The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-12-09
GOSPEL SHIP ON LAND.
Unique Salvation Plan Of the "Rev.
Morrill, Twins"
To Save Souls In Chicago -Plsus for
Unique Church Have neen Siads.

"Fivo years ago was standing on tho
government pier looking at the vessels in
Sho harbor," said one of Rev. Morrill,
twins, "when the thought came to me Of
a gospel ship. We have kept the Idea
secret, and have cherished II ever sinos, till
now we are ready to act"
Such is tho genesis Of the gospel ship,
whose masts have been raised In q vacant
lot at 1a10 Carroll avenue Chicago, on the
West side. It's promoters are Herbert and
Horace Morrill, known in several states az
eyangelists OF sensational methods by tho
collective name Of "Rev. Morrill, twina"
Their faces and their methods arc SO famil-
lar to the public that little remains to be
said Of them. 1t Is sufficient TO say that
their personality and their methods are
sensational to the extreme. Their bicycles,
silk hats and long coats nre simply the
outward badges Of their means OF evan
gelization, which thoy declare to have won
many converts.
In October the twins were conducting q
revival In Grace Baptist church, when the
idea of tho gospel ship was broached to tho
congregation. It met with instant favor
An organization called the MGsrill Baptist
church was formed at once, AID a charter
secured. The lease Of the lot at 1410 Car
roll avenue was made. The twins were
engaged as CO. pastors For the first year
they offered their services jointly for S2,-
500, promising to refund $500 Of this
amount back into the church fund. In o
short time sufficient money was pledged
to assure tine construction Of the novel
sanctuary.
The ship will find Its resting place on
land instead of water. It will 10 In short
a church In tho form Of a steamship Ono
of its recommendations Is It's cheapness.
For s2, 600 1t will be possible to construct
a building tho form of a ship, with scat
ing capacity of 500. A church of the Same
capacity would cost several thousand more.
1t is expected that tho novelty of the idea
and the sensational methods proposed will
attract hundreds OF people who would nev-
er find their way to the ordinary sanctuary.
One Of tho preliminary steps was the So
curing Of an architect and plan. G. H.
Cruising, the architect in the Ashland
block, was selected for the purpose. From
the beginning Mr.. Cruising has been
overwhelmed with notoriety. His unique
design, he says, has attracted more atten-
tion than would the construction Of build
ing to cost $4,000 Some trouble In
getting building permit was expected.
When the building inspector found that
the ship was to be Of iron, all objections
were waived and the permit issued.
The plans are for building 100 feet in
length by go in width or properly In beam.
The framework will be Of t iron sheeted
with corrugated iron. Two masts will rise
from the deck to the height Of 80 feet,
which will be rugged with spars and
shrouds. An iron smokestack rising from
the deck will be connected with the stoves
In the hold. When services are In prog
ress, a supply of tar or pitch in the stoves
may emit clouds Of smoke from the stack.
Forty windows in the sides Of the hull
will have the form Of portfolios, and the
nautical appearance of the ship will be
otherwise sustained On the decks wooden
cannon will frown upon the peaceful resi-
dents Of the neigbborhood. Two anchors
| will depend from the bow, and a capstan
will raise it's head from the forecastle. En-
trance to the auditorium will be given
through a gangway In the bow, a violation
of naval architecture made necessary by
the narrowness Of the lot. The auditorium
itself will extend the full length of the
| hull. In the bow pulpit will be placed,
| OH which a compass is to rest Seats are
| to be ranged across the hull In tiers for
In conducting the church the naval idea
| is to be adhered to. The twins have In
contemplation the organization of the boys
of the Sunday school into a corps Of naval
cadets, clad In blue uniform. A naval
band will be formed to discourse nautical
melodies preparatory to services hymns
will bo set to the melodies Of the sea and
the illusion Of the ship otherwise carried
| out.
1t Is expected that all the sad sea dogs oi
| the city, longshoremen from the lumber
| yards, the dock hands from tho boats In
the river and the roustabouts from the
lodging houses will be attracted to the
| gospel ship, and will hasten to enroll them
selves in tho crew. No provisions, how
over, have been made for the issue OF grog,
the crow being expected to waive that par
ticular item of the menu.
The twins arc so sanguine OF the success
full voyage Of the gospel ship that they dc
mot hesitate TO plan for land going ship
of the sizc OF an ocean steamer TO accom-
MEDIATE tho rush Of passengers In the fu'
turo Already tho size of tho congregation
Is said 10 haNo reached 500, 20 which nu'
morous additions are expected as soon al
the ship shall have fairly cleared for IT.
voyage Chicago Times Herald.