladly have con- 
 tributed the necessary outlay for these purposes, but it seemed 
 desirable that the mites of the many should be sought for 
 rather than the dollars of the rich. Two boxes were, there- 
 fore, placed at the doors of the Cremorne Mission for free- 
 will offerings and remained there until the thousands of pen- 
 nies and hundreds of nickels and dimes and occasional larger 
 sums dropped into them, with other voluntary offerings, became 
 sufficient in amount to meet the cost of both stone and foun- 
 tain. 
 
 The fountain, by the consent of the New York City authori- 
 ties, was erected on Greeley Square at the junction of Thirty- 
 second Street and Broadway and Sixth Avenue, and after- 
 wards with a simple public ceremony presented to and accepted 
 by the City. The site of the fountain was then a prominent 
 business spot, and is now far more so, in view of the proximity 
 of the Pennsylvania Railroad Terminal Station, one block 
 
2IO In Memoriam. 
 
 west on Thirty-second Street, and of the new McAdoo Tun- 
 nel, connecting all the other Jersey City Railroad Terminals. 
 These combined Terminals will occupy the entire block front on 
 Sixth Avenue directly opposite the fountain. In the immediate 
 vicinity lies Herald Square and within a few minutes' walk 
 are the Waldorf-Astoria, the Imperial, Martinique, Grand, 
 Gilsey, Breslin, and other prominent hotels. The Sixth 
 Avenue Elevated Railroad runs overhead. The ceaseless 
 traffic of upper Broadway passes the spot. No site could have 
 been found that could give this simple structure a better op- 
 portunity to keep in public memory the story of the life and 
 work of the Apostle to the lost — ^Jerry McAuley. 
 
 In this connection the following article, published in lerry 
 McAuley's Newspaper in July, 1885, will be of peculiar in- 
 terest. As will be seen from its perusal, the motive in setting 
 up the memorials mentioned was in keeping with the man and 
 his work. The article was contributed by the well-known ar- 
 chitect, Mr. Bradford Lee Gilbert, who designed both stone 
 and fountain and who was one of Jerry's staunchest and most 
 devoted co-workers, a trustee of the Mission for many years 
 and also an elder and trustee of the Presbyterian Church, and 
 a life member of the Young Men's Christian Association. 
 To this good friend reference is appropriately made in sub- 
 sequent chapters, more particularly in the chapter devoted to 
 John Jaeger's Mission of the Living Waters. 
 
 IN MEMORIAM. 
 
 Since that sultry day in September last when Jerry Mc- 
 Auley laid down the cross amid the tumult of life to accept 
 the crown and well-deserved promotion of our great Captain, 
 not one of all the thousands who so dearly loved him and his 
 blessed work have forgotten the words of sympathy and love, 
 
A Public Drinking-Fountain. 2 1 1 
 
 the deeds of mercy and manly courage, the record of a de- 
 voted, faithful Christian life. To-day they stand as A 
 MEMORIAL, better than all the tablets and monuments that 
 loving hands and hearts could erect; and not until the record 
 at that last great day is read will it be known when they began 
 or ceased to preach Christ. But from the first many have de- 
 sired to contribute towards a Monumental Fund. It is pro- 
 posed to erect (besides the simple shaft over Jerry's grave in 
 Woodlawn) a Public Drinking Fountain in this city. Actual 
 estimates from the architect's original design place the cost of 
 building and erecting the fountain complete inside of two 
 thousand dollars, about one-quarter of which amount (without 
 solicitation) has already been subscribed for the Memorial 
 Fund. 
 
 To the thousands who remember his busy, active Christian 
 life, and hundreds who to-day call his name blessed, it might 
 at first thought seem needless to erect anything to mark his 
 eventful, well-known history. But generations pass away. 
 Kind deeds and words never die, and we trust that in years 
 to come many may be led to ask personally, "What wrought 
 so great a change in Jerry's life?" and learn that what God 
 has done for one man He will do for "whosoever" will come. 
 
 The following friends of the Mission have kindly consented 
 to act as a special committee to take charge of the fund and 
 all matters connected with the erection of the fountain: 
 Messrs. Morris K. Jesup, Wm. E. Dodge, Jr., A. S. Hatch, 
 and Bradford L. Gilbert, Secretary. A site for the location 
 of the fountain has not as yet been determined. The material 
 throughout for its construction will be of iron (treated by a 
 rustless process), and finished in a dull, dark steel color, with 
 the letters of the inscriptions and principal moldings in dull 
 brass electro-plate relief, making a permanent finish. ' The 
 
212 The Water of Life. 
 
 main shaft will be four feet square, embracing the inscriptions, 
 and the balance of the work in the proportion shown on the 
 sketch. Three sections of the large circular basin surrounding 
 the central shaft will be arranged for watering teams, and the 
 fourth side has a projected basin, reached by a wide platform, 
 for public use, the water overflowing from a cup held by two 
 hands projecting from the cross above, and over all the words 
 of Christ, "Whosoever shall give a cup of water in my name 
 shall not lose his reward." On the opposite side water will 
 spout from a large lion's head into the watering troughs. The 
 other sides will be used for a short epitaph and memorial tablet 
 in memory of Jerry and his work. One of the panels will be 
 arranged to open, and an ice-chest built over the coil of pipe 
 for the public service. Since the first article appeared in our 
 last issue in reference to the drinking-fountain, many letters 
 of approval and practical sympathy in the movement have been 
 received and will be duly acknowledged with all donations. 
 Reader, we ask your prayers : For the continued prosperity of 
 a mission work already wonderfully blessed and honored of 
 God; for the paper, traveling as a missionary among the 
 prisons and all over the land, speaking words of love, and 
 telling that " old, old story " so simply as to win souls for 
 Christ — ^both living monuments to commemorate the life and 
 work of Jerry McAuley. And also pray for and aid this 
 movement to erect a fountain (what could be more appro- 
 priate?) that for years to come shall tell how the lost can be 
 saved, how the drunkard can be reclaimed, the poor river thief 
 become one honored among ten thousand. And as the weary, 
 thirsty one may stoop to drink, he may be led to think of 
 Christ, who will give of that " water of life " that can quench 
 the thirst of every immortal soul, and we may gain the prom- 
 ised reward for giving even a cup of water in His name. — G. 
 
MEMORIAL DRINKING FOUNTAIN TO JERRY 
 
 Erected at Greeley Square, Broadway, Sixth Ave. 
 and 32d Street 
 
The Cremorne Mission. 213 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 UNDER THE CARE OF MRS. McAULEY. 
 
 " We sing the love that sought us 
 We praise the blood that bought us, 
 We bless the grace that brought us 
 Back to the fold of God." 
 
 In preceding pages, some account has been given of the 
 change made by Jerry in his field of operations. Succeed- 
 ing events have justified the step he took, although some 
 of his best friends and most active coworkers did not 
 advise it at the time, and indeed expressed themselves as 
 doubting the wisdom of the change. They feared, no doubt, 
 that the Water Street Mission would suffer, and possibly 
 become extinct. But it was God's work, and God has taken 
 care of it. Jerry was undoubtedly led of God to commence 
 operations at No. 104 West Thirty-second Street, the 
 location of the Cremorne Mission. Close to a crowded 
 thoroughfare, and in a locality where sin openly abounds, 
 such a beacon of warning is eminently in its place. From 
 its first opening until the present time there has been an 
 uninterrupted display of God's grace in saving power. 
 Souls were saved at the very outset, and souls are being 
 saved there now. Of course its earthly founder is missed ; 
 his presence, his testimony, his personal intercourse with 
 men and women, his happy way of conducting the services, 
 are no more ; and in being deprived of these the Mission 
 14 
 
214 Mrs. McAulefs Cooperation. 
 
 has sustained a great loss, but the work had a heavenly 
 Founder as well as an earthly one, and He remains. His 
 presence is still vouchsafed. The voice of the Son of God 
 is still heard, bringing the dead to life, speaking liberty to 
 the bound, rest to the weary, hope and cheer to the hopeless, 
 pardon to the penitent. 
 
 God uses means. He is pleased to save souls through 
 human instrumentalities, and when Jerry died the trustees 
 in charge of the Mission realized that a superintendent must 
 be appointed in his stead. Many friends of the cause asked 
 " Who can take his place ?" To say that none could do so 
 would be to limit the power of God to anoint souls for his 
 work. The trustees felt that God had the agent ready, and 
 so sought wisdom and direction from above. The result of 
 their prayers and thought is well known. From the very 
 beginning of his mission-work Jerry had found a consecrated, 
 cheerful, and able helper in the person of his wife. To her 
 the sacred trust, the conduct of the Mission, was com- 
 mitted ; and the Lord blessed her labors and those of 
 the many faithful and devoted helpers who upheld her 
 hands. With the same deep love and hunger for souls that 
 characterized her husband, with never-failing tact, with 
 much of Jerry's gift of keen penetration into human nature, 
 Mrs. McAuley labored to the utmost of her strength in her 
 unremitting efforts to win the lost. She gave her testimony 
 in the meetings, as she had always done, often with tears in 
 her own eyes, and often bringing tears to the eyes of her lis- 
 teners. She spoke frankly of her lost condition before Jesus 
 saved her. It was a sad story ; she did not glory in it : far 
 from that — it was with a pang of grief and with a sense of 
 humiliation that she told it. But she felt as Jerry ever 
 felt, that poor souls, hearing how she was lifted from the 
 
A Happy Sunday Night. 215 
 
 depths and royally redeemed, would take heart, and be led 
 to seek the same saving grace that she found. And it was 
 just in this way that her testimony and the testimonies of 
 others, given in the Mission meetings, were blessed. What 
 more effective sermon could he whose eyes Christ opened 
 have preached than this: "One thing I know, that whereas 
 I was blind, now I see"? And the testimony uttered by so 
 many, and so constantly owned of God to the salvation of 
 souls in the Cremorne Mission, has ever been just this: "I 
 was lost, but now I am saved: Jesus has saved me." 
 
 In this connection, as showing that God's favor was 
 vouchsafed to the work, it will be in order to introduce 
 the following sketch of the services at the Cremorne Mis- 
 sion. It was prepared by the writer at the time for Jerry 
 McAuley's Newspaper, and is in its various features charac- 
 teristic of the meetings in general. The sketch reports the 
 service held on Sunday evening, November 9, 1884. It is 
 copied in full. 
 
 A CREMORNE SUNDAY EVENING. 
 
 We have never attended a service in which the various 
 parts blended more harmoniously or linked more completely 
 than that of Sunday night, November 9, at the Cremorne 
 Mission. The Holy Spirit was present in great power. 
 There was no mere excitement, no froth, but a tidal-wave 
 of blessing that carried us before it. Tears fell, for they 
 could not be restrained. Strong men wept, and men and 
 women smiled though their tears. So far as interest was 
 concerned, there was not a dull minute. In view of the 
 packed hall, we were led to wonder why ministers should 
 complain of the difficulty of getting a Sabbath-evening 
 
2i6 A Backslider' s Story, 
 
 audience — as many ministers do complain. People come 
 here, people of all classes, and from various quarters of the 
 city. As usual on Sunday evenings, many friends were com- 
 pelled to stand, yet one seat was vacant : the chair of the 
 departed missionary, Jerry McAuley, has never been oc- 
 cupied since his death. It stands upon the platform in the 
 old place. We have no veneration for wood, but that empty 
 chair, with its drapery of black, speaks volumes sometimes. 
 Yes, the vacant chair has a voice — hark to its words of 
 warning, " Be ye also ready!" Hark to its word of encour- 
 agement, " Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee 
 a crown of life." 
 
 After the service of song, prayer was offered and the fifty- 
 fifth chapter of Isaiah was read by the leader, Mr. Corning. 
 This is the chapter that opens with the call to the thirsty to 
 buy and eat without money and without price. With ex- 
 emplary brevity, the leader spoke of the rich blessings en- 
 joyed here on past occasions, and called for testimonies from 
 those who accepted Christ as their Saviour. 
 
 " I am glad that I am able and willing and anxious to speak 
 for Jesus," said the first. "Seven or eight years ago He was 
 precious to my soul, and I enjoyed His love. Then an evil 
 spirit seemed to take possession of me. I fell away, and be- 
 came addicted to the use of strong drink. Through this I 
 was separated from my wife and children. I came to New 
 York, and when the past rose up before me, as it often 
 would, I would drink to drown the memories. I met a 
 
 brother, brother M , ovpr there, and he brought me to 
 
 his house. Then he brought me to this Mission. Each 
 testimony I heard here struck me hard. I went forward to 
 those chairs, but I did not get satisfied that night, and I fell 
 back again. A few days ago I met brother M ^ again. 
 
Walking in the Light. 217 
 
 and he induced me to come here, and I went again as a 
 seeker to those chairs. There was a great void in me until 
 then, but I rejoice to be able to tell you that the void is 
 filled. The love of Christ has filled it. I rejoice in him 
 to-night." 
 
 One of the hymns we had sung, " Walk in the light," etc., 
 brought another to his feet. Last night, on his way home 
 from the Florence Mission, he met with drunken men lying 
 in dark corners of the streets — their only sleeping-place. 
 This brought to his mind his former condition. Before 
 that light of which we had been singirtg dawned on him he 
 had often slept in just such corners. He had long been a 
 slave of strong drink. " Now," he added, " I look up and 
 thank God that I am walking in the light, ' the beautiful 
 light of God.' " The light had been growing brighter all 
 along. God had taught him how to sing and to speak, to 
 watch and pray. " Pray God," he said, " to show me other 
 poor drunkards that I may go to and speak about Jesus." 
 
 Brother M , referred to by the first friend who testi- 
 fied, twice essayed to speak but was prevented first by 
 another testimony, then by the call for the singing of a 
 hymn. "The devil," he said, "tempted me to keep quiet, 
 when I was twice prevented from speaking, but I would not 
 let him beat me that way. I did everything I could when 
 that brother who spoke first was serving God, years ago, to 
 lead him to ruin. We were old friends. We were in the 
 fire-department together, and in the army together, and, I 
 may say, we went through the mill together. So it was not 
 to be wondered at that I should seek to have him saved. I 
 am so happy ; God has saved my soul from hell, and I 
 wanted him saved too. After we left the Mission last night 
 he did not feel as though God had forgiven him his sin. 
 
2i8 A Gallery Prayer-Meeting. 
 
 To-night four of us went up into the gallery before the time 
 for this service had come, and there we prayed that he 
 might confess Christ to-night ; and he has done it." 
 
 There was something very touching about this incident. 
 The joy of the one friend at having the deep void in his 
 heart filled was so evident, that it was contagious. But 
 
 when we heard of brother M 's deep anxiety for his old 
 
 associate's conversion, and then of this little gallery prayer- 
 meeting, and saw the prompt response vouchsafed of God, 
 our hearts were deeply affected. We recalled the four men 
 who brought their palsied friend to Jesus, and whose faith 
 was so honored of the Master. A sense of holy awe fell 
 upon the meeting. We felt that that gracious Saviour was 
 most assuredly present through his Holy Spirit. 
 
 " No man can truly say 
 That Jesus is the Lord, 
 Unless thou take the veil away 
 And breathe the living Word." 
 
 The veil had been removed, and so we knew that the Holy 
 Spirit was at work among us. We realized the words : 
 
 " heaven comes down our souls to greet. 
 
 And glory crowns the mercy-seat." 
 
 The next speaker had known the Lord for several years. 
 He meets with adversaries at his daily toil. They ask him 
 why he believes in God when he cannot see any God. He 
 tells them that when at sea he steered by the compass, 
 though he could not see the land to which it pointed, and 
 thus steering he reached the port in safety. So since he had 
 steered by God's Word he had known peace and joy although 
 he had not seen God face to face. 
 
 "I know whom I have put my trust in," said another; 
 
A Light in Thirty-second Street. 219 
 
 "it is Jesus Christ. Many a time I have said to Jerry 
 McAuley, ' Mr. McAuley, I mean, by the grace of God, to 
 keep in this way.' He would say, ' My boy, hold on to 
 Christ.' Now he has fought and won, but he is not out of 
 sight altogether ; I shall meet him again." 
 
 " I can praise God to-night. How I do praise him for 
 answering my prayer for mercy ten months ago!" another 
 said. 
 
 We sang fr«m the hymn — 
 
 " Let the lower lights be burning. 
 Send a gleam across the wave," etc., 
 
 when a convert said, "That illustrates my case. If there 
 had not been a light in Thirty-second Street I should pro- 
 bably have been in perdition now. Until I came here, 
 eighteen months ago, my wife and family were heart-broken. 
 I was a drunkard, and when I came home my wife did not 
 know whether to expect a kind word or a blow. This went 
 on for eighteen years. It seemed as if there was something 
 down in perdition drawing me there. Rum had so much 
 the best of me that I had lost my will. How many fights 
 with the devil I had ! Eighteen months ago I came here 
 and was saved; now I am able to say ' no ' when tempted to 
 do wrong." 
 
 " I thought I was as good as anybody until, as I came to 
 this meeting, I discovered I was as bad as anybody," was 
 the testimony of one who added, " I want to keep my light 
 low that others may see it. My prayer is that God may 
 keep me humble and honest." 
 
 The next speaker came to pay a farewell visit to the Mis- 
 sion. About two years and a half ago, as he and an associ- 
 ate walked along Sixth Avenue, he said to his friend, "John, 
 
220 From the Cremorne to the Congo. 
 
 come along and let us see what kind of a place they have 
 got here," meaning the Mission. He came, and to tell the 
 story in his own words, " I came five times and I was con- 
 victed of sin. I saw I was in the wrong way, yet I was not 
 willing to surrender to Jesus. Two years and seven months 
 ago I knelt down at those chairs, and sought and found 
 mercy. Further on, the Lord called me out to work for 
 him, and now I am bound for the Congo. I leave next 
 Saturday with a band of missionaries. Pray God to use us 
 for the salvation of precious souls." It was on an Easter 
 Sunday that the speaker first found peace with God through 
 our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 At this point a verse of Hymn No. 72, in Gospel Praise 
 Book, was called for, and sung with much fervor: 
 
 " Behold the changing autumn leaves, 
 Behold the fields of ripening grain. 
 Go gather in the golden sheaves, 
 From valley, hill, and distant plain. 
 
 " Then reapers haste, the skies are clear. 
 The fields resound the glad refrain, 
 The harvesters from far and near. 
 Are gathering in the golden grain." 
 
 "I wish that brother God speed," said Mrs. McAuley, 
 " but he won't find a blacker heart in all Africa than mine 
 was in this city of New York before Jesus saved me over 
 fifteen years ago, and he has kept me ever since. Pray 
 God to bless this brother in Africa and to bless me here." 
 
 A brother said he had been impressed with a hymn sung 
 at the church service which he attended in the morning, 
 " If I've Jesus, only Jesus." It was such a comfort to him 
 to know that he could take Jesus to his work with him iK 
 
Jerry and His Text, 221 
 
 the morning. For nearly fourteen years he had found a 
 friend in Jesus. The speaker commended the decision of 
 the young brother who was going to Africa. Missionaries 
 did good. He remembered a missionary in Hong Kong 
 whose words had produced a deep impression on him. The 
 brother had a very happy experience when he was saved. 
 Previous to his finding peace it seemed as though hell were 
 just ready to swallow him up. It was eight o'clock one 
 morning when he realized he was saved. For twelve days 
 after that he hardly knew whether he was in the body or 
 out, because of Christ's wonderful peace and joy in his soul. 
 That same peace and joy has been experienced by another 
 who told something of what grace had done for him. " There 
 are no limits to the power of Christ to save," he said ; " a 
 little over thirty years ago I was with a bad crowd in Cali- 
 fornia. I learned the tricks that are vain. I knew I was 
 doing wrong, and I was on the wrong path until nearly five 
 years ago. Then I resolved to change my course of life and 
 I did it with an earnestness that God honored. Jerry gave 
 me the text, ' Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his 
 righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.* 
 I had schemed and planned and troubled a good deal to get 
 these very things which God promised to give if I would 
 obey him. I resolved from that moment out to test God's 
 
 promise. I took a good letter to Mr. H (then the head 
 
 of a large dry-goods establishment), but he dismissed me 
 rudely, and when I left him the old nature began boihng up. 
 Then I said to myself, ' This is not what I promised God.' 
 Presently as I was going down the Bowery I met an old as- 
 sociate, who unfolded a little scheme. He wanted me to 
 take part in it, and my share in the transaction would have 
 yielded me $40 in twenty minutes. But I told him I had 
 
222 A Well-scrubbed Floor. 
 
 made a promise to God and I would stick to it if I starved, 
 so I could not have anything more to do with such schemes. 
 Then I met a broker who had given me many points, and he 
 never gave me any information that I failed on when I used 
 it. But I told him that I did not want to hear any of his 
 points. I went on to the Water Street Mission, and sister 
 McAuley gave me a day's work. I scrubbed the floor and 
 cleaned the windows of the Mission. When I got through 
 she said they were done better than ever she had had them 
 done. Well, I had prayed God to instruct me as I did the 
 work. Now I am doing well ; God sent me a friend who put 
 me into business, lending me money. I am prospering, and 
 hope to be out of debt by next spring. From my experi- 
 ence I can say, ' Put your trust in God : he'll honor it.' One 
 Sunday evening a woman called for a dress my wife was 
 making for her. The dress was not quite finished, for the 
 buttons had to be sewn on. The customer wanted my wife 
 to complete the work there and then ; but she would not do 
 it because it was Sunday. Then the woman was angry and 
 called my wife a thief, saying she believed the dress had 
 been pawned. She then left, but next morning she came in 
 again. She lived in Brooklyn, but had stayed in New York 
 at a friend's house all night. She expressed her sorrow for 
 her conduct on the previous day, got her dress, and paid six 
 dollars for it. We found then, as we have ever since, that 
 God's providences will come in when they are needed. I 
 have grown in faith since I first started in this way." 
 
 Until twenty-two years old, a gentleman said, he had been 
 without God, being utterly ignorant of the Bible, never hav- 
 ing read it an hour in his life. Then he was persuaded to 
 seek the Lord. God opened his eyes and while he saw he 
 was a sinner he saw also that he was the very sinner Christ 
 
So Near yet so Different. 223 
 
 came into the world to save. For threescore years and 
 three he had been a Christian and Jesus had proved more 
 and more precious to him. It was grand to hear this veteran 
 talk of the peace with God, the peace of soul, the absence of 
 anxiety, and forgiveness, and the blessed consciousness of 
 sin forgiven, and of a title to life eternal which he enjoyed. 
 He commended this religion of Christ, and concluded with 
 the statement that there had been too much testimony given 
 that night to be neglected. 
 
 A solemn thought was presented by another : it was the 
 close proximity of the living and the dead. In these seats 
 sat the saved and the unsaved. This Mission place was 
 God's house; the place next door below might well be 
 characterized as hell. So there was many a one here to-night 
 in whose heart there was heaven, while there was a very hell 
 in the heart that beat next to him, but God's Word was, 
 " He that hath the Son hath life," and those now lost had 
 but a step to take to make Christ theirs and so take heaven 
 for hell. Some might fear to accept Christ and start in the 
 Christian way because they wondered how they could be 
 Christians amid the temptations of life. But to those who 
 believe in Christ God gives the power to become sons. " I 
 cannot tell you how he does it," said the speaker; "he 
 takes away the stony heart and gives us a new heart. He 
 has given me fifteen years of this life, in which I have had 
 more peace and joy than I can ever tell." 
 
 A sister said it was two years and over since she realized 
 that God had forgiven her sins. She had had much forgiven. 
 Addicted to the use of a strong and poisonous drug, she had 
 gone far towards destroying herself. Indeed, the physicians 
 told her that she had but six months to live. It was when 
 in this sad state that she was laid under conviction of sin and 
 
224 From the Kitchen to Africa. 
 
 turned to the Lord Jesus Christ. He saved her, and de- 
 stroyed the power of her awful appetite. He forgave her sins 
 and healed her body. She then resolved to consecrate her- 
 self to the Lord, and she thought he would surely lead her 
 into some Missionary service. But no : the way opened into 
 a kitchen, with cooking and washing and ironing to be done. 
 This was a strange, mysterious Providence. Friends told 
 her she was wasting her time, but she said she believed the 
 Lord had put her there. At this work she proposed to stay 
 till the Lord opened a way out. This the Lord had now 
 done; she, too, was about to start for Africa, and she had 
 reason to know that the domestic acts which she had been 
 learning would make her useful in her new field of labor. 
 
 A young man told us that two years ago he came here to 
 transact some business with Jerry McAuley. As he sat here 
 and heard what was said he became convicted of sin and then 
 sought forgiveness of God through the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 All along the Christian's religion had been presented in 
 glowing colors. The friends who spoke bore abundant evi- 
 dence that to have the grace of Christ Jesus in the heart was 
 to have a treasure indeed. In view of this there was great 
 force in the words of a young brother, who, after telling us 
 that God had saved him too, added, " and all this we got 
 without money and without price." Great indeed is the 
 wealth of the Christian inheritance — priceless in value yet 
 offered without price. 
 
 After the testimonies, an earnest appeal was made to the 
 unsaved to make this the night of their surrender to Christ. 
 " Do not wait for feeling: it is the devil's trick to destroy 
 souls, to make you wait for feeling," the speaker said. He 
 then recited some thrilling incidents that were told in a way 
 not to be forgotten. By each incident some point was 
 
Tidings — Glad Tidings. 225 
 
 emphasized, and the address was most solemn, tender, and 
 earnest. When the opportunity was afforded, a number of 
 persons raised the hand to signify that they wished to 
 start on the Christian life and that they desired prayer. 
 Thus the first service was brought to a close. We rejoice 
 to know that some left the place rejoicing in the knowl- 
 edge of their newly-found Lord and Saviour. The angels 
 had work to do in " bearing the tidings home," and there 
 was joy in heaven as well as on earth, for heaven makes 
 merry over the salvation of the lost. 
 
226 A Resignation Reluctantly Accepted. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 MRS. McAULEY's farewell, 
 
 "We'll never say good-by in Heaven, 
 We'll never say good-by, 
 In that fair land of joy and song 
 We'll never say good-by! " 
 
 Such meetings as the one recorded in the chapter imme- 
 diately preceding this continued to be held night after night 
 with the same scenes of mingled sadness and gladness. God 
 signally blessed the work while under the care of Mrs. Mc- 
 Auley. The trustees and other old friends as well as new 
 friends of the Mission co-operated with her and were deeply 
 moved by her earnestness and consecration and her manifest 
 sympathy with the lost. They rejoiced with her over her 
 continued success in soul-winning. It was, therefore, with 
 sorrow that early in 1892 the trustees and friends learned 
 that, owing to ill-health, Mrs. McAuley felt impelled to lay 
 aside her active interest in the Mission. The trustees with 
 reluctance accepted her resignation, and with the close of the 
 month of March she ceased her labors there. A record of the 
 farewell meeting was printed at the time in pamphlet form. 
 This record is so full of interest and so calculated to en- 
 courage other Rescue Mission workers that it is given here 
 in full. 
 
 FAREWELL SERVICE TO MRS. McAULEY. 
 
 On the 31st of March, 1892, the service at the McAuley 
 Cremorne Mission, No. 104 West Thirty-second Street, 
 
The Farewell Service. 227 
 
 New York, brought to a close the efficient, faithful, devoted, 
 loving labors of Mrs. Jerry McAuley as Superintendent. The 
 exercises were adapted to the occasion, and while no funereal 
 gloom overshadowed the audience, there was an evident feeling 
 of sadness caused by the thought that a farewell must be said 
 to the friend so respected and loved by all. No special meas- 
 ures had been taken to secure a full attendance, but the Mis- 
 sion Hall was crowded — seats, gallery and aisle all being filled. 
 Many persons came long before the usual opening hour. The 
 services were prolonged, but the interest of the congregation 
 was sustained throughout and many affecting scenes occurred 
 after the meeting broke up. 
 
 Mr. J. Noble Stearns, President of the Board of Trustees, 
 occupied the chair, and after reading from the Scriptures he 
 called upon Mr. Charles E. Ballou, Mrs. McAuley's successor, 
 to pray. Simple and unaffected as Mr. Ballou's prayer was, 
 it ^yent directly to our hearts and expressed the deep feeling 
 of all Mrs. McAuley's friends as he besought for her God's 
 continued grace and favor. Mr. Stearns then made the fol- 
 lowing remarks : 
 
 "I did not come here to-night to say much. I don't go 
 back as far as Mr. Hatch in the memory of Jerry, but all the 
 time that the work has been carried on here in this Mission 
 Room I have been deeply interested in it and frequently at the 
 meetings. My heart has been here always, and when I think 
 of Jerry as he used to appear here in this hall when he was 
 giving the invitation, he stands before me as vividly as though 
 he were here now. His was a face you never could forget, 
 and certainly his stand in the work is now world-wide. You 
 can go to any large city in this country or England, and you 
 will find this work there. We may well ask. Who did all this ? 
 One of the leagt likely persons that you could pick out — 9. 
 
228 A Worthy Successor to Jerry. 
 
 man deep in crime, a river thief. I remember so well, when 
 over in Dr. Taylor's church at the funeral service, watching 
 for an hour and a half the people that passed to take a last 
 look at Jerry. I never saw a more remarkable crowd in my 
 life. It was made up of the rich, the poor, the white, the 
 black, the beggar and the millionaire, who came to pay their 
 last tribute to him. Just think, my friends, of what a dif- 
 ference Jerry's life made in this community. Suppose Jerry 
 had gone on in his sin, had dragged down others with him, 
 how many would have gone down to destruction who are now 
 singing the praises of Jesus here and above ! Well, after Jerry 
 died and we buried him out of sight (not out of mind), it was 
 not a question with the trustees who should succeed him 
 in his work. We were unanimous, to a man, on one question, 
 and that was, that it must be Maria. And how she has done 
 this work tells for itself. Remarkable as Jerry was in his 
 work, I consider that Mrs. McAuley has been quite as re- 
 markable in hers. We shall miss her here. I cannot tell you 
 how much — I am afraid to think. We know that the work 
 will be carried on — as it is God's work — by faithful, loving, de- 
 voted Christian people, but I never shall come into this place 
 without thinking of Jerry and his wife, and I shall always see 
 them here when I come, and it will not be the same place to 
 me. 
 
 " For nearly two years now Mrs. McAuley has been desir- 
 ous of giving up her work, not because she was discouraged 
 with it in any way, but her health was such, and the demands 
 upon her so great, that she could not longer carry it on as 
 she wished, so she finally persuaded the Board of Trustees to 
 accept her resignation. It was done with the greatest reluctance, 
 and she carries with her the prayers and good wishes of all 
 who have worked with her here. I would like to say more, 
 
Testimonial to Mrs. McAuley. 229 
 
 but I can not just now. Good-by, Maria, and God bless 
 you." 
 
 As Mr. Stearns turned to Mrs. McAuley and took her by 
 the hand, uttering the words "Good-by, Maria, and God bless 
 you," the audience was deeply affected, and tears flowed 
 freely. 
 
 Mr. A. S. Hatch, so long the friend and helper of Mr. and 
 Mrs. McAuley in their mission work, then rose and read the 
 following testimonial of esteem from the Board of Trustees : 
 
 Dear Mrs. McAuley: 
 
 At a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Jerry McAuley 
 Cremorne Mission held in January last, your resignation as 
 Superintendent of the Mission was, at your own urgent solici- 
 tation, reluctantly accepted. 
 
 Now that you are about to retire from your active and 
 official relation to the work to which your heart and life have 
 been so long and so earnestly consecrated, we desire to convey 
 to you such expression as words will permit of our apprecia- 
 tion of your labors and of our sincere personal esteem. 
 
 There would seem to be no more fitting time than is afforded 
 by this occasion of mingled joy and sorrow — of conflicting 
 emotions, of congratulation and regret; and no more appro- 
 priate place than within these walls and on this platform. 
 
 As between yourself and us personally, you would hardly 
 need now to be told what has been so often and so feelingly 
 expressed to you in less formal terms, and what you, there- 
 fore, know so well. 
 
 It seems proper, however, and due to you and to ourselves, 
 as well as to the honor of the cause in whiph we have stood 
 together for so many years, that, at this time, our sentiments 
 
230 Infiuence of Cremorne Mission. 
 
 toward you, and our estimate of the value of your services 
 to this Mission, and to the cause of Christ in rescue mission 
 work generally, should find more public expression. 
 
 We feel, too, that those who have been accustomed to assem- 
 ble in this place and to unite their prayers, their songs of 
 praise, and their testimonies with yours, and all who may be 
 drawn here to-night by their interest in the work which this 
 Mission represents, should have this public opportunity of 
 participation and S3rmpathy with us in the feelings with which 
 we recall your connection with it in the past, and contemplate 
 your approaching withdrawal from it. 
 
 While we have for some months past vaguely foreseen the 
 event with which we are now brought face to face, it has been 
 no easy matter to realize the possibility of a separation between 
 you and the active work of Cremorne Mission by anything less 
 inevitable than death and the grave. 
 
 To you and to your dear husband, now in glory, has in great 
 measure been due, under God, the birth of Cremorne Mission, 
 its subsequent growth and development, the place it now holds 
 in the hearts of Christian people all over the world, and the 
 influence for good it has exerted among the lost and the fallen. 
 You have been so intimately identified with its history and its 
 work from the beginning, it has derived so much of its dis- 
 tinctive character and methods, and of its power for good, 
 from the impress upon it of your own and Jerry's personality 
 and from your blessed experience of personal salvation, that 
 it has seemed a part of yourself, and you almost an inseparable 
 part of it. To separate you from it seems to human sight al- 
 most like taking the heart, while still palpitating with life, out 
 of the living body. 
 
 If we did not know that underneath all and back of all that 
 you and Jerry have been to Cremorne Mission are the Ever- 
 
Ten Years of Loving Labor. 231 
 
 lasting Arms, and the Spirit and power of God, of which you 
 have been but the willing instruments, and that in them is the 
 real source of its origin, its growth and its influence, we should 
 be likely to feel, when the last notes of our closing hymn have 
 died away and these lights have been turned out and these 
 doors have closed behind you to-night, the sad conviction that 
 with them and with you had gone out the light and life 
 of Cremome Mission. 
 
 What would otherwise be the unmixed sadness of this part- 
 ing is, however, turned into gladness by the blessed assurance 
 that His power. His love, and the blessings of salvation 
 through Jesus Christ will, while going with you, still remain 
 with us. 
 
 For nearly ten years you have faithfully and lovingly labored 
 in this place for the salvation of sinners; and especially of 
 those whose sins had plunged them in degradation so deep as 
 to place them seemingly almost beyond the reach of human 
 sympathy and help or of ordinary Christian influences. 
 
 You and Jerry brought to the work in Cremorne Mission 
 ten years ago the rich experience, the chastened spirit, the in- 
 timate knowledge of the heart-wants of sin-sick men and 
 women, the sublime faith in Jesus' love for sinners and His 
 willingness and power to deliver them from sin, and the ready 
 tact in turning their faltering footsteps heavenward with which 
 your own wonderful salvation and your ten preceding years of 
 earnest work in Water Street had endowed you. 
 
 When it pleased God, two years later, to call Jerry home, 
 you were unhesitatingly chosen to take his place as Superin- 
 tendent of the Mission, a responsibility rarely before tendered 
 to or accepted by a woman alone. With a humble sense of 
 your own insufficiency, but animated and upheld by an un- 
 faltering trust in God, you took up the work where he had 
 
232 No Statistics Adequate. 
 
 laid it down, and took upon yourself the cares, the trials, the 
 anxieties and the burdens which you and he had previously 
 borne together. 
 
 To the fruits of your labors here we will not attempt to 
 apply the cold and altogether inadequate measurement of 
 statistics. 
 
 No earthly record exhibits them. No human estimate can 
 sum them up. Only when we are permitted to look into the 
 heavenly records can we know, or even guess, what joy has 
 been in Heaven over sinners saved through the instrumentali- 
 ties it has pleased God to use and bless in this place and 
 through the influences that have gone out from it. 
 
 We know that you will feel with us that the occasion and 
 the theme are too sacred for flattery or for merely conventional 
 expressions of formal praise. We would not degrade the occa^ 
 sion nor affront you by anything that might by any possibility 
 be interpreted as an appeal to self-love or personal vanity, 
 which we know would find no response in your heart. To God 
 be all the honor. 
 
 We should, however, do violence to our own feelings, be 
 disloyal to the truth, and fail in our duty toward any faltering 
 or half-disheartened workers in the vineyard of the Lord who 
 may, perhaps, draw inspiration and encouragement from your 
 example, if we should withhold a just expression of our sense 
 of the ability and success with which you have conducted the 
 work of the Mission. 
 
 To your fidelity and zeal, and the good judgment and tact 
 with which you have performed the laborious and often deli- 
 cate and perplexing duties imposed upon you, and avoided the 
 dissensions and jealousies by which Christian effort is so often 
 paralyzed, much of its continued prosperity and usefulness 
 
"Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant." 233 
 
 have, under God, been due. The devotion and singleness of 
 purpose with which you have sought the salvation of those 
 whom the providence of God has brought within the reach of 
 your influence, claims no commendation less authoritative than 
 the final "Well done, good and faithful servant" of the Master 
 Himself. The unfaltering courage with which, in your personal 
 testimonies, you have revealed the darkness and sin which 
 overshadowed your early life, in order that you might thus 
 exalt the love and grace that drew you out into the light and 
 joy of His salvation, finds its highest vindication and its 
 sweetest reward in the answering testimonies of multitudes 
 who have been encouraged by the story of your redemption to 
 look to the Saviour who saved you. The encouragement and 
 hope which these testimonies have held out to despairing sin- 
 ners, and the impulse which has been given to the spirit of 
 fearless testimony in others by your example in this respect, 
 faithfully continued after you had attained a position in which 
 motives of worldly policy or personal pride, and sometimes the 
 advice of well-meaning friends, would have closed your lips 
 and drawn the veil of oblivion over the sinful past, must ever 
 remain to you a sweet compensation for all of personal feeling 
 that they may have cost you. 
 
 In accepting the surrender of your official relations to the 
 Mission we cannot feel that we are in reality bidding you fare- 
 well. We believe that your heart, your sympathy and your 
 prayers will continue to mingle with ours when your familiar 
 presence is missed from this platform and your voice is no 
 longer heard, night after night, teaching sinners to say, " God 
 be merciful to me a sinner, for Jesus' sake." 
 
 That our prayers will follow you, and that you will bear 
 with you, wherever you go, our cordial wishes for your hap- 
 
234 Facsimile of Signatures. 
 
 piness and welfare, and for the abiding presence with you of 
 Him whose name we praise, you need no assurance. 
 
 Very truly, 
 Your Friends and Brethren in the Lord. 
 
 (The memorial bears the signatures of the trustees as 
 follows) : 
 
 FACSIMILE OF SIGNATURES OF CREMORNE MISSION 
 
 TRUSTEES TO THE "FAREWELL" TO 
 
 MRS. McAULEY. 
 
 Upon the conclusion of this paper Mr. Hatch said : "Before 
 I sit down I hope it will not be amiss if I step out of my official 
 character and say a word to you for myself personally. Our 
 acquaintance goes back almost a quarter of a century. For 
 over twenty years we have worked side by side in Water Street 
 and here, and during that time there has existed between my- 
 self and Jerry, and between you and myself, a friendship that 
 has never been clouded by a single action, a harmony that has 
 never been marred by a single thought or word. It is with 
 entire confidence that I stand in this place to-night and speak 
 these words to you. Somehow, while I feel that we are all 
 in sympathy here to-night, I think I stand in a little different 
 
The Children s Good-By. 235 
 
 relationship. I hope all will pardon this seeming egotism. And 
 now I will say in the words of Brother Stearns, Good-by, and 
 God bless you, Maria." 
 
 The Rev. R. M. Offord arose to speak, but being informed 
 that some little folks upon the platform were impatient to 
 take their part, said : 
 
 " I have something to say, but I understand there are three 
 or four children who want to be heard, so I gladly make place 
 for the little ones." 
 
 Four children advanced to Mrs. McAuley's chair, and 
 " Trixie " Baldwin, the little daughter of two of the converts, 
 now most faithful workers in the Mission, said : 
 
 " Dear Mrs. 'Cauley, we all love you so much that we shall 
 never forget you. Every night, when we come to the Mission, 
 we shall look at your empty chair and say, 'God bless dear 
 Mrs. 'Cauley, wherever she may be ! ' We offer you this little 
 present with hearts full of love ; whenever you look at it please 
 remember your Mission children and pray for them. We bid 
 you good-by. ' God be with you.' When we meet in Heaven 
 we shall never say good-by again." Another of the children 
 then handed Mrs. McAuley a beautiful silver salver and berry 
 dish, appropriately engraved, the gift of a number of the 
 converts and friends, and the congregation sang: 
 
 " We'll never say good-by in Heaven, 
 We'll never say good-by, 
 In that fair land of joy and song, 
 We'll never say good-by." 
 
 Mr. Offord then said : 
 
 "I do not propose to keep you very long, for there are many 
 who wish to speak, and who ought to have a chance. I am 
 thankful to God for the countless souls Mrs. McAuley has 
 
236 ^^ Farewell, Dear Friend." 
 
 been enabled, through God's grace, to lead to the Cross. I am 
 thankful, too, for all the inspiration she has been enabled to 
 give to Christian workers. When I have sometimes felt dis- 
 couraged, she has helped me by her example, and her words have 
 encouraged me to take hope and have strengthened my faith 
 in work of this kind. I am personally grateful to her for all 
 the friendship I have enjoyed with her these many years, and 
 there are other hearts here that feel as I do. I do not 
 know how it was, but Mrs. McAuley could make you feel that, 
 if she cared for and sympathized with any one soul more than 
 all the rest in the world, you were just that one. This is a 
 wonderful gift — whether the gift of nature, or of grace, or 
 of both. I have put the sentiments of my heart and yours 
 into verse, which I will read : 
 
 Farewell, dear friend! if lips must speak the word. Farewell 1 
 Though with a pain of heart that lips can never tell ; 
 We could have wished thy hands the work had ne'er laid down, 
 Until the call to wear the everlasting crown. 
 
 We praise our God to-day for all those hands have wrought, 
 For straying ones reclaimed, in love and pity sought; 
 For words of help, and hope, and winning tenderness. 
 That fell on weary souls to comfort and to bless; 
 
 For tears o'er sinners shed, like summer's gentle rain; 
 For smiles that won the lost to God's dear love again; 
 For souls from sin's sad thrall so royally set free, 
 Through God's rich blessing on thy patient ministry. 
 
 Farewell, dear friend! Whate'er henceforth in life betide, 
 The Lord thy pilot be, 'mid changing scenes to guide, 
 To lead thee to that land whose bliss no tongue can tell, 
 Where partings are unknown, and none shall say farewell! 
 
A Well-Deserved Present. 237 
 
 There waits thy crown, and richer far than all reward, 
 The sweet 'Well done!' and 'Welcome!' of thy loving Lord; 
 And there, in fulness, shlall the harvest all be known. 
 The seed of which thy hands while here on earth have sown. 
 
 " Now, a word more. 
 
 " Missionaries are usually very rith in faith, and money is 
 not much to thenl. Still, a few of Mrs. McAuley's friends 
 thought they would like to get a dollar or two together and 
 present them to Mrs. McAuley. The amount contributed soon 
 reached six hundred dollars. Then the Board of Trustees re- 
 membered she might need a vacation, and they added enough 
 to make the amount seven hundred and fifty dollars. I am 
 sorry that it is not ten times as much as that, as I hand her 
 this little bank-book, which I do on behalf of the Board of 
 Trustees and other personal friends, and with Mr. Stearns and 
 Mr. Hatch, I, too, say, God bless you, Mrs. McAuley." 
 
 Mr. Sidney Whittemore, now Secretary of the Board of 
 Trustees, being next called upon, said : 
 
 " I am put in a peculiar place. I saw some one pointing, and 
 came up, as I thought, to obey some order — to close a door or 
 open a window perhaps — and here I am asked to 'say some- 
 thing.' Well, I will say something. It must have been eighteen 
 or nineteen years since I first went down to Water Street, feel- 
 ing that I was such a big one in church life that I knew every- 
 thing; and to go down and shake hands with Jerry McAuley 
 and his wife — why, yes, I would, and encourage him in that 
 way. I went down as the Pharisee who thanked God he was 
 not like the Publican who prayed ' God be merciful to me a 
 sinner.' But, praise God, I brought up with the Publican. I 
 may say good-by to Mrs. McAuley in a formal way, but I shall 
 really never say good-by to her. I thank God for the first night 
 I went down to Water Street, and heard the invitation from 
 
238 "Come To-morrow Night r 
 
 Mrs. McAuIey to ' come to-morrow night,' and I praise God 
 I accepted the invitation. , There is one thing in which I think 
 you will all bear me out, and that is, that in all my experience 
 I have never seen Mrs. McAuley but with a smile on her face 
 and without hearing the welcome words, ' Come to-morrow 
 night.' We went down the first night ' just to sit and look on,' 
 but, praise God, we kept on going until it reached five nights 
 out of seven ; and I bless God for the same invitation that has 
 been given to so many others as well as myself ; and now I am 
 going to say good-by and God bless you, Mrs. McAuley." 
 
 Mrs, Whittemore, being next called upon, said : 
 
 " I do not know that I can add anything to what my husband 
 has said; but I wish to say that he was by no means as far 
 away from God as I was when we first went down to Water 
 Street; and I was so full of self-righteousness that I led my 
 husband away over and over again. When we first went down 
 it was with the distinct understanding that I was never to go 
 to such a place as that again, and he hardly thought he would 
 go either ; but, dear friends, the words spoken had touched the 
 heavenly spring, and our eyes were opened. Oh, how I do 
 thank God for bringing Jerry and his wife into our lives ! Oh, 
 what blessed times we have had in the little dining-room of 
 the old dance-hall, where, at the feet of JesUs, we laid down all 
 our troubles and trials and asked Him to bless our work ; and, 
 friends, I do say from the bottom of my heart, God bless dear 
 Mrs. McAuley, and may He shower down upon her more and 
 more of His own rich blessings." 
 
 The Rev. John Calvin Knox, now pastor of a Reformed 
 Church and a convert of the Water Street Mission, said : 
 
 " I sometimes get a little discouraged, and when I feel that 
 way I get right down on my knees at the side of my trunk and 
 get out two pictures ; one is the picture of Jerry and the other 
 
Mrs. SIDNEY WHITTEMORE 
 Founder of "Door of Hope " Mission 
 
Mrs. McAuley's Response. 239 
 
 is of Mrs. McAuley. They always give me a sort of inspira- 
 tion. I went into Water Street over thirteen years ago without 
 God or hope in this world, and I thank God I heard the in- 
 vitation of Mrs. McAuley — ' Come to-morrow night ' — ^and 
 took it. I can't say any more." 
 
 Mr. Knox was too much overcome to continue, and hastily 
 took his seat. We regretted that he was unable to give the 
 deeply thrilling testimony we have so often heard from his 
 lips. 
 
 Mrs. McAuley was then called upon to speak. She said : 
 
 " I cannot reply to all that has been said to-night. It is in my 
 heart ; but I am slow of speech. I cannot say what I want to 
 say, but God knows that I feel it. In all these years that I 
 have been working here, I want to say publicly here before the 
 Board of Trustees, they have always stood by me, shoulder to 
 shoulder, in this work. I have always had their prayers and 
 their sympathies, and they have always had mine. I wish 
 to thank them to-night. I wish I could say what is in my heart. 
 I never could say 'thank you ' very gracefully, but when I say 
 it I mean it, and ' thank you ' from me means volumes. 
 
 " When I spoke to one of the trustees, about eight or nine 
 months ago, and said I thought when I went away that 
 Mr. and Mrs. Ballou, of the Third Avenue Mission, would 
 be good Superintendents, he did not think they could be se- 
 cured. He did not know I had been praying to God to open 
 up the way for them, and when I sent for them and told them 
 I was going to resign, it took their breath away. I asked them 
 if they would accept, and they said, ' We do not know what 
 to say.' They came to the conclusion that they would ask God, 
 and if He wanted them they would come. I said I did not 
 want them if God did not, and they said if God did not want 
 them they did not want to come. Finally they decided to come ; 
 
240 "/ Can Say No More" 
 
 and I commit this work, first to God and His wonderful love, 
 and then to their tender and loving care. And now I want 
 you to do something for me to-night — ^those of you who can, 
 those of you who will. I want you to put up your hands — all 
 those who will stand by Mr. and Mrs. Ballou." 
 
 [Many scores of hands were promptly raised, and Mrs. 
 McAuley continued:] 
 
 "Oh, friends, I cannot tell what God has done for me. I 
 expect to tell my testimony while life shall last, if it will win a 
 precious soul for Jesus. I want to say that I was once a poor 
 homeless drunkard. I had no God and no hope, no home and 
 no friends ; and I cried unto God and He heard my prayer, and 
 He put hope into my life. How I thank God for the way He 
 has brought everything round up to this night! You ask me 
 if I am not sorry I am going away. Do you not suppose there 
 is an ache in my heart? God knows there is — He knows all 
 about it. I am so glad to leave you in such good hands — such 
 a Board of Trustees as there is in this Mission, who have stood 
 by me through all the changing and trying times, man to man, 
 and shoulder to shoulder. I want to thank them and my 
 friends for the beautiful present they have given me, because 
 I know it is a tribute of love, and it has cost them something 
 to give toward that present. Soon after I came on the plat- 
 form this evening I knew something was coming. I did not 
 know what it was ; but Trixie came to me and said, ' Mrs. 
 'Cauley, I cannot sit beside you to-night.' I said, ' Why can- 
 not you sit near me ? ' and she said, ' I won't tell you,' and she 
 was so afraid she would tell me that she ran away. 
 
 " Now I am going to tell you what I want to see to-night. 
 I want to see some poor, tired, weary soul find rest — that is 
 what I want more than all else. I am hungry for souls. God 
 bless you — God bless you all. I can say no more." 
 
A Memorable After-Meeting. 241 
 
 A number of the converts and other friends of the Mission 
 spoke briefly, and Mrs. McAuley followed in a touching prayer. 
 At the conclusion of the service the usual " after-meeting " for 
 those desiring to lead a new life was held, Mrs. McAuley pre- 
 siding for the last time, and uttering earnest words of help and 
 sympathy, and leading one and another of the kneeling peni- 
 tents to pray, " God be merciful to me a sinner, for Jesus' 
 sake." 
 
 It was after midnight when the last good-by had been spoken 
 and the lights were turned out. Those who were present on 
 this impressive occasion will never forget the scene. It was a 
 happy, hearty testimonial to a faithful woman whom God has 
 crowned with marvellous success as a soul-winner. 
 
242 A Wonderful Institution. 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 MRS. WHITTEMORE AND THE " DOOR OF HOPE." 
 
 "Jesus, the name to sinners dear. 
 The name to sinners given. 
 It scatters all our guilty fear, 
 And gives us hope of Heaven.'' 
 
 Jerry McAuley and his faithful wife and co-worker were 
 exceedingly happy in the friends they made in their blessed 
 Christian work. Among these may be most gratefully men- 
 tioned Mr. Sidney Whittemore and his wife, Mrs. Emma M. 
 Whittemore. The latter is known as having inaugurated in 
 New York the "Door of Hope," an institution for the reclama- 
 tion of lost women, which has not only been blessed directly to 
 the saving of many souls, but which has been duplicated over 
 and over again literally scores of times in this country and even 
 across the^ sea. This truly wonderful institution its founder 
 persistently sets down as the direct result of the Water Street 
 Mission, and of that first visit to Water Street paid by herself 
 and her husband when they both learned, as never before, the 
 reality of divine things and of the meaning of Christ's com- 
 mand to His disciples to follow Him. This is Mrs. Whitte- 
 more's plain, unvarnished story: 
 
 Shortly after the little old dance-hall had been converted into 
 the temporary mission-hall, which was afterward replaced by 
 the present commodious building known as the McAuley Water 
 Street Mission, in company with a dear friend, my husband and 
 
A Motley Group. 243 
 
 I, at her earnest request, went down into that slum quarter to 
 see as was then expressed the greatest wonder of the Fourth 
 Ward — ^Jerry McAuley. The place was overcrowded, but 
 finally room was made for us all near the platform. As the 
 meeting proceeded my husband and I were deeply convicted 
 of our comparatively useless lives, for though professing to be 
 followers of the lowly Jesus, we neither of us possessed enough 
 of Him to keep the world from engrossing much of our 
 thoughts. Before the services concluded we stood with some 
 emotion facing the audience and requested their prayers that 
 we might indeed return unto God. 
 
 The reality of Christ had been most vividly portrayed to our 
 hearts through every testimony given and through the words 
 spoken so fervently by Jerry himself. Thoroughly in earnest 
 though we were, we were somewhat startled a moment or so 
 later at being invited to " come to the bench " and kneel with 
 others who were seeking salvation. However, we gladly ac- 
 quiesced, and a motley group it was that knelt around us that 
 night. There was a drunkard, a gambler, a thief and a tramp 
 on my husband's side, and on my side one or two poor women, 
 another drunkard, and so on. Jerry leaned over the little crowd 
 and said in his emphatic way : " Now pray, every one of you 
 pray." 
 
 I wondered, when it came to my husband's turn to voice 
 his petition, what he would say. I had not to wonder long, for 
 he began in the same way as the others had done before him 
 with 'God be merciful to me a sinner.' 
 
 Suddenly I was made to feel how far away from this merciful 
 God I had truly strayed, and recognizing the fact that through 
 my influence my husband had been encouraged to do likewise, 
 I was only too glad to pray the same prayer. 
 
 Jerry touched me on the shoulder lightly, and looking up we 
 
244 T^^ First "Door of Hope" Founded. 
 
 saw a tear of sympathy run down his cheek. With great gen- 
 tleness he said : " Ah, put in ' for Jesus' sake.' " We did and 
 the others did also, and before rising from our knees we found 
 there was power in the precious name of Jesus to insure the 
 fulfillment of our request. We were made to understand that 
 through Jesus, " the Author and Finisher " of a faith that 
 knows no denial, our God would remember our backslidings no 
 more against us forever." 
 
 The name of Jesus from that night has repeatedly been as 
 divine magic to my soul. Even then, no sooner had we followed 
 His orders than a spiritual conviction fastened itself upon our 
 hearts that we had entered into a newer place in God's love 
 than ever before. As we have since continually stepped out 
 upon His promises He has in many remarkable ways demon- 
 strated His faithfulness to us. 
 
 Personally I have always somehow felt that the " Door of 
 Hope " work was bom in my soul as the outcome of attend- 
 ing the service alluded to, and although not fully established 
 until several years later, the preparatory steps to this work 
 were taken in 316 Water Street, although I had at the time no 
 consciousness of God's plans for the work. 
 
 On October 25, 1890, the first " Door of Hope " was founded 
 and is now recognized as the Mother Home of over sixty-seven 
 in various States and countries. The story of these homes rep- 
 resents thousands and thousands of poor girls once on the 
 streets, who through the beckoning finger of God's love have 
 entered our places of shelter and found the Saviour. To God 
 be all the glory! Numbers of those reclaimed from terrible 
 depths of depravity are now living consistent Christian lives, 
 some being married and others happily reunited to their fam- 
 ilies. 
 
 A missionary society was organized shortly after the death 
 
DELIA 
 
 One of the Converts of the "Door of Hope," founded by 
 Mrs. IVhiltemore 
 
Delia a Miracle of Grace. 245 
 
 of " Delia," one of our most interesting converts, but at one 
 time one of the most notorious cases in the Mulberry Bend 
 quarters of New York. The society is known as the " Delia 
 Memorial." Through this society persons of great destitution 
 have been relieved and the gospel has been sent to heathen 
 lands, etc. Although formerly a member of a gang of thieves 
 and a terror to the police as well as to others, this Delia through 
 the pardoning love of God was not only herself saved, but 
 within eleven short months after her rescue she had been in- 
 strumental in bringing over one hundred souls to a knowledge 
 of Christ, her Lord. This is but one incident among many, all 
 the outcome under God of that getting right with Him one 
 memorable night at 316 Water Street. 
 
 During the past sixteen years in answer to prayer alone over 
 $96,000 has been received for the sustaining of the mother 
 " Door of Hope." From its incipiency it has been known as 
 a faith work, and with delight this record is given of God's 
 faithfulness. A beautiful piece of ground at Tappan, N. Y., 
 has been recently purchased, and is occupied to carry on the 
 work more effectively, it is hoped, than was possible in the 
 smaller house formerly occupied on Sixty-first Street, New 
 York. 
 
 Truly the Lord is gracious, and through the pathway of 
 obedience to His will He will enable His servants to fill up the 
 waste places of the past and to His glory and pr^se tell out 
 unto others the truth as it is in Jesus. 
 
 " Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be 
 saved !" 
 
24^ A Notable Convert. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 SAMUEL H. HADLEY'S STORY. 
 
 "O happy day, that fixed my choice 
 
 On Thee, my Saviour and my God. 
 Well may this glowing heart rejoice. 
 And tell its raptures all abroad. 
 
 "Happy day, happy day. 
 When Jesus washed my sins away. 
 He taught me how to watch and pray, 
 And live rejoicing every day." 
 
 "They that be wise," says the Word of God, "shall shine as 
 the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the 
 stars forever and ever." Such surely is the predestined lot of 
 Samuel H. Hadley. Saved in the McAuley Cremorne Mission, 
 under Jerry and Mrs. McAuley's instrumentality, he became 
 at once a successful worker for souls. Four years after his con- 
 version he was appointed superintendent of the Water Street 
 Mission. Here he labored for twenty years and was richly 
 blessed of God until called to his eternal reward in February, 
 1906. Nor were his labors confined to Water Street, for he 
 made many evangelistic trips far and near that were owned of 
 God in the salvation of numberless souls and in arousing inter- 
 est on the part of Christians in rescue mission work. Not many 
 years since he was ordained to the gospel ministry in the Meth- 
 odist Elpiscopal Church. It was Mr. Hadley's privilege to bring 
 to the Saviour his only brother, Colonel H. H. Hadley, also, 
 
''My First Drink and My Last." 247 
 
 under God, a founder of missions and successful laborer for 
 souls. We are permitted to append Mr. S. H. Hadley's story 
 as published some years ago under the title "My First Drink 
 and My Last" : 
 
 On a beautiful moonlight night in October I was walking 
 with a friend and we had been to a neighbor's, where he bought 
 a pint of whiskey. I was past eighteen years of age. I had 
 been raised in a log-cabin in a sparsely settled neighborhood in 
 a Western State. My mother was the dearest Christian woman 
 I ever knew ; she was the daughter of a Massachusetts clergy- 
 man. My father was an educated Christian gentleman — a New 
 Hampshire man — and our home, log-cabiii though it was, cer- 
 tainly was the purest spot I had ever seen on earth. Never did 
 I hear an evil word spoken there, and whiskey and tobacco were 
 unknown in our house. 
 
 I had promised my dear mother I would never drink; but 
 this friend, who was the miller of our county, told me that he 
 would never speak to me again if I did not drink, and that he 
 would think I had some grudge against him or felt myself 
 above him socially. I took the bottle, after he had coaxed me 
 a full half hour, and put it to my lips and drank. Will I ever 
 forget that mbment ? The vow I had made to my dear mother 
 was broken, and the devil came in and took full possession. My 
 mother died a short time after this, happily in ignorance of my 
 sin. I was away from home that day, but her last words were, 
 " Tell Hopkins to meet me in heaven." When I reached home 
 in the evening, before I could dismount from my horse my 
 sisters came out and told me mother was dead. I could not be- 
 lieve it, so they took my hands and led me into the " spare 
 room," and there, cold in death, was my darling, precious 
 mother! I could not believe that the silent form wrapped in 
 white was she, so pale, so still. From my earliest recollection 
 
248 Slowly but Surely Slipping Down, 
 
 she had been the last one I ever saw at night and the first one 
 in the morning. I begged her, with a breaking heart, to speak 
 to me. How my broken vow came back to me as I stood by that 
 dear lifeless form, so peaceful, so sweet! I promised God and 
 her that I would never break it again. Three days after mother 
 was buried I was more drunk than I had ever been before. 
 
 Our home was broken up, for father soon died. I went to 
 live with a prominent physician in the village and began the 
 study of medicine. My preceptor, though one of the most 
 brilliant men in his profession, was a heavy drinker, and in 
 one year I was a confirmed drunkard. 
 
 I gave up my studies, took a traveling position, became a 
 professional gambler, and for fifteen years rarely went to bed 
 sober. For many years I did not see my danger, or was too 
 much under the influence of rum to think seriously on the sub- 
 ject. Occasionally, however, ominous forebodings would arise 
 in my heart, and I would wonder what the end would be. 
 
 In 1870 I came to New York City, and soon accepted a posi- 
 tion with a salary of $300 per month, with a liberal allowance 
 for expenses. The failure of the establishment I was working 
 for threw me out of a position, and I never was able to com- 
 jnand a good salary afterwards. I cannot describe here the 
 remorse and heart-aches of the confirmed drunkard who feels 
 himself slowly though surely slipping down to that awful abyss, 
 the drunkard's hell — a foretaste of which he already feels in 
 his soul! I passed through it all — more than human pen 
 could write. Many times, while my faithful, loving wife would 
 be holding me in her arms, would I see fiends in the most 
 hellish forms walk round behind me, and, holding their mouths 
 so close I could feel their scorching breath, tell me what to do. 
 This advice, whether true or imaginary, always tended toward 
 my self-destruction. Then they would go into the next room 
 
A Homeless, Friendless, Dying Drunkard^ 249 
 
 and talk so loud about my case I was sure my wife would hear 
 their evil plottings and be frightened out of her senses. 
 
 One Tuesday evening, on April 18, 1882, I sat in a saloon 
 in Harlem, a homeless, friendless, dying drunkard. I had 
 pawned or sold everything that would bring a drink, I could 
 not sleep unless I was dead drunk. I had not eaten for days, 
 and for four nights preceding I had suffered with delirium 
 tremens, or the horrors, from midnight till morning. I had 
 often said, "I will never be a tramp ; I will never be cornered ; 
 for when that time comes, if it ever does, I will find a home in 
 the bottom of the river ! " But the Lord so ordered it that 
 when that time did come I was not able to walk one-quarter 
 of the way to the river. As I sat there thinking, I seemed to 
 feel some great and mighty presence. I did not know then 
 what it was. I did learn afterward that it was Jesus, the sin- 
 ner's friend. I walked up to the bar and pounded it with 
 my fist till I made the glasses rattle. Those who stood by drink- 
 ing looked on with scornful curiosity. I said I would never take 
 another drink if I died in the street ; and, reader, I felt as though 
 that would happen before morning. Something said, " If you 
 want to keep this promise, go and have yourself locked up." 
 I went to the nearest station-house, a short distance away, and 
 had myself locked up. 
 
 I was placed in a narrow cell, and it seemed as though all the 
 demons that could find room came in that place with me. This 
 was not all the company I had, either. No, praise the Lord! 
 that dear Spirit that came to me in the saloon was present, and 
 said — "Pray!" I did pray; and though I did not feel any 
 great help, I kept on praying. As soon as I was able to leave 
 my cell I was taken to the police court, and remanded back to 
 the cell. I was finally released, and found my way to my 
 brother's house, where every care was given me. While lying 
 
250 Jerry's Fervent Prayer. 
 
 in bed the admonishing spirit never left me, and when I arose 
 the following Sabbath morning I felt that day would decide my 
 fate. Many plans were turned over in my mind, but all were 
 rejected; and toward evening it came into my head to go to 
 Jerry McAuley's Mission. I went. The house was packed, and 
 with great difficulty I made my way to the space near the plat- 
 form. There I saw the apostle to the drunkard and the outcast 
 — that man of God, Jerry McAuley. He rose, and amid deep 
 silence told his experience, that simple story that I heard so 
 many hundred times afterwards, but which was ever new : how 
 he had been a " tief," an outcast, a drunkard — " yes, a regular 
 old bum ! but I gave my heart to God, and He saved me from 
 everything that's wicked and bad." There was a sincerity about 
 this man and his testimony that carried conviction with it, and 
 I found myself saying, " I wonder if God can save me ? " I 
 listened to the testimony of twenty-five or thirty persons, every 
 one of whom had been saved from rum, and I made up my 
 mind that I would be saved or die right there. When the invi- 
 tation was given I knelt down with quite a crowd of drunkards. 
 Never will I forget that scene ! How I wondered if I would be 
 saved! if God would help me! I was a total stranger; but I 
 felt I had sympathy, and it helped me. Jerry made the first 
 prayer. I shall never forget it. He said : " Dear Saviour, won't 
 you look down in pity on these poor souls? They need your 
 help. Lord, they can't get along without it. Blessed Jesus, these 
 poor sinners have got themselves into a bad hole. Won't you 
 help them out? Speak to them. Lord! do, for Jesus' sake — 
 amen !" Then Mrs. McAuley prayed fervently for us, and Jerry 
 said : " Now all keep on your knees and keep praying, while I 
 ask these dear souls to pray for themselves." He spoke to one 
 after another, as he placed his hand on their heads, saying, 
 " Brother, you pray. Now tell the Lord just what you want 
 

 
 
 
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 Reo. SAMUEL H. HADLEY 
 
 Fot many yean Superinlendenl of Old McAuley 
 
 Water Street Mission 
 
An Indescribable Moment. 251 
 
 Him to do for you." How I trembled as he approached me 1 
 Though I had knelt down with the determination to give my 
 heart to God, when it came to the very moment of grand de- 
 cision I felt like backing out. The devil knelt by my side and 
 whispered in my ear crimes I had forgotten for months : " What 
 are you going to do about such and such matters if you start 
 to be a Christian to-night? Now you can't afford to make a 
 mistake ; had not you better think this matter over a while and 
 try to fix up some of the troubles you are in, and then start? " 
 Oh, what a conflict was going on for my poor soul ! A blessed 
 whisper said, " Come 1 " The devil said, " Be careful ! " Jerry's 
 hand was on my head. He said : " Brother, pray." I said : 
 " Can't you pray for me ? " Jerry said : " All the prayers in 
 the world won't save you unless you pray for yourself." I 
 halted but a moment, and then, with a breaking heart, I said : 
 "Dear Jesus, can you help me?" Dear reader, never with 
 mortal tongue can I describe that moment. Although up to 
 that moment my soul had been filled with indescribable gloom, 
 I felt the glorious brightness of the noon-day sun shine into 
 my heart ; I felt I was a free man. Oh, the precious feeling of 
 safety, of freedom, of resting on Jesus ! I felt that Christ, with 
 all His brightness and power, had come into my life; that in- 
 deed old things had passed away and all things had become 
 new. 
 
 From that moment till now I have never wanted a drink of 
 whiskey, and I have never seen money enough to make me 
 take one. I promised God that night that if He would take 
 away the appetite for strong drink I would work for Him all 
 my life. He has done His part, and I have been trying to do 
 mine. Nor did I ever, even by accident, swear an oath, though 
 before I could not speak ten consecutive words without an 
 oath. I began the next day to work for Christ, by inviting a 
 
252 Completely Delivered. 
 
 tramp to come to the meetings. He came, and went up for 
 prayers. A few weeks afterward the Lord showed me I was 
 leaning on tobacco, and I had better lean entirely on Him. I 
 threw my plug of tobacco away one night down the aisle in the 
 Mission, and the desire was removed. In fact, my tobacco was 
 the only sacrifice I ever made for Jesus, as I would gladly have 
 paid money to be rid of rum if I could have been relieved that 
 way. 
 
God's Work Goes On. 253 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 A NEW CHAPTER ON OLD WATER STREET. 
 
 "Oh, glorious news, life-giving news, 
 
 Repeat it o'er and o'er : 
 God gave His Son our souls to save, 
 
 The gift is at your door. 
 Are you afraid His love to claim? 
 
 We know, who have believed. 
 He never failed one weary soul, 
 
 The trusting ne'er deceived." 
 
 It sounds trite and commonplace to say that " God's workers 
 die off but His work goes on." The Mission at 316 Water 
 Street affords a very striking illustration of this oft-repeated 
 saying. It has always been under the conduct of men fitted by 
 God for the work, and He who fits one man, however thor- 
 oughly, can, when the need arises, fit another and make him 
 equally useful. At the present time Mr. John H. Wyburn leads 
 the workers at the old stand, amid the old-time signals of di- 
 vine favor and with the same abounding manifestations of 
 divine power. Invited to make his contribution to the present 
 volume, Mr. Wyburn has given us a happy blending of Water 
 Street history and personal testimony that will arouse the in- 
 terest of old friends and new. The mention of many honored 
 names adds to the interest of Mr. Wyburn's contribution and 
 leads us to look forward to the day when all they who have 
 turned many to righteousness shall be proclaimed by their Re- 
 deemer and Lord and thenceforth shine as the stars forever 
 and ever. Mr. Wyburn writes: 
 
 In the year 1882, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, 
 
254 Some Fruits of the Work. 
 
 Jerry left the McAuley Water Street Mission and opened the 
 McAuley Cremome Mission on West Thirty-second Street, 
 New York. Mr. John F. Shorey, who was converted in 1876 
 in Barnum's Hippodrome, New York City, at the Moody and 
 Sankey meetings, succeeded Jerry and his wife and for many 
 years carried on the work here with great success. During his 
 superintendency many who have since become noted rescue 
 workers were converted. Among these may be mentioned the 
 Rev. John R. McConica, who is now the superintendent of a 
 very successful mission at Norfolk, Va., and for many years 
 was working in Canada; also Frank Lawrence, who was for 
 many years superintendent of the Old Wilson Memorial Res- 
 cue Mission on West Forty-second Street, New York City. 
 Many others have their records enshrined on high, as well as 
 in the hearts of countless redeemed men and women. 
 
 Mr. Shorey for over twenty years has lived in London, 
 England, and there he has been greatly used of God among the 
 outcasts of that city, especially among crippled children. When 
 Mr. Shorey resigned the care of the Water Street work he sug- 
 gested to the trustees that Mr. Samuel H. Hadley be his suc- 
 cessor. Mr. Hadley was very shortly placed in charge. He had 
 four years previously been converted at the Cremome Mission, 
 and for twenty years he had wonderful success in reaching 
 the slaves of strong drink, especially those who came to Water 
 Street. Indeed he had the privilege of telling the story of his 
 wonderful conversion all over the land, becoming one of the 
 leading evangelists of this country and known all over the 
 world. In his work he reached the hearts and lives of saints 
 and sinners in a remarkable way, because of his simple faith and 
 love for the Master who saved and kept him from an awful 
 life of sin. 
 
 During the administration of Mr. Hadley, rescue work was 
 
One Hundred Missions Established. 255 
 
 brought to the attention of the Christian public, and churches 
 are recognizing it as a part of God's work and as a work the 
 Master loves to do. During the past twenty years over one 
 hundred missions have been opened through the influence that 
 has gone out from the McAuley Water Street Mission. 
 
 I never heard Mr. Hadley testify (and I have been with him 
 in this work for over fifteen years) without hearing him speak 
 of Jerry and his dear wife, Mrs. McAuley, and of the night in 
 which they led him to the Saviour and he became a new man. 
 Night after night the name of the founder of the dear old Mis- 
 sion is mentioned with love and reverence within its walls. 
 
 Colonel H. H. Hadley was converted at 316 Water Street 
 on July 28, 1886. He was the founder of the Blue Button 
 A^rmy, established on the principle of Total Abstinence for 
 Christ's sake. Over six hundred thousand badges are being 
 worn by its members. Colonel Hadley also started sixty-two 
 Rescue Missions, one for every year of his life, dying in his 
 sixty-second year, December, 1903. His son, the Rev. George 
 D. Hadley, succeeded him as the director of the Blue Button 
 Army. 
 
 Mr. John S. Huyler, President of the Water Street Mission, 
 is also President of the Blue Button Army. For a good many 
 years Mr. Huyler has worn the little blue button of the Army 
 in the lapel of his coat. When Colonel Hadley organized and 
 incorporated the Army he added the white cross to the blue 
 button, making a very pretty badge, the blue signifying " total 
 abstinence," and the cross "for Christ's sake." 
 
 James C. Edwards was converted on the first night S. H. 
 Hadley took charge of the Mission. He is a Scotchman by 
 birth, and six feet four inches in height. Shortly after his con- 
 version he became very prominent in labor circles throughout 
 the country, and had the honor of being grand marshal of the 
 
2^6 " r!>ear Jesus, Give Me Sleep." 
 
 Labor Day parade some years ago, which is the highest honor 
 the Labor Organization can bestow on one of its members. 
 
 "Bill" Kelly, bartender and "bouncer" of the notorious dive 
 known as " The " Allen's on Bleecker Street, was converted 
 here. He came into the Mission on a free supper night. In a 
 barroom on the Bowery he was told that he could get a plate 
 of soup at the Mission, but got down too late for the supper, 
 and did not get anything but salvation. I shall never forget 
 the prayer he made when he was asked to pray. He cried out 
 like an insane man, " Dear Jesus, give me sleep ; give me sleep ! " 
 and kept it up continuously for a minute or so. He was on the 
 verge of the " horrors," but on that night, he told us, he went 
 home to the lodging-house on the Bowery and slept like a child 
 for thirty-six hours. A few months after his first anniversary 
 he was taken ill with pneumonia and fell asleep in Jesus. His 
 iniluence is still felt in the Mission. He was loved by every 
 one. 
 
 John M. Wood came into the Mission crazy with drink. In 
 his pocket he had his discharge from the United States Navy, 
 and across it was written in red ink, " Discharged for chronic 
 alcoholism," and this after a service of over thirteen years. 
 He had been drunk in almost every seaport city on the globe. 
 He was on his way to the river to commit suicide, when his 
 attention was arrested by the refrain of a song floating out into 
 the night air over the transom of the Mission, a song his mother 
 had taught him as a child : 
 
 "There is a fountain filled with blood, 
 Drawn from Immanuel's veins, 
 And sinners plunged beneath that flood 
 Lose all their guilty stains." 
 
 He came into the Mission just as the after-service was being 
 conducted, and came right up to the front and knelt down with 
 
Drunkards Saved. 257 
 
 other poor drunkards, and on that night God for Christ's sake 
 saved his soul. Brother Wood, three years after his conversion, 
 was called by the Seamen's Friend Society to work in the Navy 
 Yard in Brooklyn as a missionary. His work was eminently 
 successful. He established a Christian Endeavor Society on 
 each one of the ships of the White Squadron. He died sud- 
 denly of hemorrhage of the lungs. His coffin, draped in the 
 United States flag, was borne to the church by six sailors, and 
 was followed by a detachment from the Navy Yard and by 
 many hundreds of his old comrades and friends. 
 
 The work in the Water Street Mission is still going on. The 
 past year has been one of great blessing; and the Holy Spirit 
 has been wonderfully manifested in our meetings. Every Sun- 
 day there are from fifteen to twenty converts telling the old, 
 old story of Jesus and His love in churches, Young Men's 
 Christian Associations and anywhere God calls us to go. 
 
 My associate in the work is Mr. Edward C. Mercer, who 
 was converted nearly three years ago. His father is a direct 
 descendant of General Hugh Mercer of Revolutionary fame, 
 and was one of the most prominent lawyers in the South. Mr. 
 Mercer is a graduate of the University of Virginia, and through 
 the social glass at college became a drunkard. He was without 
 a home, disowned by his father, away from his beloved wife — 
 a hopeless, despairing man. He was sent to Water Street by 
 his cousin, Mr. Thomas Savage Clay, and in the parlor of the 
 Mission he and I knelt together and he surrendered himself to 
 God. From that moment he became an earnest Christian 
 worker. He has been wonderfully successful in reaching men, 
 speaking in Young Men's Christian Associations, churches and 
 also in colleges. He very recently had the privilege of work- 
 ing for a week with Dr. W. J. Dawson, the English evangelist, 
 in Yale University. As an outcome of these services, men were 
 
258 John H. Wy burn's Personal Testimony. 
 
 led to accept the Lord Jesus Oirist, and a Rescue Mission thai 
 had been closed for years was reopened with blessed results. 
 
 MR. WYBURN S PERSONAL TESTIMONY. 
 
 I am a redeemed drunkard. Praise the Lord! Eighteen 
 and a half years ago I was sent with a letter of introduction 
 to our precious brother, S. H. Hadley, and on that very night 
 I gave my heart and life to Jesus Christ. It was the first night 
 I was ever in a mission, and on that night God forgave me — 
 even me — and took away the cursed appetite for whiskey. I 
 was in a wretched drunken condition, almost too drunk to live, 
 and my life was almost gone ; I was fast losing my senses from 
 the effects of drink and had become a drunken, useless sot, 
 without hope in this life or for the next. 
 
 I had a hard struggle to get away from the devil. For many 
 years I had been an infidel, and as I tried to pray the devil 
 whispered in my ear, " What is the use of your praying? You 
 don't believe in prayer: prayer won't help you." But I was 
 urged over and over again to pray, and God finally gave me the 
 victory. I prayed, and God heard and answered my prayer, and 
 I can never describe the wonderful joy and peace that came 
 into my life, which up to that time was so dark and dreadful. 
 The blessed Son of God from that moment took possession of 
 my life, and He became its guiding Star and has made it im- 
 possible for me to drink. From the very moment I surrendered 
 myself to Him the appetite was destroyed and God in His won- 
 derful mercy forgave my sin and transgressions. The flood- 
 gates of heaven were opened and angels came and ministered 
 to me. The joy-bells of my heart were set ringing, and I have 
 beai singing and praising Him every day for the past eighteen 
 and a half years, and it has been my great privilege and pleasure 
 ever since to be a co-worker with Him who died for me and 
 
JOHN H. WYBURN 
 
 Superintendent of Old McAuley Water Street Mission, 
 and his Family 
 
Some Water Street Workers. 259 
 
 redeemed me through His precious blood. Tens of thousands 
 have heard from my lips the story of redeeming grace. May 
 God give me strength and power to continue to keep the work 
 up for many years to come ! 
 
 One of the greatest victories of my Christian life was the 
 giving up of tobacco. I tried unsuccessfully the first year to 
 give it up on the quiet in my own strength, but on the night 
 of my first anniversary I intended to make it the leading feature 
 of the service. I bought an extra good cigar on the way down, 
 and yet it seemed I could not smoke, and I threw it away be- 
 fore it was half finished. I read the lesson in the dear old Mis- 
 sion for the first time on that night and fully intended to state 
 publicly that I would give up for Jesus' sake, but I forgot all 
 about it until the close of the testimony service, when Mr. Had- 
 ley was giving the invitation. I then stood up and interrupted 
 him by stating that I had something to say. I simply said that 
 I was going to quit the use of tobacco in every form from that 
 night. Oh ! what a victory ! Up to that time I loved it better 
 than life almost. I had been an inveterate user of the weed 
 in every form, and yet from that moment I have never had the 
 least desire to smoke or chew, but just as clean as a whistle 
 God delivered me from the appetite. I would not take any- 
 thing in this life for the victory. It has increased my faith in 
 God and His mighty power to save, and never can I tell the 
 peace that has been mine because of this blessed victory over 
 a habit which held me in bondage and marred my usefulness 
 as a worker in His vineyard. 
 
 SOME WATER STREET WORKERS. 
 
 Mrs. Sarah Sherwood (Mother Sherwood, as she was lov- 
 ingly called) was for fourteen years a missionary in the Old 
 
26o Mother Sherwood. 
 
 Water Street Mission. She was born in Pound Ridge, Conn., 
 in 1832. Her parents were Nathan and DeHa Lounsbury. Her 
 whole family have attained distinction in whatever field they 
 have been found. Her oldest brother, State Senator G. E. 
 Lounsbury, is a well-known manufacturer in Norwalk, Conn. 
 Her youngest brother, Phineas C. Lounsbury, is president of a 
 National bank on Broadway, New York City. Both of these 
 men have the distinction of having been governors of the State 
 of Connecticut. Previous to coming to Water Street Mrs. 
 Sherwood was engaged for five years in mission work among 
 the colored people of New York under the leadership of that 
 famous missionary, Mrs. Jane Dunning, the mother of the pres- 
 ent missionary of Water Street, Mrs. Lida M. Lamont. The 
 converts of Water Street will never forget " Mother Sher- 
 wood." She bore their sorrows and shared their joys. They 
 all leaned on her in time of trouble and backsliding, and they 
 always found a willing ear and a heart full of sympathy. At 
 the same time she dug them out, and if they were living on 
 false hopes she was quick to detect it. No one could more 
 kindly or skilfully uncover a liar or a fraud than she could, 
 and after so doing no one would stand by them more lovingly 
 and faithfully, helping them to right the wrong. Her sweet, 
 gracious presence was felt by all, and she still lives in the 
 hearts of many of the converts. 
 
 Mr. Franklin Smith was also one of the missionaries in the 
 Old McAuley Water Street Mission for about fourteen or fif- 
 teen years. He was tender, modest, lovable, mighty in faith 
 and earnest in prayer. His life had never been blasted by the 
 evil of drink. He had never sunk into the depths of infamy 
 that so many of the converts had previous to their conversion ; 
 
A Patient Sufferer. 261 
 
 nevertheless he had been a sinner, and when the Lord saved 
 him He gave him a tenderness and a love for those who were 
 lost that led our brother to sjTnpathize deeply with those who 
 were down deep in sin. 
 
 Mrs. Mary Bently was also a missionary in Water Street, 
 being engaged there for about five years. She lived in the 
 Mission Building, and her love and pity for lost men and 
 women and her faith in the work were boundless. She was 
 never seen out of patience. She was drawn to men only be- 
 cause they were sinners sinking down to death and despair, 
 and she wanted to point them to the Friend of sinners, who 
 would change their lives and make them new men in Christ 
 Jesus. She suffered greatly in the body for many months 
 before her death, but was constantly praying for the work in 
 Water Street, and sent messages to those whom she loved and 
 had led to the Saviour. She was sadly missed after her de- 
 parture to her heavenly home, and many will rise up in the 
 last day and call her blessed. 
 
262 A Great and Glorious Transformation. 
 CHAPTER X3CV 
 
 JOHN jaeger's mission OF THE LIVING WATERS. 
 
 "I heard the voice of Jesus say, 
 
 'Behold, I freely give 
 The living water; thirsty oae, 
 
 Stoop down and drink and live.' 
 I came to Jesus and I drank 
 
 Of that life-giving stream; 
 My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, 
 
 And now I live in Him." 
 
 For nine years the Water of Life has been flowing copiously 
 and freely at the " Mission of the Living Waters," located in 
 a former saloMi on Chrystie Street on the East Side of New 
 York. Thousands of souls have there heard the divine call, 
 " Ho, every one that thirsteth ! " and have come to the Saviour. 
 The story of this much-blessed work was prepared for this 
 volume by Mr. James A. Richards, a well-known business man 
 and Christian worker. To him and other friends, for their 
 hearty co-operation in making ready the new edition of Jerry's 
 Life, the Editor is sincerely grateful. 
 
 A great and glorious transformation occurs when a man or 
 a woman who has been using both body and mind in the ser- 
 vice of Satan begins to use them in the service of the Master. 
 It is a similar blessed metamorphosis when a building which 
 has been used for dragging men hellward by dispensing " fire- 
 water " is used in efforts to lift them heavenward as they are 
 therein offered freely the " Water of Life." 
 
 Brother John Jaeger, a convert of the McAuley Water Street 
 
JOHN JAEGER, MISSIONARY 
 Superintendent of Mission of the Living IVaters 
 
Children as Guides. 263 
 
 Mission, has for some years been conducting the Mission of 
 the Living Waters. When he was converted he scarcely knew 
 a word of English and could neither read nor write. He was 
 a man of wretched life, soaked in all sorts of sin. Concerning 
 his conversion Mr. Bradford Lee Gilbert is the best authority, 
 for God used him to bring John Jaeger to Christ. Mr. Gilbert's 
 own words about this modern miracle of divine grace are given 
 here: 
 
 Some twenty-five years ago I was greatly interested in teach- 
 ing on Sunday a large primary class at Camp Chapel, then 
 located about a block east of the Bowery, near Broome Street, 
 New York. Sunday afternoon was usually spent, after service, 
 in visiting the children at their homes, particularly when they 
 had been absent from more than one session. Among the 
 scholars in whom I was much interested were two sisters, Katie 
 and Gertie, and their younger brother Julius. I noted their 
 good behavior and evident respectability, and particularly 
 Katie's voice and love for singing. These children lived in 
 Forsyth Street, a few blocks away. I remember well the Sab- 
 bath afternoon in July, a genuine scorcher, hot and humid, 
 when all humanity, clad and unclad, seemed on the streets and 
 stoops and even gutters, trying to find a breath of cool air, 
 when I called, in answer to my Master's call, to learn why my 
 scholars were absent or whether they were ill. 
 
 As I came up the street looking for their home, I heard a 
 shout of joyous welcome, and found the children had discov- 
 ered me first. With them as my guides I soon made my way up 
 a crowded stoop where, among others, stood a strong, robust 
 type of German with a kindly face, black hair and beard, his 
 arm in a sling, and looking at me keenly, with evident surprise, 
 until one of the children explained : " Papa, here is our Sun- 
 day-school teacher," 
 
264 The Power of Jesus' Name. 
 
 Thus for the first time I met John Jaeger. A hearty wel- 
 come followed, although the children were obliged to act as 
 interpreters. Upstairs I met their mother also. My astonish-, 
 ment was evidently not misunderstood at finding their father 
 still suffering from the effects of drink, his broken arm, caused 
 by a fall from his truck, being in tangible evidence. When I 
 expressed my suiprise, one of the children explained, with the 
 words : " Papa wants you to take him where he can sign the 
 pledge." This made my heart very thankful, for I believed that 
 God had guided my footsteps to their home on this particular 
 afternoon. 
 
 Returning later, as promised, and taking Mr. Jaeger with 
 me, we rode down to 316 Water Street, the Old Jerry McAuley 
 Mission, the blessed spot where so many lost men — drunkards 
 particularly — have found forgiveness and been instantly made 
 whole and kept thereafter by the power of God, living lives 
 that glorify Him, and blessing Him for this hallowed spot of 
 perpetual revivals. 
 
 As we sat through the testimony service I asked the Holy 
 Spirit to make my friend cry out to God for mercy. John told 
 me later that the only word he really understood was " Jesus." 
 What power there is in that blessed name ! " None other name 
 is given among men whereby we must be saved." 
 
 Among the first to stand up voluntarily when the invitation 
 was given for prayer by dear Jerry in his simple, earnest, in- 
 spired manner, was John Jaeger. Walking forward, we knelt 
 together at that sacred spot at the same consecrated benches 
 where the burden of sin has rolled away so often as the Saviour 
 has spoken His divine pardon to seeking souls. 
 
 When John Jaeger cried out to " Jesus " in his own mother 
 tongue, praying in German, it was to One who understands all 
 languages, all cries of the soul, and who is worshiped only 
 
An Absolutely Sober Man. 265 
 
 in spirit. The penitential tears that flowed so copiously, the 
 sobs of soul anguish for past sin, were heard by Him who has 
 never yet turned a sinner away without forgiveness, for He 
 breaks the heart only to heal. When I grasped the hand of my 
 new friend as he arose to his feet, we all saw the new light in 
 his eyes and an absolutely sober man talking with us. No 
 other pledge could have wrought this transformation, and from 
 that day to this Brother John's testimony is that " he has been 
 saved and kept by the power of God from even a desire to 
 drink, blaspheme or sin." 
 
 Ever since that day one great source of pleasure and joy, to 
 me, is that of meeting Brother John face to face, as I see our 
 Master's image stamped thereon, and I rejoice in his humility 
 and simple faith, always learning a lesson of thankfulness, as 
 so many others have done. 
 
 " In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall 
 be established," says the good Book. It is therefore appro- 
 priate to give in John Jaeger's own words his account of his. 
 conversion. This testimony was given on the twenty-first an- 
 niversary of Brother John's conversion held at the Mission of 
 the Living Waters, 136 Chrystie Street, New York. It was 
 taken stenographically and has not been changed: 
 
 Long in darkness had I wandered; thirty-nine years alto- 
 gether I was walking in darkness and in a sinful life. 
 
 On the 9th of July, 1881, I was sitting in Eldridge Street, 
 on the sidewalk, loaded with rum and beer, and the Lord sent 
 a messenger, even around in Eldridge Street, right two blocks 
 from here. I did not understand what salvation meant, I did 
 not understand what church meant or religion ; I didn't under- 
 stand so much as a mule from Texas ; but by kind spoken words 
 I was invited to go down to the Water Street Mission. I said, 
 " Yea, I will go," but I can't tell you to-day how they got me 
 
266 "/ Wouldn't Trust You Five Minutes." 
 
 down there. But one thing I remember — when they got me 
 in and put me on the second bench in the Water Street Mission 
 and I heard the witnesses speaking of Jesus — I did not under- 
 stand many words only " Jesus " — I laid hold on Jesus and 
 Jesus laid hold on me. He has had hold of me ever since. 
 Then my stony heart began to melt. The tears streamed down 
 my cheeks, and Jerry McAuley stood on the floor pointing out 
 the way. I came forward and got down on my knees. He 
 put his hand on my shoulder and said, " German man, pray." 
 I said, "Nicht verstehe," "Don't understand," but there was 
 a German brother there, and Jerry McAuley said, " Cross over 
 and pray with this brother." 
 
 I opened my mouth and said, "Jesu, help me, Jesu, help 
 me ! " and in the twinkling of an eye I saw the Son of God 
 face to face, and from that moment to this I have not touched 
 wine or beer or done cursing or stealing or gambling or going 
 to the theatres; all this was gone away. I began to be like a 
 baby. 
 
 I went home that night and opened the door ; it was the ninth 
 day of July, a little hotter than it is to-night. I went home and 
 I said, " Wife, forgive me the way I have treated you so long. 
 I have got Jesus." My wife said, " Oh, John, you are a bum ; 
 I wouldn't trust you five minutes." 
 
 Well, the five minutes are twenty-one years to-night. I tell 
 you, brethren, some people gave me four weeks, some four 
 months, some gave me six days ; but I did not give up. I kept 
 my eye on my God, held closer and closer to Jesus every day. 
 Oh, may God help, if there is a poor backslider here to-night, 
 that you may come back and be redeemed and crowned in the 
 love of Jesus Christ. That means a clean heart. None but 
 clean hearts can be rooted and grounded in love. He wants 
 your heart clean. 
 
A Novel Syndicate. 267 
 
 I thank God for the noble friendships I have had since God 
 spoke peace to my soul. I have enemies, but I pray for my 
 enemies. I pray for the backslider and fault-finder ; I pray for 
 all nations on the face of the earth ; I pray for the mission work- 
 ers; I pray for those who lie in the gutter, because I know 
 what it is to sleep in cellars ; but I don't look like it to-night, 
 because I am redeemed. I am washed in the blood of the Lamb. 
 
 Since his conversion the Lord has made Brother John one 
 of the sweetest-spirited men I ever knew. God taught him to 
 read in a marvelous way, and since that time he has been stead- 
 ily growing in grace and the knowledge of the Word. The 
 work also has been constantly opening up, and brighter pros- 
 pects have been held out to him from time to time in the King- 
 dom of Grace, through much tribulation, however, and severe 
 trial oftentimes. But he is always victorious because of the 
 presence and power of the Spirit of Christ, on whom he ab- 
 solutely depends. He is now confined most of the time to his 
 bed from palsy, but his wife and helpers carry on the work with 
 the blessing of God. 
 
 From a soul-winning truck-driver John Jaeger became sexton 
 of De Witt Memorial Church, and gradually was more and 
 more set apart for the Lord's work, until finally, nine years ago, 
 he came to my house in Montclair, N. J., to speak at a meeting 
 in the evening, giving his experience. He told me at that time 
 that there was an old saloon across the way from where he was 
 working which he greatly coveted for the Lord. I talked with 
 several brethren in Montclair concerning the matter, and one 
 day in my office it occurred to me to say to a Montclair friend, 
 "Why not form a Jaeger Ssmdicate?" (speaking commer- 
 cially). He agreed to the suggestion, but the amount we 
 agreed to invest was small, and we dropped the subject. That 
 
268 A Beer-Stand Becomes a Bible-Stand. 
 
 day when I came in from lunch I stepped to the desk of one 
 of my associates and saw thereon a copy of the American Bap- 
 tist. As I allowed my eyes to rest upon it without any serious 
 intent they fell on this statement : 
 
 "How apt we are, like Philip, to magnify our needs and over- 
 look our resources. Andrew teaches the important lesson of 
 keeping our eye constantly upon what we have in hand and 
 using it faithfully as far as it goes. If we only keep on the alert 
 to do this, our scanty resources will, under the favoring touch 
 of Heaven, accomplish incalculable good. Let us not be 
 deterred from entering upon a work for the Master, even 
 though there be in sight only a lad with five barley loaves and 
 two small fishes. Shall we be afraid to adopt the credit (trust- 
 ing) system in our Master's business, and refuse to turn a 
 wheel until four or five hundred pennyworth of bread has ac- 
 cumulated on our hand, while the barley loaves and fishes are 
 within reach for immediate use? How long will it be before 
 we learn the wisdom of the children of this world ? " 
 
 My thought was immediately arrested, and I felt deeply im- 
 pressed that this was a message from God that the Mission 
 should be started immediately. The vacant saloon was rented, 
 and it was soon transformed into a Mission House, with 
 Brother John living in rooms above it. The beer-stand became 
 the Bible-stand, and many of the old fixtures were consecrated 
 to the service of the Lord. From that day to this, now over 
 thirteen years, there have been meetings held in this, room 
 every night in the week and twice on Sundays almost without 
 cessation. During all this time the Lord has supplied the 
 needs of the work. Some of those who have taken the responsi- 
 bility of the work have been seriously straitened, partly by 
 reason of sacrifice made. But what of that? The work of the 
 Lord goes on and souls are saved almost every night, and the 
 
"A Picture of the Devil's Face." 269 
 
 Word of God is sown in men's hearts in such a way that they 
 can not forget it. 
 
 Brother John is a remarkable man, and has been used in a 
 marvelous way by the Holy Spirit. Coming from among the 
 poorest and vilest, he was so entirely recreated that he has al- 
 ways been a miracle to those who knew him in his former life. 
 Over and over again some of his old associates have stumbled 
 into his Mission, and have been amazed to find him there 
 preaching the gospel, and many of them have been quickened 
 and saved. His methods are most searching and straightfor- 
 ward. As he says in his broken English: 
 
 " I cannot schpeak in any flavor-ed language ; no cologne 
 words for me. The men must be told just what they are and 
 where they are going, and then they are ready to receive the 
 message that Jesus Christ will save them." 
 
 Frequently while talking he would walk down the aisle and 
 take hold of the arm and hand of one who he saw was im- 
 pressed and lead him, unresistingly, to the bench in front. 
 
 On the walls of the Mission is a large rack, on which are 
 pipes, bags of tobacco, opium pipes, and other things, which 
 men have given up when they surrendered to Jesus Christ. 
 This John calls a " picture of the devil's face." 
 
 Mrs. Jaeger has been a wonderful help to her husljand in his 
 work. No man is too low for her kind word and hearty hand- 
 shake, no filth is too vile to prevent her seeing through it the 
 soul of one who needs the Lord Jesus Christ. Husband and 
 wife come into direct contact with all sorts of sins, and are a 
 constant rebuke and a constant blessing to those among whom 
 they live. 
 
 The testimonies of the converts are marvelous. Almost all 
 races of men, Jew and Gentile, bond and free, burglar and thief, 
 and even the "respectable sinner," are saved at the bench of the 
 
270 The Living Waters. 
 
 Mission. The same Jesus is made available to every one, and 
 John would frequently jump from English to German and from 
 German to English again in the one exhortation, and hundreds 
 of Germans, rationalists, and formal church-goers have been 
 saved. John, taught of God, knows how to deal with such. It 
 is marvelous how he has been able to win the Jews also. His 
 lingering presence is like a benediction, and he and his wife 
 still direct the work with the assistance of John Hollis, one of 
 the converts. At the ninth anniversary meeting, held not long 
 since, the Mission was filled with converts, some recent and 
 others of long standing, but all testifying to the power of God 
 through Christ. A memorial anniversary was also held in the 
 dear Old Water Street Mission, conducted by Mr. and Mrs. 
 Bradford Lee Gilbert, to observe the twenty-first anniversary 
 of John's conversion. 
 
 As the old saloon was a drinking-place, so it was determined 
 that the new Mission House should be a place where the " liv- 
 ing waters " should be given to any thirsty soul. Christ found 
 no fault with drinking, but said on the last great day of the 
 feast : " If any man thirst, let him come unto Me." The ques- 
 tion is not, " Shall a man drink? " but " What shall he drink? " 
 " Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with 
 the Spirit." So those who pass the door see that there is a new 
 kind of saloon opened there, and that drinks are free. They do 
 not understand it, but many are attracted by the very name. 
 
 The Mission is entirely undenominational, and is supported 
 by the Lord's people as they are moved by sympathy with Him. 
 to help the work. Sometimes we run behind, but we are con- 
 fident that He who inaugurated the work, and has carried it on 
 thus far, will send that which is needed to continue it to His 
 glory in this dark place in the city of New York. 
 
 It has recently become necessary to change the location from 
 
The Simple Gospel for Lost Men. 271 
 
 Chrystie Street, where the Mission was established, to 23 
 Delancey Street, just around the corner from the old location, 
 and from night to night at the new stand the simple gospel 
 story of a Saviour for lost men is declared by men who know 
 by experience the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. ' 
 
272 A Curious Listener, 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 JOHN CALVIN KNOX, PRODIGAL, PENITENT, PREACHER. 
 
 "How blest the day when first I saw 
 
 That Jesus died for me; 
 What comfort from His cross I draw, 
 
 What life and liberty! 
 And now in Him I daily live; 
 
 He's more than all beside; 
 To Him my life I freely give, 
 
 Since He for me has died." 
 
 The subject of this sketch, John Calvin Knox, was well 
 born. His earliest recollections go back to a Christian home 
 training, the Church and the Sabbath-school. He has aptly 
 said : " I was raised on the Psalms and the Long Meter Dox- 
 ology." In his infancy he was given in prayer to God and 
 consecrated by a loving mother to be a preacher of the gospel. 
 At the age of sixteen, however, being compelled to leave home, 
 he fell into the hands of a confirmed atheist whose teaching 
 turned the current of his life into another direction, and he soon 
 began to disown God. 
 
 This is the story of Mr. Knox's conversion as he relates it : 
 On the first Sunday in January, 1879, I was invited by a 
 friend to attend a service at the Jerry McAuley Water Street 
 Mission. Just to kill time, and from curiosity, I went. We ar- 
 rived when the service was almost over. I listened to one or 
 two of the testimonies, and then Brother Jerry arose and gave 
 one of his wonderful invitations to come to the Saviour. I was .. 
 
REV. JOHN CALVIN KNOX 
 
 A Convert and Friend of Water Street and of Jerry 
 and his Wife 
 
In the Bonds of Sin. 273 
 
 impressed with his honesty and directness, and remained 
 throughout the after-meeting, but although urged to give my 
 heart to Christ at this time, I refused. My friend and I went 
 out and back to the hotel. In the evening he said he would like 
 to go down there again, for he wanted to take the pledge, as he 
 had been drinking hard for several months. I said, " No ! I 
 never go to church and I have passed all that kind of thing up. 
 If you want to stop drinking, why stop." 
 
 However, we went to the evening service, and when the invi- 
 tation was given we still refused. My friend finally said he 
 would like to go up. " Why don't you go? " I said. " I have 
 not the nerve to go up there," he replied. I laughed at him and 
 said, " Well, I will go up with you," and we went to the old 
 bench. From courtesy I l^nelt, and then Mr. A. S. Hatch 
 asked me if I would offer a prayer, and I said, " No." Brother 
 Jerry then asked me if I would not like to be different, and I 
 said, " No," and told him why I had come forward. When we 
 were going out of the door Mrs. McAuley gave me a hand- 
 shake and said : " Good-night ; come to-morrow night." I said, 
 " No." " Won't you come to-morrow night ? " she pleaded. 
 I said, " If I promise, I will come ; but I have no desire for this 
 kind of a life." However, I promised, and the next night came 
 to the service. Something touched me, and then I went for- 
 ward willingly, and for many long weeks went forward to the 
 old bench in all my helplessness and sin, looking for the de- 
 liverance and light that never came. 
 
 I had learned to know the curse and power of strong drink. 
 I had cultivated a love for gambling, and had likewise become 
 a confirmed skeptic. As I look back over those years it all 
 seems like a nightmare to me, and the patience and grace of 
 God beyond my comprehension. Then one night Brother Jerry 
 said : " You are not acting with common sense. You kneel 
 
274 ^^y Did Jerry Weep? 
 
 here and then go out again to deliberate sin." I replied : " Put 
 me out, and I will never come back, for I cannot stay away from 
 here." Then one night while Brother Jerry knelt over me, a 
 tear dropped on my cheek, and he said: " Don't you want to be 
 good ? " It all seemed so strange, Brother Jerry asking me, 
 " Don't you want to be good ? " Those words and that tear- 
 drop of his reached my heart. I went out and walked up 
 Roosevelt Street. I stopped and asked myself these questions : 
 " Why did Brother Jerry weep over me ? What could he ex- 
 pect to make out of me? If this man cares enough for me to 
 weep over me, surely God must love me." Now I seemed to 
 see things in a different light, but the blackness of despair hung 
 over me. 
 
 On the afternoon of February nth I crossed the ferry from 
 Greenpoint. Everything had gone wrong that day and I was 
 " broke." I said : " I will not go to the Mission to-night," and 
 then there came the longing to go. Finally I reached the Mis- 
 sion door and stopped. Frank called me by name: "Are you 
 not coming to-night ?" I told him I was undecided. I heard 
 them singing. I entered, and took about the third seat from 
 the old bench. The meeting was opened as usual and the Scrip- 
 ture was read. Then the testimonies were given. Then the 
 people sang : 
 
 "Oh, bliss of the purified, bliss of the free, 
 I plunge in the crimson tide opened for me; 
 O'er sin and uncleanness exulting I stand, 
 And point to the print of the nails in His hand. 
 
 "Oh, sing of His mighty love. 
 Sing of His mighty love. 
 Sing of His mighty love. 
 Mighty to save !" 
 
 And then came the next verse : 
 
A Struggle with the Tempter. 275 
 
 "Oh, bliss of the purified, Jesus is mine, 
 No longer in dread condemnation I pine; 
 In conscious salvation I sing of His grace 
 Who lifteth upon me the light of His face." 
 
 Then came the vision. The song had done its work, and 
 I was free. Immediately I arose and said : " Jesus has saved 
 me ! " In a moment, in the twinkhng of an eye, the old life 
 was gone. At the close of the service Brother Jerry asked me 
 how I was fixed. I replied : " I did not come here for money." 
 
 Just as Abraham went out, so did I that night, to begin a 
 new life. Since God had saved me, I believed He would care 
 for me. All night I walked the streets singing the hymn, " Oh, 
 bliss of the purified," and the next day searched for work, but 
 found none. Evening-time found me at the Mission, glad to 
 tell of God's saving grace and Jesus' wonderful power. That 
 night it was the same story. I walked the streets, and the 
 morning found me tired, weary, and desperately hungry. All 
 at once the joy I had left me, the song stopped, and the tempta- 
 tion came ; — the fight was on. 
 
 It was the only time in my life that I ever knew what it 
 meant to be hungry. I had been told repeatedly at the Mission, 
 " Do right and God will care for you." I meant to test this 
 statentent. It was my " wilderness temptation," and no one 
 but God could understand the struggle that was going on 
 within. The old life and friends seemed calling me back and 
 seemed to promise so much. Then without knowing why, I 
 drew from my pocket the little Testament Brother Jerry had 
 given me, and read as follows in Romans 14 : 8 : " For whether 
 we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die 
 unto the Lord; whether we live therefore, or die, we are the 
 Lord's." Then I said : " Salvation does not mean a place to 
 sleep or something to eat, but it simply means doing right and 
 
2 76 The Victory of Faith. 
 
 serving God, and if God wants me to go hungry, or die in the 
 streets, I will do it." Then the peace and joy came back and 
 the tempter fled. 
 
 That day I learned the sweet lesson of trust. Going down 
 the Bowery late in the afternoon, I met an old friend from New 
 Orleans. " Have you been to dinner ? " he asked me. " No," 
 I said. " Come and take dinner with me," was the response. 
 God had answered my prayer and I went. How strangely He 
 had tried me and how wonderful it all was to me! Coming 
 out, we stopped and talked with the cashier. He said : "I under- 
 stand you have been down to the Water Street Mission." I 
 said : " Yes ; the old life is gone." " Have you work ? " he 
 asked. "No." " Do you want work ? " "Yes." He found 
 me work — from seven o'clock in the evening until seven o'clock 
 in the morning, seven days in the week, board and lodging and 
 fifty cents a week. I went to work. How I missed the Mission 
 services, for I was terribly weak. Soon God found better 
 things for me. Never shall I forget the kindly sympathy of 
 Brother Jerry and his good wife. They touched me with their 
 simple and yet strong faith in God. When my need was great- 
 est, then God sent these kind friends to me and made them the 
 instruments of answering a mother's prayer for a prodigal son. 
 
 Maria McAuley! She has been God's ministering spirit 
 to me. At the right time and in the Spirit's way this servant 
 of God brought to me the words of life that changed the whole 
 current of my life. Her honest consecration, her loyalty to 
 Jesus, her passionate love for dying souls, and her simple faith 
 in Jesus made an impression on my life that time will never 
 efface. Through all my Christian life this dear friend has 
 cheered me with her sympathy and kindness. In trouble and 
 sorrow her counsels have always been uplifting and kept my 
 feet many and many a time from falling. I owe her much, and 
 
A Street Missionary. 277 
 
 words must always fail me when I realize how great is my 
 obligation and how deep should be my gratitude. I am her 
 " son John in the gospel," to which I have devoted the remain- 
 ing days of my life. 
 
 We are grateful to those who are the means of giving us 
 physical health and renewed life, but what shall we say of those 
 who under God are the means of making us see Jesus ? I need 
 add no more. 
 
 BECOMES A STREET MISSIONARY. 
 
 Straightway Mr. Knox became a street missionary, and when 
 seeking the lost and perishing upon the streets of New York 
 City was often made happy in being permitted to rescue some 
 poor wanderer. It was while working in the Water Street 
 Mission and the Cremorne Mission in Thirty-second Street 
 that he was led to other service. God in His good providence 
 had greater things in store for our young friend. One evening 
 his missionary " chum " said to him : " John, why don't you 
 become a preacher ? " "A preacher ! Ah, I don't know 
 enough, and I have wasted my best days," was his reply. 
 Finally he was asked : " Would you preach if God called you? " 
 " Certainly ; I would have to," was the reply. The thought 
 weighed upon his mind. The many difficulties in the way of 
 education presented themselves to him. But God in His loving 
 Spirit soon called him to his life-work. Against the advice of 
 many good and earnest friends he determined to be a preacher. 
 He began to study the Bible under the direction of the Rev. 
 Dr. John Quincy Adams and Dr. George W. Samson, both well- 
 known Baptist preachers, taking up Greek and Latin at the 
 same time. He was then advised to write to the Secretary of 
 the Board of Education of the Presbyterian Church. He made 
 
278 Studying for the Ministry. 
 
 an appointment with the Secretary at Philadelphia, was rejected 
 on account of age, and returned to New York more determined 
 than ever to be a preacher. 
 
 Finally he came under the ministration of Dr.. William M. 
 Taylor, pastor of the Broadway Tabernacle, who encouraged 
 him by his fatherly advice and Christian sympathy. The gen- 
 erosity of a noble Christian friend enabled him, on January 4, 
 1883, to leave New York City, for Lyme, Conn., and to place 
 himself under the tuition of the Rev. E. F. Burr, D.D., author 
 of " Ecce Ccelum," " Pater Mundi," " Ad Fidem," etc. His 
 preparation for college finished, he returned to New York City 
 and conducted the services at the Cremorne Mission during 
 the summer. After this he was engaged by the Fourth Pres- 
 byterian Church of Albany, N. Y. (Dr. Charles Wood, pastor), 
 the church being desirous of having nightly services conducted 
 at its Mission Chapel. From Monday evening, November 16, 
 1885, until Monday, July 12, 1886, services were conducted at 
 the Chapel every night in the week. Mr. Knox's preaching 
 was blessed of God and reached all classes. The services after 
 July 1 2th were held only four nights a week, because the wear 
 and tear of such severe work was beginning to tell. In Sep- 
 tember, 1886, Mr. Knox entered Union College, Schenectady, 
 still preaching, however, on Friday and Sabbath evenings, and 
 in this way he was enabled to work his way through college. 
 In the fall of 1886, during his freshman year at college, he 
 held a "People's Service" in the Leland Opera House at 4 p.m. 
 on Sabbath afternoon, and continued the same until the spring 
 of 1887. The fall of 1887 found him at the Opera House, 
 where he conducted services until the spring of 1888. The fall 
 of i888 found him too busy with college duties to take up the 
 work, and he devoted his time to the "Viaduct Chapel." In 
 April, 1889, he suffered the trial of his life. Having met with 
 
A Successful Pastor. 
 
 279 
 
 a severe accident at college, he was compelled to spend eight 
 weeks at the Albany City Hospital, and had the prospect of 
 becoming a permanent cripple. His temperate life since his 
 conversion, a good Christian surgeon, pluck, and God's mercy, 
 however, restored him to health and strength. Because of the 
 accideiit mentioned, Mr. Knox felt compelled to resign his 
 position at the " Viaduct," and on October i, 1889, he bade his 
 people farewell. 
 
 He studied theology at Auburn and Union Seminaries, after 
 which he assumed charge of the Second Rotterdam Reformed 
 Church, Schenectady, N. Y., building up the church and con- 
 gregation and remaining many years the beloved pastor, until 
 God in His providence called him to work elsewhere. 
 
 As a preacher Mr. Knox is popular both with young and 
 old. He preaches without notes, in a clear, forcible and inter- 
 esting style. His manner of presentation is original. His 
 
 SECOND ROTTERDAM REFORMED CHURCH, SCHENECTADY. 
 
28o Another Memorial. 
 
 trumpet gives no uncertain sound, and he has the happy faculty 
 of finding illustrations for spiritual truth in all things materiajl. 
 The picturesque church at Schenectady was designed, at 
 the request of Mr. Knox, by Mr. Bradford Lee Gilbert, archi- 
 tect, of New York, and built principally from field stone. The 
 material has been well chosen, for not only does it present a 
 singularly effective appearance, but it is most happily sugges- 
 tive of the fact that much of the material that seems unpromis- 
 ing can, when redeemed by the great Master Builder, be con- 
 verted into gracious use in His heavenly temple. A particularly 
 interesting feature of the structure is a handsome bell tower 
 with a large clock, the gift of the architect, and a memorial of 
 twenty years' faithful missionary toil on the part of Maria 
 McAuley, the widow of Jerry, and so long his efficient helper 
 and after his death his successor in conducting the Cremorne 
 Mission. A tablet with appropriate inscription bears testimony 
 to the meaning of this memorial. 
 
People of High and Low Degree. 281 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 TWO MEMORABLE SABBATH AFTERNOONS. 
 
 "Hallelujah, 'tis done, I believe on the Son, 
 I am saved by the blood of the Crucified One; 
 The Saviour of sinners, my Saviour is He; 
 To redeem me from death He died on the tree." 
 
 A HAPPY commingling of all classes of people has always 
 been a noteworthy feature of the Mission meetings conducted 
 by Jerry McAuley and his successors. The sense of a common 
 need of a Saviour, then the realization of His saving grace, 
 followed by a hearty co-operation and mutual delight in His 
 blessed service, with a common attachment to Jerry and 
 kindred spirits who have succeeded him as leaders, have 
 brought men and women of high and low degree into the ranks 
 of voluntary workers in the vineyard. That these friends felt 
 privileged and well rewarded in such labors needs not be told. 
 Among the earliest of such helpful friends was Mr. James 
 Talcott, the well-known merchant, formerly president of the 
 New York Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Talcott is still deeply 
 interested in Jerry's Missions. He contributes this brief but 
 pertinent testimony to the value of the work which God in His 
 grace wrought through Jerry McAuley. Mr. Talcott says : 
 
 It was my good fortune in the early seventies to visit Water 
 Street and become acquainted with Jerry McAuley and Mrs. 
 McAuley about the time that they opened the Water Street 
 Mission, also to attend the meetings at intervals on Sunday af- 
 ternoon, staying to tea, and then for the evening service, thus 
 meeting the active workers of those days. 
 
282 The Opening of ike Cremorne Mission. 
 
 The power of Jerry McAuley lay in his simple faith and 
 his great heart, with the sympathy gained from the experience 
 of his former life. Mrs. McAuley was full of tender interest 
 in lost souls and was of great assistance to her husband. 
 
 Cremorne Mission was opened to enlarge the work, thus 
 reaching another part of the city and a most needy field. At 
 the opening rrieeting at the uptown mission on the first Sabbath 
 afternoon I was asked to read the Scripture lesson, and selected 
 Psalm xxiv from the 7th to the loth verses inclusive : 
 
 " Lift up your heads, O ye gates ; and be ye lift up, ye 
 everlasting doors ; and the King of glory shall come in. 
 
 " Who is this King of Glory ? The Lord strong and mighty, 
 the Lord mighty in battle. 
 
 "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye 
 everlasting doors ; and the King of glory shall come in. 
 
 " Who is this King of glory ? The Lord of hosts, he is the 
 King of glory. Selah." 
 
 The lesson was truly prophetic of what has been accom^ 
 plished in the Cremorne Mission during the days which have 
 followed, and those who conducted the work are to be con- 
 gratulated upon its success. Surely Jerry McAuley, and others 
 who look down upon it, must rejoice. 
 
 There were present at the first meeting Dr. Irenseus Prime, 
 who made the opening prayer, also Mr. William E. Dodge, Sr., 
 who offered to pay one-tenth of the amount of money to be 
 raised. There were others too of sainted memory who, with 
 friends still living, contributed to the fund. 
 
 The small beginning in Water Street, with the wonderful 
 results, has served as an object lesson and inspiration to our 
 entire country and in other lands. The influence of the men 
 converted there and at the Cremorne Mission has been far 
 reaching. 
 
How Jerry Led a Meeting. 283 
 
 Mr. Talcott in the above recital recalls a Sabbath afternoon 
 scene at the Cremorne Mission. With this suggestive story 
 may well be linked the portrayal by another of Jerry's staunch 
 friends of a scene which occurred on a memorable Sunday 
 afternoon in Water Street. This sketch is furnished by Mrs. 
 C. C. Coe, widow of Mr. Spencer W. Coe, a former well- 
 known merchant and partner of the late William L. Strong, 
 at one time Mayor of New York City. Through many years 
 Mr. and Mrs. Coe gave their time and willing toil as well as 
 of their means for the support of Jerry's work, and felt that 
 they were honored of God in being permitted to co-operate with 
 His faithful servant. Mr. Coe has long since passed away, 
 but Mrs. Coe still lives, and being asked to give a brief personal 
 reminiscence of her acquaintance with Jerry, and of the bless- 
 ing received by her at the Mission, has kindly furnished the 
 following happy " testimony " : 
 
 HOW JERRY LED A MEETING. 
 
 The report of a prayer offered by Jerry McAuIey, which 
 had been answered in a most remarkable manner even while 
 it was being uttered, prompted my first visit to 316 Water 
 Street. It was the old building. I wanted to see and hear the 
 man to whom so manifestly " the ear of heaven bent low " in 
 blessing. 
 
 It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Entering the door 
 of the Mission, we were ushered up the aisle between rows of 
 benches filled with men and women trembling beneath the 
 ' sorest malady of sin.' Jerry McAuley was giving his testi- 
 mony, and these are the first words that I recall ever hearing 
 him say : 
 
 "I am a miracle of grace, saved from all that is wicked and 
 
284 Jerry's Favorite Scripture. 
 
 bad, and washed as white as snow in the blood of Jesus. Don't 
 you need Him too? You do. And I am standing here to tell 
 you that He will do the same for you that He has done for me. 
 Won't you let Him do it?" 
 
 I wish you could have heard him say it! And then, clos- 
 ing his eyes, in a mellow, tender voice he talked with God: 
 " Oh ! dear Jesus ! these people need you just the same as I did. 
 The best of them are nothing but poor miserable, undone, 
 good-for-nothing sinners without you. Do save them, dear 
 Jesus, do, and you shall have all the glory." 
 
 I had never viewed things in such a light. My home, its 
 surroundings, my carefully selected associations, came up be- 
 fore me, myself even, all nothing without Jesus. Hearts were 
 beginning to soften. Jerry was in his happiest mood, melted 
 with a love for souls and a zeal for their salvation, and they 
 were gathering in. It did not seem that heaven had anything 
 further to offer. 
 
 The group upon the platform — I wish I was at liberty to 
 name them — sang a hymn, while Jerry's sunny-faced wife sat 
 at the organ. Then a selection from the Bible was read, the 
 story of the demoniac, Mark v, Jerry's favorite Scripture. 
 "And when He was come out of the ship, immediately there 
 met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit" 
 (Jerry ejaculated — he couldn't help it — "that was me!"), 
 "who had his dwelling among the tombs, and no man could 
 bind him, no, not with chains ; because that he had been often 
 bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked 
 asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces, neither could 
 any man tame him." ("That was me!" said Jerry. "That's 
 what the people who lived about here used to say about me.") 
 
 "But when he saw Jesus afar off he ran and worshipped Him. 
 .... And they come to Jesus and see him that was pos- 
 
Jerry's After-Meeting. 285 
 
 sessed with the devil, sitting, and clothed, and in his right 
 mind." ("That's me nowl" ejaculated Jerry; "that's me 
 now!") 
 
 Testimony after testimony was given from all parts of the 
 room — the gist of every testimony being the same story : "This 
 blessed Jesus saves me, and I give Him all the glory." 
 
 Then came the after-meeting, Jerry's after-meeting! A 
 band of needy souls, conscious of their need and wanting a 
 Saviour, were on their knees around the front benches ; Jerry 
 was in their midst speaking into the ear of each such words as 
 the Spirit led him to utter. There were prayers, confessions, 
 resolutions. Heaven recorded them. 
 
 We all arose from our knees. The meeting was closed 
 with a hymn : 
 
 "Hallelujah, 'tis done, I believe on the Son, 
 / am saved by the blood of the Crucified One." 
 
 And it was true. With gratitude to God and adopting the 
 language of the place, I am a convert of the Mission. I thank 
 God that I knew Jerry McAuley. I thank God for the faith 
 and love and trust and joy and hope which his ministry was 
 the instrument of bringing into my heart and life. I thank 
 Him that for over thirty years I have been permitted associa- 
 tion in the work established by Jerry. Beyond all I thank God 
 for the great company of lives which the Mission has been the 
 instrument of redeeming from destruction, and for the harvest 
 of souls which shall never cease to be gathered through its 
 influence. 
 
 Thank God that Jerry McAuley lived, a manifestation of 
 the riches of grace that are in Christ Jesus our Lord ! 
 
 Among other helpful labors bestowed at the Cremorne Mis- 
 
286 Music Aids the Work. 
 
 siori, Mr. and Mrs. Coe conducted for some years a Thursday 
 night service of praise each week, bringing into requisition at 
 their own expense vocal and instrumental talent of a high 
 order. By his efficient leading of the song service Mr. Coe 
 insured a character to the singing in general that made it a 
 notable feature, while Mrs. Coe's Bible expositions were greatly 
 enjoyed and appreciated. No person who worked alongside of 
 these dear friends, or was permitted to see and hear them, 
 and to note their evident joy in the work, can forget the 
 meetings on these occasions. New h)Tnns were written for the 
 meetings by Mrs. Coe and other friends and set to music by 
 Mr. Coe and others, and a number of them were published in 
 a little book known as the " McAuley Melodies " and given 
 as a freewill offering to the Saviour and the Mission. As 
 these melodies were sung again and again, souls were helped 
 by the strains to hope and joy and peace, a result that greatly 
 cheered the friends at whose cost the book had been produced. 
 Among the many then new melodies was one that had about 
 it a peculiar interest. Not only was it born of Mission in- 
 fluences, as were many others in the book, but it served to 
 memorialize the dying words of Jerry McAuley. With the 
 kind permission of Mrs. Coe, the owner of the copyright, this 
 song is here introduced. 
 
lis All Right. 
 
 287 
 
 IT'S ALL-RIGHT. 
 
 , (Wntten especial) J for the McAnley aualoii.), 
 
 ^ ,Cn tM nf gM brton Me dcnlii, vhlle expecting thnt ereiy moment vonM be Iili bit, Jeiry MoAnler mid to onv 
 Vt tlie converte of the Mlralon, pointing upward aa he spoke, ** It *» all rtidit— np there." - It waa hit dying testlinoBU 
 Uinihl»lieartw)isrtghtwltheod,«Dailutlie«aareaa7tordeatl>. ToDim it was onljr going I»iim.j 
 
 fi.-M. OFFORD. ARR. SPENCER ?wrCOE. 
 
 BUwly. . , , - 
 
 When conies tlie hour that we Iriust die, When ends life's swift-ly'-paiB'-'m^ 
 No fear of death can shake his trust, Who finds in »;^Je - sus Christ hi*-. 
 At- tend - ed. then by an • gel band. From sin and sor-row^alled ' a '2 
 
 "" " past, 'Mid scenes of;'.ev- er-j'last-'"^- 
 
 Life's jour - ney done, its per 
 Dear Lord of lore, I bow 
 
 ils . 
 
 to "Thee, Oh, hear . me,, Je-suS, while .:vf( 
 
 o^ 
 
 m 
 
 Come, suiil, the door, is .'o • pen stilj, Ob, come, the gos-'pel call o^ 
 
 - f • , -g ----g - -f- >■ > — ^ — '^ p I ^ . f f" r ^ — r^- 
 
 /I m — !•-• — — » . d— ~m 1 1 — 5 ^-' — F — F — •-"— '-— 
 
 i 
 
 =!;^;1t 
 
 M=P JUL ;^ / ^ 
 
 pEg^ 
 
 3=-^ 
 
 day, 
 
 stay; 
 
 way, 
 
 day, 
 
 pray; 
 
 bi 
 
 When calls the Mas 
 
 What though his bo ■ 
 
 Up • borne from earth 
 
 In God's own light 
 
 Let inine such bless 
 
 Then let 
 
 ter from on high. How blessed, 
 
 dy fans to dust. His soul can 
 
 to God's right band. In ho • ly 
 
 he sees at last. What here von 
 ed dy • ing be. Grant . me Ibe 
 
 thy desth come when it will. By grace re r 
 
 lie 
 still 
 tri • 
 earth 
 hap • 
 deemed 
 
 who then can say, "It's all right," 
 
 all joy-ons say, etc. 
 umph hear him say, 
 
 he learned to say, 
 
 py faith -to say, 
 thou, too, caust say, 
 
 right" 
 
 ^£=ar=» 
 
 i 
 
 -•fi_j^jv'3j. 
 
 m 
 
 -^ — ^^-« — ^ 
 
 It 
 
 ^^^=1^ 
 
 r-ft 
 
 K 
 
 Copyright, 1837. by Srs!iCE3 17. COik 
 
 Words and music (by permission) of hymn written of Jerry's last message. 
 
288 Sowing the Seed on the Waters. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 THE JERRY McAULEY " SKY-PILOT." 
 
 "Glory be to Jesus, 
 
 Who with bitter pains 
 Poured for me His life's blood 
 
 From His sacred veins. 
 Grace and life eternal 
 
 In that blood I find; 
 Blest be His compassion, 
 
 Infinitely kind I" 
 
 As already stated in this edition of Jerry McAuley's Life and 
 Work, copies of former editions were placed in ship libraries 
 and so the story found its way into the hands of sailors. In this 
 way many men of the sea were reached, but it was not until 
 the year 1906 that the thought of a floating mission was con- 
 ceived and carried out. In that year Mr. Bradford Lee Gilbert 
 was led to build a boat that could be sent among the ship- 
 ping in the waters of Long Island Sound and elsewhere, pre- 
 senting the same to Mrs. Gilbert for this purpose and to have 
 distributed broadcast the word of life to the captains and crews 
 of the finest yachts and the humblest schooners alike, also little 
 booklets and tracts, written by Mrs. Whittemore and others. 
 The following brief sketch of this floating mission was given in 
 the Christian Herald of October, 1906, and we copy it as a 
 happy description of this messenger of life and its errand on the 
 waters : 
 
 Almost forty years ago, a missionary of Jesus Christ was 
 climbing the stairs of a miserable tenement house in lower New 
 
The Christian Herald's Sketch. 289 
 
 York. Meeting a quarrelsome woman who disputed his pas- 
 sage, he gently asked, " Madam, do you know Jesus? " 
 
 Upon the floor of a room a few feet away there lay a young 
 man just aroused from a drunken sleep. He heard the ques- 
 tion, and it recalled the name he had once loved, now almost 
 forgotten. Pulling himself together, he accosted the mission- 
 ary, saying : " I used to know that name in prison long ago, but 
 I lost Him. I wish I knew where to find Him." 
 
 Four years from that day the reclaimed drunkard and ex- 
 convict opened the famous Water Street Mission, better known 
 to every Christian worker throughout these United States, and 
 in every corner of the world where the name of Christ is known 
 and honored, as the Old Jerry McAuley Water Street Mission, 
 where thousands of fallen, degraded men and women have been 
 helped to help themselves " In His Name." 
 
 For years the work went on under Jerry McAuley's leader- 
 ship, and when he died, his faithful wife continued his work 
 in the Cremome Mission on West Thirty-second Street until 
 her failing health compelled her to withdraw from official ser- 
 vice in the cause she loved and labored for so long and well. 
 
 Early in the seventies there came to New York City to study 
 and work, instead of going through Yale, a young man named 
 Bradford Lee Gilbert, who became associated with the McAuley 
 Mission. There he came to know and value the Mission's 
 founder and his wife. The Lord wonderfully prospered Mr. 
 Gilbert in his profession, and when, in 1892 (eight years after 
 Jerry had gone home), he married the widow of his old friend, 
 Jerry McAuley, it was with the determination to so order their 
 united lives that their stewardship should perpetuate the mem- 
 ory of the one they both loved. Since that time Mr. and Mrs. 
 Gilbert have been staunch supporters of God's work in many 
 fields. 
 
ago Description of the Sky-Pilot. 
 
 Sitting on the vine-covered veranda of his summer home, 
 on the shores of Long Island Sound, Mr. Gilbert talked with 
 the writer lately. 
 
 "I was ill a few years ago, and the doctor sent me up here 
 to rest. I didn't realize at the time that God had anything spe- 
 cial for me to do here, but somehow it wasn't long before we 
 had some of the Water Street boys up, helping us out with the 
 church meetings. And then the inspiration came to me : ' Build 
 ye a boat and consecrate it to the uplift of them who go down 
 to the sea in ships.' So I said, ' Yes, Lord,' and — there's the 
 boat." 
 
 There it lay, rocking gently in the blue waters of City Island's 
 harbor. Going on board, we found a snowy, graceful launch 
 which an old Norwegian pilot had consumed the entire winter 
 in building. It was ready for its blessed work of serving as 
 a " sky-pilot " to the multitude of sailors whose ships " heave- 
 to " in that vicinity all through the summer months. Truly, 
 it is a little boat with a big commission. It was interesting to 
 hear Mr. Gilbert say that " he took more pleasure in designing 
 the ' Sky-Pilot ' than even the Grand Central Station, New 
 York." 
 
 The yacht is built with the wheel-house in the rear, so that 
 the entire forward deck, capable of seating perhaps twenty- 
 five, is free for the workers to conduct their meetings. There 
 are sleeping accommodations for eight people, and the tiny 
 cabin, with its swing-table, gives promise of many a cosy meal. 
 Within the cabin a tablet is erected, which bears upon its sur- 
 face the keynote of the whole enterprise : 
 
A Travelling Organ. 
 
 291 
 
 TO THE GLORY OF GOD 
 
 In Loving Memory 
 
 OF 
 
 JERRY McAULEY 
 
 Built A.D. 1906 
 
 FOR MISSION WORK 
 
 By Maria and Bradford Lee Gilbert 
 
 Just above the little organ are porcelain letters forming the 
 promise, " Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." 
 That same organ has already had A. baptism which may well 
 consecrate it for the work to which it is pledged. Mrs. E. M. 
 Whittemore, founder of the Door of Hope Mission, held a 
 fair thirty years ago, and bought that organ with the pro- 
 ceeds, installing it in the Water Street Mission. Later, it was 
 used for a while in the Cremome Mission; then at Hoboken, 
 and finally in a mountain mission which the Gilberts started 
 near their former summer home. 
 
 THE BLUE BUTTON FLAG. 
 
 The little boat carries " Old Glory " above her deck, but she 
 sails under a flag still more revered, the "blue button" flag 
 
292 The Sky-Pilot under Commission. 
 
 presented by the Water Street boys, which bears the white 
 cross of Christ upon a blue ground, the same insignia which 
 every true Water Street Mission convert wears as a button 
 upon his coat lapel. 
 
 On Labor Day, at noon, the Jerry McAuley was launched; 
 Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert, Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Whittemore, Mr. 
 John H. Wyburn, superintendent of the McAuley Mission, with 
 many of his " boys," and other friends being present. As the 
 boat's keel struck the water, Mrs. Gilbert broke a bottle of deli- 
 cate perfuine upon the prow, saying, "I christen you Jerry 
 McAuley, for God's work." Upon one side of the boat is this 
 message : " Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 
 Upon the other : " The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God 
 is eternal life." High upon her pilot-house she proclaims : "I, 
 if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto Me." 
 
 These words of divine truth are always preaching their mes- 
 sage of divine love, and cannot return without fulfilling their 
 mission. 
 
 During the summer of 1907 the following announcement was 
 freely posted in places likely to be visited by sailors in the 
 harbor, and the good work has been carried on with conspicu- 
 ous tokens of divine approval in sowing the gospel seed upon 
 the waters, asking God's blessing. It is likely that the boat 
 will be sent into Southern waters during another winter season 
 on the same blessed errand. 
 
 COPY OF ANNOUNCEMENT. 
 
 B^S JERRY McAULEY "^Tot" 
 
 Launched, dedicated and commissioned September, 1906, for 
 soul-saving work among seamen and others. Visits to any 
 
Services on the Sky-Pilot. 293 
 
 craft when permitted. Visitors cordially welcomed aboard the 
 " Sky-Pilot," especially seamen. 
 
 Missionary aboard. Post office address and anchorage off 
 Pilot Street, City Island, New York City, near New York 
 Herald Ship-News, Telegraph and Telephone Office. Small 
 boats can be left at anchorage. 
 
 Services aboard ship daily at " Colors." Prayer with any 
 one, at any time, and anywhere. Sunday afternoons (tide and 
 weather permitting) as publicly announced, etc. Interesting 
 speakers, good testimonies, old-fashioned hymns. Ensign : Blue 
 pennant with white cross. Voluntary Contributions only, no 
 collections. 
 
 SPECIAL 
 
 Seamen while in New Yoi^s are earnestly invited nightly 
 to visit the Old Jerry McAuley Mission, at 316 Water Street, 
 near Roosevelt Street and Franklin Square Elevated Station. 
 
 Helpers from all Churches and Missions are cordially in- 
 vited to co-operate. Children, alone, not allowed aboard. 
 
 Jesus said: " Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." 
 St. Matt. 4:19. 
 
 God so loved the world that He gave His 
 
 Only begotten 
 
 Qon, that whosoever believeth in Him should not 
 
 Perish, but have 
 Everlasting 
 Life. St. John 3:16. 
 
294 Jerry McAuleys Newspaper. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 JERRY MCAULEY IN PRINT. 
 
 "All they around the throne 
 Cheerfully join in one, 
 
 Praising His name; 
 We who have felt His blood 
 Sealing our peace with God, 
 Sound His dear name abroad; 
 
 Worthy the Lamb !" 
 
 In June, 1883, Jerry began the publication of a bi-weekly 
 journal, which he entitled Jerry McAuley's Newspaper. Pub- 
 lished every other Thursday, it was Jerry's idea that it should 
 contain reports of the meetings at the Cremome Mission, giv- 
 ing the pith of the testimonies there uttered, and also records 
 of other city mission-work. It depended for its financial sup- 
 port upon the annual subscriptions of friends and the advertis- 
 ing patronage of a number of well-known business men who 
 were deeply interested in its welfare. Many copies of each issue 
 were sent to inmates of prisons, penitentiaries and other insti- 
 tutions. Some of those men and women who read in their 
 prison cells the testimonies of former convicts at the Mission 
 were led upon their own release to come there for themselves, 
 and to seek and find the Saviour of the lost. Some, indeed, 
 through God's blessing upon the printed pages, while yet 
 incarcerated, were moved to confess their sins to God and im- 
 plore divine pardon. Thus while prisoners of the law of man, 
 they became free men in Jesus Christ. The paper was dis- 
 
Jerry as a Correspondent. 295 
 
 tributed among the sick in hospitals, and in some instances 
 the dying learned from its columns the way of life, and souls 
 both near and far have testified to the encouragement to faith 
 derived from the reading of this journal. In moments of de- 
 pression, when the difficulties in connection with their service 
 for Christ seemed many and almost insurmountable, or when 
 they wearily watched for fruit that seemed long coming, they 
 read the records of God's work at the Cremorne or some kin- 
 dred Mission, and found their love for the Master's service 
 warmed and their zeal inspired afresh. The Newspaper con- 
 tinued to be issued for some time after Jerry's death, but was 
 subsequently discontinued. The kind of rescue work which he 
 in a sense inaugurated has now become world-wide in applica- 
 tion and so rich in results that the Newspaper which he pub- 
 lished, as its special printed organ, is no longer so urgently 
 called for, and on this account and for other satisfactory rea- 
 sons its publication was discontinued. A recent mail brings 
 a copy of the Southern Christian Advocate, a South Carolina 
 publication, which has a thrilling account of the origin of the 
 Mission and of a visit to its services. Thus is the work once 
 done by Jerry's semi-monthly Newspaper carried on by numer- 
 ous publications and the interest in the history and present 
 work of the Mission sustained. Surely that interest will never 
 die. 
 
 JERRY AS A CORRESPONDENT, 
 
 Jerry's early life deprived him of the advantages of educa- 
 tion; and from this fact, and possibly in part from his very 
 active disposition, he had no love for correspondence. Few 
 specimens of his handwriting in any shape are in existence; 
 but while at Sing Sing he dictated some letters, a few of 
 
296 A Grateful Letter. 
 
 which are in the possession of a lady in. this city. Jerry 
 makes grateful mention of this lady and the Christian service 
 she rendered him, as will be seen in Chapter I, page 18, where 
 
 he speaks of her as Miss D ; and through her kindness 
 
 we have been permitted to read these letters and to publish 
 two of them. These letters show that before his release Jerry's 
 spiritual life was very real. It is evident that he fed much 
 upon God's Word. No doubt he there studied it very thor- 
 oughly, and laid large portions of its contents up in store. 
 From that store he drew copiously in the after days, for in 
 his addresses and his comments upon Scripture he showed 
 great familiarity with the Book. His expositions of Scripture, 
 always quaint and original, bore witness that he had reached the 
 heart of the matter. 
 
 Two of the letters are appended. The first was written to 
 a good sister in Christ — an old lady in one of our public alms- 
 houses; the second was addressed to the friend already men- 
 tioned. 
 
 Sing Sing, Feb. 3, 1863. 
 
 Dear Sister : I received your kind letter, and read it with 
 pleasure. I do assure you I am unworthy of your Christian 
 love. I thank you, dear friend, for your kind sympathy for 
 me in my present misfortune. You spoke of some little re- 
 freshments that I sent you. I don't remember sending you 
 anything. I gave something to the friend that wrote your let- 
 ter and told her to give it to whom she pleased. I gave it 
 cheerfully, because my Heavenly Father put it in my heart to 
 do so ; therefore you must thank the kind Friend who gave you 
 those little comforts. I wish I had something worth sending; 
 I would do so very cheerfully, but the time may come when 
 I can do so. 
 
 You ask me to continue in prayer. My dear sister, I could 
 
Jerry's Comfort in Prayer. 297 
 
 not sleep nor eat without prayer. Prayer is the only 
 source of comfort that the true Christian enjoys. Those are 
 good hymns that you speak of. I have got two of them at 
 heart. One of them is "Jesus, lover of my soul." The other 
 is "Prayer is the soul's sincere desire." I am very ^ankful to 
 you for your prayers and hope that they will be answered. 
 You will continue to pray for me. I do indeed feel for you in 
 your misfortunes, but feeling will not help you. I do rejoice 
 now that you love the Lord Jesus so much. The friend who 
 wrote to you told me about you and spoke very highly of you. 
 She has promised to take me to see you when I get out. But 
 my hopes are discouraging now, because my friends have not 
 proceeded as I wished they should ; but there is no use talking 
 now. It troubled me when I heard of it; but, dear sister, if 
 we do not meet on earth, I hope we shall in heaven. The day 
 I received your letter, that night I knelt down and prayed that 
 God would spare your life until I saw you. I had that sweet 
 assurance that my Heavenly Father heard my prayer. I love 
 to read my Bible. I have got by heart the following chapters : 
 Timothy 6th; Hebrews nth and 12th; James ist; Luke 24th; 
 Psalms 34, 51, 88, 90, 91, 103, 119, and 143. I have got a 
 great many texts, but I will not mention them. I have said 
 nothing on spiritual things. I know that I love my dear Lord 
 Jesus. I feel happy lately. 
 
 Now I must bid you a good-by. Give my Christian regards 
 to all who love the Lord Jesus. 
 
 Yours in Christ, Jerry McAuley. 
 
 Sing Sing, May 11, 1863. 
 
 Miss D 
 
 Dear Friend: I received your kind letter, which was the 
 source of great comfort to me. I found in it sweet Christian 
 
298 What Jerry s '^'Life" Has Accomplished. 
 
 counsel; all your letters have been the means of cheering me 
 in my sad moments. I wish you would write to me often, if 
 you feel disposed to do so. 
 
 I read a chapter in the Bible this morning : it was John i6th : 
 "Verily I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the 
 world shall rejoice ; and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow 
 shall be turned into joy." This verse struck me forcibly and 
 made a deep impression on me. I think a great deal upon our 
 last interview, especially about Abraham. You must not think 
 for a moment that I am ungrateful for the many favors you 
 so generously bestowed upon me. I feel indeed that I can 
 never repay this debt of gratitude. Your sweet Christian ad- 
 vice has given me some encouragement, but I leave all things 
 in the hands of my Heavenly Father. He will do all things 
 right. 
 
 Dear sister, it is my desire that you would pray much for me. 
 I never wanted them more. Give my kind Christian regards 
 
 to Mrs. L ; also remember me to Miss H . Tell her 
 
 that I am very glad that she is getting well. 
 
 Yours truly, Jerry McAuley. 
 
 WHAT JERRY S " LIFE HAS DONE, 
 
 Among the most earnestly conducted and successful Rescue 
 Missions in New York to-day is the "Hadley Rescue Hall" 
 at 291-3 Bowery. Its devoted superintendent, the Rev. John 
 Callahan, bears witness to the gracious and lasting eflfect pro- 
 duced upon him by the reading of a copy of Jerry McAuley's 
 Lije and to its usefulness while in circulation among other 
 ardent readers. None but God can sum up the results of the 
 circulation of just a single copy of such a book. Who but God 
 can conceive the results of the circulation of the many editions 
 
In the Prison Library. 299 
 
 which have already been issued? When He said, " Let there 
 be light," the world was flooded with light: when a work in- 
 spired by His Holy Spirit is sent upon its mission who can 
 measure the extent of '\\^ influence for good ? 
 
 Mr. Callahan says: 
 
 About eighteen years ago I was sent from Chicago to Joliet 
 for a short term in the Penitentiary there. Up to that time I 
 had not been accustomed to literature of a religious character, 
 neither had I given the slightest thought to spiritual things. 
 As was the rule, we were allowed to draw books of our choice 
 from the prison librai;y, a catalogue being placed in each cell. 
 We would mark the book of our selection and the number being 
 sent to the library, the book would be in our cell upon our re- 
 turn from work. As I looked the catalogue over for some 
 book of my choice, my eyes lighted upon the title of Jerry 
 McAuley's Lije. I felt impressed to select this one, and it was 
 given me to read. The Holy Spirit was surely doing His office 
 work in opening the pages of these wonderful memoirs. As I 
 read I became merely interested, for I had known men just like 
 him, but as I continued to read I became intense in my eager- 
 ness to learn the next unfolding of the life of this wonderful 
 man of God. I was convicted of my need, but did not under- 
 stand its' meaning. I said to myself, " I wish I could be like 
 that man," and I really dug into the book to see if I could learn 
 the secret of the marvelous change; but there was no one 
 near by to tell me what to do, nor how to approach Jesus, so I 
 merely had a great hunger after better things without being 
 satisfied. However, conviction was fastened upon me, and 
 though I left the Penitentiary without being converted, I was 
 soon led by the same Spirit into a Mission where I heard stories 
 similar to the one I had so recently read. Its influence and 
 spirit were still fresh in my heart and mind, consequently I 
 
300 A Book Read to Pieces. 
 
 said : " This is what I read about ; I will accept Jesus," which 
 I did. Since then I have had much experience in prison work, 
 and I have many, many times told the story of Jerry's life, with 
 wonderful efifect and fruitful results. For a long time past I 
 have been privileged to own a copy of the Life of Jerry, and 
 like a great treasure it has been cherished. It has been almost 
 continuously in some prisoner's hands, and many a prisoner to 
 whom I have loaned the book has pored over its pages just as 
 I used to do. It has been handed from one prisoner to another 
 until it has gone the rounds. Then often it has been borrowed 
 and read by some minister or layman with wonderful returns, 
 for it would send such readers into the byways and hedges to 
 glean precious souls for the Master. We used to tie the old 
 book together and cover it, lest it should wear out before we 
 could pass it on as we would like to do, with all its wonderful 
 influence for righteousness. " Being dead, Jerry yet speaketh." 
 I bless God for the publication of such a book, and I believe that 
 it has won as many souls for the Kingdom as the original mas- 
 terpiece when here upon earth. May new editions never cease ! 
 May the book continue the same blessed influences which the 
 earlier editions have spread — God bless the book ! 
 
 Mr. E. N. Trout, superintendent of New City Mission, 
 Schenectady, N. Y., gives the following testimony : 
 
 In the year 1898 1 was in the Penitentiary at Santa Fe, N. M., 
 and had been there for two years. When I first went to the 
 prison I was almost in despair ; I had been sentenced for forty 
 years for the crime of murder. I was innocent of the crime, 
 but had been convicted on circumstantial evidence. I saw my- 
 self without help, friends or influence, very unlikely to be re- 
 leased before the better part of my life was over. At first my 
 feeling was only the natural mood of any young man deprived 
 
Convicted of Sin in Prison, 301 
 
 of freedom. I could not stand the thought of passing the re- 
 mainder of my life between four walls. As time passed, how- 
 ever, I began to be possessed by a worse fear than the fear 
 that I should not get out of prison. I began to feel the sin of 
 my past life and to despair of ever getting out of the grip of sin 
 either in this world or the next. I had been brought up under 
 religious influences, but for a long time I had lived recklessly, 
 and I felt that I was really lost. It was at this time that I 
 came upon the Life of Jerry McAuley. Having rather more 
 education than most of my fellow-prisoners, I had been ap- 
 pointed to the charge of the library, and used to make the most 
 of my opportunities there. I read a great many books, the Bible 
 first, but various books of religious history and biography as 
 well. I became intensely interested in the career of Jerry 
 McAuley and in his wonderful conversion. " If God could do 
 that for him. He can do as much for me," I thought. The 
 book gave me courage. I was not immediately converted, but 
 when I was converted the thought at once came to me that I 
 might be used by God in the way Jerry McAuley had been, to 
 rescue others from the sin in which they were lost. I was also 
 possessed of a desire to see the Old Jerry McAuley Mission, 
 and when I was finally pardoned out of prison, four years ago 
 Christmas Day, I came to New York and realized my desires 
 and anticipations. Indeed it was my good fortune to remain 
 and work at the Mission for nearly two years, and to take a 
 small part in carrying out the work so nobly begun by Jerry 
 McAuley. And now, hoping I may be able to do something for 
 those who, as I was once, are in prison, I note my grateful testi- 
 mony as to the help I had from Jerry McAuley's example. 
 
 Jesse W. Dawson, of Worcester, Mass., another worker, 
 writes as follows to a friend : 
 
302 " The Book is Straight Goods." 
 
 Jerry McAuley's Life and Work has been a great inspiration 
 to me. The first copy that I had of it a minister gave me. I 
 read it, lent it here and there, then put it in the House of Cor- 
 rection. That was the last I saw of it. I was in the McAuley 
 Mission the Sunday of the memorial service to Mr. A. S. 
 Hatch. I spoke to you about the book and you told me to come 
 up to your office and you would give me another. This copy 
 I have been lending until the front pages look as though they 
 had been through the war. I took the book to a book bindery 
 and had covers put on it and the leaves fixed up, and it is going 
 the rounds again. Yes, the book is straight goods ; I tell them, 
 "Do I believe Jesus visited Jerry in that cell that night? Yes, 
 sir ! " He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to re- 
 pentance. The day before the Lord really touched my heart 
 I had been reading Jerry's Life and praying. I was in an attic 
 room alone with God. That was an afternoon to be remem- 
 bered in my history. The morning after, about five o'clock, 
 I got up, then got on my knees, praying, and it came to me to 
 read the fifty-first Psalm; I read it on my knees. The effect 
 I got COTnes out in the twenty-third Psalm : " He restoreth my 
 soul ; . . . my cup runneth over." Yes, sir, the book has been a 
 great inspiration to me and it will be. In times when I have 
 been somewhat discouraged I have picked up the book and read 
 a little, then tears would start as I read and understood. Times 
 when I have been out of work and read of Jerry when he was 
 out of work, it would cheer me up. It will help any one that is 
 looking for that kind of help and encouragement. Now " if 
 we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater, 
 for this is the witness of God which He hath testified of His 
 Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in 
 himself." 
 
 The first four hundred copies of the new edition will have 
 the following inscription : 
 
Four Hundred Copies. 303 
 
 This copy oi Jerry McAuley: An Apostle to the Lost is one 
 of several hundred placed within prison walls in the hope that 
 many prisoners may read the wonderful story, and as they read 
 it, 1)ecome interested in Jerry's Saviour. As his wife and co- 
 worker till his death, the donor of these books can bear witness 
 to the truth of the story told. The books are sent forth upon 
 their mission of mercy with her prayers, and those of many 
 interested friends, for the blessing of God upon every copy 
 thus circulated. " The wages of sin is death, but the gift of 
 God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." 
 
 This volume might easily be enlarged and every added page 
 be used to tell the same kind of story that preceding pages have 
 recounted, but there must be a closing chapter to every book, 
 and enough has been said to insure the purpose for which a 
 new edition of the work is printed, and which has already been 
 definitely set forth. Did space permit, mention might be made 
 at length of the three-year-old McAuley Memorial Mission at 
 Lakewood, N. J., conducted by Mrs. Nellie Le Page and her 
 husband Germain, the former being the sister of Mrs. McAuley 
 and one of the trophies given her by God at Water Street. 
 The record of the three years' work reads like a chapter of 
 Water Street history. 
 
 Among other exceedingly interesting material recently to 
 hand is the " Coming of Age Souvenir of the Helping Hand 
 Mission" at Auckland, New Zealand. In this Mission " A liv- 
 ing Christ for a dying world" had been exalted and made 
 known to some of the most hopeless characters. One of the 
 Mission's founders was Mr. W. H. Smith, an early worker at 
 Jerry McAuley's Water Street Mission. About ten years ago 
 Mr. Smith commenced still another Mission. Thus in far-off 
 New Zealand, as in so many other parts of the globe, the work 
 in Water Street and at the Cremorne, New York, has been 
 
304 The Prophetic Vision. 
 
 duplicated to the glory of God. All these institutions are help- 
 ing to fulfil the prophetic vision of the writer of the Revelation 
 as he exclaims : 
 
 " I saw, and behold a great multitude, which no man could 
 number, out of every nation and of all tribes and peoples and 
 tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, ar- 
 rayed in white robes, and palms in their hands ; and they cry 
 with a great voice, saying. Salvation unto our God who sitteth 
 on the throne, and unto the >Lamb. . . . These are they that 
 come out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes 
 and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Rev. vii., 
 B«vised Version.) 
 
 "Jesus shall reign where'er the sun 
 Does his successive journeys run, 
 His kingdom stretch from shore to shore, 
 Till moons shall wax and wane no more. 
 
 "Blessings abound where'er He reigns; 
 The pris'ner leaps to lose his chains, 
 The weary find eternal rest, 
 And all the sons of want are blest."