Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-06-02
REFORMING A CuooK.
The Way Evangelist Moody Prepared
PugiIist for Good Use.

The Way Evangelist Moody Prepare
a Pugilist for Good Use.
Pron, he SIN rrgneis9s Chronfcis.
In an age which has given birta to ID
phrase muscular christianity" If taer
IS any incongruity In a prize-fghter en-
tering the lists OF religion It is only i'm
aginary. 81. Paul was converted from
worse psstms than ''tbe manly art
Dir. Ben Hogan, Of pugilistic fame, ha
returned 10 this city which some tire,
years ago be visited upon the same mis-
sion as his present one. lie tries c
show BY his own experience The
potency or simpie and honest faith II
changing the tenor u the lowest career 50
that is current may remoUnt toward the
source II lnr ocenCe. As "terrinis eE-
ample" which D as been safely reformed,
his title TO public attention does not rest
wholly upon bis Performance = ~ twen-
ty-fOur foot ring. he ~As a gambler. and,
IS he describes 10, ''crJok' 10 general.
he helped t. ''put mp Jobs for burglars,
and reaped largely OF the resultant pro
fits. II Is eight wears since be irst BEGAN
10 see the error % his ways, and since ne
resolved to amend them.
His renOwn as a "spOrt" suggested to
Moody, TIE evan geiist. the use 70 which
be might be put, aud be appeared on the
platform. Hogan IS man whose phys
ical qualities will command respect any,
where. lie stands about five feet eight
inches high, ana weighs 1870 pounds. He
has massive shoulders aud is symmetri-
caliy formed, with bullisn neck aud
square and rather intelligent looking
head. covered with short, stnbby hair,
slightly tinged with gray. he wears
moustache, but is otherwisa clean shaven,
and has well-fed air Of hearty content.
There Is no suggestion Of mock pietY
about him, and not a single word toat
may be set down as cant ever creeDs into
bic talk. He has a strong and ringing
voice, and uses 1t With a good deal OF
effect. He dresses well, but very quietly
and in a ReBt,emanly style.
Last evening be was introduced to a
-gOodiy sized audience at Silver star ball,
hear the corner Of sansome and Pacific
streets, where Sunday night revival and
temperance meetings are regularly held.
As ne advanced 70 the edge OF the platform
be fell, as If by instinct, into tue posture
which the prize fighter assumes just be-
fore he puts up his hands. His sturdy
left foot was forward. and the right foot a
little 10 the rear. while the body was cas-
lly poised and the head thrown a trife
back.
When the left hand was suddenly
stretched out IL an initial gesture, one
who had ever witnessed a combat within
the ropes half expected 70 see "a straight
lead" at a fesn and blood foe. Mr.. Ho-
gan, however, did demolIsh an antagonist
in very vigorous manner. The bOldest
vices received blow after blow FROM him
and skulked to their corners. throwing UP
the sponge As promptly as Jack Holiday
did in 1865 when Ben whipped him in
seven briefToUnds. At this point IL NAV
well Be recalled too, that he defeated Bob
DOnnelly Ia 1866 in Canada ia two hours
and tWeaty minutes. Ben's last battle
with bare fists WAS fought in 1873 With
the great Tom Allen at Council Bluffs,
and he claims that after some very hard
hitting Il proved draw.
Mr.. Hogan quit England when a very
Toung boy, but not before he had acquired
cOckney accent that clings 70 him still.
From following the sea be fell in with
sporting characters and men OF evil repu.
tation. he became exceeding fond of
athletic exercises, and At IS Years OF age
was a very successful teacher Of boxing.
'Hi still love the manly art" he said
"rhe only thing Hi am sorry for is that
every young man in our country does not
attend a gymnasium Ia his leisure hours
When Hl see the physical wrecks in the
prime OF manhood that one encounters in
the streets sometimes Ri throw up both
hands. Hsn't il lawful"
IL may be remarked that an adept in
the manly art Of self-defense does not often
throw up both hands unless he has good
reasons 10 do 80.
Mr.. Hogan went on to express his en-
thusiasm Tor physical culture.
de was trying 70 teacn young men how
20 take care of both soul ana BODY. He
had heard mothers and fathers say that
they would Ike 10 send their sons 10 the
gymnasium wore they not afraid that they
would turn out to be prize-6ghters.
One Of Mr.. Hcgan's frat criminal lapses
was 70 engage in bounty.jumping during
tue war. From that be descended TO the
company OF burglars and thieves. He
thought at one time that the greatest
"crOOk" ~ the world Was the greatest
man. and thar all who were honest were
suckers" and fools. He found his mis-
take. lie found that be was the greatest
fool OF them all.
The details Of his experience with
"brace games' and ''skin gamesv were
rot particularly novel or dramatic, hut
HE sudden discovery that he was zone OF
toe lowest OF the low" 10 spite of the fact
that he wore broadclOth and diamonds
and was ''rilRed cut neat and tIdy,,
touched the audience.
From temperance meeting at which he
sneaked up aud signed the pledge. after
nearly everybody mad left. he went 10 the
mission school al Five Points, that
'wicket-gate to hell. and was embraced
and blessed by the little children who b. d
been rescued from the gutter. That gave
him courage.
The gambling men OF New York bet
from $40 10 $500 in various wagers that
his reformation would not last three
months. His description OF how patiently
he learned 70 read the Bible, being ignO-
rant even OF his letters, was characteristic
aud affecting. He would inYeigle bust
ness aequaintances, men Of the world.
into his room, and coax them 10 aid him
TO memorize certain passages by reading
them aloud 10 him. He confessed that the
same persons were never caught Il second
Vine.