Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1895-11-12
A SUCCESS IN NEW YORK
Figures That Don't Lie About
DR.. Wilson's Work.
he WAS DETERMINED TO TRIUMPH

The NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Delaware Min
later I.Abored In New York Until He
Had Revived Eighteenth street
Church. Established a Hsme for Good
Girls and Put Money In the ohuroh's
Treasury.
Rev John A b. Wilson, d. D.,
formerly presiding elder OF the Whining
ton Conference aud presiding elder OF
Dover district, bu late pastor OF the
New York City Eik 'ssnth Street NJ. ]. .
Church. left Jsrs,y City station last
evening for Los Angeles. Cal, where he
has been called to become pastor OF one
Of the best known Methodist Churches Of
the West DR. Wilson WAS accompanied
by Mrs Wilson and Mr.. and Mira
Herman +. Wilson. They will reside In
the fns church residence No. 52i
South Broadway, Los Angeles.
DR. Wilson's last Sunday, according to
msmber Of his Eighteenth Street
Church who was interviewed by an
EVENING JOURNAL representative on a
Psnnsy lvaniA railroad train. wsa a mem
orable one Ia the history OF downtown
Metbodism In New York city.
1T was = great contrast, said he. ito
the day Dr. Wilson WAS sent TO Eigh
teenth Street Church, then truly a
forsaken and forlorn down town church,
with not over 100 regular members
Last sunday there were people turned
away long before time for beginning the
service. galleries, aisles aud psws OF the
spacious old sdldcs being flled TO their
utmost strsnghth
"Siucs DR.. Wilson's pastorate-sAd
these are absolute facts--474 people have
been recsived into the church, after each
had undergone a satisfactory spiritual
examination. This Is seventy-four more
than have been on ths church rsll as
members since 1S47 OF tho old mem-
bsrskip there remains. .steadfSst 325, aud
Of new members 35S. giving the 20 uHg
blood who hold fast a majority Of thirty .
one
More wonderful still about this ener-
getlc minister's success is that he had q
regular prayer meeting Of 300 Bis
benevolent collections Increased 1i5 per
cent. and the plate collections 175 per
can't Dr. Wilson, notwithstanding any
thing that may be sRid outside. leaves
the church entirely clear Of debt and
with money In the treasury.
zone great fact has bssn clearly dem
oustrated-the bs.t days Of those 'absn-
donsd" New York churches can be revived
by adopting certain popular methods
which may for time seen too ssnsa-
tional, but which will rsdound TO the
glory Of God. For instAnce-when DE-.
Wilson assumed the Eighteenth street
pastorate he engaged 4 soprano soloist
whose selections were simply superb
adopted ten minute preludsa on current
events, for discourse took up scripture
applications to the subjects foremost II
the peoples minds. His svangeliati'
work went right aloag, regardless Of the
seasons.
"Rat II DR.. Wilson's church work hat
been an entire failure In New York his
work outside would itself have made. nj
for all shortcomings One Of his greatest
successes was the founding OF home foi
| good girls New York, you know, Il
| full Of homes for bad ones This Is
an Institution where girls who are self
respecting can register and have rooms
/ fitted with every modern convenience
and lots OF homslike surroundings H'
established this In \ fne house which,
1 through his effort was donated for thil
/ purpose aud turned over BY him 10 .
board OF trustees, several OF when ar'
milllonAirss
"He allowed no rules to be made, but
put each girl upon her honor and IL was
never violatsd bat once A few nights
ago the girls filed into the recsption
room aud presented the minister with a
beautiful robe The big Delaware
preacher was Prouder OF that gift than
OF any acknowledgement from members
Of any OF his charges"
Last Sunday night DR.. Wilson com
pllmented the newspaper men Of New
York all with whom he had come n
contact. for their c5nservatlve and ever
kindly treatment OF him during BIZ
pastorats. and publicly declared that h'
owed much Of his success TO tho news
L