The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-16
CAMERAS
THE III. LIEBER COMPANY.
"a West Washington street.
ABE M'PEEK'S new PATH
CELEBRATES SECOND ANNIVERSARY
OF CONVERSION.
Tells an Audience at Rescue Mission
How. from a Criminal, he Turned
Into n Christian.

In the rooms of the Rescue Mission at
Pennsylvania and South streets. last night,
''Abe" McPeek, once a criminal, celebrated
his second anniversary of his conversion.
st was on invitation of w. H. Wheeler,
superintendent of the mission. that McPeek
took charge OF the meeting last night.
After the usual service, which includes
few songs and a prayer by one of the lay
men, McPeek arose. He held in his hand
a small Bible. from which he read the
fortieth chapter of the gospel of st. Mat
thew, ed 10 9th verse: ''WhOsoever con-
fesses before me, also cOnfesses before the
Father in heaven" McPeek said IT was
those words that had kept his mind con-
tinually on GOO since his reformation two
years ago. He begged his hearers not to
think of his past life. for he said that it
was indeed a cross for him to even men
ton 1t. ''It hardly seems possible" he
said, that man so utterly abandoned to
the world could ever be saved. 1 once
a boy who never knew the inside of
church. nor what a Sunday school was in
tended for" In referring to the beginning
Of his criminal career McPeek said that
when he was thirteen years old he was
arrested In ST. Louis for stealing. He was
thrown in prison where were confined a
number OF older criminals, among them
several pickpOckets from Chicago. These
older criminals told McPeek what brave
Lad he was. and from their conversation
he was OF opinion that his nfe's work was
then begun. From that day until two
years ago. he said. II was not out of
prison longer than six months at a time
The greater part OF my life has been spent
In warehouses. reformatories and states
prisons. While confined in all these pris-
ons L was at all times thinking of schemes
whereby l could do my keepers some
harm"
McPeek told of the good Mr.. Wheeler
had accomplished for him when the latter
nSoe Ms VISITS 10 the Workh0use at time
when McPeek was confined there. AT
first" he said. II would laugh at the man
and turn away from his advice Ii was not
until one day that l wandered into this
room only two days after L was parOled
out OF the Northern penitentiary that L
really conceived the glory Of God
"On my last trip TO the penitentiary 1
was sent there with my brother from the
northern part Of the State for robbing sew
eral people. We had been in a little town
where circus was being held. and the old
temptation 20 steal was too strong to re-
sist. We were arrested and sentenced to
the prison While in prison / refused the
KIND work assigned me and for this L was
put in the dungeon. The punishment of a
state prison is more than any outsider has
any Idea L was in the dungeon for five
months, and during that time the only
Dook allowed was the Bible That book
believe, L read four or five times With
my meager education L found but little
consolation in the book. Returning to In
dianapolis after my parole L wandered one
night into this mission. Seated well back
near the door, Brother Wheeler saw me
and came forward and asked me to give
up my old ways and come to Christ /
said yes, little knowing what was TO take
place. i went forward to the altar and
there renounced the evils of this life and
gave myself in a vow. TO do everything for
the glory of God / was laughed at by
my people, and when / went home that
night and told my brother he too laughed.
and did not understand what was meant
by religion.
Even the police of this city talked dis
couragingly when they heard / assembled
this altar, and they told Mr.. Wheeler that
had some motive i'm protesting religion.
thank God from the bottom Of my heart
that since my conversion in this room two
years ago by Mr.. Wheeler / have steadily
grown In strength by the grace of God
and can ward OF safely many of the old
temptations 10 leave this quiet life and re-
turn To my old ways"
Mr.. Wheeler corroborated McPeek's re-
marks about his past life and his CONVEX
sion. He also told OF the conversion of
McPeek's brother John. who was his part
ner In crime from his boyhood days When
John McPeek died. a year ago he was
singing hymn and ABE" and Mr. Wheel
er were at his bedside.