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Show MHHONAtRF PRIZE FIGHTER TURNS PREACHER AND APPEALS TO LONGSHOREMEN ON NEW YORK WATER rKONI I 'Lonsshorcmen. "wharf rats," sal-lor. sal-lor. little ragamuffins and coal Pawcrf formed a picturesque back-found back-found to an otherwise common-Place common-Place scene a few nights ago when Anthony J, Drexel Biddle. milllon-amateur milllon-amateur prizefighter and mem-ber mem-ber of one ot the nation's oldest families. addread a large crowd at ljre twilluht dock services at Wlngton avenue wharf, which Jlyf0 conducted by members of the I FUmcn's Church Institute. The sun was sinking over the roof of a toolhousc on the end of one of the piery, Us rays casting an orange glow over a scene, when from a platform used by the st. dores to pile lacks of sugar upon came the soft, plaintive notes of a cornet. After a prayer Mr. Eiddlo w;is introduced to the gathering as a "man who can box the best boxer In the crowd." This pleased the majority ma-jority of longshoremen and roughs." When Mr Piddle dropped to his knees on the dirty, clndery floor of the platform and prayed for guidance and strength to teach the assembled persons some lessons of Importance, there was not a murmur mur-mur In the audience. "Friends and fellow scrappers," he addressed the crowd, "I am going go-ing to tell you how Christianity with the 'pep' wins out. Klrst of all. if you will bear with me for a thort time, I will give you short account of my early life and how when I was a boy in school, what a despicable 'cuss' 1 was. "Why, do you know, boys, my fellow schoedmates had no no. re respect for me than I have now for a cobra. I was just naturally mean. I would siot associate with good boys, and was always seeking to detect Rome fiuw In the work of others. Why wasn't I loved by my avso. dates V Because I had not yet learned to lovo my Lord and Saviour." Mr. Riddle told the audlenco, which was landing spellbound at hia narration, that when he be-came be-came older he drank and gambled sometimes, and In general was as "odious a lad as ever lived." At tho age of 18 he ran away from homo and became a "good sport." He narrateel how ho boxed semio of the best iinateur and professional profes-sional pugilists In the country, traveling always under an alms, because be-cause he was fearful that his relatives rela-tives would hear of his exploits. In later years, Mr. Biddle said. In the world of business, he trampled upon the weak and helpless. It was six years ago, however, that he received, re-ceived, as he terms it. "the power of tho Hoty Ghost, and believe me. I'm not a bit sorry that I did." Mr. Biddle exhorted the assembled assem-bled persons live clean, upright lives "Employ muscular Christianity, Christian-ity, If necessary," he said. "If you find you can live better and servt God better by using your fists, why go ahead. I like tho boxing game. It makes you 'sit up and take notice' no-tice' of things. Why, during my tistic career I have hud both -.f my eyes 'bunged' up bo badly that I was afraid 1 was going to luso them. My chost was caved in. Only yesterday, while boxing at Atlantic City, my right eye was mutilated. liut I love the sport for all that." .Mr. Biddle, after the meeting, re-fused re-fused to tell pvho blackened his eye and ompelled him to wear d.irk When Mr. Biddle finished. the assemblage Joined heartily in tne singing of "Brightly Beams Our 1 Father's Mercy." This song was H I . 1 1-: i . 1 1 In i ly rendered with mm.li gusto by a group of barefoot urch- Ins, who were resting on some rails id near the scene of the service, dH i I : .: |
