Practical Bible Training School - Theologue Yearbook (Johnson City, NY)

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28 He Lived For Others VII. Behold, the Place Wherein We Dwell Is Too Strait for USU Il Kings 611. The School was rapidly growing and it was re- alized that it would be necessary to seek larger quar- ters with dormitory accommodations and campus facilities. just outside of the city limits of Bing- hamton, N. Y., there was a notorious amusement park known as the Wliite Cityf' The drunken- hood decreased in valuation. Residents of the neigh borhood feared to ride on the street cars going to and from that section because of the undesirable char acters so often crowding the cars. At this time Evangelist john A. Davis was resid DAVIS HALL, NOW KING HALL ness and debauchery of the place was unspeakable. Conditions, in fact, were so vile, degrading, and unlawful that a separate jail had to be erected on the property to make possible the immediate incar- ceration of those guilty of the more serious viola- tions of law. The property of the entire neighbor- ing on West End Avenue, in Binghamton, so that it was necessary for him to ride on this street car line on his way to and from the city. Thus, he was fa- miliar with the conditions existing on the cars and also to a certain extent with the conditions prevail- ing at the White City. This amusement resort THE PRESENT POST OFFICE The face is an index to the Soul.

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He Lived For Other! I The Pres IIQQI- BIIJIQ Tffnmiryg SQIQUOI I Bible SCIOQOI IDGVIK, 4G od works In as mystmious way His Wcrrvdfevs fo pf-rfor rrp? ' TI-IE OLD WHITE CITY HDTEI. WHITE CITY BEER GARDEN. KING I-If-ILL om MERRY-GU-ROUND SHELTER ' MOTHERS' PIEPIQRIIIIL I I yu than be Vixen with CIIVISL, .suck Illusc Lllings wI1irI1 we above, LUILUTU CIWLSL siLIcLIL on LIL 'fight hand of Godf' Col, 351,

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He Lived For Ollaewxf' 29 included 32 acres of land and a number of build- ings. Mr. Davis, always keenly alive to the needs of the School and realizing the possibilities of this place, THE HOSPITAL if it could be secured, one day paid the admission fee through the gates and visited the grounds. He saw the beautiful oak trees, the elms and other trees, among them evergreens, and visualized the possibili- ties of the place as a permanent home for the Prac- vm. i 0 I:I:1:'- ............ X .X , ,. Q. . s . 2 X .,.,.,,,. c MR. AND MRS. JOHN A. DAVIS AT ABOUT THIS TIME tical Bible Training School. As he walked about the grounds he happened to glance into the bar-room and saw the men and women lined up three-deep around the bar, some of them in an advanced state of intoxication. As he turned to leave, he vowed to himself , Witl1 the help of God I'll smash this place, and with that resolve in his mind, as soon as he was outside of the gate, he knelt beside the high wire fence and prayed to God to give him this place for His work. This brewery-backed resort was a separate organi- zation for the purpose of selling liquors. As such, it had the backing of the brewery and liquor inter- ests, and any effort to obtain the grounds for other purposes would naturally meet with the determined resistance of those financially interested. This re- T' Y E., DR. BYRON W. KING tI'aJ:o 31j sistance was felt keenly. There was many a struggle and many a prayer. For two years john A. Davis waited for the manifestation of the hand of God. It appears that some of the stockholders, desiring to obtain an advantage, started a fight within the amusement organization which resulted in finally throwing the 'lWhite City corporation into the hands of a receiver. At this time Evangelist Davis was holding a campaign in one of the larger cities of central Pennsylvania. A Binghamton business man interested in the School, though not aware of Mr. Davis' hopes re- garding the park, secured a short term option on the property and wired Mr. Davis and asked him if he would be interested. Mr. Davis rushed back, and within three hours had called his board together and exercised their option, which gave them title to the property with all the buildings on it, one of which was a large and roomy hotel. The transformation which immediately took place on the grounds of the White City has been well For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power and in Lhe Holfy Ghost, and infmuch assuranceg . . I Thess. 1:'i.