,illustration ,twice-,born ,men in ,america ,,or ,the ,psychology of ,conversion as ,seen by a ,christian ,psychologist in ,rescue ,mission ,work ,,by ,,harriet ,,earhart ,,monroe ,,also ,,author ,,of 8,,conversation ,,as ,a ,,science ,,and ,,an ,,art10 8,,heroine ,,of ,,the ,,mining ,,camp10 8,,historical ,,lutheranism10 8,,the ,,life ,,of ,,gustavus ,,adolphus10 ,,and 8,,washington--,,its ,,sights ,,and ,,insights0 ,,philadelphia1 ,,pa43 ,,the ,,lutheran ,,publication ,,society ,,copyright1 #aiad1 ,,by ,,harriet ,,earhart ,,monroe ,,preface ,i taught psychology for fifteen years at the ,atchison ,institute1 the predecessor of ,midland ,college1 located at ,atchison1 ,kan4 ,i was there greatly impressed by the fact that the books gave no adequate analysis of the psychology of the greatest mental and moral change which can come to the human mind1 namely1 conversion and regeneration2 yet these changes make the great difference which we see between men and nations4 ,a ,rescue ,mission gives a great opportunity to study mental and moral changes1 and my observations and conclusions1 made from years of study1 are herein embodied4 ,this book is sent forth with the earnest hope and prayer that it will lead many souls to ,christ2 also that it will show earnest laymen just how to bring about that psychological change which we call conversion4 ,a ,sunday school teacher who brings only ninety per cent of her students through the process of conversion and regeneration is ninety per cent a success and ten per cent failure4 ,the same is true of a pastor with a class of catechumens4 8,ye must be born again10 is just as true to-day as it ever was1 and if we believed it as ,paul believed it1 what live wires we would be4 ,this book is to remind us that ,jesus saves to the uttermost in our day1 just as ,he did when ,he visibly walked this earth4 ,,harriet ,e4 ,,monroe1 #bjd ,a ,street1 ,s4 ,e41 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c4 ,,july #bi1 #aiad4 ,,contents ,,chapter ,i ,,page ,,how ,i ,,happened ,,to ,,become ,,interested ,,in ,,rescue ,,mission ,,work #g ,,chapter ,,ii ,,rescue ,,mission ,,work #bb ,,chapter ,,iii ,,incidents ,,showing ,,the ,,power ,,of ,,god ,,to ,,save #bi ,,chapter ,,iv ,,an ,,element ,,of ,,humor ,,in ,,rescue ,,work #cf ,,chapter ,v ,,big ,,feet #dd ,,chapter ,,vi ,,how ,,we ,,got ,a ,,new ,,mission ,,building #di ,,chapter ,,vii ,,varieties ,,of ,,work ,,in ,a ,,gospel ,,mission #ei ,,chapter ,,viii ,,the ,,need ,,of ,,rescue ,,work #fi ,,chapter ,,ix ,,the ,,penny ,,lunch ,,and ,,free ,,dispensary #hb ,,chapter ,x ,,the ,,power ,,of ,,the ,,gospel #id ,,chapter ,,xi ,,hereditary ,,sin #ajg ,twice-,born ,men in ,america ,,chapter ,i ,,how ,i ,,happened ,,to ,,become ,,interested ,,in ,,rescue ,,mission ,,work ,in ,january1 #aijh1 a great calamity came to me in the form of destruction by fire of most of my earthly property and the death in the fire of a loved sister4 ,the event had in it some other elements of great pain not necessary to mention here4 ,if my soul had not been anchored in ,jesus1 the combination of sorrows would have broken down my mentality and sent me to the asylum4 ,as it was1 ,i stood steadily trusting ,god1 knowing that all things worked together for good to those who love ,god4 ,i was sure ,i was a lover of ,god1 and so1 while every fiber of my body and soul ached with unspeakable pain1 ,i never doubted ,god's love1 care and sympathy4 ,in the midst of this grief ,i received a letter from ,mr4 ,george ,w4 ,wheeler1 the ,president of the ,executive ,board of the ,gospel ,mission1 saying about this1 8,come down to the ,gospel ,mission1 look it over and see if you care to come in with us in the work of saving souls4 ,unless we secure a woman of large executive ability1 our work can scarcely go forward40 ,i answered that ,i would be glad to join them1 and the next week1 the first week of ,september1 #aijh1 ,i received a letter from the ,secretary1 ,s4 ,m4 ,croft1 saying ,i had been elected to the ,executive ,board of the ,gospel ,mission1 which met once every week4 ,the following ,monday ,i met with the ,board1 where ,i heard a letter from ,mr4 ,tyson1 saying that he withdrew from the ,board because the dormitories were badly kept4 ,then followed a letter of the same kind from a ,mr4 ,fritz1 and another from ,mr4 ,sidell4 ,as soon as the session1 which was largely a prayer service1 was closed1 ,mr4 ,wheeler accompanied me to look over the dormitories4 ,i never saw or dreamed of such conditions4 ,the very walls were alive with vermin4 ,in the story above the chapel were fifteen vile beds1 and on the third story above us we saw a floor covered with dirty1 wrinkled newspapers4 ,i said1 8,where do the men sleep80 8,on the beds you saw in the third floor and on these newspapers40 ,in my heart ,i said1 8,dear ,lord1 surely not here1 amid this vileness80 ,the answer was as sharp and distinct as though spoken through a trumpet1 8,prepare ye the way of the ,lord40 8,mr4 ,wheeler10 ,i said1 8,i see conditions1 and ,i take charge40 ,he left for his work in the ,united ,states ,treasury1 and ,i went to the street and hired a force of cleaners1 whitewash men1 scrubbers1 sweepers1 etc41 and called up ,mrs4 ,claude ,myers1 the wife of a ,presbyterian minister1 and two other fully consecrated women who were not afraid of work4 ,i asked them to come at once and bring with them buckets1 scrub brushes1 rags1 soap1 etc41 while ,i put in a supply of chemicals for the vermin4 ,those women helped to burn the bedding and to send away some as trash4 ,they helped me clean the beds2 the whitewashers even entered into the spirit of it1 and every crack was filled with plaster of paris2 they went over the walls three times with lime and carbolic acid4 ,the ,health ,bureau in the ,municipal ,building gave me a preparation used on floors in jails and in hospitals for contagious diseases4 ,some redeemed men came to our help1 and by ,saturday night we turned over a clean house4 ,every one of us cleaners was obliged to go to the ,turkish bath and have our clothing brushed and fumigated before we could go to our own homes4 ,on ,saturday evening ,i told ,mr4 ,wheeler and ,mr4 ,gordon that besides the good men and women who had helped us for the cause for five days1 we had spent twenty-five dollars4 ,never will ,i forget the dismay of those two good men4 8,what6 ,twenty-five dollars6 ,where do you think we will get that80 ,i answered1 8,fortunately ,i belong to a church that lives and works by faith1 and to-morrow1 being ,sunday1 ,i shall tell the ,sunday school of the ,luther ,memorial ,church1 and we'll see about that twenty-five dollars40 ,the next morning ,i went to the pastor1 ,rev4 ,j4 ,g4 ,butler1 ,d4,d41 and he secured permission from the superintendent of the ,sunday school for me to speak three minutes4 ,the superintendent hated innovations1 but ,i can say a lot in three minutes1 especially when ,i state the needs of the lost men of the community4 ,after the school was dismissed nearly every teacher and grown student gave me something1 and in less than five minutes ,i had twenty-seven dollars4 ,sunday night ,i told what the ,lord had done for us1 and ,i began to ask all persons present to contribute sheets and pillow-cases4 ,i did this so much and so often that season that a little four-year-old girl of ,mrs4 ,claude ,myers upset the gravity of an entire meeting by saying out loud one ,sunday evening1 8,there comes ,mrs4 ,sheets and ,pillow-cases again40 ,well1 before winter was over we had about fifty clean1 well-equipped beds for which1 when they had it1 men gladly paid ten cents per night4 ,if they did not have it1 the beds were given as long as they lasted2 but1 after the beds were filled1 often fifty men slept on the floor with only the boards under them and no covers4 ,we had no heat in the dormitories1 but one day ,mrs4 ,richard ,butler1 a wealthy woman of the city1 was ordered by the ,spirit to visit the ,mission4 ,she came by ,mr4 ,gordon's office in her carriage and he took her through our building4 ,she saw our first need was heat4 ,she sent immediately to a hardware store and ordered a large stove for the third floor with a drum for the fourth story1 and through her kindness the men were given heat1 but not until after two deaths1 caused by cold1 hunger and wet clothing1 had about broken our hearts4 ,i remember a young1 fair-haired man from ,virginia1 evidently well born and bred1 coming in one night1 slightly under the influence of liquor4 ,it was a rainy1 snowy night2 his clothing was wet and he was suffering from a severe cold4 ,when the meeting was over he started to go up stairs1 which had nearly a zero temperature4 ,i begged him to stay by the fire and sleep on a bench1 if needed1 but he petulantly refused4 ,he was dead by nine o'clock next morning4 ,i had wept all the way home1 for ,i feared just what happened4 ,mrs4 ,butler's stove put an end to that4 ,she furnished coal for the entire winter4 ,now that we had beds and heat1 ,i saw we could not keep the beds clean without bathing facilities4 ,so at our next ,board meeting ,i said1 8,brethren1 we need a good shower-bath with warm and cold water so that men soiled and weary can have the comfort of a warm bath40 ,all the members of the ,board demurred on account of the expense4 ,then ,i said1 8,brethren1 if ,i make myself responsible for the eighty-five dollars needed and you are in no way held for it1 may ,i have the bath put in at once80 ,of course1 they wanted the bath1 as they saw how much it was needed1 and gave cordial consent4 ,i purchased a rubber stamp1 and on the outside of our first circulars which we issued ,i stamped the words1 8,i have made myself personally responsible for the cost of a shower-bath4 ,help a little40 ,and with my own contributions the bath was paid for as per contract4 ,that fall we put out a circular folder1 of which the following is the open letter1 and is introduced only to give the continuity of this work so that my friends may know the aim1 object and history of the ,mission from the beginning3 ,,gospel ,,mission1 #abcj ,,pennsylvania ,,avenue1 ,n4 ,w4 ,,washington1 ,d4 ,c4 ,,dear ,,friend3 ,under the blessing of ,god and the guidance of the ,holy ,spirit1 a ,rescue ,mission has been opened at ,no4 #abcj ,pennsylvania ,avenue1 ,n4 ,w41 where nightly gospel services will be conducted and the ,lord ,christ held up to view as a ,saviour 8mighty to save and strong to deliver40 ,our corps of workers is composed of consecrated and ,spirit-filled men and women1 many of whom have had long experience in efforts of this character4 ,on the occasion of the opening service 7,saturday evening1 ,may #ab7 ,god set ,his seal to the work by drawing seven earnest seekers to our altar for prayer4 ,street meetings will be held nightly1 and an earnest and aggressive work carried forward for the betterment of society and the salvation of lost men and women4 ,our hall is well located on the south side of ,pennsylvania ,avenue1 ,n4 ,w41 in the midst of saloons and pool-rooms and in close proximity to that section of the city almost wholly given up to evil1 and it will be the constant effort of the ,mission and its workers to seek out and rescue the erring girls and reckless men who are found in large numbers in this immediate neighborhood4 ,the management is determined that the expenses of this work shall be kept at the minimum figures--not exceeding #ajj per month--and they confidently appeal to their ,christian brethren and friends and to the public for such funds as shall be found necessary to carry forward this work4 ,can you1 will you1 aid us8 ,with great respect1 ,g4 ,w4 ,,wheeler1 ,chairman1 ,j4 ,s4 ,,mewshaw1 ,secretary1 ,h4 ,d4 ,,gordon1 ,treasurer1 ,executive ,committee4 ,these good men are at this writing 7#aiac7 yet connected with the work4 ,mr4 ,mewshaw is an employee of the ,pennsylvania ,railroad1 and has charge of a station some distance from ,washington1 but contributes and comes with us occasionally4 ,but no organization was ever more fortunate than the ,gospel ,mission in its officers4 ,,treasurer1 ,,mr4 ,h4 ,d4 ,,gordon is a prominent lawyer of the city4 ,he really gives more time to the ,mission than his business can afford4 ,when we are under strain to make a payment on the building1 he and ,mr4 ,wheeler can go to their friends and raise #ajjj more readily than the remainder of the ,board can raise #ajj4 ,they ask largely of their friends4 ,the others of us ask for one dollar monthly contributions1 and we each receive as we ask4 ,mr4 ,gordon's devotion cannot better be illustrated than by the following3 ,mr4 ,gordon is a most effective singer4 ,i have heard many singing evangelists1 but none with a finer pathos of voice than ,mr4 ,gordon's4 ,one evening in the fall of #aiji1 when each evening we were privileged to hold our outdoor meetings in front of the city post-office1 ,i was passing on the street car when ,i saw ,mr4 ,gordon with his guitar standing all alone1 trying to sing salvation to some passing sinners4 ,i found the tears coursing down my cheeks1 so ,i got off at the next corner and went back to help him1 but by that time other workers were on hand and it was less sacrifice for me to speak for him4 ,i acknowledge here a mean pride 7which the ,lord has had to thrash out of me with many hard knocks7 against speaking on the street4 ,i have had to remember many times that ,jesus was an outdoor preacher all ,his days1 and all the ,apostles1 and who am ,i that ,i am ashamed to follow where ,he has led6 ,but ,brother ,gordon can stand alone anywhere for ,christ4 ,he is greatly in demand in other cities as a successful evangelist4 ,i want to here bear testimony to the great good done by outdoor meetings4 ,if all evangelical churches who believe in conversion and regeneration would hold their meetings outdoors in the summer1 they would bring many souls1 for which they will be held responsible1 to ,christ4 ,if young people would hold alley meetings in the alley nearest their church they would bring sinners to ,christ1 there would be no slums and the young ,christians would grow in grace4 ,,president1 ,,george ,w4 ,,wheeler ,president1 ,george ,w4 ,wheeler1 of the ,executive ,board1 is one of ,god's best gifts to the city of ,washington4 ,he is the very best ,city ,rescue ,mission worker ,i have ever seen1 and ,i have seen most of the city missions of the ,united ,states and ,europe4 ,in the summer of #aiaj1 in company with ,mrs4 ,m4 ,p4 ,spindle1 ,i visited all the great cities of ,europe1 especially ,glasgow1 ,edinburgh1 ,london1 ,paris1 ,berlin and ,rome1 to obtain suggestions for improving our work1 as we thought1 at that time1 to plan for erecting a great mission building unequaled in all the world4 ,most mission buildings are mere adaptations of old buildings4 ,we hoped to do better1 but ,god ordered otherwise4 ,among all these great mission workers ,i have seen none superior to ,george ,w4 ,wheeler in ,rescue ,mission work and in conducting an interdenominational organized work for ,god4 ,first1 his consecration is marvelous4 ,he had been thirty or more years in government service1 to lose time means not only loss of money1 but even endangers a man's tenure of office4 ,but when ,mr4 ,wheeler is called to see a soldier1 a sailor1 a sick man in the hospital1 who must be seen in business hours1 he never1 as all other government members of the ,board do1 pleads loss of any kind1 but goes at once on the errand of love and mercy4 ,then he gets on well with his ,board of ,directors2 if debate runs high and a measure is carried without his favor1 he holds no grudge1 he is universally kind4 ,that means much4 ,then his acquaintance is so large he can secure good talent for helpers in every line2 he has the absolute confidence of the community 7which he richly deserves71 and by the blessing of ,god secures funds for our great work2 and1 best of all1 he leads many souls to ,christ4 ,he has probably seen more souls born into the kingdom of ,god than any other living rescue worker4 7,mr4 ,wheeler died ,january #ai1 #aiad4 8,he buries the workers1 but the work goes on407 ,,mrs4 ,m4 ,p4 ,,spindle is a ,christian woman whom ,i found connected with the ,mission when ,i went there4 ,my attention was first attracted toward her by her liberality when ,i made the calls for bedding1 so now ,i borrowed #he from her and put in the bath4 ,she was kind enough to let me pay it back in driblets1 and from that day to this she has given more money than any other worker4 ,she has loaned or given the money to go forward in each venture of mine1 and1 above all1 ,i have had the benefit of her counsel and her favor in every form1 and together we have prayed through many an obstruction which seemed an impassable barrier4 ,,the ,,fumigator ,no sooner did we get the bath in place than ,i saw the necessity for a fumigator1 not only that men should have their clothing purified from disease and from vermin1 but for the sake of the beds4 ,i found that they could not be kept clean without the men bathed and had their clothing fumigated4 ,the ,board again did not feel able to put in the fumigator1 which cost #abe4 ,in this work ,i found a friend in ,mr4 ,ernest ,gichner1 who invented a sheet-iron room with suitable fire-box and chimneys1 which he anchored on the roof of the building4 ,it did good service and added to the comfort of the men and the cleanliness of the house1 not only while there1 but later he moved it over to our new building4 ,mr4 ,gichner permitted me to make payments in installments of #be1 which ,i was able to collect mostly from my friends in the ,luther ,memorial ,church and the ,mission workers themselves1 who are always liberal even beyond their means4 ,,enlargement ,i became ,chairman of the ,house ,committee in ,september1 #aijh1 and the following ,december ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,kline was made ,superintendent4 ,as soon as we had nice beds to offer for ten cents a night1 we had a steadily increased patronage1 so that by the fall of #aiji we were obliged to rent a large room back of us4 ,that winter we had eighty-four beds filled nearly every night4 ,a friend in ,california sent me #be as a ,christmas present1 and ,i put white spreads on the twenty-five best beds4 ,some members of the ,board laughed at me so much that ,i was obliged to remind them that the money of the ,mission was not used4 ,long ago they have come to see that a white bed is a necessity if we are to keep a clean house4 ,by ,october1 #aiji1 our expenses for rent1 fuel and necessities had increased from #ajj to #aej each month4 ,our statistics for #aijh1 as shown by our circular1 were as follows3 ,statistics of the year and of the last quarter--,from ,january1 #aijh1 to ,january1 #aiji ,statistics of three months of #aijh1 as follows3 ,attendance ,req4 for ,prayer ,seekers ,conversions ,services ,dec4 #aijh #aifa #afe #hf #ad #da ,jan4 #aiji #bdhg #bag #gc #cg #df ,feb4 #aiji #abde #ea #cd #ac #bh -------- ------ ------ ---- ------ ,total #efic #dcc #aic #fd #aae 7,now we care for over #ej1jjj persons a year47 ,during the year employment was found for probably #cjj men4 ,we accept it as a great privilege to have presented the gospel of ,jesus ,christ to this number of people4 ,our little circular of that period thus sets forth3 ,,the ,,need ,,of ,,rescue ,,work 8,washington is a dreadful place for a man out of work4 ,the city having no manufactories1 and all rough work1 such as excavating1 is let by contract to men who prefer ,italians or ,negroes as diggers1 while stores and offices have room for only the efficient young person1 so that1 when from age1 inefficiency or lack of political influence1 people are dropped from the government service1 we are often at our wit's end to provide means of subsistence for these worthy persons most anxious to labor4 ,we have some old men whose working days are over4 ,these are for the most part good men1 for the wicked do not live out half their days4 ,a few immigrants from northern ,europe1 sick men who are able to walk about1 but could not work if they had it2 the shoestring man1 the umbrella man1 the sandwich man1 the men who are half insane for lack of food and enforced lack of sleep1 for they have no place to sleep oftener than once a week4 ,then we have the criminal classes1 which must be touched with the ,spirit of ,god1 or they will become the dynamite which will destroy our cities1 also the men just out of prison4 ,these are the special thought of the ,mission1 for unless they are made to feel that they are but temporarily sidetracked from the great highway of success1 they will become an ever-increasing menace to society4 8,above all1 we have the drunkard1 who has lost his grip1 lost family1 lost place in society1 lost business and has become a mass of putrid flesh1 utterly abhorrent to his fellow-men4 ,when we look at these people1 whose weary eyes have looked long into unspeakable sorrow1 our very souls rejoice that we have proven beyond possibility of doubt that 'the blood of ,jesus ,christ1 ,his son1 cleanses from all sin2 that if we confess our sins1 ,he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness1' for we have seen some of every class mentioned redeemed1 placed back in society1 among the producing power of the nation40 8,,our ,,gospel ,,mission ,,tidings0 7a monthly paper7 was issued first in ,october1 #aiji4 ,all members of the ,executive ,committee have helped in some measure on it1 but the responsibility has fallen heaviest on ,mr4 ,g4 ,w4 ,wheeler and myself4 ,our entire income is the result of our paper1 it is our means of communicating with the public4 ,,the ,,industrial ,,plant was really brought about by two tragedies4 ,one cold day ,i went to the ,mission1 and on the outside ,i saw a man1 whom ,i shall call ,kelly1 shivering at the door4 ,he looked like death1 pale1 trembling1 the lips and nostrils drawn as if in extreme pain4 8,what is the matter1 ,kelly80 ,i said4 8,i am starving to death2 amid all these happy people ,i am left out4 ,i have walked the streets hunting work till ,i can walk no more40 ,at that time we did not provide food of any kind1 but ,i said1 8,let us go up stairs to the ,mission10 where ,mr4 ,proctor1 then acting as ,superintendent1 provided bread and coffee4 ,i set the man to re-whitewashing the dormitories1 and we kept him till he secured work4 ,the other was the case of a young man just released from ,moundsville ,penitentiary4 ,after ,i had given the lesson one ,tuesday night1 ,i was led to tell in detail the story of ,valentine ,burke1 a man converted in the ,st4 ,louis jail1 from reading one of ,mr4 ,moody's sermons in a city newspaper4 ,mr4 ,burke afterward became a valuable citizen1 held the position of assistant warden1 and led hundreds of lost men into the clear light of the gospel4 ,when ,i had finished1 a well-dressed man on the front seat said1 8,i am just out of ,moundsville2 no one has spoken a kind word to me1 ,i have had nothing to eat to-day1 ,i see no way but to steal again40 ,he was only about twenty-two years of age4 ,i put my arm over his shoulder and said1 8,son1 we will take care of you and get you work40 ,the ,superintendent took him up stairs1 gave him bread and coffee1 then a warm bath1 but he was so weary the men had to help him to get to bed4 ,we all tried to get that boy work1 but as soon as the word penitentiary was mentioned every door was closed4 ,i remember walking up ,capitol ,hill1 crying aloud to ,god1 8,give us an industrial plant or the sorrows of homeless1 workless men will take my life40 ,i paid for the food for a week4 ,he tried also to obtain work1 but ,i think the sight of my anxious face worried him--,i have learned not to carry sorrow in my face since then4 ,that boy slipped through our fingers and went back to crime4 ,now1 at whose hands will that soul1 anxious for better things1 be required8 ,before ,i went for my summer vacation ,i urged before the ,board an industrial plant4 ,mr4 ,kline strenuously objected4 ,during that vacation ,i laid the matter very fully before ,god in prayer and felt constrained to urge the starting of an industrial work4 ,at our first meeting in ,september ,mr4 ,kline said1 8,brethren1 ,i have come to see the need of an industrial plant1 not only so that men can earn lodging1 but where1 after conversion1 we can keep a man a few days to teach him the way of life40 ,a ,mission worker often prays himself into light4 ,again ,i was forced to borrow money with which to purchase a horse and wagon4 ,mrs4 ,spindle loaned me the #aej needed4 ,that fall my little book1 called 8,the ,life of ,gustavus ,adolphus10 published by ,the ,lutheran ,publication ,society1 ,philadelphia1 came out4 ,the house gave me #be in cash1 if ,i remember correctly1 and #ajj copies of the book1 which ,i sold at #dj cents a copy4 ,so ,i gave the #fe of my own on the horse and wagon in paying back ,mrs4 ,spindle for the loan4 ,in some way we also secured a paper baler1 thus we gave two men work in collecting books1 newspapers1 etc41 and two men at the baler4 ,in the ,november ,gospel ,tidings we announced that the wagon from the ,gospel ,mission would call on the first and fifteenth of the month1 and would accept papers1 rags1 clothes1 bottles1 etc41 saying1 8,we have old men who separate these things and label and bale this material40 ,the money was used to feed and care for these unfortunates4 ,the city people responded most generously1 and in this way our industrial branch was started1 and greatly benefited the ,mission for two and a half years4 ,later we obtained a wood-saw run by a gasoline engine1 and we started the penny bundling industry1 where we could use eight or ten men and make the double purpose of work for unfortunate men and yet make the industry self-supporting4 ,when the ,united ,states granted wood pulp to be brought into the country free of duty1 our paper industry was destroyed1 as we could not sell the paper1 and the government took our woodyard and killed our wood industry1 but they both did much good in their day4 ,the ,gospel ,mission in the fall of #aiad will again open a laundry1 wood cutting1 rope-making1 printing1 and chair caning in the line of industries for men who will gladly work rather than eat the bread of charity4 ,,chapter ,,ii ,,rescue ,,mission ,,work ,when ,i was called to assist in the ,gospel ,mission1 ,i was not a novice in rescue work1 having been among the workers of the ,sunday ,breakfast ,association in ,philadelphia1 ,pa41 for twelve years under the direction of ,mr4 ,lewis ,bean1 probably one of the ablest mission workers of this or any other country4 ,the ,sunday ,breakfast is1 so far as ,i know1 the largest ,rescue ,mission of this country4 ,,how ,,god ,,called ,,me ,when ,i moved from ,washington to ,philadelphia1 ,i found myself very lonely4 ,i had been ,president of a ,collegiate ,institute at ,atchison1 ,kan41 from #ahgj to #ahhe1 when1 because of failure of health1 ,i came ,east1 and took up literary work4 ,at ,washington1 where ,i lived from #ahhe to #ahhh1 ,i soon came in contact with literary people1 and belonged to both literary and scientific clubs1 some of whose members are to this day strong personal friends4 ,but in the twelve years in ,philadelphia ,i never became much acquainted with university people1 authors' clubs1 ,browning or ,shakespeare clubs1 although ,i knew they were all there4 ,god had to break me loose from too great devotion to that side of life in order to use me for more spiritual work4 ,one evening1 in the summer of #ahhh1 ,i came along ,arch ,street where1 in a basement room at ,broad and ,arch1 some women were holding a prayer service4 ,i entered and joined with them4 ,three poor1 ragged1 soiled men were converted4 ,i saw the women were even more inexperienced with the phenomena of sudden conversions than ,i was4 ,so ,i stepped forward and pledged the converts to a ,christian life4 ,then ,i appealed to the good men present to see that the converts had a good meal that night1 and asked for work for them4 ,good men at once promised both4 ,when the meeting was dismissed a gentleman came to me and said1 8,we need you at the ,sunday ,breakfast ,association to speak next ,sunday night4 ,we shall have over #ajjj men present1 all needing to find ,god4 ,you are one of the women who can speak without any of the ,little ,johnny death-bed scenes1 and we need you40 ,i replied1 8,if you asked me to talk on ,dickens1 ,shakespeare1 or any literary character1 ,i could easily do it1 but to win souls to ,christ1 ,i am not at all sure ,i could do it40 ,he did not argue1 he simply said1 8,i give you your opportunity40 ,that startled me1 and ,i said1 8,i will try40 ,so the next ,sunday evening at the ,breakfast ,association ,i made my first talk before an audience largely of the submerged tenth4 ,the galleries and the platform were filled with well-dressed people1 and1 instead of trying to save some soul1 ,i tried to make a fine speech4 ,my rhetoric was perfect1 my periods nicely rounded1 my illustrations pertinent1 and ,i sat down pretty well satisfied with my fine self4 ,mr4 ,bean saw what ,i had done1 so he shook a few grains out of all the chaff ,i had given them1 made the application1 and let me down as easily as he could4 ,but while ,i sat there ,god's ,spirit dealt with me4 8,what if a mother of one of these lost men had had your opportunity10 said ,god's ,spirit1 8would she have talked platitudes to the galleries and the platform8 ,would she8 ,would she80 ,i saw my sin4 ,as ,i fled from the house ,i nearly cried aloud in my shamefaced grief4 ,when ,i got to my room ,i went to my knees and ,i cried to ,god my deep shame1 8,dear ,father1 ,i have sinned4 ,i know now that is not my work4 ,my business is to instruct the intellect4 ,i will leave the winning of souls to preachers and mothers4 ,help me to bear the testimony of a well-ordered ,christian life1 speaking for you in my own social set1 but ,i am not equal to facing those who have looked long into the eyes of sin and suffering and sorrow1 and are uncomforted with a knowledge of ,thy grace40 ,so ,i felt ,i had disposed of that1 and determined to keep to literature forevermore4 ,the next day the card of a woman whom ,i had met in the highest social circles of ,washington was sent to my room4 ,as ,i came down through the hall ,i saw in front of the house her carriage with footman and driver and team of ,kentucky-bred horses4 ,when ,i entered she broke out in a sort of wail1 8,i hear you spoke at the ,breakfast ,association last night40 8,yes1 and made a great guy of myself4 ,i do not expect to ever go there again1 except as a spectator4 ,i fear ,i am more literary than religious40 ,i wish ,i could describe the next few minutes4 ,her face blazed4 8,you1 you60 she said2 8why you had a father a minister1 your mother a praying woman1 and you not to go there to speak to lost men1 if you have the opportunity6 ,you have had everything which training can give1 and you refuse to reach a hand to lost men40 8,well1 what does that concern you80 ,she sat down4 ,the agony in her face became anguish4 ,she turned white1 then red1 then back to white1 till ,i feared for her heart4 8,what does it concern me6 ,what6 ,what6 ,well1 ,i must tell you4 ,i have a son who sits down in that awful crowd60 ,it was my turn now to be moved4 8,you80 ,i said1 8why1 you live in a white marble palace1 and can it be that your son is a homeless1 friendless man80 8,yes10 she said1 8,i live in a white marble palace and ,i hate it from turret to foundation stone1 because my oldest son is not allowed under its roof4 ,he is a drunkard1 and will steal everything he can lay his hands on and sell it for drink1 so that his father forbids me to see him or to give him money4 ,the last time ,i saw him he was shoveling coal into a manhole2 he looked the part40 ,here she tried to give me a large roll of money1 as she said1 8,take this1 and please go to the ,breakfast ,association and find my darling boy40 8,madam1 ,i am not authorized to take money for the ,association4 ,dr4 ,henderson is the ,treasurer1 do see him60 8,i will not4 ,will know who you are4 ,i told him much of meeting you in ,washington4 ,i want you to take this money and find and clothe my sorrowful son2 and oh1 say what ,i would like to say if ,i could talk like you6 ,tell him when he sees a light at the top of the house that his mother is in the attic praying for him1 and will you pray for me that ,i shall not die under this8 ,will you pray for my son80 ,then we two kneeled and poured into the heart of a loving ,saviour that story of woe4 ,how she wailed over her own frivolous life1 and promised her ,god a life for ,him4 ,nearly all the persons referred to have died1 so1 though the parties may be recognized in ,philadelphia1 it cannot now harm anyone4 ,i took the money offered4 ,the next ,sunday evening ,i went to the ,association1 and my face must have told the story1 for when ,i said to ,mr4 ,bean1 8,i have a message10 he let me speak4 ,i selected the words1 8,son1 behold thy mother60 ,i told many incidents of heart-broken mothers because of the sins of their sons1 and then ,i told of ,mrs4 ,w41 nearly in the above language4 ,probably two hundred men requested prayer that night1 and ,i saw ,god could use me for other than literary work4 ,mr4 ,bean said1 8,that man will not show up till the others have gone10 so ,i sat down and waited4 ,when nearly everyone had left the room a poor1 blear-eyed youth came to the platform4 ,he said1 8,mrs4 ,monroe1 ,i am ,will ,w4 ,do give me some money40 ,i said1 8,will1 do you intend to break your mother's heart8 ,do you intend to keep on drinking80 8,now1 see here1 ,mrs4 ,monroe1 ,i have honestly tried to quit40 ,then1 pushing up his sleeve1 he showed me scars4 8,there ,i have signed the pledge with my own blood1 and ,i cannot quit40 ,howard ,mc,masters1 one of the ,breakfast ,association workers1 pointed the way to ,christ far better than ,i could4 ,then he gave him tickets where he could get lodging4 ,i met him the next day at a ,turkish bath house4 ,at first they refused to take him1 and only by paying a high price could ,i secure him a bath and proper barbering4 ,i gave him a complete outfit of clothes1 and he looked very respectable4 ,mr4 ,mc,masters put a good man on the case to talk with him1 to read the ,new ,testament with him1 to explain salvation and to help him find ,god1 and to keep at his side whenever possible4 ,my business took me out of town for several weeks2 when ,i came back to the city1 ,i went1 of course1 the first ,sunday evening to the ,breakfast ,association4 ,after the meeting was over ,will ,w4 came slouching up to the platform as vile as when ,i first saw him4 ,he had sold every article ,i had given him for drink4 ,this sorrowful experience was repeated about five times1 but as good is stronger than evil1 the prayers of ,god's people prevailed1 and ,mr4 ,mc,masters brought him forward to the altar and ,god met him4 ,his mother's prayers1 the word of ,god as shown by ,howard ,mc,masters and that wonderful ,divine ,spirit made a clean work1 and a soul was born to ,god4 ,we kept him as well guarded as we could4 ,the smells of the street troubled him1 for that reason ,i went to his father's wholesale house on ,market ,street4 ,i had met ,mr4 ,w4 with his wife in ,washington1 and he met me cordially1 till ,i said1 8,mr4 ,w41 ,i have come to talk to you about your oldest son40 ,he blazed at me1 8,don't you dare to speak to me of my oldest son4 ,he has broken my heart1 his mother's heart1 and disgraced my name4 ,i will not permit even my wife to speak of him1 much less a friend40 8,but he is converted1 ,mr4 ,w4 ,it will be different now40 8,oh6 he has a new dodge1 has he80 8,mr4 ,w41 you must talk to me fairly about this wrecked young life or refer me to someone who can act in your behalf40 8,well1 see his brother10 and a clerk showed me to the brother's counting-room4 ,he heard my story with sympathy4 ,after stating the case1 ,i said1 8,i want you to put him on a truck farm down near ,media1 and get him away from the smells of ,philadelphia40 ,this was done1 though it took several weeks to bring it about4 ,the next ,sunday night ,will sat on the platform1 and testified to the power of ,god to save4 ,when the meeting had closed1 a handsome young woman1 wearing a costly tailor-made gown and with the stamp of the patrician in every line of her dainty person1 said to me1 8,mrs4 ,monroe1 ,i am going to marry ,will ,w4 this week40 8,oh1 my dear girl1 do not risk it till he has proved himself for two years6 ,do not risk it60 8,you believe he is converted1 do you not80 8,why1 yes2 but we should see the transforming power of the gospel before you risk your happiness40 8,will needs me now to help him keep straight4 ,you have not as much faith as you ought to have yourself1 or you would believe he will hold out40 ,what more could ,i say8 ,they were married4 ,his mother was present at the ceremony1 and they went to the farm to live4 ,will was held by the power of ,god1 and1 after much blundering1 they made a fair success with a truck farm4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,,incidents ,,showing ,,the ,,power ,,of ,,god ,,to ,,save ,among the many other impressive cases of the power of ,god to suddenly change a human life from evil to good occurred at the ,breakfast ,association in ,philadelphia about the year #ahih1 and although fifteen years have passed1 every incident1 every word is indelibly written on my memory4 ,i was coming off the platform one evening when ,i met a large1 fierce-looking1 scowling man1 who looked as if he wanted to strike me4 ,i stopped at once4 8,friend10 ,i said1 8you are in trouble40 8,what is that to you and such as you80 8,it is much to me4 ,you look like an employer of men1 yet here you have been taking the bread and coffee of charity40 8,well1 ,i have been an employer of men1 but now ,i cannot even get employment4 ,i have been behind bars2 now what hope in life is there for me80 8,many men who have been behind bars have afterward made good citizens and even made fortunes4 ,let us go down to the ,board room and talk this out40 ,as he went along growling that there was no hope for him1 ,i motioned to ,mr4 ,mc,masters and another worker to come with us4 ,when we were seated1 he said1 8,now1 all ,i want of you people is to help me get work so that ,i do not wander like a stray dog through the streets of the city where ,i was born4 ,my wife and family have deserted me and ,i am a desperate man40 8,yes10 ,i said1 8brother1 no woman could live with you as you are now1 one would as soon live with a wolf2 your hand is against every man and every man's hand is against you4 ,but ,god can again make you an employer of men4 ,he can make you a good husband and father1 but you must find ,god first4 ,where is your mother80 ,i saw him shrink1 and ,i knew then ,i had the key4 8,my going to prison killed my mother4 ,i had a mill in a suburb of ,philadelphia1 and sometimes1 after the day's work was done1 ,i would step into a saloon and take a glass of beer with my foreman4 ,i was not what you would call a drinking man4 ,one evening we got into a dispute about something concerning the mill1 and ,i picked up a monkey wrench and struck my foreman just one blow1 but ,i killed him4 ,all our property went for lawyer fees1 all to no purpose1 for ,i was sent to prison for ten years4 ,i have just been pardoned10 and he drew the governor's pardon from his pocket4 8,when ,i went to my home ,i found strangers in it1 but at last ,i found my wife and my children now nearly grown1 but they would not let me live with them40 ,i knew perfectly well from other experiences that he had gone in violence and had been met with violence4 ,mr4 ,mc,masters now took the case4 ,he said1 8,if your mother were now living1 do you believe she would have received you80 8,i am sure she would4 ,the warden often told us that our mothers would stay by us1 that children grew ashamed of a father in prison1 wives persuaded themselves that it only kept up their grief1 but a mother's love is like that of the ,god above1 it remains4 ,but mother died40 8,well1 you want to meet her again1 do you not80 8,yes1 but my mother was a ,christian40 8,that is it2 let us kneel and talk to your mother's ,god40 ,reluctantly1 growling that ,god cared nothing for a poor devil like him1 he kneeled1 and with the three of us kneeling about him1 we each one presented the case to ,god1 calling on the 8,god whom this man's mother loved and served1 asking mercy for a broken life1 a broken home and a broken heart40 ,by the time the last one prayed his head was on the chair and he was sobbing4 ,then he prayed for himself1 and ,god came down and the old alchemy of ,god turned the heart of stone to a heart of flesh1 and ,george ,gneiss was born into the kingdom of ,god4 ,it was not difficult to get him a place as a skilled miller1 and from that day to this he has made good4 ,the transforming power of the gospel was plainly seen within a week in his face1 in his clothing1 in his bearing at every meeting4 ,after a few ,sundays ,i was called out of town for six weeks4 ,when ,i came home1 ,i went to the ,breakfast ,association and there1 from the gallery1 ,mr4 ,gneiss looked down on me4 ,at his side was a ,quaker woman in the plain dress of her ,church1 and with them was a manly boy of seventeen4 ,after the services1 they all came to me 7,i motioned to others to come71 and they told us the story of their reunion4 ,tears stood in her eyes as she said1 8,we have family prayers now1 and we pray for you every day4 ,god is blessing us in every way4 ,pray for us40 ,after that they came to see me1 either at the ,breakfast ,association or at my home1 as often as three or four times a year as long as ,i remained in ,philadelphia4 ,,the ,,gospel ,,mission ,after telling about those two incidents connected with my small share of rescue work in ,philadelphia1 it is time now to resume the story of our ,gospel ,mission4 ,it is only because we see souls converted almost every night that makes it possible for us to bear the sight and the foul smell of unclean bodies1 of dead whisky and tobacco1 and the revolting drunkenness1 then the remonstrances of one's own kindred and church people are trying1 unless ,god gave great recompense1 first in one's own enlarged spiritual life1 in order to fit us for the work1 and almost daily gave us the joy of seeing souls converted1 it would be an impossible work4 ,,conversions ,,and ,,regeneration ,conversion seems to me to be largely man's share in the greater fact of regeneration1 which is entirely ,god's work in a human soul4 ,at a ,rescue ,mission the theologian could get a new and practical knowledge of the gospel he preaches2 the professor of psychology sees how spiritual powers1 unseen to mortal eye1 can grip the entire machinery of the mind1 and by a supernatural application of ,god's ,spirit and the word of ,god make a man over again4 ,hundreds of times have ,i seen the alchemy of ,god make men who steal to do ,god's service2 feet that have been in the way of the transgressor to walk in the paths of righteousness1 and tongues accustomed to blaspheme to sing ,god's praises4 ,professor ,james defines conversion thus3 8,to be converted1 to be regenerated1 to receive grace1 to experience religion1 to gain assurance1 are so many phrases which denote the process1 gradual or sudden1 by which a self hitherto divided and consciously wrong1 inferior and unhappy1 becomes unified and consciously right1 superior and happy1 in consequence of its firmer hold on religious realities40 ,illustration3 8,,remember ,,me03 ,,hands ,,up ,,for ,,prayer ,the first element in conversion is first an influence from the ,holy ,spirit brought about by prayer4 ,now1 that prayer may have been sent up years ago by a mother now dead1 but is usually the result of a prayer atmosphere in the meeting4 ,the ,holy ,spirit acts like a searchlight on the human soul1 and the sinner for an instant sees himself as ,god sees him4 ,i have seen men rush through the door1 and1 without taking a seat1 come straight to the altar1 because ,god's ,spirit had met them4 ,that is not the usual way1 and it is usually some immediate message of ,his word1 rendered in song or spoken word to the sinner's heart1 by which he catches a glimpse of his lost condition4 ,let no parent be discouraged concerning a wandering child4 ,delayed answer to prayer is not a denial4 ,i know a minister whom ,god greatly uses who was a wild youth when his mother died1 but ,god answered her prayer4 ,he will answer yours4 ,it is important who presents the sinner to ,god4 ,a perfunctory church member who plays cards1 dances1 tipples or smells of tobacco1 cannot acceptably bring a soul to ,god4 ,god often accepts a soul without an intermediary1 but the wrong person keeps a soul from ,god4 ,it makes a difference4 ,you remember ,ezekiel #ad3bj1 8,though ,noah1 ,daniel and ,job were in it1 they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness10 showing that as we abide in ,him1 ,god answers prayers accordingly4 ,then the word of ,god comes in4 ,the helper tries to make the seeker lay hold of the promises4 ,i have seen many conversions on ,romans #aj3ac1 8,for whosoever shall call upon the name of the ,lord shall be saved40 ,it comes like a wireless message from on high4 ,it becomes personal as the praying sinner cries to ,god1 he believes he is heard1 he believes he is forgiven1 he accepts the pardon and rises to his feet a redeemed man4 ,a supernatural power has come into his soul4 ,another verse which brings men through is #a ,john #a3i1 8,if we confess our sins1 ,he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness40 ,the religion of ,christ has two elements in it--a destructive element and a constructive element4 ,the destructive element is what we figuratively call 8the blood of ,christ40 ,it not only pardons or washes away the past sins1 but it takes out of the soul lying1 drinking1 lust1 laziness1 deceit1 fraud of any kind1 and with the constructive element it puts into the soul honor1 truth1 industry1 integrity or wholeness4 ,it creates in the soul the desire to walk in companionship with ,christ4 ,the recognition of sins forgiven and the conscious presence of ,god is what in emotional natures makes some shout1 some weep1 some tremble as with an ague1 but regeneration in all souls brings unspeakable joy4 ,it not only energizes for action1 but it puts into the soul the power of endurance before unknown4 ,i ,,have ,,kept ,,the ,,faith ,one cold night in ,november1 #aijh1 the writer had charge of the ,gospel ,mission service4 ,in the testimony meeting a fine looking young man arose and said about this3 8,i am a graduate of a college in ,maine1 also of a medical department of a college of this city4 ,i have had a good practice and a good home4 ,i have lost all of these from hard drink4 ,last spring ,i was converted in a street meeting held by this ,mission at the post-office corner4 ,soon after that ,i obtained a situation in a large department store in this city1 where ,i did good work1 but ,i lost my temper at the inefficiency of a driver4 ,i learned then and there that only proprietors have the right to lose their tempers1 and ,i lost my place4 ,i have had a hard time since4 ,god only knows the suffering of a man without money1 friends1 or even acquaintances in a great city40 ,and with a wail1 like a cry of anguish1 he said1 8,but ,i've kept the faith6 ,i've kept the faith60 ,after the close of the meeting1 a worker said1 8,i fear that man has had no food to-day40 ,i went to him and said1 8,son1 when did you eat last80 ,he answered1 8,yesterday morning40 ,i slipped into his hand a dollar bill and my card1 and said1 8,come and see me to-morrow morning40 ,we had no difficulty in getting him back into the department store where his quick and clear penmanship1 his great executive ability1 have been most highly appreciated for nearly five years4 ,,chapter ,,iv ,,an ,,element ,,of ,,humor ,,in ,,rescue ,,work ,unless one can see the humor in rescue work1 the tragedy of it all would break the heart1 ruin one's health1 and keep one's mind all the time on the sorrowful stories that we hear daily4 ,a part of successful rescue work is the ability to bring each sorrowful case to ,god1 lay it on ,his altar1 and leave it behind us when we leave the ,mission4 ,,aunt ,,mary ,one very cold night1 a few years ago1 we had present among our visitors a wealthy lady and gentleman from ,pittsburgh4 ,we were most anxious that the ,mission should make a good impression on them1 hoping a donation of at least #be4 ,it was a very cold night4 ,soon after the services opened a person1 whom ,i shall call ,charles ,winters1 son of an old ,virginia family1 came in4 ,he was much under the influence of liquor1 and began at once to make a disturbance4 ,i remembered his dear old gray-haired mother and his accomplished sister1 and knew in a moment that if he were put out he would freeze to death or be placed in prison4 ,two of the helpers started to put him out2 that was the easy way1 and there were my guests and that prospective donation4 ,the men already had hold of him1 when ,i said1 8,stop1 men2 please let me speak to him40 ,laying my hand kindly on his shoulder1 ,i said1 8,charles1 sit down and behave yourself40 ,with a drunken laugh1 he said1 8,i'll sit down for you1 ,aunt ,mary1 but not for these toughs40 ,all evening ,i had to go back every few minutes to quiet him1 much to the amusement of my friends1 who frequently to this day call me ,aunt ,mary4 ,but ,i saved a family from shame and my donation came all right4 ,in most businesses old age is a handicap1 but every gray hair of my white head is an asset4 ,nearly every evening some poor1 vanquished soldier of fortune1 ragged1 unshaven and unshorn1 comes to me and says with quivering lips1 8,you look just like my mother1 to-night1 will you care a little for me80 ,and ,i lay my arm across the soiled coat and say1 8,son1 the trail of every sin is on your poor soiled body2 you have tried some by yourself to be good1 now let us ask ,jesus to help4 ,but ,i shall send you up stairs under guard and to the bath-room1 where you must take a very warm bath while ,i go to the workroom and get you clean clothes from the skin out2 your clothing will go into the fumigator over night2 you shall have enough to eat and be physically comforted1 then we will try again with ,jesus as yoke-fellow4 ,you and ,i will talk to ,him about it and we will try again1 shall we80 ,there is no use talking salvation to a hungry man or a man physically uncomfortable4 ,we usually help a poor fellow several days before anything more than the above is said1 then we show him the tendencies of his life2 he sees them in the wrecks all around him4 ,he hears the testimony of redeemed drunkards1 thieves and gamblers1 and sees them clothed and in their right minds2 then the teachings of some ,christian mother1 ,sunday school teacher1 or preacher comes back1 and lo6 he prays4 ,god's ,holy ,spirit acts as a searchlight1 and he sees his abhorrent self as ,god sees him1 and he cries for mercy4 ,god comes down when the sinner calls for redeeming power1 and a great psychological change takes place4 ,if a soul really agrees to give up every sin1 to take ,jesus ,christ as pattern and friend1 ,christ ,himself enters into covenant relations with that soul and the man is born again4 ,he usually lays hold mentally of some one verse of ,scripture1 which becomes to him a personal message from on high4 ,i have seen many take the verse1 8,seek ye first the kingdom of ,god and ,his righteousness1 and all these things shall be added unto you10 and use it as the stepping stone into the higher life4 ,they seek ,god and live ,his righteousness4 ,take the case of ,,mr4 ,e4 ,c4 ,,connaught as an example4 ,one very cold morning in ,january1 #aiab1 ,mr4 ,kline received a telephone message like this1 8,there is a drunken man with a wife and four children set out on the street at so and so4 ,bring coffee and food at once40 ,just as quickly as they could get the food1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,kline hastened to the relief of that family4 ,the wind was blowing snow and sleet1 though it seemed too cold for either4 ,the family1 including the drunken father1 were brought immediately to the ,mission1 though their household stuff was left standing on the street1 where it remained four days4 ,it was such a miserable collection that even the colored people did not steal any of it4 ,then it was brought to the ,mission and stored in the cellar4 ,one child was in the hospital from a blow from the father4 ,they were physically comforted and put in the 8,shelter10 a place reserved for stranded women and children4 ,by night the father was fairly sober and they were all taken to the religious services in the chapel1 where ,mr4 ,connaught heard man after man rise and testify that ,god had saved him and taken away the appetite for drink4 ,at first there was a sneer on his face1 but gradually1 as one well dressed man after another bore the same testimony1 he cried out1 8,i have been an infidel1 not believing in ,god or immortality1 but if the ,god you worship can cure me of this awful appetite1 ,i want ,him40 ,he kneeled at one of the front benches1 and an awful spectacle of rags and dirt and bloated flesh he was4 ,i remember thinking1 8,surely this case is beyond help10 but ,god is better than we even dare hope4 ,several prayers were offered in his behalf1 then he prayed for himself1 and lo6 he prayed with the tongue of the learned4 ,he said1 8,o ,god1 if there be a ,god1 hear the prayer of the very lowest of ,thy children4 ,i need ,thee1 ,i am totally undone1 ,i put myself in ,thy hands for forgiveness and for discipline4 ,o ,lord1 save me60 ,he kneeled a moment longer1 then rose to his feet with a clear brain1 and1 looking about like one dazed1 said1 8,what has happened1 you all look different80 ,mr4 ,kline laid his arm lovingly over the man's shoulders as he said1 8,brother ,connaught1 you have received your sight4 ,the ,lord ,jesus has come into your soul40 ,the next morning the ,associated ,charities had him arrested for non-support of his family4 ,judge ,de,lacy1 a good man1 was on the bench4 ,one of our workers said to the judge1 8,this man was converted last night1 and if you will give him a chance he will now support his family40 8,oh1 yes1 most anyone would be converted rather than go to ,occoquan0 7name of the workhouse74 8,but1 judge1 this is no fake case2 try him40 ,the bloated face1 the soiled clothing were against him1 and the judge sent him up for eleven weeks4 ,the little woman and her children were sent to her relatives in ,north ,carolina by the ,board of ,charities and ,children's ,guardians4 ,some of our workers kept at his side1 reminding him that he had put himself in ,god's hands for discipline1 and assuring him that if he could stand true1 ,god had a useful life in store for him4 ,a marked ,new ,testament was given him when he left for down the river4 ,there his head was shaved in the very cold weather1 his clothing changed1 so that he took a severe cold which came near carrying him off with pneumonia4 ,it took about two weeks to bring political and social influence to bear to have him paroled and sent back to the ,mission4 ,january and ,february of #aiab were very cold months1 it was hard to get any kind of work for men to do1 and the only thing we could secure for ,connaught was passing circulars at sixty cents a day4 ,that amounts to #c4fj per week2 of this he was obliged to pay to the judge #c1 to be sent to his wife4 ,in two or three days ,mrs4 ,kline phoned me1 8,connaught is trying to live on the rolls and coffee given in the bread line at six o'clock in the morning40 ,i replied1 8,connaught must have oatmeal with cream--real cream1 for his diseased stomach2 he must have eggs and meat and strong coffee1 or he will lose his religion40 8,well1 who is going to provide all that80 8,the ,lord has money enough for that40 8,well1 suppose you bring some of it right along10 which of course ,i did4 ,about the tenth day after he began circulating papers1 the work gave out4 ,we really prayed night and day1 for we feared he would be rearrested and we had no money to support him4 ,in a few days he secured work at digging on the streets at #a4be per day4 ,he had never been accustomed to manual labor1 so when ,i sympathized with him on his poor blistered hands1 he said1 8,i am so glad to get the work that the hurt is nothing40 ,think of that for a man who had not done a lick of work1 physically or mentally1 for months and months4 ,long before this we had found that he was a graduate of an ,english university1 had lived in good style1 keeping servants1 he had possessed a nice home when he was first married1 but when he found the habit of drink had fastened itself upon him1 he came to this country hoping to break away from old companions and surroundings1 and thus get away from the sin which bound him4 ,he tried all the cures2 in fact1 all his property not spent in drink went to the cures1 but nothing cured him4 ,we found he had been a first-class bookkeeper for one of the great railroads centering at ,washington1 so we applied to them4 ,i am glad to say they took an immediate interest in the case4 ,a man was sent to see him1 then ,mr4 ,connaught was put in charge of an office building at #dj per month1 and at once he wanted his family back4 ,they came first to the ,mission1 for we desired to keep him attending services every night till he would understand better the word of ,god and grow strong in faith4 ,the railroad now pays him #hj a month1 for he is a good executive1 and he has bought a little home in the suburbs on which he is paying monthly2 a home where he can have a garden1 an orchard and chickens4 ,about once a week the father1 the mother1 and children come to the ,mission4 ,no better looking or happier looking people enter that building4 ,he comes1 as he says1 to bear testimony to the saving and keeping power of the dear ,lord ,jesus4 ,,psychology ,now1 science could not cure this case2 all that science could do had been done for him4 ,he had become so low that if he saw his children starving and he had ten cents1 the money went to the saloon and not for bread4 ,it is1 as ,professor ,james says1 that 8,conversion is the only means by which a radically bad man can be changed into a radically good person40 ,the agencies in any conversion are first prayer1 then the ,holy ,spirit and the word of ,god4 ,this man was so far gone that he did not believe in the existence of ,god4 ,but the sympathy of the workers made them pray most earnestly for ,god's ,spirit1 which came with convicting power4 ,the verse of ,scripture which came like a wireless message to his soul was1 8,if we confess our sins1 ,he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins1 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness40 ,he claimed and still claims the last clause as a message to him personally4 ,the reason that hundreds of sermons fail to comfort a saint or convert a sinner is because they fall on prayerless pews4 ,you remember how what is known as the ,great ,new ,england ,revival came about4 ,dr4 ,jonathan ,edwards was accustomed to go to his church every ,saturday afternoon to think and to pray for his people4 ,on one occasion a beggar1 known in the town as ,old ,betty1 sat unseen in a back pew4 ,the great preacher put his head down on the ,bible and sobbed4 ,as he came out ,old ,betty said1 8,what is it1 ,dr4 ,edwards1 that so troubles you80 8,betty1 ,i have not seen a soul converted in this church for a year4 ,why is it80 8,it is because these pews are prayerless40 8,will you pray till you get the answer that ,god will come in power to this church80 8,i will40 ,betty hid when the janitor came to close the church1 and the answer to her soul did not come till the dawning of the morning4 ,the following day ,dr4 ,edwards started as usual to read his sermon1 but he soon put it away and began a straight evangelistic talk1 professed ,christians stood in their places and asked for prayers1 elders and deacons prostrated themselves before ,god1 the whole town became a prayer circle1 and the ,new ,england ,revival had begun4 ,,chapter ,v ,,big ,,feet ,one day a very large man1 well over sixty years1 and with three fingers off each hand1 in a very modest way said to me1 8,i am so ashamed to tell a lady my needs10 and he turned up his foot and showed me where the sole was worn out1 so that at every step he made he left a track in blood4 8,you poor fellow1 you need not be ashamed to tell me of need like that4 ,i shall arrange for you to stay at the ,mission till ,i get shoes for you40 ,he was of the class who sell shoestrings and pencils1 but in very cold weather people do not stop to buy from street merchants4 ,that night1 after the midweek service of my church1 ,i rose in my place and asked for a pair of shoes number #i or #aj4 ,the men hooted1 no one of them ever wore that size1 declaring1 of course1 that ,i wanted them to wear myself4 8,well10 ,i said1 8whether you wear them or not1 you get them for me10 and ,i told the story of the bleeding feet4 ,i did the same at my boarding house4 ,by the next day one of the elders of the church came with two pairs of shoes which looked nearly big enough for boats1 also one of the men of the boarding house sent to ,annapolis to his father1 a very large man1 for a pair of shoes1 which came to me by express4 ,i put the three pairs into a basket and rushed to the ,mission1 when lo6 the poor man could barely get his toes into the shoes4 ,with trembling lip1 he said1 8,it is simply disgraceful to be old and poor and so awful big that even one's friends cannot help a fellow40 8,indeed1 it is no disgrace to be old1 poor and big1 but it is a disgrace to be a bad man of any size or age4 ,don't you worry1 ,i shall find the shoes40 ,that afternoon ,i met a ,board composed mostly of men eminent in city affairs1 among them was a distinguished lawyer1 a very large man4 ,he sat with his foot across one knee1 when ,i leaned over and said1 8,brother1 would you mind walking home in your hose1 and giving me those shoes for a poor chap as large as you are80 8,do you really mean it80 8,yes1 ,i do2 only ,i will let you wear them home1 then send them to me with hose1 under clothes1 and any other clothing you can spare40 ,by the next morning ,i had clothing for the poor fellow1 and ,mr4 ,g4's number #aa shoes fit as if made to order4 ,if the poor man had successfully sold pencils and shoestrings all winter he could not have been so well clothed as he was that day4 ,but1 best of all1 while he was obliged to wait he read the four ,gospels through several times1 and he sought and found salvation in ,jesus ,christ4 ,that was ,november1 #aiaa4 ,since that he has gotten a place as night watchman in a large building1 and he is a good and faithful man4 ,in ,missions we have a large number of deserted wives with children1 whom we clothe4 ,by that help they can by their own labor keep their little families together1 and then on every holiday1 such as ,christmas1 ,thanksgiving1 etc41 we bring them all to the ,mission for reunion and a big dinner4 ,the joyous seasons for the rich are the saddest times for the poor and the bereaved4 ,it is such a privilege to be the administrators of the church people who send money and clothing for these purposes4 ,in return1 the ,missions are the real protection of the city4 ,a hungry man is dangerous1 and a man with a hungry family is a menace4 ,my maid told me1 one extreme cold day1 that a man was at the door to see me4 ,i found there one of the most dangerous housebreakers in the country4 8,murphy10 ,i said1 8,i do not want to see any of you men at my home4 ,what do you want80 8,i am starving40 8,well1 go to the ,mission1 we never turn a man away there40 8,i wouldn't be caught dead there40 8,why not80 8,well1 ,i hate ,kline 7the ,superintendent7 and the whole outfit1 but ,i am starving1 ,i tell you40 ,i knew by that he had been stealing at the ,mission4 ,thieves fold up the sheets and pillow-cases1 even when they have been entertaining free1 put the bedding under their coats and get away with it4 ,in time we get to know them and will not put them in the dormitories1 but only in the barracks fitted with shelving but with no pillows or covers1 but fire is kept all night4 ,the bath and toilet-room adjoins or is part of the barracks1 so that men are made comfortable4 ,i took ,murphy to an eating house near by and filled him up1 but at the same time warning him to get out of town as soon as possible or change his course and become a good man4 ,now1 if that man had not been given food he would surely have gotten it1 if it cost a human life4 ,bad as he was1 he would have been fed had he gone to the ,mission4 ,i feared he would not go1 but would commit some depredation4 ,speaking of thieves1 reminds me of the case of a man whom ,i shall call ,,james ,,mann4 ,one evening a tall1 fine-looking man came into the ,mission chapel4 ,one gets to know thieves somewhat as you know an ,englishman1 a ,german1 an ,italian1 by the marks environment have left on the person4 ,i knew on sight that he was a thief4 ,we had a ,salvation ,army man at the ,mission that night from ,west ,virginia1 who gave the message4 ,his subject was1 8,be sure thy sin will find thee out40 ,he had been a thief1 had served time1 but now he told how happy and safe he felt serving ,god and in being a good citizen4 ,several men knelt at the altar that night1 so when #i4cj ,p4,m41 the time for dismissal1 came1 the men were permitted to go to the dormitories while one or two workers prayed with the penitents4 ,mr4 ,mann retired1 but he could distinctly hear the praying4 ,he declared that a voice said1 8,mann1 now or never40 ,he tried to go to sleep1 the inward voice persisted1 8,now or never40 ,he put on his clothes1 went back to the chapel1 threw himself down at the altar and cried to ,god for mercy for himself4 ,the workers gathered about him1 he told ,god his story of sin and shame1 and ,god heard his cry for mercy1 and he rose a forgiven sinner4 ,his kit of burglar tools were thrown into the ,potomac ,river4 ,he had come to ,washington to burglarize in the northwest section of the city during the time when ,mr4 ,taft was being inaugurated4 ,his portrait could have been seen in the rogues' gallery in every large city of the country1 but in a few weeks ,god so changed his face that the man could not have been recognized by the old portrait4 ,we told ,major ,sylvester1 ,chief of ,police1 of the case1 and ,mann was put on the special police force at the ,union ,station at inauguration time1 and never before nor since was there ever such a quick nabbing of the noted thieves as at the ,taft inaugural occasion4 ,mr4 ,mann's mother came on from her western home4 ,she is a sincere ,christian woman4 ,it was doubtless the answering of her prayers which brought conviction1 then salvation to that dangerous man4 ,once she said1 8,james1 ,i never heard of you for two whole years2 where were you then80 ,he made an evasive answer1 but we knew that he had spent them behind bars4 ,after the inauguration the special police were discharged1 and ,mr4 ,mann went to work as a carpenter4 ,he made a good assistant carpenter4 ,about six months after that one of the ,northern ,states was making a search for large men for their mounted police4 ,major ,sylvester recommended ,mann1 as he was six feet four inches tall1 and from that day to this he has been on the mounted constabulary of a great ,state1 engaged in enforcing the law1 rather than breaking the laws of his country4 ,now1 is not that real service to the ,state8 ,this man was restored to his family1 to society1 to ,god4 ,he became a factor for righteousness1 instead of an element of danger to the commonwealth4 ,we are not always fortunate enough to see men of that class seek ,god4 ,on one occasion three young thieves came into the ,mission1 they were of the traveling men of their base business4 ,after ,i returned to my home ,i called up the police and told them my suspicion1 and asked them to watch the ,mission very closely from eleven o'clock until morning4 ,they were all captured between twelve and one o'clock midnight as they were leaving the building and escorted to the station and told to leave town1 which1 of course1 they did immediately4 ,illustration3 ,,free ,,supper ,,service ,,chapter ,,vi ,,how ,,we ,,got ,a ,,new ,,mission ,,building 7,a ,,chapter ,,on ,,faith7 ,although by ,january #a1 #aiaa1 we had eighty-four beds filled nearly every night with homeless men1 we felt ourselves very much hampered for room4 ,we turned many away4 ,many a poor fellow that winter walked the streets all night to keep from freezing4 ,when we pray for a thing which we think the work of the ,lord requires1 we begin at once to arrange for it1 as if the money to do the work were already at hand4 ,our paper1 ,the ,gospel ,tidings1 of ,january1 #aiaa1 said1 8,our ,mission now does business in three different localities1 and will soon be obliged to rent two more places for the wood cutting department and for opening a penny lunch-room40 ,we were so sure that the ,lord's work needed enlarging that we went to the very best architects we knew1 ,gregg ,leisenring1 and told them our plans and needs1 and they prepared with the greatest care1 drawings for a building costing at the very least #ej1jjj1 besides the cost of the land4 ,then the writer visited the seats of the mighty in ,new ,york ,city with the best introductions that the ,district ,commissioners and leading statesmen could give4 ,while ,i was received with great kindness and courtesy1 ,i was distinctly told by one magnate that he helped only the young and those starting in life2 by another that his charity could never take a local form1 that he gave along the line of research for causes and remedies of diseases4 ,the women1 whose secretaries ,i met1 themselves not being visible to plain people1 ,i was assured had planned all their surplus income for five to eight years ahead1 so that ,i came back convinced that ,god's way for the ,gospel ,mission was not by way of ,new ,york ,city4 ,about that time a great fire occurred in an eastern city1 and many men and women lost their lives1 and the order went out in ,washington that every building where a large number of people worked or slept must have plenty of fire-escapes4 ,we found to put fire-escapes on the ,gospel ,mission would cost #abe1 an immense sum to us1 but we were preparing to put up the fire-escapes when the owner refused his permission4 ,we told the police1 and asked time to relocate1 but were peremptorily ordered out of #abcj ,pennsylvania ,avenue1 ,n4 ,w4 ,we could find no suitable building obtainable within our means4 ,a ,,meeting ,,of ,,the ,,board ,,of ,,directors was called at my house for prayer4 ,there were thirteen members present4 ,the object of the meeting was stated by ,president ,wheeler1 a few of ,god's promises read from ,his word1 and we went on our knees for prayer4 ,each one asked for a suitable home to do the ,master's work as seen and done by the ,gospel ,mission4 ,it was noticeable that after the eighth person had prayed1 each prayer took more and more the form of thanksgiving1 as if we already had received the building1 or money to build it4 ,there had been offered to us a very large double building which had once been used as the ,district ,building1 and upon which it was claimed that the government of the ,united ,states had once put #fj1jjj to make it fireproof4 ,it is situated at #bad-baf ,john ,marshall ,place1 ,n4 ,w41 not far from the foot of ,capitol ,hill4 ,after having the distinct answer to prayer that ,god was working with us1 a letter was written to ,mrs4 ,john ,hay1 wife of the deceased great ,secretary of ,state1 asking her to purchase that building for #be1jjj for us and to permit us to pay her a fair interest and pay the principal in annual payments4 ,the letter was written about the first of ,march4 ,almost by return mail ,mrs4 ,hay replied that she did not care to make so large an investment1 but if we cared to go forward and purchase the building ourselves1 that on ,april #a she would give us #ejjj on the first payment4 ,never will ,i forget the scene when that letter was read4 ,mr4 ,h4 ,d4 ,gordon had received the letter just as he was starting for the ,board meeting1 his face was radiant4 ,when ,mr4 ,wheeler came in the letter was put in his hands without comment4 ,as soon as he read the words1 8,i will give you #ejjj on the first payment10 without waiting to finish the letter1 he said1 8,let us pray40 ,we1 on our knees1 each one thanked ,god for the gift dictated by ,his ,spirit1 and asked ,god's blessing on the magnanimous woman who had obeyed the ,spirit's order4 ,the ,building ,committee eventually secured the property for #bb1jjj1 of which #ejjj was to be a cash payment1 and by agreeing to pay #agej annually1 and to pay semi-annually a #e per cent interest4 ,think of the growth in spiritual power of a little organization which in ,september1 #aijh1 shuddered at a bill of #be1 in the early spring of #aiaa joyously making itself responsible for #ag1jjj bearing a semi-annual interest amounting in the year to #hej6 ,since that time we have made three annual payments of #agej each1 and we have met all interest to date4 ,probably in no civilized country was there ever a dirtier house4 ,the building had been occupied by some foreigners until it had become so vile that the police condemned it and obliged them to move out4 ,they took with them all gas fixtures1 all sewerage1 heating and water pipes2 in fact1 wrecked the building1 but a mission band is brave1 and went valiantly to work4 ,more than one hundred wagon loads of dirt were taken from the cellars4 ,we know1 for we paid ten cents a load to the dump4 ,when we had put in #ajj in glass1 it scarcely made a mark1 so large is the building4 ,it has sixty-six rooms1 some of them as large as the chapel of an ordinary church4 ,the walls have been scraped and calcimined and whitewashed2 the entire woodwork inside and all the outside has been painted2 new gas pipes and gas fixtures have been placed2 new sewerage and bath-rooms have been prepared4 ,four new fire-escapes and an electric fire-alarm system installed2 a splendid ,french steel range has been set in the kitchen2 hot and cold water supplied to various parts of the building1 etc4 ,the first meeting was held in our new building1 #baf ,john ,marshall ,place1 ,n4 ,w41 on the evening of ,april #ae1 #aiaa1 ,mr4 ,wheeler presiding4 ,we found the roof leaked so badly that in case of storm some rooms became uninhabitable4 ,again ,i was obliged to personally guarantee the payment of #ejj for a new roof4 ,again1 ,mr4 ,ernest ,gichner came to my help4 ,he put on a good roof1 built up and pointed the thirteen chimneys1 put ventilators in many chimneys1 saw to resetting1 reglazed all skylights1 and permitted us to pay him #be per month till the debt was paid off4 ,when the possibility of completing the first cleaning seemed most hopeless1 when heat1 water and gas pipes had to be replaced1 several members of the ,board pledged #ajj each4 ,to some of us that meant great self-denial4 ,mrs4 ,richard ,butler gave #ejj and ,mrs4 ,spindle #bjj2 in all we spent #ejjj in repairing and cleaning that building4 ,every step was made in faith4 ,it was wonderful how our people sacrificed to get all this done2 women who do not do such work at home came and scrubbed and cleaned2 many a poor man gave a day's work4 ,three men who readily command #c per day1 worked three months each at #a a day with room and board4 ,the people of ,washington sent us piles of old furniture1 for which we were deeply grateful4 ,then ,superintendent ,kline got a great quantity of furniture and many feet of piping for conducting heat1 and secondhand radiators at the sale of the old ,riggs ,hotel4 ,we secured a good mechanic1 and with our mechanics at the ,mission1 installed the heating plant4 ,the expenses during that time were at least #bjj per week4 ,at our ,board meeting one ,tuesday1 ,treasurer ,gordon reported #d4hd on hand4 ,all business was stopped immediately and we went to prayer telling our ,father that we had but #d4hd and the bills of the week would be due on ,saturday4 ,we had each of us done all we could afford4 ,the following ,tuesday the ,treasurer reported all bills paid and #bhd in the treasury4 ,thus ,god not only supplied all our wants1 but graciously relieved our anxiety4 ,,speaker ,,champ ,,clark ,rather an amusing incident occurred when our cleaning was most strenuous4 ,we have a large number of good women who will do good work if ,i lead1 so on one occasion ,i took a tin bucket with rags1 soap1 scrub-brush1 etc41 and went to help on work rather out of my line4 ,i started to return with the bucket in hand4 ,when ,i came to the car ,i saw the ,hon4 ,champ ,clark1 who had then very recently been elected ,speaker1 at the front of the car4 ,i was careful to take the back seat1 hoping he would not see me4 ,i had barely got seated when he came back and took a seat beside me4 ,i tried to apologize for my appearance and impedimenta4 ,he said1 8,oh1 bother6 ,never mind4 ,what fault are you ,republicans finding with me now80 and we went at the ,reciprocity ,bill1 then before the ,house1 with hammer and tongs4 ,when ,i got off at ,second ,street1 ,s4 ,e41 the ,speaker carried the bucket and handed it to me in his gallant way1 still talking of the measure before ,congress4 ,i doubt if he recognized whether it was an old tin bucket or a jewel case which he transferred to me4 ,as long as this is a faith chapter1 ,i shall here insert a statement of how ,god sent the last #cjj on our annual payment and semi-annual interest due and paid ,may #g1 #aiac4 ,this is from the ,june1 #aiac1 number of ,gospel ,tidings3 ,,how ,,the ,,lord ,,paid ,,the ,,debt ,mrs4 ,monroe's ,letter in ,lutheran ,observer of ,may #af3 8,on ,may #a 7#aiac71 we were owing at the ,gospel ,mission on the building #ae1ejj with #djf semi-annual interest4 ,we have agreed to pay #agej each year1 so we were responsible for #baef on ,may #a2 by special agreement it was not paid until the #gth4 ,i want to tell my friends who have prayed with me in this struggle how the ,lord led us4 8,at the ,board meeting1 ,tuesday1 ,april #bi1 we had #aadj in the treasury4 ,by ,wednesday morning we had #abjj4 ,thursday we had #acjj1 and on ,friday1 at ,dr4 ,stearns's class1 ,i reported #adjj in the treasury and requested ,god's children to ask for the #gef yet due4 ,by ,sunday1 ,may #d1 we had #afei1 when ,hon4 ,b4 ,h4 ,warner subscribed #bjj1 bringing our fund to #ahei4 ,a small bill reduced it to #ahef4 8,the gentleman who held the note telephoned from ,baltimore that he would not come for his money until ,wednesday1 ,may #g4 ,at the ,tuesday evening meeting five of us prayed definitely for #cjj4 ,on ,wednesday morning1 just after breakfast1 a friend telephoned1 ',please come up at once4' ,now1 that is my writing day1 and ,i felt ,i could hardly go1 but my times are in ,his hands1 and if ,he said ',go1' then that was my orders4 ,i went at once1 and my friend said1 ',i feel you are needing #cjj on your debt1 and the ,lord woke me up to tell me to hand you #cjj1 and ,i am prepared to pay it4' 8,to say how grateful we all are cannot be put into words4 ,but at this time1 when the city was being scoured for #cjj1jjj for the ,emergency ,hospital1 when the ,ohio sufferers had claimed all we thought we could spare1 for the ,board of a little mission1 dependent mostly on the poor1 as the poor man's church1 to pray down from heaven #baef of a special fund1 besides the running expenses1 which are always very heavy1 means more than money to us4 ,it seems to be the divine seal of ,god's approval on our work4 ,i had subscribed #ejj for myself and friends4 ,he graciously paid through me #fef1 and now1 with the #cjj1 ,he has made my share #ief4 8,some of the readers of the ,observer sent me money1 but more prayed for our work4 ,now1 join with us in praising ,god for a message straight from the throne of our dear1 loving heavenly ,father4 8,to everyone who helped1 even to the amount of five cents2 to those who denied themselves usual comforts to help the ,mission2 to those who gave to help provide shelter for the poor--to each of us ,he sends1 ,i am sure1 this dear message1 ',i glorify you in order that your faith may be strengthened and that you may glorify me4' ,if any of us has ever had any doubt of ,god's special providence to ,his children1 let this concrete example be a permanent love-message of assurance to every such doubter40 ,,next ,,step ,,of ,,faith ,by ,june1 #aiac1 we found that nearly every ,sunday night more than one hundred persons had to be denied entrance on account of lack of room4 ,we saw by taking down a partition on the north side of the chapel between chapel and hall1 we could seat at least one hundred more4 ,we were just over the strain of the last payment1 and we were loath to ask our friends for more help1 but as ,god continues to each of ,his children the blessings which they daily enjoy1 so each child of ,god must continue to help in ,his work1 and relying on ,him 8who worketh with us10 we ordered the wall taken out at a cost of about #ijj1 which afterward proved to be #acjj4 ,again ,i had to make myself responsible for the payment of that amount4 ,it was all paid on time4 ,in this faith chapter ,i desire to insert the following from the ,gospel ,tidings of ,june1 #aiac3 ,,mr4 ,,wheeler',s ,,story 8,at the ,sunday evening service1 ,december #ah1 #aiab1 ,mr4 ,wheeler said3 ',when ,i was in charge of religious work at the ,united ,states jail some years ago1 one ,sunday1 after service1 ,i went round1 as was my custom1 to shake hands with the men behind the bars4 ,i came to a fine-looking man1 to whom ,i said1 8,why are you here8 ,i have often seen you on the street1 and ,i have thought of you as a good citizen40 8,o ,mr4 ,wheeler1 ,i have been a good citizen4 ,my wife and ,i have a little store in ,georgetown1 where we sell oysters in the winter and ice cream in the summer4 ,my wife gave me #fe to settle our bill with the wholesale oyster man1 and ,i took a number of drinks1 and finally went into the marble saloon and took a drink with some strangers1 and as surely as ,i tell you ,i do not remember another thing until ,i found myself in a cell at the station house40' 8,on further inquiry ,mr4 ,wheeler found that the prisoner was charged with passing counterfeit money4 ,it appeared that after he came out of the saloon a ,jew was crying clothing on ,d ,street4 ,this man went into the ,jew's clothing store1 bought a suit of clothes1 for which he offered a #ej bill in payment4 ,the ,jew could not make change1 so took it to a neighbor1 who assured him the bill was bad1 and the man's arrest immediately followed4 8,mr4 ,wheeler went often to the cell to pray with and for the poor prisoner1 who devoted his time to the study of the ,gospels4 ,he was soundly converted4 ,mr4 ,wheeler said1 ',do not trust alone to your lawyer4 ,appeal to ,jesus ,christ now to clear you1 for1 as far as ,i can see1 man cannot4' 8,his lawyer told ,mr4 ,wheeler that the court would surely send the prisoner to the penitentiary4 ,on the morning of the trial several ,christian men met together and prayed over the case4 ,the court convened at #aj ,a4,m41 and the case was immediately called4 ,a stranger asked to be sworn as a witness4 ,he said about this3 ',i was in ,washington on the day this affair occurred4 ,i do not often take a drink1 but ,i happened to be in the saloon when this man came in4 ,he took a drink with two young fellows who happened to be there1 and the liquor made him drunk at once1 when one of the young fellows said1 8,it is my turn to treat1 and ,i will1 if any of you can change a #ej bill40 ,this man brought out lots of money1 and got the #ej bill in exchange4 ,i left ,washington the next day1 that is how ,i was fortunate enough to remember the date4 ,i got back yesterday1 and happened to see a statement of this case in the evening's paper1 and ,i felt simply compelled to come and give my testimony4'0 ,the prisoner was reprimanded 7which was unnecessary1 as he was a new creature in ,christ ,jesus71 but the case against him was dismissed1 as it was apparent there was no intent to defraud the ,jew4 ,his family nearly smothered him with kisses and embraces1 and he walked out a free man4 ,skeptics may say this was mere chance4 ,but how did it happen that the man came back on that day1 saw that account in the paper1 felt compelled to testify8 ,no1 ,god directed the case after it was committed to ,him4 ,,chapter ,,vii ,,varieties ,,of ,,work ,,in ,a ,,gospel ,,mission ,we are apt to think that all persons who accept the hospitality of the ,mission are low-born people2 we have not found it so4 ,there have knelt at the altar of the ,gospel ,mission1 priests and preachers1 lawyers1 doctors1 merchants1 engineers1 college men and poor chaps who have had no education but that of the street4 ,i remember one night when we were located at #abcj ,pennsylvania ,avenue1 there knelt at the altar three men1 one an ex-preacher1 one a graduate of the ,university of ,virginia1 and one the nephew of an ex-,president of the ,united ,states4 ,we believed they were all converted4 ,the preacher was in bad physical condition1 and we felt it necessary to put him into a ,christian institution for such as he for medical treatment4 ,the taste for liquor had gone1 but the ulcerated stomach and bowels remained1 also his nerves were in a dangerous condition4 ,how we ever obtained money enough to pay that man's bills for six weeks is yet a marvel1 but we did it4 ,he came out a redeemed1 humble man4 ,he went to the pastor of a large church in ,brooklyn1 whom he had known at college1 and before that large church he acknowledged his sin with shame and deep contrition4 ,the church had grace enough to accept him4 ,the congregation opened a rescue mission1 supported entirely by that church1 where for five years he has preached the gospel and has saved a hundredfold more souls than the big church which supports the mission4 ,the ,virginian never again crossed our path1 but ,mr4 ,buchanan died after three years of a good life1 an honored member of an ,episcopal church in ,washington4 ,men who have been dissipated1 even when redeemed and reformed do not1 as a usual thing1 live to old age4 ,the wages of sin is death to the body1 though the soul may enter upon eternal life4 ,among the sorrowful who nightly are to be found at the missions of this city either pensioned by their family or the government1 but not permitted to return to their homes1 is one man who was once one of the best mail agents between ,washington and ,new ,york ,city4 ,another1 the son of an ex-cabinet officer4 ,another has been ,chief ,mathematician in a government bureau1 besides about twenty wrecks of various government departments4 ,i remember the case of a well-known man in ,philadelphia4 ,he was converted one extremely cold night at the ,breakfast ,association4 ,no provision is made there for beds1 so that poor fellow started 8to carry the banner0--that is to walk the streets all night4 ,about three o'clock in the morning he was taken with a congestive chill4 ,a kind policeman1 seeing the man was ill and not drunk1 sent him at once to that blessed little ,presbyterian hospital in ,west ,philadelphia4 ,it happened that one of the ,board of ,directors of the ,breakfast ,association1 ,mr4 ,tibbals1 had given the poor fellow his card4 ,the authorities1 finding the card1 sent for ,mr4 ,tibbals4 ,the sick man had revived enough when ,mr4 ,tibbals arrived1 to give his true name and the address of his parents1 which was a number on ,fifth ,avenue1 ,new ,york ,city4 ,that street was then a residence street for very wealthy people4 ,just as soon as it could be done1 a telegram for #ajj was received in reply and we were directed to do all we could for him4 ,but the man died before night1 and ,mr4 ,tibbals was asked to take the body to ,new ,york4 ,the coffin was carried into one of the handsomest brown-stone residences on that handsome avenue4 ,the mother and father met ,mr4 ,tibbals1 and in the parlor the coffin was opened for identification4 ,it was the body of the only son of that proud family4 ,the father gave one look1 one great sob1 then seized his hat and fled4 ,the mother said1 8,o ,mr4 ,tibbals1 you think ,i am grief-stricken over his death6 ,but ,i am not even sorry4 ,this son has been a drunkard from childhood4 ,we could not keep him at home1 for he would steal everything he could carry away and sell it for whisky4 ,since we lost sight of him1 ,i have never opened a paper without fearing ,i should read his name in connection with some awful crime4 ,no1 ,i am relieved4 ,i shall know where he is4 ,i have often gotten into my carriage and have had the driver go up and down this street 7which was then covered with cobblestones7 as fast as the law permitted him to drive1 and ,i have screamed and screamed my heart out4 ,i have gone to the seashore to scream to let off my nervous strain4 ,had ,i given just one such scream in my own house1 ,i would this day be in a mad house4 ,oh1 no1 for this death1 after what you hope was a conversion1 ,i am deeply grateful to ,god60 ,and yet people wonder at ,carrie ,nation4 ,it is a wonder that grief like that does not make iconoclasts of all mothers whose sons go down the ,jericho road4 ,the following testimony1 given in the winter of #aiaa1 by one who had stood on many rounds of the social ladder1 a man who accepted redemption1 and is now kept by the power of ,god3 ,a ,,remarkable ,,testimony 8,when ,brother ,wheeler requested me to address this meeting1 ,i felt somewhat nervous1 for the simple reason that ,i had never in my life addressed a religious meeting before1 and ,i so stated to ,mr4 ,wheeler4 ,however1 ,i could not refuse him1 and here ,i am4 8,true1 in years gone by1 while down ,south1 ,i have spoken to political gatherings4 ,since ,i got religion1 ,i stopped that4 ,if ,i should ever make a political address again1 it will be in the interest of the ,prohibition party4 ,i regret that ,i have no experience in addressing a religious meeting1 and ,i1 therefore1 ask you to be patient with me1 especially as1 due to previous engagements1 ,i was unable to prepare myself1 except in so far that ,i have decided to make a few remarks on personal salvation1 and by the term personal ,i have my own in mind4 8,i want to tell you something about my own experience1 how ,i had lost my ,god and found ,him again4 ,a man born and reared on the ,bowery or any of its side streets in ,new ,york ,city1 a man who from his childhood on has been influenced by evil-minded and sinful people1 has never heard of ,christ1 and in the course of time becomes a hardened criminal1 such a man may be condemned by mankind1 but never by ,god4 8,a man born and raised in a comfortable1 refined home1 who has been taught the doctrines of ,christ1 has confessed his belief that ,christ is ,his ,saviour1 has a full knowledge of right and wrong and of the duties he owes his fellow-man--if such a man becomes a willing victim to sensual pleasures1 he may not be condemned by mankind1 but ,god will condemn him1 unless he repents and starts to lead a new1 clean life4 8,only too often men are so completely wrapped up in their personal matters1 as1 for instance1 in their business affairs1 that they absolutely lose sight of the obligations they owe ,god1 and also their fellow-men1 and1 as a natural result1 neglect their souls4 8,i honestly believe that such a man is more to be pitied than the ones who1 either through their own fault or being victims of circumstances1 have lost their hold in life and finally found themselves 'down and out4' ,a man may temporarily be without food and shelter1 but this is nothing compared to trying to live without ,god4 ,however1 a man who is a wanderer on the face of the earth and who has lost his ,god1 is indeed a wretched being4 ,i am speaking from experience4 8,for years ,i had violated the divine laws4 ,i had been what is generally termed a society man1 'way down ,south4 ,i enjoyed a large income1 but ,i spent everything for worldly pleasures4 ,finally1 ,i became disgusted with my surroundings2 but1 better still1 ,i became disgusted with myself4 ,i drifted to ,new ,york ,city1 determined to live a new life4 ,this occurred about fourteen years ago4 ,up to that time ,i had not been within or even near a church for seven years4 ,the ,new ,york atmosphere apparently did not agree with me4 ,instead of leading a clean1 moral life--by that ,i understood at that time a life simply conforming to the requirements of the social laws 7the divine laws did not exist for me7--,i became worse than ,i had ever been4 8,although ,i made good money1 as the saying is1 ,i was1 nevertheless1 broke all the time4 ,i voluntarily gave up several splendid positions because objections had been made to my reporting late in the morning for duty1 and1 having become rather nervous1 ,i practically found it impossible to get along with anyone4 ,i had become a slave to my habits1 and finally associated with the 'has beens1' as they are sometimes called4 8,there is not a man in this room who knows more about the life on the east side of ,new ,york than ,i do4 ,i know full well what it means to be hungry and homeless4 ,i have worked as a longshoreman1 newspaperman1 cook1 bookkeeper and correspondent4 ,i have been running hot frankfurter stands1 etc41 sometimes ,i had two jobs in one day4 ,i was given a wonderful taste of the ups and downs in ,new ,york ,city1 especially the downs4 ,i certainly am grateful to ,providence for subjecting me to that awful experience in ,new ,york ,city1 for in that way ,i learned to know human nature4 ,i learned to know that the so-called submerged masses were composed of human beings1 not brainless individuals2 that1 as a matter of fact1 there are better people1 especially morally1 among the poor than among the so-called society people4 8,i might be asked why it was that ,i did not find ,god again1 when ,i was down and out in ,new ,york ,city4 ,christ was knocking1 knocking all the time to enter my heart1 but ,i had become a cynic and would not let ,him in4 ,i used to think in those times that if there was a just ,god ,i would not be in such a sorrowful plight4 ,the trouble with me was1 ,i did not have enough sense to admit that my condition was simply due to my own faults and to nothing else4 8,during my stay in ,new ,york ,i have met many saintly people1 men and women who devoted their time1 energy and money to the uplift of the homeless and the friendless4 ,those good people tried their best to have me converted4 ,they did not succeed because ,i was not willing and because ,i actually believed most of my friends who were in charge of the several missions that ,i was in the habit of attending were suffering from hallucinations1 although perfectly honest in their self-imposed task4 ,illustration3 ,,penny ,,lunch ,,room 8,the greatest evil in ,new ,york ,city is1 as everywhere1 the saloon4 ,the majority of you men present here this evening must admit if it were not for the saloon you would not be here as applicants for bodily assistance4 ,there are evil spirits in us and around us to lead us astray2 the devil's worst temptation is whisky or any other intoxicating drink4 ,man was made in the image of ,god2 when a man gets drunk he is worse than a beast4 ,a man will get drunk again and again1 a beast will not1 having seemingly more sense than a man4 ,the saloon is the greatest foe to the spread of the gospel4 ,in most cases the saloon-keeper knows quite well that he is a highway robber1 that his business is ruining untold thousands of men1 women and children1 but as his so-called business is a legalized one1 he may continue indirectly committing murder4 8,really ,i have more respect for the highwayman and robber than for a saloon-keeper4 ,during my voluntary and involuntary observations in ,new ,york and elsewhere1 ,i have come to the conclusion that ,christ would conquer the world in much less time if only the awful saloon and dive could be eliminated4 8,in my travels in this country and in the foreign countries1 ,i have met many people who by word and deed were spreading the gospel4 ,some of them naturally inquired of me whether ,i had been converted4 ,my answer was ',no1' because1 as a matter of fact1 ,i did not know the meaning of the word converted4 ,i was told to seek ,christ and the meaning would be made plain to me4 ,evidently ,i was not sufficiently willing to meet ,christ half way1 and thus ,i wasted years of my life before ,i finally submitted to the pleadings of the ,saviour4 8,while ,i was in the ,philippine ,islands1 twelve years ago1 ,i was deeply impressed with the different attitudes of the officers and enlisted men when on the firing line4 ,it was plain1 even to the casual observer1 that the men who were thoroughly devout ,christians--and there are many thousands of ,christians in our army--were not afraid to face the bullets1 but the men who were agnostics and unbelievers1 whatever that may mean1 were so nervous and excited that they hardly knew what they were doing1 or they were downright cowards4 8,in my own case ,i was not afraid of death1 as ,i had given very little thought to such a possibility2 besides ,i had become more or less indifferent to life and possible death4 ,one hot summer day1 while fighting the ,filipinos1 ,i was shot through the head4 ,an army surgeon bandaged me up as best he could and then assured me ,i was very likely not to live through the day4 8,if ,i ever got scared1 it was then1 and if ever ,i prayed1 it was then1 in spite of the excruciating pains ,i suffered4 ,the words of a comrade1 who was a fine soldier1 though not a thorough ,christian1 uttered by him shortly before ,i was wounded1 were constantly ringing in my ears1 namely1 ',a man may possibly live without ,christ1 but he cannot die without ,christ4' 8,for a month or so the doctors and nurses did not think ,i would live1 but ,god spared my life1 and no doubt for a purpose4 ,for six months ,i was unable to utter a word1 as the bullet had passed through my tongue4 ,it was well for me ,i could not talk to any human being1 but ,i could talk to ,god4 ,during those months ,i lived my entire life over again4 ,i promised ,god to become a better man4 ,true1 ,i became more earnest in my views of life1 ,i realized the value of the golden rule1 but ,i was not converted4 ,i could not yet understand the meaning of the word4 8,the ,red ,cross nurses1 who at the beginning of the trouble in the ,philippines were in charge of the hospital1 were not only experts in their profession1 but were splendid types of self-sacrificing ,christians1 and their presence alone made the patients think of their mothers or sisters or other dear ones at home1 thousands of miles away1 and thus unconsciously these nurses1 noble representatives of womanhood1 frequently wrought a change for the better in the hearts of the wounded soldiers4 8,while ,i was a patient at ,manilla ,i saw many a man pass out of this life4 ,the man with ,christ in his heart died with a smile on his lips1 knowing he had done his duty and that ,christ would meet him4 ,the unbeliever suffered agonies4 8,i was wounded almost twelve years ago1 not a day has passed without my communicating with ,god1 and ,god was always willing to talk with me1 when ,i addressed ,him4 ,as a result of my experience in the ,philippines ,i spent almost three years in the hospital4 ,i thank ,god ,he made me suffer1 it was the only possible way for me to find ,him again4 ,my conversion did not take place all at once1 it took place gradually4 ,god used different means and ways in recalling me4 ,i cannot mention them here without baring my life to you1 which may be of no interest to you4 ,let me assure you no man can succeed without ,christ4 ,a man may amass a fortune1 but if he neglects his soul his life is of little value4 8,among the applicants at different missions1 ,i have met men who claimed the good people in charge were nothing but hypocrites4 ,it is certainly strange that those fellows apply to hypocrites for help4 ,why don't they go to the agnostic or to the unbeliever8 8,follow my advice1 first seek ,christ2 ,he is always ready and willing to accept you2 the rest is easy4 ,a drunkard cannot become sober by taking the ,keeley cure or anything like that4 ,the desire for drink is often inherited1 medicine will not cure the sufferer1 only ,god's grace can cure him4 8,why is it that the man who lives with ,christ is always happy1 even under adverse circumstances1 and the man without ,him is1 as a rule1 nothing but an egotist8 ,you can easily find the answer yourself4 ,come to ,christ1 and1 if you are willing to come1 why not now80 ,,chapter ,,viii ,,the ,,need ,,of ,,rescue ,,work ,as early as the fall of #aiji we put out this call3 ,,central ,,bureau ,,of ,,labor 8,the ,district of ,columbia needs a ,labor ,bureau to which our ,mission and the ,associated ,charities can send men and women out of employment4 ,the ,bureau1 being a government affair1 should know where labor is needed and should furnish transportation to such places1 whether it be to the cotton fields of the ,south1 the harvest fields of the ,west1 or the manufactories of ,new ,england4 8,such a ,bureau should secure from the railroads concessions1 such as they give to immigrants1 in sending our unemployed to the fields of labor4 8,unless ,society1 with a big ',s1' reaches a hand to the unemployed these people will surely become a menace to our great cities1 and on some sad day they will dynamite our public buildings4 8,we1 who work among them1 know their sorrow1 their anguish1 their despair1 which will end in desperation1 unless relief is furnished4 8,use your influence to secure a ,central ,national ,bureau of ,labor for the unemployed4 ,the strong and wealthy can care for themselves1 but a good government should concern itself with its weaker members40 ,the ,survey 7published in ,new ,york7 is now 7#aiac7 steadily advocating something of this kind1 and now ,congress 7,october1 #aiac17 is considering the matter4 ,,for ,,the ,,unemployed ,an organization or industrial army of the ,united ,states was provided for in a bill presented to the ,senate by ,senator ,poindexter1 upon the request of ,r4 ,a4 ,dague1 of ,creston1 ,iowa4 ,eligible to membership in the army would be any unemployed man more than sixteen years old4 ,the ,secretary of ,labor would be the recruiting officer1 but an 8industrial general10 at a salary of #bej a month1 would command the forces4 ,the army1 according to the bill1 would not bear side arms or fight bloody battles1 but would be employed in labor at harbors1 forts1 government buildings1 irrigation ditches1 canals and other public works of the nation1 state and municipality4 ,residents in the ,united ,states who become members would receive #b a day1 8together with board and lodging10 while those who have been in ,america less than five years would receive only #a4ej4 ,foreigners who hereafter come to ,america would receive only #be cents a day1 which would be wrong4 ,we expect from the ,united ,states government that ideal justice1 even to a foreign workman1 which we shall each receive when we stand in the presence of ,eternal ,justice4 ,all this shows that the idea of a ,bureau of ,labor which will help the laborer is steadily growing4 ,,an ,,incident ,,of ,,the ,,winter ,,of #aiaj ,one day ,mrs4 ,kline1 the wife of the ,superintendent of the ,gospel ,mission1 phoned me1 8,we have a man here so covered with vermin that ,i cannot let him into the house1 yet he seems to be an educated man4 ,this was at the ,industrial ,department on ,fourteenth ,street1 before we had our new building4 ,what shall ,i do now80 8,call ,donavan1 ,hall and ,happy1 and take him to the woodshed and have a tub of warm water2 let the men give him a thorough bath1 barber him and wrap him in blankets1 till we can get clothes for him40 ,that was done4 ,we found ,taylor an educated man1 a graduate of the ,university of ,pennsylvania1 the editor of a paper in a suburb of ,philadelphia4 ,he claimed that he had been 8shanghaied10 that is1 drugged and carried on board an oyster boat as a common laborer4 ,he had gone to ,baltimore to go on a drunk1 hoping his friends would not find him out1 but his ,nemesis was there waiting for him4 ,he had been kept six weeks on the oyster boat1 had been forced to bunk with negroes and common roustabouts4 ,after he became sober1 ,i fancy the owners of the boat saw that they had captured the wrong man1 and would gladly have gotten rid of him4 ,they did not dare approach land lest their entire crew escape2 at last he was put aboard a passing boat and sent to ,washington4 ,he was over six feet high1 of fine physique1 about thirty-two years of age4 ,we did not find it easy to get clothing suitable for such a person4 ,the day came when he was able to attend the services at the ,mission4 ,he kneeled at the altar1 and we hoped he was converted4 ,we greatly wanted him to bring suit against the oyster men1 but that would have made his case public1 and he did not desire that4 ,he readily secured a place on one of our city papers as the purveyor of automobile news1 but when pay day came he got drunk and fell down the stairs and broke his arm4 ,his system was in bad condition and he was obliged to go to the free ward of ,providence ,hospital4 ,we now wrote to his family1 and his mother came for him in a big touring car from ,philadelphia and took him home1 but the exposure and dissipation had done their perfect work1 and he only lived a few months4 ,he seemed1 from all accounts1 a truly penitent man1 but only at the judgment day shall we know whether he entered into the rest prepared for the children of ,god only4 ,another experience in the winter of #aiaa gave us a still lower opinion of the oyster men of the lower ,chesapeake ,bay4 ,mr4 ,hall telephoned me1 one cold slippery day1 8,do come down at once1 the oyster men are in4 ,mr4 ,kline is away1 and the men are in bad condition40 ,i went at once4 ,the halls were full of them2 many had only overalls1 shirt and shoes without stockings2 they looked frozen4 ,i ordered coffee and rolls at my expense till ,i could call help4 ,i feared if ,i opened the clothing room they would raid it1 so great were their needs4 ,it was too slippery for women to venture out1 so ,i began phoning to members of the ,lutheran ,church whom ,i believed would come4 ,one man in a bank said1 8,i am not a clerk4 ,i can't go out this kind of weather for that class of men40 ,i replied1 8,i saw you at communion last ,sunday1 and ,i venture you promised your ,god to serve wherever you were needed2 here is your first call40 8,i shall come at once and bring three other members of the church with me40 ,that winter the ,luther ,memorial ,church1 of ,erie1 ,pa41 had sent us a large box of men's clothing1 every article mended1 clean and in good condition1 and just the week before a charitable organization1 at ,chevy ,chase1 ,md41 had sent us two large barrels of men's clothing1 and a full half bushel of socks nicely darned and every article clean4 ,so we put trousers on one pile1 coats on another1 vests on another1 underclothes on another1 a churchman at each pile4 ,i had charge of the socks1 then ,mr4 ,ifft1 of the ,luther ,memorial ,church1 in the next room superintended the trying on1 fitting and exchanging garments4 ,as we handed each garment we said about this1 8,the ladies of the different churches send you these garments with their love and sympathy40 ,many a poor fellow1 all unused to blessing1 said1 8,god bless the churches for remembering such as us40 ,in an hour's time we clothed over seventy-five men4 ,a few did not need complete outfits4 ,we never supposed we had that many garments on hand1 but that day cleared out all we had in reserve4 ,among these men were two ,welsh boys1 both ,christians1 not long in this country4 ,they had not known the strength of ,american liquors 7which were doubtless drugged72 they were very contrite and were at once put to work1 one as a furnaceman1 the other in the wood yard4 ,we hear the ,united ,states revenue cutters have been after the oyster men and shanghaiing is no longer a common crime4 ,when a friend looked in on that crowd of superior business men helping distribute clothing and saying words of consolation to the broken men1 he said1 8,i believe in my soul you would order in the ,president of the ,united ,states to help at the ,gospel ,mission40 8,oh1 no60 ,i replied1 8,president ,taft1 good man as he is1 would not be permitted to drive so much as a tack at the ,gospel ,mission4 ,he does not recognize ,jesus as ,his ,saviour2 only orthodox ,christians who can tell the sinner of the redeeming power of ,jesus the ,christ can successfully work in a rescue mission like this40 ,,the ,,holidays are a sore trial to the homeless or to the recently bereaved4 ,often women of the highest social rank come to the ,gospel ,mission on ,thanksgiving1 ,christmas and ,new ,year's1 when we give a good dinner to everyone who applies4 7,these women forget their own woes as they serve others47 ,the subjoined newspaper letter will give you a good picture of one such occasion3 ,,thanksgiving ,,day ,,at ,,the ,,mission ,,of #aiaj 8,it is a very curious thing to say1 that while ,i saw no relative of mine1 being far separated from all of my kindred1 while ,i had no time to accept the hospitality of friends1 but ate my dinner at my boarding house1 so as to be at the ,mission for service1 yet it was one of the happiest days of my life4 ,it is wonderful the kindness ,god puts into the hearts of ,his people at this season4 ,not a member of the ,mission has wealth1 yet ,god gave us means through ,his children to feed between three and four hundred people4 ,a little ,ohio ,joint ,synod ,lutheran church at ,fulton1 ,md41 sent us a dozen chickens1 two bushels of potatoes1 some fine apples1 turnips1 beets1 cabbage1 etc4 ,we bought fifteen turkeys1 a lot of hams1 then the ,new ,willard ,hotel prepared our fowls and other meats1 and the ,raleigh ,hotel prepared and cooked all our vegetables1 adding enormous pans of baked beans1 and all this they did free of charge4 8,bakers sent us bread and pies1 florists sent us great quantities of flowers1 so that we were able to feed all comers and send out a number of baskets to poor families4 ,this was the bodily side2 the spiritual side was even better4 8,the services began at twelve o'clock noon1 and lasted until ten at night1 with a change of leaders1 musicians and varying audiences each hour4 8,two boys1 about sixteen and eighteen years old1 had walked all the way from ,richmond1 ,va4 ,as they fed their famished bodies1 one said1 ',o ,jim1 did you ever before hear of such a place where one can really get all he wants to eat1 can get a hot bath1 can get one night's lodging all for nothing8 ,i am so tired ,i just couldn't walk any more6' 8,one man1 about thirty years of age1 simply prostrated himself at the altar1 and cried aloud to ,god for pardon4 ,after he rose he said about this1 ',i came from the workhouse this morning an angry1 outraged man1 after thirty days' sentence4 ,i felt my punishment was a great injustice4 ,my hand was against every man1 for ,i felt every man's hand was against me4 ,i was ready for any crime4 ,someone met me and said1 8,go to the ,gospel ,mission40 ,i answered1 ',i prefer to go to the saloon and get drunk and forget for a few hours my sorrows and loneliness4' ,but the friend brought me here4 ,you have given me a good dinner1 but that is the least1 you have reached the friendly hand4 ,brother ,wheeler says ,i can make this my headquarters till ,i get work4 ,i am a skilled mechanic1 and ,i can soon get my place back again1 and now ,i want to say ,god has forgiven me my sins1 and they are so black and so many4 ,i was a ,christian in my early life1 so ,i know what ,i am talking about when ,i promise my ,god and all you1 my friends1 that1 ,god helping me1 ,i1 this day1 take ,christ for my ,saviour and ,i will love and serve ,him all the days of my life4' ,that of itself paid me for all ,i could do4 8,from three to five people came to the altar for prayer each hour1 and the last hour saw nine young men pleading for forgiveness1 and promising a new life4 ,in all1 ,i should say1 that about fifty people asked for prayers and twenty-five people sought pardon4 8,we had a great singer1 ,mrs4 ,fitch1 whose singing was greatly used of ,god to call men to repentance4 ,thanksgiving ,day was a great day on earth1 at the ,gospel ,mission1 and a great day among the angels of heaven who saw sinners redeemed40 ,,christmas ,,at ,,the ,,gospel ,,mission of #aiji was described by the writer in the following sketch of the ,january1 #aiaj1 ,gospel ,tidings3 8,christmas at a mission takes on a great element of thanksgiving2 first for the great gift of ,god--and no anthems sound so sweet1 so deep1 reaching into the deep places of the soul as1 ',now1 when ,jesus was born in ,bethlehem4' 8,the first thing on ,christmas ,day was to remember our brothers in bonds4 ,down at the barracks in the guard-house1 we have two converted men4 ,one a soldier whom we believe is receiving four times the punishment for neglect of target practice which he ought to receive2 we can only counsel patience1 comfort by our visits and send him a good dinner4 8,then a dear ,jewish brother is there4 ,he had been in the army two years ago1 but he was baited1 tormented and outraged in his poetic soul until he deserted4 ,after that he was converted1 and felt with us that he must go back and take whatever the ,united ,states had for him4 ,one of our workers went with him to the ,secretary of ,war1 who said1 ',why1 man1 don't come to me2 take a carriage for fear you be arrested on the street4' ,mr4 ,ellison1 our helper1 took a carriage and went directly to the ,commandant at the barracks4 ,the ,commandant said1 ',we are sorry for ,mr4 ,l41 but he will get two years in the penitentiary at hard labor4' 8,mr4 ,ellison said1 ',commander1 this man is the servant of the living ,god2 you will give to this ,jew that mercy you yourself will at the last expect from the ,judge of all the earth1 who came to this world as a ,jew4' ,well1 it would be a long story to tell of the court-martial1 but1 in answer to prayer1 the ,jew got only six months in the guard house1 and that time will expire this month4 8,then two poor workmen are in the hospital1 and four sinners who promised reformation in the workhouse1 must have a remembrance4 ,kindness in shame often leads men to ,christ4 8,but the great event of the day was the service from twelve to one o'clock1 followed by a dinner at which from two hundred to three hundred lonely men were fed4 ,in the evening a service1 at which the old1 old story of love is told1 heart-broken men are redeemed1 and we all go home wondering at the never-ending miracle of the gospel1 which takes tongues which blaspheme and makes them sing ,god's praises1 feet that walk in the ways of sin and makes them run in the ways of righteousness1 hands that steal and makes them do ,god's service4 ,oh1 it is a wonderful gospel1 and a wonderful ,saviour6 8',o ye priests of the ,lord1 bless ye the ,lord1 praise and exalt ,him above all forever4 ,o ye servants of the ,lord1 bless ye the ,lord1 praise and exalt ,him above all forever4 ,o ye spirits and souls of the righteous1 bless ye the ,lord1 praise and exalt ,him above all forever4 ,o ye that are holy and humble of heart1 bless ye the ,lord1 and praise and exalt ,him above all forever4'0 ,,new ,,year',s ,,eve ,and ,new ,year's at a ,rescue ,mission is an interesting time4 ,men have wandered the streets for a week1 when it seemed to them every other human being on earth was happy but themselves2 they see happiness in every passing face1 they have caught glimpses of ,christmas trees through open doors1 they have sensed the appetizing smells of good dinners1 they have witnessed at the railroad stations and even on the streets the reunion of families1 they have heard the deep-toned organs from churches1 they have heard the ragtime music of happy people about the home piano1 and they only unloved1 unloving1 uncomforted1 lonely men walk the lonely streets of our great cities4 ,is it any wonder that memory calls up the time when they too were in happy homes1 when mothers' arms encircled them1 when a father's benediction was on their young heads1 and1 like the prodigal son1 they say1 8,i will arise and go to my ,father08 ,every one of them knows that sin is the cause of his downfall1 and they also know that they must get right with ,god before they can forsake evil habits4 ,scarcely one of them but what has tried again and again to leave off their grosser sins but have failed1 but when at the watch-night service they are told of a ,saviour mighty to save1 hope comes again to the broken-hearted4 ,i remember one occasion at the ,breakfast ,association1 ,philadelphia1 at the twilight service1 ,new ,year's ,eve1 ,i saw five hundred men stand for prayer at one time4 ,our ,mission is much smaller1 but on ,new ,year's ,eve and during ,new ,year's ,day1 when we have a continuous service from #ab o'clock midday to #i4cj ,p4,m41 with an entire change of leaders and musicians each hour1 ,i have seen your nominal ,christian1 the toper1 the criminal1 all so overcome by the convicting power of the ,holy ,spirit that social differences melted away and they knelt side by side at the mercy seat2 we have seen fifty people enter into covenant relations with ,god in that pivotal period of the year1 and we have seen most of them keep the faith4 ,think of a church holding a meeting nine and a half hours long2 in most churches the pastor and the elders would have the last three hours or more all alone4 ,but at the ,mission the interest deepens so that it is hard to dismiss even at a late hour4 ,,the ,,forger ,,from ,,new ,,haven ,it was at one of those long services ,i saw a ,new ,england man brought under deep conviction1 and at last yield to the ,spirit1 make confession and receive ,christ4 ,it was about #d ,p4,m4 when he arose to tell his story of sin4 ,he said1 8,i have committed a crime against the ,state1 and ,i want to know if ,i can be forgiven before that is made good4 ,i want to see three members of the ,board alone40 ,three of the men went into consultation with him4 ,it proved that he had forged a check at ,new ,haven for #cjj1 had collected the money and had escaped4 ,he was told1 8,god will forgive you now and undertake for you in case you promise full restitution40 ,he kneeled at the altar1 began to pray out loud1 promised restitution and promised to bear patiently any punishment the ,state demanded4 ,a worker was sent with him to ,new ,haven4 ,he went first to his own father1 who said1 8,john1 ,i never want to see your face here2 you had no business to come back1 for you will be sent to prison and disgrace us all40 8,but1 father1 ,i am converted1 ,i mean to take my punishment1 then live a true man ever after40 8,oh6 that is different2 in that case1 ,i will help you all ,i can40 ,they went at once to the man whose name had been forged4 ,they found him very bitter at first1 but when ,john told his story of how ashamed and sorry he was1 and added1 8,i have come back to take my punishment1 then ,i want to be a good man and a good citizen all the rest of my life40 ,at this point the father said1 8,mr4 ,percy1 ,i will gladly pay back the #cjj and interest if you think you can forgive ,john40 ,that was done and the prosecution withdrawn4 ,the episode had a little after-clap4 ,john came back to ,washington1 and came at once to the writer4 ,he said1 8,mrs4 ,monroe1 ,i want you to ask ,miss ,stanislaus if she will marry me40 8,why1 ask her yourself1 man2 ,i am not in practice in handling love matters40 8,no1 you see my red head and freckled face and freckled hands make me so homely ,i am afraid to ask4 ,do see her for me40 ,this ,i did4 ,she accepted him1 and he obtained a situation in the mountains of ,north ,carolina as a school teacher4 ,he preaches on ,sunday and they both teach all week and seem to be doing good work4 ,the ,gospel ,tidings1 of ,december1 #aiaj1 had this notice3 ,,what ,,will ,,you ,,do1 ,,fellow-,,christians8 8,eleven men1 cold1 hungry and friendless1 the night of ,december #e1 said1 ',mr4 ,kline1 for ,god's sake1 give us work6' ,he replied1 ',we do not have the work to give until we get wood-cutting machines4' ,mrs4 ,monroe said1 ',i shall trust ,god's people to help me on that1 even though the horse and wagon are not yet paid for4' ,so she personally took the risk of the #ej needed to put in the machinery4 ,her friends will remember that a great fire three years ago not only destroyed her property1 but also her means of making money4 ,illustration3 #aj ,,and #ae ,,cent ,,dormitories 8',blessed is he that considereth the poor1 the ,lord will deliver him in the time of trouble4' 8,the ,gospel ,mission ,board feel that when the necessities of men are so great as in this call that it is ,god's call to help by giving them means to help themselves4 ,maybe in these suffering men your ,saviour passes by40 ,the ,christian people of ,washington made a generous response to that call1 and by the next issue of the ,tidings we announced that we could give fifty cents a day for six hours' work1 leaving time to hunt a better place1 and yet pay lodgings and food4 ,the ,october ,tidings of #aiaj said3 ,a ,,menace 8,what is the most important question now in ,washington8 ,from our standpoint it is the care of the unfortunate and the sinful4 ,why8 ,in order to protect your home4 ,when a man walks the streets hungry1 cold and friendless1 and looks through the window of your happy home and he sees you surrounded with the comforts he lacks1 do you know you are in danger8 ,unless the unfortunate are comforted1 they will surely dynamite our great cities4 8,the ,gospel ,mission stands between you and this danger4 ,we make these sons of sorrow realize that they need be only temporarily sidetracked from the great highway of success1 that the grace of ,god1 their renewed will power and our friendly hand may yet restore them to home1 friends and society1 and make them useful men40 ,,chapter ,,ix ,,the ,,penny ,,lunch ,,and ,,free ,,dispensary ,the following is a letter written by ,mr4 ,george ,w4 ,wheeler1 which was published in our ,gospel ,tidings1 of ,february1 #aiaa3 ,,penny ,,lunch 8,in an experience of twenty-six years in active1 earnest1 aggressive ,rescue ,mission work in this city1 the writer cannot recall that any line of secular work taken up for the amelioration of the poor has ever called forth such universal expressions of interest1 sympathy and co-operation as the ',penny ,lunch and ,newsboys' ,waiting ,room1' opened by the ,gospel ,mission1 at #cjd ,fourteenth ,street1 on ,saturday1 ,february #d4 ,the city papers published pictures of the interior and exterior1 and a portrait of our ,superintendent1 ,mr4 ,kline1 and were most generous in their endorsement of the enterprise1 while the ,new ,york ,times and other papers spread the news far and wide that the cost of living had been solved in ,washington by the ,gospel ,mission ',penny ,lunch4' 8,the opening of this lunch-room was made possible by a noble ,christian woman of wealth1 who was born1 reared and now resides in this city4 ,her interest was aroused by reading a statement of the work and needs of the ,gospel ,mission1 prepared by our ,superintendent1 and she came to see about the matter1 learned its approximate cost1 and sent a check to pay the expenses4 8,for two weeks or more ,mr4 ,kline and his assistants were busy papering1 painting1 etc41 and finally the steam table and coffee urns1 with many other essentials of a twentieth century up-to-date lunch-room were installed and the doors were opened to a waiting crowd4 ,mrs4 ,kline oversees the cooking1 and everything is as clean and neat as in one's home4 8,the menu consists of the following articles3 ,coffee1 #a penny2 bread or rolls1 #a penny2 beans1 #a penny2 doughnuts1 #a penny2 sour1 #a penny2 beef stew1 #c pennies2 one-half pie1 #c pennies4 ,a lunch1 consisting of soup1 meat1 vegetables1 bread and coffee1 #e cents4 ,this brings a well-cooked1 clean1 nourishing meal within the reach of all who have any income whatever4 8,it was amusing to see the class of men and boys who came to have their appetites satisfied at the lowest cost4 ,newsboys1 messenger boys1 laboring men1 teamsters1 and all kinds of indescribables came1 and they appeared greatly surprised to find such an attractive room with all the 'latest improvements' found in a lunch-room4 ,and how they did eat6 ,a big soup plate filled to the brim with bean soup1 a big china cup filled with steaming hot coffee1 a big brown roll or three slices of ,corby's ',mother's ,bread4' ,these were good1 and 'mighty filling at the price4' 8,well1 the ',penny ,lunch' is launched1 and whether the prices charged will pay the cost of the material1 cooking and serving1 or not1 we feel certain that any little deficiency that may occur will be cheerfully met by the well-to-do of our community4 8,a coffee-roasting firm has pledged five pounds of good coffee each week for use at the ',penny ,lunch' room1 and we are sure dealers in other lines will be glad to assist4 ,corby ,brothers have been furnishing from fifty to seventy-five loaves of bread for our 'bread line' for many months1 and ,browning ,baines1 coffee dealers1 have supplied six pounds of coffee a week for a long time past4 8,we greatly appreciate the generous co-operation of all these dear friends1 who help us to help others to help themselves40 ,the benefits of the ,penny ,lunch can never be told till the books of eternity are opened1 but some idea may be gathered when we state that the report of the bread line from ,may #ab1 #aiaa1 to ,may #ab1 #aiab1 was #da1gej1 but the report from ,may #ab1 #aiab1 to ,may #ab1 #aiac1 was #ah1iej4 ,the ,bread ,line is the name of a service at #f ,a4,m41 the year round1 when bread and black coffee is served to all who come for it4 ,if people will come before daylight in the winter1 or at that early hour in the summer for coffee1 without cream or sugar1 and a quarter of a loaf of bread1 we believe they need it1 and we gladly give it1 not as a charity1 but as a visible token of our sympathy4 ,now1 the fact that #bb1hjj fewer people took bread and coffee free in the year #aiab to #aiac1 compared with the preceding year1 can only be accounted for that when a man has a few pennies in his pocket he could buy a satisfactory breakfast1 and gladly did so rather than to line up for an unrequited kindness4 ,how shamed many men were to take food in the bread line1 but the loving word sweetened many a bitter cup4 ,once a hand so unusually white and well-kept reached for the cup of coffee4 ,mrs4 ,kline looked up and saw the face of a man who had been a minister of the gospel4 ,she said1 8,brother1 take only the coffee1 we want you to take breakfast at our family table this morning40 ,he sat down to drink the coffee with bitter tears coursing down his shamed face4 ,of course1 every kindness was shown him1 8for need has its right1 and necessity its claim10 then the blessed ,spirit came in and lo1 he prayed1 and ,god received back to a useful life a man who had found sorrow and sin bitter and the tears of remorse salt4 ,,what ,,dr4 ,,hallimond1 ,,of ,,the ,,new ,,york ,,bowery ,,mission1 ,,says ,,about ,,the ,,bread ,,line 8,there are in the ,bowery men who never sleep in a lodging house because they have not the price1 and they get their bed either by stealing or begging1 and eat out of the garbage boxes4 ,you who have never been to the ,bowery know nothing of the agony or remorse that these men feel4 ,now1 what are we to do with them8 ,there is not anybody to look after them but us4 ,oh1 the horrors of the homeless man6 ,it is the many little comforts that go to make our comfortable life4 ,they cannot keep clean4 ,they cannot brush their clothes or comb their hair1 they cannot take their shoes off their poor tired feet4 ,these men gather there in the great meetings1 and among them are many that are in the last stages of physical weakness4 ,many of them ought to be in the hospital instead of walking the street day and night4 ,many of them are dying of hunger4 ,sometimes we cannot get men to understand that we have people in our meetings that are dying of hunger4 ,i am not using any figure of speech4 ,it is not an unheard-of thing for men to drop dead in our meetings4 ,that is why we have the 'bread line4' ,we dare not fail to help these people4 ,people sometimes come to us with the very best of intentions1 talking to us of the sin of indiscriminate charity2 but1 bless your life6 is not ,god indiscriminate1 for does not ,he cause the rain to fall on the just and unjust8 ,did ,jesus ,christ ever go through the hungry crowds and find out who was worthy and who was unworthy8 ,did ,he not spend ,his life to help just such men8 ,these dear people some of them are spending seventy-five cents to find out where the other twenty-five cents is to go4 ,i have made up my mind that if ,i ever find a man dying on my doorstep of hunger1 and ,i can do anything to save him1 ,i am going to do it1 whether he deserves it or whether he does not4 8,that is the origin of our bread line about which you have heard so much4 ,we cannot help but have a bread line4 ,in fact1 ,i refuse to allow our work to be called a charity4 ,it is not a charity1 it is brotherly kindness4 ,it is not a charity1 but a kind hospitality1 just a little evidence1 just a little token1 that there is somebody who cares for their poor weary hearts which these destitute brothers of ours possess4 ,as long as the bread line exists1 and ,god helping1 it shall exist as long as there is need for it1 people must know that there is something wrong with our social system1 a problem that we cannot solve but that is up to the politician4 ,as long as we are in this great1 rich country with all the extravagances of wealth1 then the bread line shall tell that there is something wrong1 and that our ,declaration of ,independence1 declaring1 as it does1 for 'life1 liberty and the pursuit of happiness1' is but a delusion and a snare40 ,this seems a long interlude to the ,penny ,lunch chapter1 but you can see the lunch counter where five cents can buy beans1 bread and coffee1 saves many a man from feeling that he takes charity4 ,the bread line was instituted to fortify a man's stomach against needing to go to the saloon in the morning for the free lunch1 also to give strength to a poor fellow so he could search for work4 ,the bread line food given each morning will not of itself sustain life1 as we found out to our sorrow4 ,one ,tuesday night1 as the writer entered the ,mission for the purpose of conducting the service1 ,i found the men at the door excited4 ,on inquiry1 ,i found a man lying on the front seat dying4 ,the ,emergency ,hospital ambulance had already been called4 ,i found a man who twenty years ago had been a leading patent attorney of this city4 ,i saw the soul was about to depart4 ,i said1 8,mr4 ,west1 say1 ',lord ,jesus1 receive my spirit4'0 8,no1 ,i have lived wicked1 ,i shall die wicked40 8,o son1 say1 ',lord ,jesus1 forgive me4'0 8,too late1 too late2 ,i have heard you all1 night after night1 and ,i have rejected ,christ4 ,i must die as ,i have lived40 ,i motioned the choir to sing softly1 8,jesus receiveth sinful men40 ,i bent over him1 urging repentance2 the ambulance men were at my side1 they picked him up and laid him carefully on the stretcher4 ,i said1 8,dear ,mr4 ,west1 we are praying for you1 pray for yourself40 ,i kept my hand tenderly on his head as the stretcher was slowly carried out1 but he continued to say1 8,too late1 too late for me40 ,he died within an hour1 and the post-mortem showed he had died of inanition caused by slow starvation4 ,we found he had tried to live on the bread and coffee of the bread line alone2 he was too poor to buy food1 too proud to tell his needs1 and we were too stupid and too busy to realize his awful need4 ,we thereby learned a good lesson1 and the ,superintendent and helpers now all look more carefully after the man who sits down claiming either exhaustion or sickness4 ,no man1 woman or child is ever refused food because without money1 but if a man can buy whisky1 we think he ought to be able to buy food1 though even then we look after him4 ,we cannot leave the granting of food to employees1 so when the ,superintendent and his wife are absent we have some pathetic cases4 ,mr4 ,gordon found a little fellow crying at the door4 8,what is the matter1 little man80 said the big man4 8,mother gave me ten cents to buy food for our family1 and ,i have lost the money40 ,you may be sure ,mr4 ,gordon obtained much more than ten cents' worth of food for the child4 ,very many families live in one furnished room and get all their food at the penny lunch counter4 ,seamstresses1 all the dollar a day men for many squares1 girls from the ,agricultural ,seed ,bureau1 come in and buy at cost the luncheon at the middle of the day4 ,many well-to-do people come in and take luncheon to watch the various grades of humanity who solve the cost of high living by taking meals at the ,mission4 ,all the street peddlers1 the umbrella man1 the shoestring and pencil man1 the rag gatherers1 eat at the counter1 the better class sit at the tables4 ,mr4 ,gordon saw a little altercation between a waiter and a customer1 the waiter demanding four cents while the man had but three cents4 8,but you should not have ordered food unless you could pay for it40 ,the poor man looked dreadfully embarrassed1 at last he looked up and said1 8,will you lend me a cent1 sir80 which was gladly done4 ,many who come only for the cheap meal are induced by the kindness shown and by the good music and bright lights in the chapel1 to go in to the services4 ,there some song1 some word from the speaker1 some devout prayer1 touches the chord of memory of what a mother1 a faithful teacher or almost forgotten preacher has taught years ago1 and1 backed by the ,holy ,spirit1 a prodigal son or a prodigal daughter returns to the ,father's house4 ,mr4 ,kline reports the meals furnished in the ,penny ,lunch ,room from ,may #ab1 #aiab1 to ,may1 #aiac1 to be #hg1hef1 at an average cost of four and one-third cents per meal4 ,,the ,,dispensary was opened ,february #a1 #aiab1 after the need was very apparent1 and further neglect of this branch of work seemed impossible4 ,never will ,i forget the day when ,i first called up ,dr4 ,c4 ,h4 ,bowker1 one of the leading physicians of the city1 living on ,massachusetts ,avenue1 near ,thomas ,circle1 the very heart of the city1 and told him of a man who had pneumonia1 and of a woman in the shelter with a severe cold1 and asked him to go to the ,mission free of charge4 ,i waited with bated breath for the reply4 ,it was1 8,i am an exceedingly busy man1 but ,i shall try to go within an hour40 ,very much emboldened1 ,i said1 8,could you stop in once a day to see if anyone there has a contagious disease1 or if anyone should be sent immediately to the hospital80 ,the answer seemed very slow1 and ,i fairly trembled1 for our need was so great4 ,at last he said1 8,well1 ,i have noticed if ,i put a duty on my daily program1 ,i manage in some way to get it in40 ,from that day to this that blessed doctor has been at the beck and call of the ,mission day and night2 only ,god knows what a help and a comfort he has been to broken men and sorrowful women in that part of the city4 ,the ,february ,gospel ,tidings1 of #aiab1 had the following3 ,,gospel ,,mission ,,dispensary 8,for several months we have had a house physician1 and the use and need for him has steadily increased4 ,the establishment of regular hours at which patients could see the doctor1 and a proper place for consultation1 naturally suggested the establishment of a dispensary4 ,this appeared feasible to the ,executive ,committee1 and ,mrs4 ,monroe1 ,superintendent ,kline and ,dr4 ,bowker were appointed a committee to study the advisability of such an addition to our work4 ,the report from this committee was favorable to the project1 and active steps were at once taken to the establishment of a free general dispensary for the treatment of all classes of cases1 or their reference1 where necessary1 to special institutions4 8,the location of the ,mission for dispensary work could not be better from any point of view4 ,it is accessible to the hundreds needing its help4 ,there is no conflict in its field by any other institution doing this class of work4 ,four rooms on the first floor of the ,mission1 with the chapel for a waiting-room1 will serve admirably for dispensary needs at present4 ,and these rooms are rapidly being put in shape by carpenters and painters4 ,shelves are being made for the pharmacy1 a door cut through the partition1 and running water is to be installed4 8,our printing plant will again demonstrate its usefulness by furnishing the necessary record blanks1 labels1 treatment cards1 etc4 8,the ,executive ,committee has placed ,dr4 ,charles ,harvey ,bowker1 #abjd ,massachusetts ,avenue1 in full charge of the ,gospel ,mission ,dispensary1 and he will have associated with him at first ,dr4 ,o4 ,c4 ,cox1 #acbj ,eleventh ,street1 ,n4 ,w4 ,a number of leading physicians and surgeons have evinced an interest and willingness to give their services1 and ,dr4 ,bowker will add them to the dispensary staff and assign them work as the clinic grows and they are needed4 8,dr4 ,bowker's experience in managing a hospital in his home city1 and his hospital and dispensary work in ,washington1 assure us a businesslike management of this new branch of our work4 8,our need at present is for drugs and surgical dressing1 and it is hoped that the druggists of the city may contribute4 8,the dispensary opened ,thursday1 ,february #a1 #aiab1 at #aj ,a4,m41 which will be the regular daily hour1 and all those who are interested are invited to inspect the new rooms40 ,you notice that we opened ,february #a1 #aiab1 and our annual report in ,may ,tidings1 #aiac1 shows the following3 ,,the ,,mission ,,free ,,dispensary ,staff ,physician in charge1 ,dr4 ,charles ,h4 ,bowker1 #abjd ,massachusetts ,avenue1 ,n4 ,w4 ,associates ,dr4 ,oliver ,c4 ,cox1 #acbj ,eleventh ,street1 ,n4 ,w4 ,dr4 ,w4 ,o4 ,owen1 ,southern ,building4 ,dr4 ,william ,f4 ,hemler1 #gjf ,eighth ,street1 ,n4 ,w4 ,dr4 ,c4 ,a4 ,simpson1 #abag ,connecticut ,avenue1 ,n4 ,w4 ,dr4 ,c4 ,f4 ,dufour1 #acdg ,l ,street1 ,n4 ,w4 ,dr4 ,adam ,kemble1 ,cecil ,apartments1 ,fifteenth and ,l ,streets1 ,n4 ,w4 ,dr4 ,jesse ,ramsburgh1 ,the ,portner4 ,hours for ,treatment ,medical and surgical cases treated daily1 #aa to #ab ,a4,m4 ,diseases of ,women--,monday1 ,wednesday and ,friday4 ,diseases of ,men--,tuesday1 ,thursday and ,saturday4 ,diseases of ,children--,monday1 ,wednesday and ,friday4 ,diseases of ,ear1 ,eye1 ,nose and ,throat--,monday and ,thursday4 ,report for the ,year ,ending ,april #cj1 #aiac ,cases treated #bejj ,referred to ,hospital #hj ,treated at homes #hj ,the dispensary is in need of a sterilizer and a special fund for medical supplies for those too poor to pay4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the sterilizer later was the gift of ,dr4 ,jesse ,ramsburgh1 and we have a complete set of lenses for testing the eyes of school children4 ,it would break your heart to see the women with babies1 the aged on crutches1 the hosts of children1 the aged victims of every vice1 now broken and often repentant1 seek the aid of these good men4 ,often we run short of remedies4 8,what do they do then80 you ask4 ,well1 they simply go down in their own pockets and buy the necessities1 and no one is turned empty away4 ,think of a procession of sick and needy persons1 #bejj human beings in line1 and you will see in your mind what that blessed dispensary has done for the sorrowful of this city in one year4 ,i wish ,i dare to tell you the particulars of one of these great physicians who had not been living close to ,god1 seeing our work of faith1 seeing how the ,mission people lay their many needs before a patient ,god1 who meets every demand in answer to their prayer1 and possibly feeling that in a mission he could not minister to a mind diseased without himself being in touch with the living ,god1 was led to revise his views1 make public confession of his faith and enlist in ,god's organized method of evangelizing the world by joining the church4 ,we all need ,god1 but the hand that reaches down to help sinful men must have the other hand clasped close in ,god's strong hand if he would do effective work4 ,,chapter ,x ,,the ,,power ,,of ,,the ,,gospel ,st4 ,paul says1 8,i am not ashamed of the gospel of ,christ1 for it is the power of ,god unto salvation40 ,yes1 the gospel is the power4 ,the soul is as dead as a street car with the power gone1 till it is touched by that special power4 ,i could kneel at the side of a sinner and quote the very best things of ,shakespeare or ,milton1 and the soul would step to no higher ground2 but when the right verse of ,god's word is shown with the ,new ,testament in hand1 and the ,holy ,spirit makes that soul see that the passage before him is ,god's recorded wireless message for his soul alone1 the power comes on and that verse again proves true1 8,but as many as received ,him1 to them gave ,he power to become the sons of ,god1 even to them that believe on ,his name10 and a soul is born into the kingdom of ,god4 ,dan ,crawford1 the great missionary to ,africa1 says not ,livingstone1 not ,taylor1 not ,dan ,crawford1 are the real pioneer missionaries1 but the ,spirit of ,god ,himself1 and when the word is brought to a prepared soul it is a spark of powder4 ,he tells of one besotted ,negro who read ,john's ,gospel4 ,the ,negro said1 8,i was startled that ,christ could speak ,chulba2 ,i heard ,him speak out of the printed page1 and what ,he said to me was1 ',follow me4'0 ,mr4 ,crawford says1 8,when the guncotton of ,john's ,gospel came in contact with the tinder of his rebellion1 he was literally exploded into the kingdom10 and by continuing to study ,st4 ,john's ,gospel the transforming power of the gospel made him a good earnest ,christian man1 fit for the companionship of good people4 ,at a rescue mission we have such scenes almost every night of the year4 ,in our case it is usually the word first implanted in the human heart either at a mother's knee or by some ,sunday school teacher1 or by a faithful preacher in early life1 then the very room of the ,mission is filled with the ,holy ,spirit in answer to the prayers of ,god's people4 ,now1 when a heart-broken1 world-buffeted sinner comes into the room1 the words or music of some song1 or the presentation of ,god's word1 is used by ,god's ,spirit to bring to memory all the sinner has known of these things2 he hears redeemed men tell how ,god cured them of lust1 of alcoholism1 of gambling1 of profane language1 of all sin2 he sees these men well clothed1 radiantly happy1 and sees and feels his own degradation2 is it any wonder he drops on his knees and cries out1 8,men and brethren1 what shall ,i do to be saved08 ,when he wants ,god more than he wants deliverance from his besetting sin1 when he wants ,god more than he wants his deserted wife and children1 when he wants ,god for what ,god can do for his poor soul1 the ,god of his soul comes down1 and at that second the soul passes from death unto life eternal1 for that soul the decisions of the judgment day have been settled1 for ,jesus said1 8,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 he that heareth my words and believeth on ,him that sent me1 hath everlasting life1 and shall not come into condemnation1 but is passed from death unto life40 ,that verse comprehended and lived has power enough to carry a soul through all besetments into the very presence of ,god4 ,,the ,,case ,,of ,,mr4 ,,abbott ,during the winter of #aiaj1 there came into the ,gospel ,mission a man1 ragged1 soiled1 blear-eyed1 doped and utterly down and out2 he came only for the coffee and rolls given ,sunday night4 ,before coming up the steps he had said to a friend1 8,i don't want to hear any of their blank sermons1 but ,i am starving40 ,he heard no sermon1 instead he received a warm hand-shake1 he heard bright singing1 but1 best of all1 he heard redeemed men tell how ,god had saved them from the alcohol habit1 till he cried out1 8,if ,god has power to save me from the sin of drink1 ,i want ,god60 ,he kneeled and poured out his soul in prayer4 ,as soon as he began to pray aloud1 we saw he was an educated man4 ,the ,spirit came upon him in great power1 he really had the searchlight of ,god on his soul1 and he saw himself for a short time as ,god saw him4 ,then ,god forgave him1 he rose justified1 strong1 happy1 a new man in ,christ ,jesus4 ,the ,mission gave him a bed for the night1 and the next morning this man1 who had not worked or desired work for two years1 begged that we should find a place for him to earn his way4 ,he obtained a situation to solicit business for a laundry1 about as hard work as one can imagine1 but he made good1 and in six months he was made foreman of the laundry in which he was employed4 ,he modernized its methods and doubled its business by the end of the year1 and the company made him a present of five hundred shares of stock and elected him president of the company4 ,then he received #cjjj a year salary1 besides his percentage of all gains made by the house4 ,his friends claim his income is now about #ejjj a year4 ,in the meantime1 after he had been redeemed1 probably four months1 his wife1 a most beautiful and accomplished ,philadelphia woman1 brought their lovely son1 aged about eight1 and they began housekeeping again4 ,the home has given needed physical comfort1 the companionship has given the mental and the spiritual help needed to make this former tramp into a first-class citizen4 ,at night1 during the last winter1 he has been studying law in one of the university law schools1 and on ,sunday he acts as usher and vestryman in one of the largest ,protestant ,episcopal churches4 ,as a child he had been a choir boy in a church in ,philadelphia4 ,doubtless the knowledge gained there as a child made him able to understand his duty to ,god and man after his conversion better far than an ignorant1 uninstructed person could have done after months of instruction4 ,illustration3 ,,children ,,of ,,all ,,nations ,illustration3 ,,settlement ,,house ,,the ,,psychology of just this case is worth considering4 ,this man was spiritually dead1 so far as we could see4 ,he did not desire to live4 ,the people of the ,mission had been more or less in prayer from three o'clock to eight when this man came in4 ,he saw religion in action in the person and speech of redeemed men4 ,but even if these testimonies were factors it was the ,holy ,spirit that did the work4 ,it was the divine spark to human tinder1 or1 as ,henry ,drummond better puts it1 8,the spiritual world reached down and carried this worldly soul into the world above it40 8,he that hath the ,son hath life1 he that hath not the ,son of ,god hath not life40 ,life depends upon contact with life1 it cannot develop out of anything that is not life4 ,even as the physiologist cannot explain how the human seed generates in a human body eventually becoming a new-born man child1 neither can theology fully explain how the ,holy ,spirit can touch a human soul out of which will be born another soul in the same body with marks of its divine parentage in every line1 or1 as ,st4 ,paul says1 a new creature in ,christ ,jesus4 ,i heard a distinguished man who had long been in official connection with prisons and reformatories1 say1 8,a reformed man is always in danger2 he may stand twenty years and then fall back into sin1 but a regenerated man is as safe from his sinful besetments as if they had not been the weakness of his life40 ,i fancy ,i can hear some preacher say1 8,if it is the word and the ,holy ,spirit do the work1 why does not the church have as many conversions as a mission80 ,the very first element of spiritual power is lacking in most churches4 ,if the preacher1 the official members1 then every member of the church first sought ,god's special blessing in private1 then came together offering first praise1 then united prayer to ,god from the very depths of their hearts1 there would be conversions every ,sunday in every church4 ,spurgeon and ,moody expected conversions every ,sunday1 and they had them4 ,in presenting a soul to ,christ no perfunctory ,christian can do it and have that soul received4 ,to present a person to the ,king of ,england1 let us say1 the presenter needs to be acquainted with the king2 so a person unacquainted with ,god has no power at the throne2 he even impedes the soul coming into the light4 ,i have seen many a dancing1 card-playing ,christian at the side of the penitent1 praying earnestly1 then rise baffled1 troubled1 helpless2 not able to reach the throne1 they had no access to ,god4 ,often people from the ,states write me to present such and such a paper in person to the ,president of the ,united ,states4 ,i am obliged to reply1 8,i have no access to the ,president of the ,united ,states10 but ,i daily thank ,god that ,i have access to the throne1 for ,i am acquainted with ,god4 ,,religion ,,with ,,the ,,defective ,,delinquent ,i venture to take the two following short articles from the ,november numbers of #aiac of the ,survey1 the most valuable weekly magazine which comes to my desk on all social questions3 8,,what ,,about ,,jeff80 8,jeff is a white boy sixteen years old4 ,i am estimating this1 as ,jeff says he doesn't know how old he is and doesn't know his surname4 ,he has every appearance of being a little less than half witted4 8,i found ,jeff this morning working1 with two other white boys and ten or twelve ,negro boys1 as an inmate of the ,county ,workhouse4 ,he was carrying stone on a public hitch-lot4 ,one of the white boys and two of the ,negro boys were in chains4 8,jeff has been in the workhouse for sixty days4 ,he was placed there for beating a ride on a railroad train4 ,next ,monday ,jeff will be released4 ,he will have not a cent to his name1 not very good clothes1 not a relative in the country1 no place to sleep and nothing to eat4 8,i have put this predicament before our city inter-church organization1 and we have seen no solution4 ,about the best thing we can see for this half-witted boy is that he will do something that will again bring him within the clutches of the law in order that he may be immediately sent back to the workhouse4 ,at the age of sixteen he is a human derelict1 yet he has capacity to work1 to love1 to respect1 to enjoy1 and to feel sorrow4 8,there is another mentally weak boy in this same gang4 ,if we knew what to do with ,jeff we might be able to do more for the other one4 ,what do you suggest80--,w4 ,h4 ,swift1 ,greensboro1 ,n4 ,c4 8,,sue ,,and ,,jeff0 8',what about ,jeff8' was shown to a ,new ,york settlement worker4 ',print it1' he said1 'in the hope that someone may stir up the inter-church organizations of ,greensboro to find another solution4 ,the question is3 ,what about that organization8 rather than poor ,jeff4 ,he is a victim of wrong social conditions1 plus his weak head2 but if there is no one in his neighborhood who can see any other solution than the workhouse for a lad who has the 8capacity to work1 to love1 to respect1 to enjoy and to feel sorrow10 then ,i suggest that the community is worse off1 a good deal1 than poor ,jeff4 ,to begin with1 why don't the inter-church organization take him under its own wing8' 8,now1 it would be very easy for the inter-church organization of ,greensboro to take care of ,jeff if there were only one of him4 ,unfortunately1 there are many hundreds of him4 ,how many of the boys of sixteen sent to the island from the ,new ,york ,city courts are of ,jeff's class8 ,nobody knows for certain1 because nobody tries to find out4 ,those of us who have lived for years among defectives and have visited reform schools know that the number is large4 ,yet the inter-church organizations of ,new ,york ,city do not take them under their wings4 8,the proportion of the feeble-minded ,jeffs in various reformatories has been to range from twenty to fifty per cent of all the inmates4 ,every intelligent worker with prisoners knows there are many weak-minded among them2 yet the usual method of treating the defective-delinquent 7and every defective is a potential delinquent7 throughout the ,united ,states is to do with them just what our ,greensboro friend hopes to do with ,jeff--send him to the workhouse as soon as he commits his next petty crime4 ,and we keep on doing it over and over and over again4 8,meanwhile the proper method with the ,jeffs and the ,sues is so simple and plain1 so patently economical in this generation1 and so tremendously profitable for the next1 that its very simplicity makes it neglected4 ,the colony at ,templeton1 ,mass42 the one just organized at ,menantico1 ,n4 ,j42 the farm colonies at ,fort ,wayne1 ,ind42 ,lincoln1 ,ill42 ,faribault1 ,minn42 ,columbus1 ,ohio2 and ,letchworth ,village1 ,n4 ,y41 all point the way with greater or less success4 8,yet ,letchworth ,village was enacted by the legislature of ,new ,york nearly five years ago4 ,its first commission reported #bi1jjj suitable inmates pressing for care4 ,to-day it has only #ajj inmates2 and the ,inter-church ,federation says nothing4 8,it is not worth while to get all stirred up and excited about ,jeffs in ,north ,carolina4 ,what have we to say about the defectives in jails1 workhouses1 penitentiaries1 reformatories1 and prisons under our noses in ,new ,york8 ,is our beam so big that we cannot see it80--,alexander ,johnson1 ,director ,department of ,extension1 ,vineland1 ,n4 ,j4 ,now1 that was the churches' opportunity4 ,federation work should see that a religious school should be started in each community for its ,jeffs and ,sues4 ,a city rescue mission could easily find work for ,jeff4 ,i saw a ,jeff come into the ,sunday school of my own church4 ,he was a great lumbering chap of eighteen years of age1 he was not quite clean1 there was the odor of the unwashed about him4 ,he immediately went to the class of about thirty young men of his own age4 ,i was gratified to see that youth seek the society of the church people rather than the saloon1 but he was not welcome with the young men4 ,the teacher visited his home1 there was no help to be expected from the home1 so the teacher1 or the class1 whether by actual request or by treatment1 caused ,jeff to stay away4 ,now1 in the great day of accounts1 of whom will that soul be required8 ,if the defective intellect1 what there is of it1 can be turned to believe ,god1 the defective is prevented from becoming a criminal4 ,we have them at the ,gospel ,mission4 ,the very first thing is to have the physician talk to ,jeff of the sacredness of his own body to absolutely prevent all secret habits which injure the body and brain1 and the motive of self-restraint both for physical habits and for drink must be that these things offend a loving ,saviour who walks with each one of us4 ,each year ,i meet ,dr4 ,h4 ,m4 ,freas1 of ,philadelphia1 at ,northfield4 ,his work as a physician frequently takes him to the asylum for the insane4 ,he feels most keenly that these institutions should be in the hands of ,christian people only4 ,many a brilliant intellect could be restored to perfect sanity if the loving care of some saintly ,protestant sisterhood or brotherhood were in charge to bring the human love1 which even the sanest of us need1 to bear on the tottering brain4 ,these human deficients are found in the public schools2 as soon as discovered they should be transferred to a religious school where they can be scientifically studied1 what intellect they have developed1 and the religious side of each one fostered4 ,if then they are found permanently deficient1 especially in the moral sense1 or in physical self-control1 then they should be segregated on farms for the sake of the race4 ,people of deficient brains become fanatics2 now1 if these unbalanced people become filled with an enthusiasm of righteousness they absolutely do much good4 ,they constitute three-fourths of the street preachers1 and they reach many a soul who never enters a church4 ,religion prevents insanity4 ,there is no doubt that fanaticism run riot leads to the asylum4 ,we had one man who was insufficiently fed1 badly clothed1 who spent the entire night in prayer1 two or three nights of the week4 ,of course1 he was brought up in the insane asylum1 but when he had food enough at the asylum where he was not permitted to pray aloud1 he soon became normal1 and was set free4 ,it taught him a needed lesson4 ,but religion sustains us through the breaking ties of life1 through the loss of fortune1 through the defection of friends1 through blasted hopes1 through the anguish of children going wrong1 and their punishment by the ,state which follows4 ,religion holds many a woman whose son is a wanderer1 either criminal or otherwise1 from insanity4 ,i know a woman who has not looked into the face of her wandering son for six years4 ,she stands up and sings with radiant face1 8,i am going through whatever others do1 ,i am going through with ,jesus10 and in spite of what looks an unbearable sorrow1 leads a useful and apparently happy life4 ,a mission is a blessed thing for enthusiasts4 ,it sends them with flowers and literature to hospitals and jails1 it sends food to private families in need1 it gives the enthusiasts tracts to distribute1 it puts musical instruments into their hands and says1 8,praise the ,lord with pleasant sounds10 it sets women to repairing clothing for the poor1 to caring for little children1 while mothers earn money for food4 ,as we do these things we talk religion1 we tell of ,jesus1 the friend of sinners1 we make a steady effort in very many directions to have each soul brought into harmony with ,god4 ,in almost every instance where sorrow in a family has been the result of sin2 and ,jesus is allowed to become to each of them a personal ,saviour2 the home is electrified by a new enthusiasm2 the parents become efficient1 self-supporting1 happy2 the children become self-respecting2 are taken from the class needing help2 and become helpers4 ,religion eases the burden of life and heals the welts of adversity4 ,we have in ,washington a club known as 8,the ,monday ,evening ,club10 a clearing house for all forms of philanthropy4 ,at the different banquets and at their monthly meetings all forms of reforms1 from purely a humanitarian standpoint1 are discussed1 but we1 who go at the open sores of the world with the only sure cure earth has yet received1 the religion of ,jesus ,christ1 we receive no recognition1 we are given no hearing at banquets1 and are never spoken of as part of the city's force for betterment1 yet we comfort the prisoner1 we bring hope to the hopeless1 and we are the real protection of the city4 ,no hungry man is turned from our door unsatisfied4 ,a hungry man is a danger1 a man with a hungry family is a menace4 ,he will get food even if it costs a life to obtain it4 ,like ,him whom we serve we are rejected of men4 ,we work amid the social dynamite of a great city4 ,unless the religious part of this nation assumes its rightful place as arbiter in all labor troubles1 saying to the rich man1 8,thou shalt not defraud10 and to the poor man1 8,thou shalt do no violence02 unless ,christian people see to it that remunerative labor can be had by every person willing to work2 unless ,christian people close the saloons 7the author of seventy-five per cent of the sufferings of the poor71 on some sad day our great cities will be systematically dynamited4 ,as ,christians we must go down among them and make the broken man feel that he is only temporarily sidetracked from the great highway of success4 ,that the grace of ,god and his own will can and will bring him back to the great highway of prosperity4 ,the ,church is waking up to its full duty in social service4 ,bishop ,simpson1 even in his day1 eloquently described the mission of the ,church in the world3 8,the ,church must grope her way into the alleys and courts and purlieus of the city1 and up the broken staircase1 and into the bare room and beside the loathsome sufferer2 she must go down into the pit with the miner1 into the forecastle with the sailor1 into the tent with the soldier1 into the shop with the mechanic1 into the factory with the operative1 into the field with the farmer1 into the counting-room with the merchant4 ,like the air1 the ,church must press equally on all the surfaces of society2 like the sea1 flow into every nook of the shoreline of humanity1 and1 like the sun1 shine on things foul and low1 as well as fair and high1 for she was organized1 commissioned and equipped for the moral renovation of the world40 ,in closing this chapter we cannot do better than to quote from the fourth volume of the ,jewish ,encyclopedia1 which pays this remarkable tribute to ,christianity3 8,christianity1 following the matchless ideals of its ,christ1 redeemed the despised and outcast1 and ennobled suffering4 ,it checked infanticide1 and founded asylums for the young4 ,it removed the curse of slavery by making the humblest bondsmen proud of being a child of ,god4 ,it fought against the cruelties of the arena1 it invested the home with purity and proclaimed the value of each human soul as a treasure in the eyes of ,god1 and it so leavens the great masses of the empire as to render the cross of ,christ the sign of victory for its legions in place of the ,roman eagle4 8,the ,galilean entered the world as a conqueror4 ,the ,church became the educator of pagan nations2 and one race after another was brought under her tutorship4 ,the ,latin races were followed by the ,celt1 the ,teuton and the ,slav4 ,the same burning enthusiasm which sent forth the first ,apostles1 also set the missionaries aglow1 and brought all ,europe and ,africa1 and finally the ,american continent1 under the scepter of an omnipotent ,church4 ,christianity is not an end1 but the means to an end1 the establishment of the brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of ,god40 ,,chapter ,,xi ,,hereditary ,,sin ,it was an exceedingly cold night when ,jake ,grossman burst into the mission1 having on the apparel of a hotel cook4 ,he did not take a seat1 but marched to the front and prostrated himself at the altar1 crying1 8,god be merciful to me1 a sinner40 ,in such cases1 no difference what we are doing1 all formal program is suspended and we go at once to prayer4 ,jake was in deep earnest1 men and women acquainted with ,god kneeled all about him1 presenting his case to the ,saviour of men4 ,we did not then know his special need1 but a soul in the depth of conviction wanted ,god1 not for one sin1 but he needed cleansing from all the sins of his past life4 ,it must have been an hour before that soul received light4 ,the choir had sung softly1 8,i'm coming home to-night10 and like melodies2 others had come to the altar1 been forgiven and gone to their seats1 when ,jake ,grossman rose to his feet and rejoiced that he had found peace and pardon through the blood of ,christ4 ,we found afterwards that ,grossman was the son of the great ,swiss engineer1 who had planned the great tunnel through the ,alps1 whose genius had built bridges over roaring1 impassable canyons1 who had planned the electric roads in all parts of ,switzerland1 until he was wined and dined by scientists not only in his own country but in many countries1 so that he had acquired the alcoholic habit1 after which his brain became sluggish and at last he fell from his high estate1 became a common drunkard and died poor4 ,the memory of the wicked shall perish4 ,while he was yet prosperous1 using expensive wines1 his only legitimate son was born4 ,the mother noticed that1 as a child of six or seven1 ,jake wanted a sip every time wine was used on the table2 by twelve he could drink a large glass of wine and not show drunkenness4 ,by his twentieth year ,jake was a drunkard1 the father dead1 the mother poor and heart-broken4 ,friends and relatives all advised sending ,jake to ,america1 where wine is not used on the table1 and also to get ,jake away from old companions4 ,he came with letters to good people1 but alcoholism is not baffled by change of location4 ,his money gave out1 the people to whom he had been introduced refused to receive him4 ,fortunately his mother had taught him to cook1 so he obtained a place as an assistant cook in a ,washington hotel2 later he developed into a first-class chef4 ,when he came to the ,mission he had been discharged for drunkenness1 and now1 being a redeemed man1 he went back to the hotel1 gave up his white clothing1 gathered up his belongings1 and sought other work4 ,that was five years ago4 ,jake has often been asked by the hotels of this city to cook for them at a salary of #ajj or more a month1 but ,jake daily prays1 8,lead us not into temptation10 and he does not knowingly walk into it4 ,he shovels coal at a wage of #aj per week4 ,he says1 8,you see1 it keeps me in the open air2 ,i do not have to taste wine or smell it2 ,i get black on the outside1 but ,i keep white within1 which was more than ,i did as a cook40 ,all the heroes are not in high places4 8,he that ruleth his spirit is better than he that taketh a city40 ,we believe ,god cleansed ,jake ,grossman from inherited sin4 ,,heredity ,i see that scientists are now claiming that a tendency to use alcohol is not hereditary4 ,we who work among alcoholics know that it is4 ,god says that the sins of the fathers shall be visited on the children unto the third and fourth generation1 and they are4 ,god gives a high premium for virtue to all who would take the responsibility of bringing another life into the world4 ,i remember a man converted at the ,breakfast ,association1 ,philadelphia4 ,i had spoken on the power of ,god to take away even inherited tendencies of sin from our souls4 ,a young chap in the audience sent an usher to ask me to see him in the after meeting4 ,i went down the aisle till ,i stood by his side4 ,he said1 8,can ,god save me from drink8 ,my father was a saloon-keeper and died drunk4 ,my mother died a drunkard2 she fed me beer as an infant4 ,i am now twenty-two years old2 ,i do not remember a day in my life that ,i have not used beer40 ,looking over that blear-eyed crowd1 he said1 8,i do not want an old age like these wretches4 ,do you know that ,i recognize among these bloats at least twenty men who are the sons of saloon-keepers8 ,you ,christians have not yet discovered that no man puts liquor to his neighbor's lips without destroying his own family4 ,now1 can ,god save me from the sin and shame of the old age of an alcoholic paralytic80 8,well1 let us go to the altar and ask ,him40 ,we knelt long at the altar4 ,at last he claimed that he had been accepted of ,god4 ,as he started to leave the hall he came back and said1 8,do pray for me2 ,i am afraid of the smells of the street2 ,i am afraid of my old companions4 ,pray for me40 8,well10 ,i said1 8you come home with me1 you are young enough to be my son4 ,if you were1 ,i would want some good woman to mother you40 ,the next day ,i took him to ,lancaster1 ,pa41 where at that time ,i had a number of acquaintances among business men4 ,i took him to quite a number before ,i came to a man who would take him at all1 and to a number who would take him but not agree to help save a soul4 ,at last ,i came to a ,christian man in the leather business1 who agreed to take him into his family1 instruct him in the very rudiments of religion1 take him to church and ,sunday school with him2 in fact1 to nourish this new-born soul in ,christ4 ,we prayed together1 then ,i left him4 ,for a very short time ,i received a postal-card each week1 which ,i failed to answer2 then1 amid the cares of a very busy life1 ,i forgot him4 ,about three years after that ,i was walking along a street in ,lancaster when a fine-looking chap came rushing from behind me1 and1 placing his arm over my shoulder1 said1 8,oh1 ,god bless you6 ,god bless you60 ,i turned and found a fine-looking man with tear-dimmed eyes blessing me4 8,son10 ,i said1 8what is your name80 8,oh6 do you not know me8 ,i have prayed for you every day for three years1 and you have forgotten me40 8,well10 ,i said1 8,i fancy you are so much better looking to-day than you were then so that your own mother might not know you now40 ,i walked back to the leather store with him and found my friend behind the counter4 8,mr4 ,s40 ,i said1 8is ,john ,schmidt a good man80 ,he did not wait to go around the counter1 but1 coming right over it1 he placed a hand on each of ,john's shoulders as he said1 8,i am glad to bear witness that ,john is a true1 good man4 ,at first he was sorely tried to associate only with our kind of people1 but he has worked all day1 gone to school at night1 gone to church and ,sunday school every ,sunday1 and he is about to marry one of the best young women of our church40 ,god had done a perfect work of grace1 and the hereditary drunkard became a good man and a useful citizen4 ,it must be so1 for the word says the blood of ,christ ,jesus cleanses from all sin4 ,,mr4 ,,kline',s ,,testimony ,on the evening of ,september #af1 #aiac1 ,mr4 ,kline1 our ,superintendent of the ,gospel ,mission1 gave1 in substance1 the following3 8,it is ten years ago to-night since ,god1 for ,christ's sake1 forgave my sins4 ,it was a day like this has been1 a perfect day in ,september4 ,i had become a confirmed drunkard1 so that every waking moment ,i kept myself under the influence of whisky4 ,i was a good workman1 but ,i was conscious that my strength had gone4 ,three days before ,i had been attacked with a trembling which seemed like palsy4 ,as ,i looked in the glass ,i saw the face of a dying man4 ,the barkeeper saw it4 ,he said1 ',kline1 take a drink2 you will shake to pieces4' ,it took four or five drinks to make my hand steady enough to work4 ,then the barkeeper said1 ',now you need work to bring you to strength4 ,you may paper and fix up this bar-room4' ,i went to a paper house1 selected my paper1 and had the man make a bill four times what it should have been4 ,the bill was paid and ,i went back to the paper store and got my rake-off4 ,you see1 ,i had become dishonest as well as a drunkard4 ,i had been brought up in a ,lutheran household in ,harrisburg by a ,christian aunt1 who was a member of old ,zion ,lutheran ,church4 8,my mother had died in my infancy4 ,i never saw her to remember her appearance2 ,i never saw a likeness of her1 a lock of hair or a garment which she had worn2 but when dying she left a message with my aunt1 a message which never left me1 even when ,i was farthest from ,god4 ,it was these words1 ',bring up my boy to meet me in heaven4' ,it was those words which really brought me back to my mother's ,god4 8,when ,i quit work in that saloon that #afth day of ,september1 #aijc1 ,i was all in4 ,i saw my face in the mirror over the bar1 and when ,i am dead ,i shall not be more colorless4 ,the barkeeper filled my bottle1 and instead of going1 as usual1 to my home in the southwest1 ,i made my way up ,four-and-a-half ,street4 ,i was simply impelled by an unseen force4 ,behind every tree ,i took a nip from the bottle1 till ,i came to ,pennsylvania ,avenue4 ,then ,i knew ,i dared not drink where a policeman would see me2 so1 hardly knowing where ,i was or what ,i was doing1 ,i staggered to the old bank corner at ,seventh ,street and ,pennsylvania ,avenue4 ,they tell me ,i disturbed the meeting1 but when they adjourned to the ,mission ,hall ,i followed weeping and crying1 ',i shall not go out of this hall till ,i am dead or saved4' 8,i have been told by ,brothers ,gordon and ,wheeler that no drunkard we have ever seen disgrace himself in this mission ever behaved worse than ,i did4 ,god gave them that night the grace of patience4 ,illustration3 ,,boy ,,scouts ,illustration3 ,,camp ,,fire ,,girls 8,i cried to ,god1 ',this poor man cried1 and ,god heard him4' ,i rose to my feet1 sobered and in my right mind4 ,i gave the bottle to ,brother ,bratz1 and when ,i got out on the street ,i threw away my cigarettes and tobacco1 and from that day to this ,i have not touched or tasted either liquor or tobacco4 ,the next morning my hand was as steady as it is this minute4 ,while ,i was wondering what to do1 a rap came to the door4 ,it was the saloon man's messenger1 telling me to come and finish my job4 ,i was weak1 but ,i was praying4 ,in the meantime ,satan was giving me the battle of my life4 ,the devil is a hard loser4 ,he said1 ',well1 if ,god could keep ,daniel in the lions' den1 and the ,hebrews in the fiery furnace1 ,he could surely keep you in the saloon4' 8,but ,god has done better than that for me4 ,he has kept me out of the saloon4 ,in my distress of mind as to whether ,i should finish that job or go for my tools1 ,i picked up my wife's ,bible and ,i opened at these words1 ',fear not1 for ,i have redeemed thee1 ,i have called thee by thy name1 thou art mine4 ,when thou passest through the waters ,i will be with thee1 and through the rivers1 they shall not overflow thee2 when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burned1 neither shall the flame kindle upon thee4' ,it was a message straight from heaven to my soul4 ,i so accepted it4 8,i never finished the job4 ,i never went after my tools1 and from that day to this ,i have not entered a saloon4 ,satan has camped on my trail many times4 ,i have had trials and temptations1 but ,god has delivered me from the sins of the flesh1 whisky1 tobacco and their accompanying sins4 ,no man who has been a drunkard can ever again safely use tobacco4 ,an experience of ten years in mission work1 where ,i have seen thousands of souls born into the kingdom1 convinces me that the convert who retains tobacco will surely slip back4 ,christ's redeeming blood cleanses from all sin4 8,i was a good workman and ,i soon had permanent work4 ,i never failed to make the arrangement before ,i entered into a contract that ,i was not to be expected to enter a saloon or any other disreputable place40 ,that was ,mr4 ,kline's testimony1 and ,i would like to say for him that ,god greatly uses him and his testimony to bring fallen men back to ,god4 ,he is an acceptable preacher of righteousness in almost any pulpit in this city1 and he has done acceptable evangelistic work in many large eastern cities4 ,his presence in the ,gospel ,mission1 we believe1 is helpful to all the men who come under its roof4 ,he is an honored member of the ,luther ,memorial ,church4 ,i reaffirm1 as long as one man dead in sin can be transformed into a living1 active1 aggressive ,christian1 the words of the ,scripture are as true to-day as when the angel said1 8,thou shalt call ,his name ,jesus1 for ,he shall save ,his people from their sins40 ,nothing now known to science can accomplish what happened to ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,kline that night2 that is1 as ,prof4 ,james so pertinently says1 8,conversion is the only means by which a radically bad person can be changed into a radically good person40 ,harold ,begbie1 as a psychologist1 says3 8,whatever we may think of the phenomenon itself1 the fact stands clear and unassailable that by this thing called conversion1 men consciously wrong1 inferior and unhappy1 become consciously right1 superior and happy4 ,it produces not a change but a revolution4 ,it creates a new personality40 ,we would say a new creature in ,christ ,jesus4 ,the religion of ,christ differs from all other religions4 ,they take the rich1 the happy1 the successful1 as their expositors1 but ,christ takes the broken1 the sorrowful1 the beaten in the race1 and makes them the rich1 the successful and the happy expositors of ,his religion4 ,,emotion ,,in ,,religion ,prof4 ,h4 ,w4 ,wynn1 ,d4,d41 one of the great writers of the ,lutheran ,observer1 has these wise words concerning the elements of emotion in religion3 8,we have discovered that religion as a purely emotional experience may have no religion in it at all1 though kindled by the emotional stimuli that religion commands4 ,there is an emotional element in religion1 of course1 deep1 powerful1 pervasive2 and when you give way to it1 enveloping your whole being as in an atmosphere of flame4 ,those tender feelings which enter so largely into the deeper currents of our domestic and social life--love1 pity1 joy1 hope1 the striking of the glad hand1 comradeship locking arms under the same great banner to do deeds of heroism in the same great cause--religion calls them all up1 and fires them all with a conquering zeal4 8,but1 manifestly1 the zeal may burn out before the deeds of heroism have been begun4 ,we have learned to know that the same emotional fires may be kindled when religion is not the theme4 ,a great crowd1 an orator of fluent and persuasive speech1 music filling the air with the imaginary shouts of an 8,io triumphe0 come to stay--it matters very little what may be the occasion that has called these people together1 the emotional part of their campaign has been achieved4 ,but1 whether in religion or in politics1 it would be stupidly unwise to conclude that the excitement itself was the end to be attained--emotion being set down as the deed itself2 or1 in some way1 an assured equivalent of the deed4 8,in all such cases fanaticism is the result1 and fanaticism has never been an aid1 but always1 in the long run1 an embarrassment to any great cause4 ,fanaticism stops with the excitement--absurdly confounds excitement with the cause to be maintained4 8,in religion1 especially1 this unhappy 'transvaluation of value' is likely to be made4 ,for long ages it has been systematically taught that the emotional element in religion either summed it all up or was an unmistakable token that1 then and there1 it had been all summed up for us in the exchequer of the skies4 ,the great transaction had passed1 the thing was done when your religious ecstasy swelled to the highest1 and you found yourself1 as you confidently believed1 borne on its billows to the bosom of ,god40 ,now1 we all recognize this emotional element only as a helpful factor in religion1 but not a permanent element4 ,i have seen a few men accept ,christ without any emotion whatever4 ,i remember a blue-eyed1 fair complexioned man saying1 8,i have no especial emotion4 ,i am truly sorry for my sins4 ,i confess them now and here1 and ,i claim #a ,john #a3i1 ',if we confess our sins ,he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness4' ,i ask ,god to cleanse me4 ,i need it and accept it1 because ,he has said so40 ,tracy lived all right as long as we knew of him4 ,if converts made in evangelistic meetings were taken into careful ,bible school1 they would develop into useful ,christians1 and there would be no backsliding4 ,now1 religion1 in the sense in which we use it1 is a 8building0 process1 not 8inflation10 as the aeronaut would inflate his balloon4 ,we all know the class of religionists who hop1 jump and shout in religious meetings2 they are so busy they do not see the basket as it passes2 they give no money1 they do nothing that the world would call religious except these physical manifestations4 ,they are intolerant to all who do not believe as they do1 they are simply to be tolerated and petted along as deficients who mean well but cannot be counted as part of the great organized force of believers which ,god is using to bring about the kingdom of ,god until by training and experience they can be used among their own class4 ,but1 among these1 every now and then there comes a man of good mentality but without education1 whom ,god can use4 ,his church has no room for him1 yet he has the same orders that ,jesus gave to the eleven1 8,go ye and preach the gospel to every nation10 and we find him preaching on the side streets1 later a hall or church is hired1 and we have a new sect4 ,you remember ,jane ,addams tells of the young college graduate who had taken a course in a ,bible training school and in a school of philanthropy1 who1 on her return home1 asked the rector for religious work1 and he replied1 8,you might arrange the flowers on the pulpit each ,sunday40 ,think of that to a soul aflame with ,god6 ,macaulay touches off this kind of blindness in his essay on 8,ranke's ,history of the ,popes10 in this way3 8,far different is the policy of ,rome4 ,the ignorant enthusiasts whom the ,anglican ,church makes an enemy1 and1 whatever the learned and polite may think1 a most dangerous enemy1 the ,catholic ,church makes a champion2 she bids him nurse his beard1 covers him with a gown and hood of coarse dark stuff1 ties a rope around his waist1 and sends him forth to teach in her name4 ,he costs her nothing4 ,he takes not a ducat away from the revenues of her beneficed clergy4 ,he lives by the alms of those who respect his spiritual character and are grateful for his instructions4 ,he preaches not exactly in the style of ,massillon1 but in a way which moves the passions of the uneducated hearers1 and all his influence is employed to strengthen the church of which he is a minister4 ,to that ,church he becomes as strongly attached as any of the cardinals1 whose scarlet carriages and liveries crowd the entrance of the palace on the ,quirinal4 ,in this way the ,church of ,rome unites in herself all the strength of establishment1 and all the strength of dissent4 ,even for female agencies there is a place in her system for devout women2 she assigns them spiritual functions1 dignities and magistracies40 ,how different from these enthusiasts who have not entered a church for years2 their stock in trade is largely vituperation of the churches until they are trained into a better understanding of relative social service4 ,the ,church is doing the real ,christian work of the world in keeping people from going wrong4 ,missions and their branches only hope to catch the driftwood of humanity before it floats out into the great ocean of eternity4 ,but every church in the land should have an investment in money or personal representatives in the nearest city rescue mission4 ,the young people of the churches should be the choirs of the missions4 ,they will get inspiration as to how to do work for ,god in securing the conversion of every soul committed to their care in the church and community work4 ,,transcriber',s ,,notes #a4 ,on p4 #ea1 interest on #ag1jjj at #e4e would be #ice instead of #hej4 #b4 ,added 8was0 between he and brought on p4 #ajc4 #c4 ,silently corrected typographical errors4 #d4 ,retained anachronistic and non-standard spellings as printed4 #e4 ,enclosed italics font in underscores4