New-York tribune., 1906-06-09

Nfv,tle avenue. Brooklyn, has a lighthouse
For several months passersby have ioohe" -
ouslv al a large metal model or a beacon 10"
OF safety over the awning at NO. liza pfoi"
its summit a real light shines through tiie ms
,aoLo,,ng an ever increasing crowd into the
rhaerv corforta BILE rooms under the awning.
The little lighthouse marks the site OF one OF
,he most remarkable and unusual mission works
" greater New York. a decidedly orig1nai
,,,e,bod of fighting the saloon evil. No less un-
us,al is the partnership which established ana
Is now carrying on the mission. that OF mas
Ter Number and an artist evangelist
or,v a little over a year ago the Bethel Gospel
Lighthouse for this is the name OF the ihissi"n'
was a saloon. the scene of drunken revels- Now
many of the old habitues meet nightly IN tne
r,leasant clubrooms TO sing hymns and JOIN In
the religious services or spend a quiet evening
eossiping with their neighbors To-morro"
closes the Jubilee week, in commemoration OF
the first anniversary Of the works founding
In was eighteen years ago that Wiiham D.
Elliott, master plumber, with an estaoish-
nent In this neighborhood, began his oa'tle
with the saloon evil. He found himseh IN
neishborhood OF anarchists and miserable de-
bauches, who made their headquarters at me
two saloons neghboring corners. fliieo
with q determination to purify the neighpor-
hood Mr. Elliott bought out the business of one
own business in the place This left the other
saloon with double patronage. A little later
Mr. Elliott, taking his own money. bought this
business aiso and established butcher shop in
its place
In the mean time, proceeding secretly in this
way, he had closed out other saloons in other
nearby neighborhoods.
But the very effectiveness OF the work wrought
tts own menace A wealthy brewer, seeing the
neighborhood destitute OF a saloon. decided IT
was n good field for business. He accordingly
bought the premises at No. 1914, the present
mission site and leased them TO a saloonkeeper.
Then the old revels were renewed
Mr. Elliott, determined not TO be defeated, ap
,,roaohed the brewer with offers to buy the
place For several years they were refused
Finally Mr. Elliott made an offer of $1,000 more
than the appraised value of the premises. and
the brewer reluctantly accepted. with the pro-
vfso that he retain the lease, which still had a
year to run.
In the mean time the saloonkeeper, finding out
that the place had been bought for the purpose
OF eventually closing il out, began to buy beer
Of another brewer, Whereupon the former owner
dispossessed him and the neighbOrhood was
once more without a saloon. though the brewer
offered 10 take lease OF Mr.. Elliott at double
the former rental rates.
year ago. Mr.. Elliott had come TO the conclu-
sion that in addition TO his work of tearing
Down there must he done a positive work Of
construction. At this time he met Charles Elmer
Furman ''the chalk talking evangelist, who
was holding meetings at the Epworth Methodist
Episcopal Church They talked the subject over
and decided to hold a jubilee service the follow
ing Sunday in the old saloon. The meeting was
a great success. Among the speakers were the
Rev. DIR. A w. Byrt, the Rev. DIR. D. w Couch
and other prominent preachers Mr.. Furman's
crayon portraits illustrating his sermon as he
talked became Immediately a great drawing
card.
The Anti Saloon League. hearing of the work
urged that the meetings be continued Several
wealthy friends promised support. and a week
Of special services was begun.
So We'll attended were the meetings from the
start that the leaders resolved that if they
ceived convert in the week they would es-
n tahlish a permanent mission AS Mr.. Furman
SAID yesterday, the subject was put 10 the test
VI Of prayer, and the prayer was answered almost
Immediately by the conversion of F. H Daley,
now superintendent of the Sunday school. The
conversion was followed by eight more.
From that time the old saloon under its
new name, the Bethel Gospel Lighthouse has
not been closed. Large sums contributed
toward fitting up cubrOoms in almost luxurious
fashion. A boys club organized and a
well equipped gymnasium established. The
Kings Daughters, Womens Christian Temper
ance Union and the Loyal Legion also have
quarters In the building. A reading room is now
being fitted out.
The work Is entirely undenomInationaL Mr.
FuTnlan. the president. wishes TO emphasize the
fact. he said yesterday, that the leaders have
no enmity toward the saloonkeeper. In fact,
his acquaintance is sought, and it is their con-
slant effort TO get him into better business.
The music and chalk talks are drawing such
large crowds that the meetings frequently over
low 20 the opposite sidewalk. Arrangements
are now being made for larger quarters.
There have been many remarkable conversions
In the last year. the accounts OF which read like
tales of miracles.
The celebration of this last week has been full
OF interest The following speakers took part:
Messrs. Friday, Cain and Bloom, in solos, duets
and trios. own accompanies upon violin, guitar
and mandolin, and Mr.. and Mrs. Taylor. Gospel
singers. with autOharp accompaniment. Monday
evening. John Brown. eE-policeman, evangelist.
and Mr. and Mrs. Baker singing eyangelists.
Tuesday evening. The Rev. DR.. Price, pastor
of the Epworth Methodist Episcopal Church,
Wednesday eVening-Epworth night. Charles T.
FUrman and Frank Daniels chalk talks"
crayon work and Mr. and Mrs. Backman Cos
pei singers Thursday evening. W. W. Harrison,
Bible teacher: Messrs. Friday Cain and Bloom.
singing evangelists and Misses Anna Hausstein
and May Straub, Gospel singers, Friday evening.
Sophie the Scrubwoman." who told the story
Of redemption IN her quaint and original
way and Mr.. and Mrs. Mcpherson Gospel sing
ers Saturday eYening-Ktng's Daughters Night.
The work this summer will be continued in
tent. in the fall II Is planned to buy other saloons
and convert them into lighthouse missions at vaTi-
Gus points about the borough.