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Show SCRIPTURES ON BILLBOARDS. In order, as he says, that the people of New York may not forget that there Is a God In heaven an unknown Individualpossibly In-dividualpossibly John D. Rockefeller has caused to be painted in large, bold letters on one of the big advertising signs on a housetop at the Brooklyn end of the bridge the following verse from the Scriptures: It will be these for a whole year. "God commendoth H!s love toward us, in that, which we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom. V., 8. The text, which occupies a billboard twenty-five feet long and eight feet high, facing the bridge on the south at the curve into Sands street, was viewed Tuesday, for the most part with exclamations ex-clamations of astonishment, by a half million persons who passed across the structure. Who caused the big gonpel sign to be painted Is as yet a mystery. H was completed only Monday evening, and was practically under public observation observa-tion Tuesday for the first time. It Is Joined at one end to a large whisky advertisement, ad-vertisement, and this curious Juxtaposition Juxta-position was the main topic of comment Tuesday on the part of the bridge passengers. pas-sengers. The sign stands on the roof of the flve-story building, 978 Fulton street, the ground floor of which Is occupied by a saloon. The building is owned by D. Haggerty, a rich old neighborhood grocer, whose little ship is at 99 Washington Wash-ington street, near by Mf. Haggerty refused to divulge the name of the man who had the Uosne! sign painted. The arrangement, it was said, was made by a tall, thin young man. who said that several religious rani were associated as-sociated with him In the enterprise. He requested that his name be kept secret. He said he had been looking around for some time for a vacant billboard to put the Scriptures on. "Some people." said the mysterious enthusiast, "forget there Is a God. In order that the people peo-ple of New York may not entirely lose sight of His existence, I have decided to keep His name and precious words before their eyes. I want all to remem-mer remem-mer Him. There !r i -ds of signs in sight -but the right one." Whoever the rich man as. he made every arrangement to hide his Identity. Not even the name of the painter is on the sign, nor any clue thereto. Grocer Haggerty got the check for $250 for the use of the billboard for one year. The Gospel sign has come to stay. New York World. |