The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-12-06
DR.. ]. SUMNER Stone.
His Vigorous Eyangetization o'
the SIuIns Of New York.
SERMONS IN OPIUM JOINTS.
Nothing IN India that ApprOnc III c.
tho SCcncs"Grnphic Description
OF n Hell on Earth-A Wheel.
Ing Mans Great Work.

|
fishes an interesting interview with Dr.
]. Sumner Stonc, formerly OF Wheeling
W, Va, in which he details some re.
markable work he has been doing
among the opium joints OF "datkee,
New York" From the lengthy article
in the World the following extracts are
taken:
| .slr. Stouc IS slight, boyish.looking
man with gentle face aud kindly gray
eyes that emile at Iyou through gold.
bowed spectacles. He has only been in
New York about eighteen months, hav-
ing come here irom Bombay, India. His
first work was after the manner OF the
famous Mccall mission work. OF Paris.
Last May he was given the charge OF the
aiate!y old church on Washington
square, whore The Vanderbills used to
worship.
1t is one OF D.. stones most cherished
| plans to reach the street Arab-the
most difficult animal in creation to
catch. 10 this end he proposes to up.
appeal to their martial or pugnacious
instincts. Therefore, instead OF distrib.
u.ipg tracts, he has formed boys bri-
gade OF zouaves. lie has already nearly
forty boys enlisted. They are OF MI
uationatitioa.
This progressive young preacher paid
visit to the OPIUM dives not lonc aco,
and at midnight offered prayer amid
the cursingB and rawlings OF their bali.
craxad inmates. Describing this clerical
stunning TO q reporter he said:
Just think that hero in our city,
within reach Of the nine tsnths arouud
whose homes they rot and die, are the
Inhabitants OF darkest New York.
There is vicious degradation in parts
OF our city more appalling even than
anything | have seen in the ieus OF
Bombay and Calcutta.
Upon first entering the former J
could scarcely distinguish d the Chiua'.
man, sitting ON hio high stool behind 6
table, on which lay c uumber Of pipes
that looked like flutes.
4 uIDEoUs sIGHp.
Along the walls Of this windowless
room ran platforms three feet high and
four wide, leaving narrow aisle be.
tween.. These platforms we're packed
with human beings-human beings did
say? Yes, but they looked ,rnre Ike
ghopis or demans htddIet, about small
Iampa, emitting aHeul phIric flame. Some
smoked at their iite.Iike pipes, others
lifted their heads TO gaze siccpiiy 3. us,
while still otae.a cl!atteFed and Grinued
like baboon0. Through the 3mpte, by
the shastly light, I could see horrid
mass OF heads, legs and arms jnmbled
ineStricably, together upon the plat.
form. Dure's delineation OF Daute,s
w4Edst;ncs in bsll yes not more hide.
Gus than this frightiul scene,
Il found there child under ten and
both men and women over seventy. Il
saw men in their prime, English men,
Moslems, Cinnamon and Hindoos, manv
o. whcpl we're from the higher stations
and Castes. When 1t became known
tina: was physician there arose the
most pitiiul appeal ior medicine. And
| can never blot from my memory one
#onan saw, whose sksn hung like
folds oi parchment, whose Voice was
scarcely huHaE and who stretched out
her shaktng, cIantike hands pleading
ior help. This Is not pleasant descrlp
ton. ia it? BIT let me tell yon that /
saw worse sight on Saturday night in
New York. At l o'clock on q Sunday
morning spoke to congregation Of
white people, all OF so.eaIIed Christian
parentage and all speaking the Ian suaee
OF what We patrio;ical!y term the best
product OF 6 nation Of Chr;stiGn clyiliYa-
ton. About midnight. in company with
few iy!onds, ! walked through Canal
20 Mulberry street; down which we
passed until some one said:
PREACHING IN HE'LL.
"'rhis is the place, one OF fths roderate
ones Descending q flight of steps We
found ourselves il basement, about
fifteen by thirty feet, filled with men and
women Of ell ases and il sli Stages
OF stHpelaction and Tretchedness.
Stretched on the bare floor or on benches
lay dozen or more trying to sleep
Smoke, filthy !!!avia, mingled sounds
of hoarse laughter, r!bald songs and
profanity tilled the air. We first pur-
cnasCd cOuee lor me crowd, anu while
it was being drynk sang 'Hock Of Ayes.
After the hymn l spoke. ! have
preached to many different cousreva-
tions under variety OF circumstances,
but never before did fancy myself
preaching in hell to congregation OF the
damned. Old hags Sat or knelt sobbing
about ME, younger men and women lis.
tened to the strange words about a mer.
ciful Saviour in wonder or with derision
and cutsea. Men behind me fought like
beasts, women screamed, few prayed
1t was terrible scene," and the rever.
end GrntleMau paused, almost operool4e
by his Tecollec.ioas, u:.r
"Dr. Stone, what remedy is there for
this state OF atfaifsP ?" asked the reporter.
"Ths remedy OF the Gospel Of Jesus
Christ" was the reply. "Our aim is to
seek the very worst. healing their dis.
eased bodies, teaching them to help
themsel7e9 ana FeacaiaS .Gthem the
gospel Of hope. Among the decently
dressed members OF my congregation are
many who six months ago walked in
rags, 9Th and sir.'
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