The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-08-06
CANAL GOSPEL BOAT
Preacher Who Does Great
Good in a Way Wholly
His Own.
OLDEST CHURCH IN AMERICA
H. B. Gibbud's Rectory on the
Erie Canal---Among
the Churches.

possible by the Erie Canal, this famous
waterway whieh has made and unnade
more political regulations than any other
highway OF commerce in the world, says
the Albany Argus, 1t should be ex-
planned. however, that just at this time
this raging stream does not make this odd
church possible, since the church was re-
Gently burned. In the confiagration two
men were forced to take to the water
and We're drowned An effort is now max
ing to re-establish this queer place Of
worship.
The pastor of the church is H. b. Glib
bud, of Springfield, Mass, the same who
breaches during the season to the cram
berry-pickers of Cape Cod. another queer
church, by the use Of the ~megaphone.
He is a typical evangelist. starting out
without salary or any means of support.
and trusting to the Lord, whose cause he
advocates, to provide him food, raiment
and a pillow for his head.
Evangelist Gibbud does not, in his odd
Erie Canal church. insist upon having his
congregation present in order to preach to
it. He uses a gospel trumpet. His church
| floats and goes anywhere between Albany
and Buffalo. He devotes much time to the
| country districts. A farmer in a lot half
d mile off looks up from his ~ploughing to
see from where comes a blast, sounding
not unlike to a call to dinner. 1t comes
from the canal. The farmers attention
| secured. a voice, earnestly, if hoarsely,
calls OUT
clay not up for yourself the treasures
! upon earth. where moth and rust doth cor
...-4 1-4@ -. 80. -, .-o,4,.-otf +.a in in
| Heaven. For where your treasure is there
will your heart be also-''
A factory girl in the village comes to
the window upon hearing a horn blast,
and from the big end of the horn, which
nearly covers a man standing on the
deck of a gayly decorated canalbcat be-
low. proceeds the startling invitation
| "Come unto Me all ye that labor and are
| heavy laden, and I will give YOU rest.
The burned church was a former cir
| Gus transport. The proposed new church
is to be a specially constructed floating
| ediGce, part church. part parish house,
| part lecture room and part boat. Mr.
| Gibbud is an original talker as well as
worker. ssCanalboatlnen and boatwomen
| have few privileges" ne said. Most Of
them travel day and night, SUNDAYS and
| all other days. We visited what boats we
| could along the canal and furnished hun
dreds of their occupants with religious
| reading. Our work was not, however,
| confined to these boats. The canal. as
you know, runs through villages. The
towpath is used by many as a road, and
our driver was able to give thousands
Of tracts to passersby. Papers were
| thrown to the farmers and to factory OPP
eratives. and both were given many texts
through the Gospel trumpet.
This trumpet is a huge ~megaphone. It
is fully four feet long and two feet across
at the end. In the large cities we hung
out signs which read
" Gospel Observation-Disclosures Espe-
| cially Welcome; Don't Fix Up; Come iii
Your Working Clothes
!" Come to Chureh-Mother, Bring the
Baby; It Won't Disturb Us If 1t Does
Cry
sThese invitations attracted attention
and were quickly quoted all over the
town. At evening our workers would
take the organ on top of the boat and
hold a song service. A pan of red fire
burned at the top of the hagpole, which
would illuminate the place and attract
people. so that sometimes we had almost
the entire population for an audience.
after one seasons work the boat was
moored at the Market square, in SYRIA
cuse, and the work continued through
the winter. We were looking forward to
another seasons work. The boat had
been transferred to the Oswego Canal, and
was being painted, when one night a lum-
Der yard caught fire. and the flames
spread to the boat. There were three
persons on board. They were aroused
by the roar of the flames; and tried to
escape TO the land. but The fire shut them
off. They attempted to swim to the
shore on the other side. but only one
reached it alive. Two persisted in the wa
tiers. Thus ended in a sad tragedy the
history of the Gospel canal boa Good
News.
.'Since that time We have been unable to
resume the work. The way seems now
open to take it up again, if a boat were
provided. We are willing TO undertake
the work without salary, trusting God to
support US in our needs. We have many
new plans for the boat work. and can
make it a create success than before. 1t
is our purpose, If a boat is provided. to
carry on a small surnmer training school
in connection with the regular boat work.
The workers would be those desiring
training such as could be gdt on a sum
mer's cruise. They would pay their
board and a trife beyond. If possible. The
mornings would be spent in the study Of
methods-lectures on open-air work, sa-
loon and house-to-house visitation, Gospel
wagon work, jail and hospital work.
1--WE also have special plans by which
the boat win continue the work nights as
well as days, so reaching those passing
at that time. # the Lord shall touch the
hearts of Christians to provide the boat.
the work will be taken up A boat built
for the purpose can be had for $500. In
all my work as night missionary in con-
nection with the Florence Mission of New
York, as a Gospel wagon worker IN the
hop fields, and in cities aud towns, in teast
work and other lines that are noted for
reaching the masses. | must say that this
beats them all. as attracting and bringing
the message OF salvation to all sorts and
conditions of men and women"
THEOLOGY ATT OCEAN GROVE.