Street and Open Air Work.
THE MASTER'S QUESTIONS.
Have ye looked for my sheep in the desert,
For those who have missed their way?
Have ye been in the wild waste places,
Where the lost and wandering stray?
Have ye trodden the lonely highway,
The foul and the darksome street?
It may be ye'd see in the gloaming
The print of My wounded feet.
Have ye wept with the broken-hearted
In their agony of woe?
Ye might hear Me whispering beside you
"'Tis the pathway I often go!"
My brethren, My friends, My disciples,
Can ye dare to follow me?
Then, wherever the Master dwelleth,
There shall the servant be!
Many are the shocking sights and sad experiences I have witnessed in
street and slum work. I have endured hardships and privations,
suffered arrests and ridicule, and faced many dangers. But withal, the
glorious victories have been many and precious souls have been saved:
I might give copies of many permits to hold open air services received
in the earlier years of my labors, but perhaps these would not be of
interest or profit, so I give only a few.
PERMIT TO PREACH ON BOSTON COMMON.
CITY OF BOSTON, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
Under Chapter 42, Section 11, of the Revised Ordinances,
permission is hereby granted to Mrs. Elizabeth Wheaton, to
conduct preaching service on the Common on Sunday, October 27,
1889, subject to the directions of the Superintendent of the
Common, who will assign a location.
THOMAS NAST, Mayor.
October 22, 1889.
* * * * *
STATE OF LOUISIANA, MAYORALTY OF NEW ORLEANS.
City Hall, 11th day of December, 1886.
Permission granted to Elizabeth Wheaton and Agnes Hill to preach
the gospel at such localities within the city of New Orleans as
they may select; provided that in so doing they are careful not
to interfere with the private rights of individuals or those of
corporations granted them under municipal ordinances or the
statutes of this state. By order of the Mayor.
E. L. BOWER, Chief Clerk.
* * * * *
MAYOR'S OFFICE.
Jacksonville, Fla., December 29, 1886.
Permission is hereby granted E. Wheaton and associates to preach
the gospel within the city limits at such places as they may
select; provided the streets and sidewalks are not obstructed and
the rights of private property are not disturbed and there is no
violation of City ordinances or statutes of the State.
P. MCQUAID, Mayor.
* * * * *
Galveston, Tex., Jan. 20, 1888.
To Whom It May Concern:
Permission is hereby granted to the bearer to hold religious
services on the streets anywhere within the corporate limits of
the city of Galveston, and the police authorities will lend such
protection as is necessary to enforce order at such meetings.
R. L. FULTON, Mayor of Galveston.
* * * * *
Office of Chief of Police,
Denver, Colo., June 23, 1888.
To any Police Officer:
This woman has permission from the Mayor to hold services on the
street.
M. HENNY, Chief of Police.
* * * * *
Sacramento, Cal., Aug. 24, 1888.
Permission is hereby granted E. Wheaton and associates to preach
the gospel within the city limits at such places as they may
select, provided the streets and sidewalks are not obstructed and
rights of private property are not disturbed, and if not in
conflict or violation of the city ordinances.
EUGENE J. GREGORY, Mayor.
FROM MISS JOSEPHINE COWGILL.
Some Years a Missionary in Jerusalem.
The following is contributed by a dear sister who has spent some years
as a missionary in Jerusalem, Palestine, and may be known to many of
our readers:
[Illustration: MISS JOSEPHINE COWGILL.]
Many years ago, while engaged in missionary work in the city of
New Orleans, La., I was one evening attracted by a large
gathering of people. In the midst was a woman kneeling on the
ground engaged in most earnest prayer. Many in the company were
of the worst class of people, yet they were quietly listening and
looking on with amazement. We were not accustomed to any one
praying on the streets in that manner. This was the first time I
had the privilege of meeting dear Sister E. R. Wheaton. I can
never forget the impressions made upon myself and others by her
prayers, exhortations and songs that evening. Standing near me in
that company was a woman who had charge of one of the worst
houses of prostitution in the city. Trembling and weeping she
said to me "I never heard anything like that before. That woman
makes me feel that I am an awful sinner, and yet she loves me."
That poor woman went to her house, sent for a Bible and read it
and spent the night in bitter repenting for her sins. She was
gloriously converted and then called her household together and
told them her experience and how the Lord had pardoned her sins
and made her happy in His love. She then exhorted them to
commence a new life; but if they would not, then they must leave
her house.
While in New Orleans, Sister Wheaton and those in company with
her were busily and successfully engaged in mission work among
prisoners and others of the worst class. Some years afterward she
again visited that city and the Lord greatly blessed her work.
One night, on a store-box in front of a saloon, she preached to a
large crowd. The saloonkeeper became very uneasy and called a
policeman to "take her away." He came, but found it quite hard
work to get her down and to another place. The people wanted to
hear her. She sang a song, the chorus of which was, in part:
"If to Jesus you are true,
There's a glory waits for you,
In the beautiful, the glad forever."
Then with clasped hands she stood quietly gazing upward, with
tears rolling down her cheeks. Then with much feeling she said:
"I am homesick for heaven." I can never forget how those words
impressed me and others at that time.
Some years after I again met Sister Wheaton in Los Angeles,
California, where her work was like it had been in New Orleans.
At one time, when she had kindly offered me the privilege of
going with her to some other points, I made inquiry about how I
should take my trunk. She replied: "Sister Josephine, pilgrims
for God do not need a trunk. One valise is enough." Many times I
have thought of that reply and the good it did me. I have never
known of a more earnest and self-sacrificing Christian worker
than Sister Wheaton. The results of her labors as she has gone
forth "weeping and bearing precious seeds," cannot be fully
known until with rejoicing she comes "bringing sheaves with her."
In loving remembrance of her, I am,
Yours in His blessed service.
JOSEPHINE COWGILL.
Haifo, Palestine.
MY FIRST STREET MEETING.
My first street meeting was in Washington, D. C., near the old
postoffice. I had spent the day in the jail, alms-house and hospitals.
I was then a stranger in the city. Some one asked me to go to a hall
where there was a little mission. We did so, and found they had gone
to the open air meeting. When we arrived the meeting was in progress,
one after another stepping out to testify or sing. No opportunity was
offered me to take any part in the meeting, as no woman was allowed to
testify. I looked to God in silent prayer to open some way for me to
speak to the people. At the close of their service I spoke, saying,
"The Lord has sent me with a message for you dear people, and now the
friends have closed their meeting and we will not detain them, as they
doubtless have other engagements." I began to sing and God filled my
soul with glory. The needs of those poor hungry souls rose before me,
as I sang and prayed, and the message of love came welling up in my
soul. I spoke to them of righteousness, the coming Judgment and
eternity. I had held meetings in many of the principal cities of
America, some in Europe and other countries. But that night God
anointed me for street preaching and for work in slums, dives and
saloons.
Closing the meeting, I thought of being alone on the street at night
with scarcely any money and not knowing my way back to my lodging
place. I said, "Oh, Lord, you know all about it." Walking along I came
to the mission and stepping in I took a seat near the door. While I
sat praying, a brother rose and told the circumstances of the street
meeting I had held, and that one of the worst men in the city had been
converted through its instrumentality. The man had told the brother
that God had saved him and he was going home to write eight letters to
his people, some of them in this and some in the old country, to tell
them what great things God had done for him. God knew I was there and
sent the message to encourage me. After the service in the hall had
closed a young lady who proved to be the daughter of the landlady
where I had been staying, came to me and walked to her home with me. I
could not have found my way alone, not having their number, but God
cared for me.
Some extracts are given from reports of the work which were published
at different points during the first few years of my labors:
CONVERTED TO CHRIST.
THE CASE OF THE UNFORTUNATE WOMAN--CARD FROM MR. M.
Editor Hawk-Eye: Last evening at about seven o'clock Mrs.
Wheaton, the prison evangelist, and another lady of the
evangelists and myself held a meeting on the levee. Mrs. Wheaton,
who spoke on the future consequence of sin with unusual
earnestness, had the effect of breaking down Mrs. A. into tears.
Mrs. Wheaton went up to her and spoke to her. In a few moments
the unfortunate woman broke into ecstasies of joy and commenced
to leap around in a circle. For ten minutes she kept up praising
God and leaping, when suddenly she leaped through the great crowd
around, some now being horrified, who, like many poor,
unfortunate people, never saw a sudden conversion. She ran up
Jefferson street, where she was arrested and locked up.
Had the woman been rich or popular she would have been kindly
treated, but being one of the unfortunate women of our city she
was locked up in an unclean, old filthy cell, with a bunk for a
bed. The police were informed that the woman was converted and a
lady offered to take her home last night. But they kept her in
that terrible cell with inmates in adjoining cells using obscene
language. It is a sin and disgrace for the city fathers to
continue to have women locked up with men in the same line of
cells with such a horrifying stench and wooden bunks. The city
police are guilty of an outrageous act in confining the woman in
such a cell, when they ought to have given her better quarters,
as they had the opportunity. This morning she was brought out
before the police court; the woman still testified that she had
salvation before that court and crowd of people. But good came
out of it all as she witnessed a grand confession to the police
court and people who never heard the gospel. She was, by the
consent of Captain S., taken to Mrs. H.'s and is doing well and
is converted. Last evening's _Gazette_ stated that the woman went
crazy by attending the street meetings and would be examined
before the board of commissioners of insanity, which is every
word of it untrue. The woman is sane and was not before any
board.
A. H. MERTZ, in Burlington _Hawk-Eye_, Jan. 19, 1887.
A WONDERFUL CONVERSION.
In San Francisco a drunken girl came to my meeting on the street so
desperate and dangerous that even the police at times seemed afraid of
her. She seemed to be a veritable Magdalene. I was impressed with the
words, "Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter, feelings lie
buried that grace can restore." How could it be done? I dealt
faithfully with her and went away, returning to the city ten months
later. She came again to my meetings, once very drunk as she usually
was. I talked to her about her need of salvation and she was finally
convicted. She waited at the close of the meeting to speak with me,
but at first would not yield to God. Finally she sobered up and was
wonderfully converted. I took her to my room and cared for her, and as
she was a desperate character, and liable to do injury both to life
and property, the Rescue Home at San Francisco refused to take her,
so I took all the risks myself and took her to Helena, Montana, and
left her at the Rescue Home at that place.
The following is an account of work in Seattle soon after this as
reported by a paper of that city:
THE PRISON EVANGELIST.
MRS. ELIZABETH R. WHEATON CARRYING FORWARD HER MISSION
IN SEATTLE.
About three o'clock yesterday afternoon two women, one quite
elderly and the other about 25 years of age, whose dress and
demeanor bespoke them to be missionaries, walked into the
sheriff's office and asked Jailer Leckie if they might hold a
short religious service in the county jail. The urbane jailor
replied that he thought "a little prayin' wouldn't do them coves
any harm," but they were eating and couldn't be interrupted for
ten or fifteen minutes.
"Then we'll wait," said Mrs. Wheaton, laying her black shawl
aside and taking a seat, in which she was followed by her sister
evangelist.
"Perhaps you would like to know who we are," said the elder of
the two women to a reporter who happened to be present. "Here is
my card," and she handed over a small piece of pasteboard on
which was printed with a rubber stamp, "Elizabeth R. Wheaton,
Prison Evangelist. Jesus is Coming Soon; Prepare to Meet Thy
God."
"That will tell who I am," continued the evangelist....
"Criminals and fallen women are the ones I try to reach. I would
rather try to save a murderer or fallen woman than your smooth,
respectable hypocrites, every time. Mary and I have just come
through from san Francisco." * * *
At this moment Jailer Leckie announced that the prisoners were
through eating, and the two women went below to pray with them.
The younger woman held back, saying that she was afraid some of
her old associates might be there, but she was urged on by her
protector and a few minutes later the words of "Nearer My God to
Thee," from two female voices, came floating through the prison
bars. The prisoners gave them respectful hearing, and one or two
seemed to be affected by the earnest words of counsel that fell
from the lips of the evangelist. Later in the evening they held
street services for the benefit of the workingmen near the Armory
and relief tents.
BECAME A PREACHER.
One of the worst women I ever knew was converted in the spring of 1885
on the streets of Kansas City, Mo., where I was holding meetings. She
came to the meeting to abuse and ridicule me. She heard my voice, she
said, two blocks away, and became convicted. She came to where I was
standing on a box preaching. I asked if there was any one there who
would seek God and live a Christian life. I said if there was one
such, let them come and kneel with me by the box and I would pray for
them. She knelt there and cried mightily to God for mercy. But she
went away unsaved and prayed and wept day and night. She could neither
eat nor sleep. She saw herself a lost sinner. Her father had been a
minister of the Gospel, but had died when she was very young. She had
drifted to this wicked city in search of work, and you may know the
rest. For it is but the story of many a poor orphan girl in her
struggle for bread. She fell as thousands fall with none to pity or
care. She was driven from one sin to another, until at last disgraced
and filled with shame, she had tried twelve times to take her own
life. Thus I found her a miserable woman. She came again to the
meeting, this time alone, and was gloriously saved, and is still saved
so far as I know. She became a successful preacher of righteousness,
for she knew how to reach such as she had been. She became a terror to
evil doers, brave in danger, and hopeful before discouraging
obstacles. She has since told me she has saved many young girls' lives
and characters by taking them in and giving them food and shelter
when every other door except brothels and saloons was closed against
them. Bless God for the homes open to shelter and protect the
unfortunate girls.
THE BLIND ENCOURAGED.
One day while traveling in Montana, I went into a smoking car to hold
a little Gospel meeting, singing and distributing tracts, when I found
a blind lady there who seemed to be alone and neglected. I spoke to
her kindly about her soul and invited her to go with me into the other
car. I said, "I am always glad to do anything I can to help a blind
person. My grandmother was blind several years before her death." She
accepted it all gratefully and seemed very sorry to part from me when
we changed cars. I exhorted her to a life of Christian service and to
meet me in Heaven.
I never expected to meet her again, but some two years later I was
holding an open air meeting in California and a lady said, "Would you
allow me to testify?" and I said, "Certainly, if you are a Christian.
Would be glad to have you." When she began to speak she said: "This
lady don't know me, but I know her. We met once. Although I have never
seen her, as I am deprived of sight, yet I know her. I met with her on
the train one day," and she related the foregoing facts, stating that
my kindness had won her heart and she had never forgotten my advice,
and was now living a Christian life.
FORBIDDEN TO PREACH ON THE STREET.
One night when I attempted to hold a street meeting in F----,
California--where I had been holding services for a few nights--the
marshal said he had forbidden me to preach and sing on the streets. A
gentleman looked up the law books and returned saying that it was not
contrary to the laws of that city at that time to hold a gospel
meeting on the street and that I could proceed, but the marshal came
and forbade me, very unkindly and impolitely. At this crisis a
gentleman came up and said that a saloon keeper down the street
requested me to come and hold a meeting in front of his place. I said:
"A gentleman has requested that we come and hold a meeting in front of
his business place. We will go there, please," but the marshal in a
very ungentlemanly way said I was not to hold a meeting on the street
any place in that city.
I said we would go to a hall which had been opened for gospel
services. It was several blocks away and only a few of the immense
crowd would walk that distance. When I reached the place I sat down
behind the door and cried and thought, what shall I do? I was sure the
Lord wanted me to hold a meeting on the street. The blind lady
mentioned in the previous incident was in the congregation and began
to sing, "He is able to deliver thee," and I soon had the victory. The
same sister had attempted to sing on the street, as this was her only
means of supporting her old mother and sickly husband, and the marshal
came along and without any warning pushed her off the street. A couple
of strange gentlemen came and kindly led her to a place of safety. I
heard soon after this that this man became suddenly insane and it took
two men to hold him and take him to the jail and from there to the
insane asylum.
THOUGHT THEY SAW A GHOST.
Once, in a city, another lady and myself were walking along a very
lonesome street late at night. When passing a large dark building she
remarked that it was a very dangerous gambling den. My heart burned
within me. I was seized with an impulse to go in that place of
iniquity and warn those men of their souls' danger. No sooner thought
than done! I was soon in the room which proved to be vacant, but I
could see light through the cracks of a closed door leading into the
next room. I passed quietly across the room and opened the door and
stood confronting a number of rough looking men who were seated at a
long gambling table. Without a word I crossed the room with noiseless
footsteps and dropping my Bible on the table and falling on my knees
before them began to cry to God in their behalf. The men seemed to
take an unexpected view of the situation, and rising simultaneously to
their feet, they rushed wildly from the room upsetting their chairs in
their haste, and I was left alone. The next day the report went out
that a ghost had been seen there the night before, and some of the men
vowed they would never touch a pack of cards again as long as they
lived--that money could not hire them to do it. Truly "The wicked flee
when no man pursueth."
HURT BY A SALOONKEEPER.
While I was at Springfield, Ill., I was led one Sabbath to go to the
park to hold a gospel meeting, taking two sisters with me. We had a
good meeting, and returning to the city I asked the street car
conductor if there was another park where I could hold services. He
directed me to a place in another suburb. We went there, and in a
grove I saw some tables and men and women sitting at them, drinking. I
began to sing a hymn, thinking we were in a public park, when a man
rushed out of a house toward me, saying, "You shan't sing here." I
said, "Please let me finish this verse." He replied, "No, I won't
allow any one to sing here." I knelt in prayer. He did not say I
should not pray. The sisters were looking at him, and said he hurried
toward me in great anger. The sisters prayed to God to spare me. The
man jerked me and pushed me over, when some of the men at the tables
called out to him, "Let go of that woman. You don't know who she is.
We know her." The men in the meantime running to us, laid hold on the
saloonkeeper and took him away. I was very much hurt. I could not walk
alone. The park proved to be a beer garden. We went to the nearest
house and asked permission to rest till I should gain strength to
return to the city. The people where we stopped were very indignant,
and said the man had no license to sell liquor on Sunday, and was
violating the city ordinance. There were no arrests. The whisky men
must have their own way in this land of American liberty. They can
ruin lives, break up homes, blight the prospects of the best people on
earth and fill the prisons, almshouses, criminal insane asylums,
brothels, graves of paupers, and doom souls by the multitude, and who
cares? Who votes to put down the saloons? Who tries to save mothers'
girls as well as mothers' boys, husbands and wives? Even the parents
are overtaken by the demon of strong drink and sink into the most
depraved conditions in order to satisfy their craving for alcohol. O,
the awfulness of it all! Sisters, brothers, are you and I clear? Are
we doing our best to stop this horrible traffic in whisky and girls,
for one of these places can scarcely exist without the other. How many
girls and boys are sacrificed yearly to fill the saloonkeepers'
coffers and fill up hell? Think of these things.
WARNED TO LEAVE THE CITY.
Upon entering a town in Mississippi I inquired of a woman if she could
direct me to a hotel, and she told me her sister and her husband kept
one and I would be made comfortable with them.
We went to the hotel and left our luggage and went at once to hold an
open air meeting. The singing attracted a considerable crowd, and at
the close of the service many came to shake hands with me and thank me
for the meeting, among whom were a number of colored people, who
thanked the Lord in their characteristic way and asked me to preach
again which I agreed to do that night.
As we turned our steps toward our hotel, we noticed a colored man
walking a short distance ahead of us who, when we were out of hearing
of the crowd, turned and said to us: "You women don't intend to hold
another meeting on the street to-night?" and I said, "Certainly, I
shall obey God." He said, "You have shaken hands with the colored
people and the white people are angry, and they will mob you. I came
along here for the purpose of warning you. If they saw me talking with
you my life would be in danger." I told him I was not afraid, thanked
him and told him I would do as the Lord led.
On reaching our hotel the landlord asked if I intended to hold another
meeting on the street that night, and I told him I did. He said that
the townspeople had forbidden me to hold another service and that I
would have to leave his hotel at once, because I had shaken hands with
the colored people. We told him we had made the appointment and we
should keep our word. He went to his wife and told her to go and tell
those women to leave the house and take the train, as we had
associated with the colored people and the white people would not
allow us to remain in town. She replied that we had paid our money and
our money was as good as anybody's, and that we were respectable,
honest women and she was going to treat us as such.
When we went down the street we heard a noise as of a mob, and we went
praying the Lord to show us what to do, and He showed us our life was
in danger and to step one side into the colored people's church where
God's presence was revealed in mighty power and souls were convicted
and converted.
In the morning two colored women called upon me, saying they had come
to warn me and assist me to the train. One of them said that two
nights before she had a terrible dream about a woman coming to preach
on the streets and was so impressed that she sent her husband four
miles to see if there was anything in it. This was the man that warned
us that night. When he went home and told her what he had seen and
heard, she dreamed again and the Lord told her to come and help us out
of town, as the people would take my life. They carried our luggage
and showed us to the train and got us safely on board, and with a "God
bless you, Honey, we's prayin' for you," they were gone, and we went
on our way with thankful hearts for our Lord's protecting care.
IN JAIL.
I have several times been arrested for holding services in the open
air, but have been taken to prison but twice--once in Glasgow,
Scotland, as related elsewhere, and once in Belleville, Illinois.
In 1889, Sister Anna Kinne wrote me from Belleville that they were
holding meetings at that place, but had seen but little stir, that it
seemed to be a hard field, and that she believed the Lord wanted me to
come and help them in the meetings. I was, at the time, in
Mississippi, but after praying over the matter I felt that I should
go to Belleville in answer to her request.
The first Sabbath after reaching there I tried to hold services in the
open air, but was stopped by policemen. I tried again with the same
results. Then I went to the mayor, but was refused permission to hold
any such meetings. When I asked him if he would take the
responsibility on the day of judgment, he said, "Yes." I then went to
the jail and held services, and the sheriff kindly inquired about my
work and showed considerable interest, and took down some notes. I
then asked him for permission to hold meetings on the court house
steps. This was readily granted, and I took Sister Kinne with me. The
marshal of the town had bitterly opposed my work, and while we were
singing he very rudely and unceremoniously came and took me by the arm
and dragged me down from the steps.
I told him that the sheriff had given me permission to hold services,
but he was very angry and refused to let me go on.
I said to those who had gathered, "We will have no open air meeting,
but come to Buchanan Hall to-night, and we will have a meeting there."
I think it was the following night that I was impressed just before
the opening of our services, to sing a hymn, standing in the mission
door. I spoke to Sister Kinne of this and she said, "God bless you,
Sister Wheaton, I will pray for you."
I went quietly down to the door and was standing there singing an
old-time hymn, when out of the darkness there came two policemen.
Without saying a word they took hold of me and dragged me along the
street. I had no bonnet on, and my shawl was dragging along in the
mud. I said, "Please let me get my shawl, and will you please let me
ask one of the ladies at the mission to go with me?" But they refused
and seemed glad to think that I was being disgraced. As I met two or
three Christian people, one of them spoke kindly to me and I replied
that I was suffering for Jesus' sake. "You seem to be well acquainted
with the men," one of the policemen said. "No," I said, "only with a
few Christians."
When we arrived at police headquarters they gave in the report that I
was on the street holding a meeting and was having a row, etc., which
was, of course, utterly false.
I was, of course, surprised at the treatment I was receiving. I opened
my Bible, which I still held, and began reading in silence. The
officer said, "Are you making all of this ado and trouble?" I replied,
"I was standing in our mission door singing." He said, "Will you give
bail for your good behavior?" I said, "I have no money for bail." Then
he asked me if I had no friends. I told him I was a stranger in the
city. "Then," he said, "I will have to send you to jail, or what will
you do?" I said I did not know. He then told another policeman to take
me to the jail across the square, and only a few blocks away. This
policeman said to some boys who were standing outside, "You boys stay
here, we do not want a mob." But the marshal said, "Go along boys. She
wants notoriety--give it to her." And so I went to the jail with a mob
crying after me.
Arriving at the jail the kind jailor was shocked to see me in the
officer's charge, and said, "You are not a prisoner?" I said, "Yes, I
was singing in our mission door, but they arrested me." His wife came
in and kindly said, "Come into the parlor, and I will make ready for
you the spare bedroom." I was, of course, surprised and deeply
touched. "No, indeed," I said, "I am a prisoner. Take me into the
cell with the other women." Her little daughter came in and knelt down
by my side and kissed my hand, saying how very sorry she was for me.
It was on a Christmas eve, and the child was going to the Christmas
tree.
Soon the sheriff came in in a hurry and said, "You are a free woman!"
He, finding I had been arrested, had notified friends who had given
bail and secured my release. Not understanding the sheriff, I said,
"No, I am here in disgrace, and I want you to put me in the woman's
cell." But he insisted that I was free. Then I said, "They have put me
here in disgrace, and I want some one to come and take me to our
mission, as it is dark." They then sent for someone to come for me,
and such a shout as went up when I again entered the mission hall. One
good old Christian friend said, "I told you that if she was a woman of
God, and I knew she was, she would return to the hall before the
meeting was over."
It seems that a reporter who was at the police station at the time of
my arrest and heard the abuse of the officers had hurried to the
sheriff's office, and he, as I have said, had secured my release.
We give here a verbatim copy of the paper signed by friends, the
original of which I still have in my possession. Somehow the case was
dismissed, and I was never brought to trial:
VERBATIM COPY OF A RECOGNIZANCE.
(12th, 24th, 1899.)
State of Illinois, St. Clair County, ss.
This day personaly appeared before the undersigned, William
Bornmann, one of the Justices of the Peace in and for said
County, Mrs. E. R. Wheaton, James West and Wm. Meyer, and jointly
and severally acknowledged themselves to owe and be indebted unto
the People of the State of Illinois, in the sum of Twenty-five
Dollars, to be levied on their goods and chattels, lands and
tenements, if default be made in the premises and conditions
below, to-wit:
Whereas, The above bounden, Elizabeth R. Wheaton, was, on the
24th day of December, A. D. 1889, arrested for violation of the
city ordinance, was adjudged and required by said Justice of the
Peace to give bonds, as required by the statute in such cases,
made and provided, for her appearance to answer to said charge.
Now the conditions of this recognizance is such that if the above
bounden, Elizabeth R. Wheaton, shall personally appear and be
before me, in Belleville, on the 27th day of December, A. D.
1889, at 9 a. m., and from day to day, and from term to term, and
from day to day of each term hereafter, until discharged by order
of said Court, then and there to answer to the said People of the
State of Illinois on said charge of violation of the city
ordinance and then and there answer and abide the order and
judgment of said Court, and thence not depart the same without
lawful permission, then and in that case this recognizance is to
become void; otherwise to be and remain in full force and virtue.
As witness our hands and seals, this 24th day of December, A. D.
1889.
Taken, entered into, acknowledged and approved before me, this
24th day of December, 1899.
WM. BORNMANN, J. P.
Wilhelm Meyer, [L. S.]
Jas. A. West, [L. S.]
This occurrence caused a great deal of excitement at the time. Some
time after I met one of the editors of one of the principal papers of
the town, and he stated that a serious calamity had overtaken all
those who were active in the opposing and persecuting me, and
mentioned some who had died and others upon whom God's judgments
seemed to have fallen.
The following was taken from a paper published at Belleville:
Mrs. Elizabeth R. Wheaton, a well known prison evangelist who has
labored in nearly all of the principal prisons of the United
States, was arrested Tuesday evening by Policemen S. and S.,
while she was engaged in conducting a song service, standing in
the door at the entrance to Buchanan Hall, where a series of
meetings are being held by two other evangelists, Mr. and Mrs. S.
D. Kinne. The officers, on arriving on the scene, ordered Mrs.
Wheaton to stop singing, but as she paid no attention to their
command, she was at once arrested and hurried off to the police
station, where she was questioned by the captain of police and
the city marshal, and a little later she was removed to the
county jail, but through the courtesy of the jailor she was not
locked up in a cell. A complaint of disturbing the peace was made
against her before Justice B., and a hearing was fixed for
tomorrow before him, and a bond for her appearance was duly
executed; but while these formal proceedings were being attended
to Sheriff R., having heard of Mrs. Wheaton's incarceration in
the county jail, repaired to the institution, immediately ordered
her release, as there was no authority for holding her there, and
when the officer from Justice B.'s court arrived with the bail
bond for Mrs. Wheaton's signature, he was chagrined to find that
the lady had been released by order of the sheriff. No further
attempt was made to arrest her, and it is probable that the
matter will be dropped. Mrs. Wheaton is an elderly lady and is
deeply devoted to Christian work, especially among the
unfortunates confined in jails and prisons, and she has a large
number of testimonials as to her character and work from prison
officials, railway managers and others in all parts of the
country. Many prominent citizens expressed themselves yesterday
as deeply regretting the action of the officers in arresting Mrs.
Wheaton. The same lady, by written permission of Sheriff R.,
attempted to hold religious services from the court house steps
on Sunday evening last, but she was forced to desist by the city
marshal. Mrs. Wheaton applied to Mayor B. recently for permission
to hold open-air religious meetings on the streets, but was
denied the privilege on the ground that considerable disorder had
been occasioned some months ago by the holding of such meetings
by members of the Salvation Army, who held forth in Belleville
for a time. The action of the mayor in refusing to allow the
evangelist to hold open-air meetings, and the arrest of Mrs.
Wheaton while engaged in conducting a song service in the door
of Buchanan Hall, where the revival services are held, is
causing a great deal of severe criticism, owing to the toleration
of the parading of the principal streets by brass bands on
Sundays, as well as other days, to draw audiences for minstrel
shows, etc., the gathering of crowds on the public square by
street fakirs, patent medicine peddlers, quack doctors and
others, who deal out rough jokes, etc., in tones loud enough to
be heard blocks away.
Belleville, Dec. 26, 1888.