s proposal
she did not want me to go: she was afraid I'd get killed. But I said it
would help to pass the time away until she came back. So in 1900 I took
charge of the Chinatown Midnight Mission, remained there six years, and
left to be a lodging-house missionary.

I well remember the first night. There sat some of the old gang. They
gave me the glad hand, and asked me if I was going to be the bouncer; if
so, I could count on them. I said. "Yes, I'm to be the 'main guy,'
bouncer, etc." They were pleased, and gave me credit of always being on
the level. I made lots of friends while there.

LEADING A MEETING

I never had to use force to keep order but once while in that Mission. I
had been in charge two months or so when I got notice that the leader
would not be there that night, so it was up to me to lead the meeting.
I'll never forget that night. There are some things a person can't
forget, and that was one of them.

It was snowing and very cold outside, and the Mission was packed with
men and a few women. These poor creatures had no place to go, no home;
they were outcasts, there through various sins, but mostly through love
of rum. I hoped some visitor would come in and I would get him to lead,
but no one came, and it was up to me to give the boys a talk. I had
never forgotten my first sermon at the church, so, asking God to help
me, I went on the platform. I read the story of the Prodigal Son. That
was easy; the hard part was to come later on. I asked if some one would
play the piano, and a young fellow came up that looked as though he
hadn't had a meal or slept in a bed in a month, but when he touched the
keys I knew he was a master. I found out later that he was a prodigal,
had left home, spent all, and was on the Bowery living on the husks.

We began by singing a hymn, after which I got up and began to talk to
the men. I gave my testimony, how God had saved me from a life of
crookedness and crime, and that I was no better than the worst man on
the Bowery, except by the grace of God. There was one big fellow sitting
in the front row who was trying to guy me. While I was talking he would
make all sorts of remarks, such as, "Oh, what do you know about it? Go
away back and sit down," etc. I asked him to keep still or he would
have to get out. I went on trying to talk, but that man would always
answer back with some foolish remark. He was trying to stop the
meeting--so he told me afterwards.

There I was. I c