The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-09-09
NEIBELL AND GATES
THE EVANGELISTS
Have Reached This City After a Tour Of
New York State.
ARE EARNEST AND ENTHUSIASTIC
They Go from Place to Place, Sing
ing, Preaching, aud Selling the
"Experience" of Evangelist Gates.
Started from This City on March II.
They Are Now Turning Their Faces
in the Direction of Florida.

Preaching and praying and singing
and playing stringed instruments two
young men held the attention Of a
crowd at the corner of Wyoming ave-
nue. and Spruce street for over an hour
last night. Both wore black clothing,
the color broken only by white collars
and shirts. They spoke in loud, far
reaching voices, husky from outdoor
preaching and their exhortiny was
marked by an earncstness that betok-
ened boundless enthusiasm.
The young men are A. G. Niebell,
aged % years, and V. r. Gates, aged 20
years, who left this city in March Of
the present year to lead the life of
travelling evangelists. In the crowd
last night were many who knew the
young men. They worked here for sew
eral years as typesetter and pressman
for some time before they decided to
devote their time entirely to evangelist
ic work. Mr. Niebel's home Is in this
city. He was converted three years
ago and at once decided to throw him.
self into the harness for christianity.
He Is the young man who. while preach
ing one night from a box car at the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western
switch on Lackawanna avenue, had the
chagrin to be drawn away from a great
crowd of listeners by an engine at
the other end. Niebell got off the car
and continued his talk on the ground.
Gates tells his experience in q small
pamphlet which he sells for 20 cents.
STARTED MARCH il.
When Niebell and Gates came togeth-
er they resigned their positions and
started out March II to tour the coun-
try in the chosen work. They in turn
visited Tresslerville near Lake Ariel,
Binghamton, where Gates parents live;
Owego, Elmira, Corning and in all
about 100 cities. towns and villages.
At Tresslerville the evangelists say
they converted twenty-five persons and
succeeded in uniting two elements of
the Evangelical church which split over
some difference. Rev. o. r. Butt Is the
pastor and now everything is harmon
ious.
AT Dandee, n. Y, they scored Sc con-
verts, and at Elmira they hired an
opera house and talked. They paid al
expenses.
A DR.. Cole, of Corning, worth $780,
900, was one of the biggest conquests
He Is famous medicine man, 1t is
said, 1t was exciting all the way
through. In one city a crowd of 5Ot
people saw the evangelists chased of
the streets by police officer. This was
done, said Neibell last night, Just be.
cause we said that what the churches
kicked out the Salvation army took in
Il want you to say for u.s." said
the same young man; that we are wei
| "a rt on rrixy IN
our friends here. They thought wher
we started out that we would not per.
sist in the work. We come back bet.
ter equipped and just as much in earn
est"
| The young men take up collection.
to pay expenses and also realize som,
thing on the sale of Mr.. Gates Eek
perience." I'VE make enough money t
keep our heads above water, and hav,
a little surplus to get to the mex
town." was the way they expressed 1t
DEFENDS ON CIRCUMSTANCES.
The order of service depends entire
ly on circumstances. A rousing hymn
to the accompaniment OF Neibell'
mandolin and Gates guitar, attract
the crowd. Then they pitch in ant
| preach,
Mr.. Gates Experience" is a small
red-paper-colored pamphlet with tn
title "Prison Life and Experience o
V. r. Gates" By his prison life tn
story refers to several months Gate
spent in Jail for stealing divers things
He tells all about how the prisoner
are treated and puts 1t in very un
inviting light. He also tells what
hard time he had in Scranton. On
hardware firm gave him a job at 50
per month cleaning out stoves. H
took the Job so that he wouldn't pic
anyone's pockets" Mr.. Neibell write
the Introductory to the Experience.
The two evangelists will remain 4
this city for a week: then they go o
a tour south, expecting to reach Flor
ida when its winter here.