The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-03
IcoMMUHicATEp.l


The CITY Mission OF Warrington, ID. G.
The Annuai Report of the Union Missionary and
Tract Society Of The City Of Wa.hington, d; C.,
toas presented at the annual Meeting. held March
20, 1852, in the Presbytsriam Church, Four
and a half street.
Agreeably with the constitution of this society,
1t held its annual meeting stated above, and in
teresting addresses were made by Rev. Mr.. Bur
rows, OF Philadelphia, Professor L. ID. Gale, Rev.
DR.. Junkin, Rev. Mr.. Smith, of Ninth Street Pres
byterian Church, and other gentlemen, responding
TO and cheering the efforts made by the Executive
Committee to sustain the mission
This institution organized four years ago
under the auspices of the Presbyterian, the Baptist,
the Episcopainn, the Lutheran, and the Methodist
Churches, and supports by voluntary contributions
one missionary. at salary OF six hundred dollars
per annum. Mr.. d. Nj. Wilson has been thus far
employed in this capacity, and is again engaged
for the coming year.
The Executive Committee feel that their labors
have not been felt and by the citizens OF
this metropolis, aud perhaps more because they
have not been known than from any other cause.
They design, therefore, in future, to make their
efforts more generally known; that they may thus
become more generally useful. The condition of
Washington, as city, presents pcculiarities not
found anywhere else in the country. and this rem
ders the necessity Of the mission specially urgent.
The seat Of Government supplies immense
number of clerkships large portion Of which
changed with each change OF administration.
This condition OF society brings large temporary
population, and often encourages hordes of idle
men and boys; and this or some other cause, has
given the boys Of Washington unenvable repu-
tation for idieness Sabbath breaking, and kindred
vices Probably much less number here, in pro.
portion to the population, have any employment
than ia found in any other city Of our country.
The necessity OF this association, some other de-
signed to accomplish the came purpose, is deemed
vital to the sustaining OF the moral and religious
principle of the community. Sabbath schools,
public schools, and the church, it is true, reach
large proportono the people that float in the
ing current OF society But there are upon its bor-
ders stagnant pools filled with all manner of impu-
ry which entirely out of the reach Of these pu
rfying influences. The children may be induced to
go to the Sabbath school or to the public school.
but those Of mature age will not go to either; and
vast numbers of these are entirely destitute Of the
of grace. 1t is the missionary only that
can reach them. Now. there are here twenty
churches for the white population, and seven for
g colored; and supposing each 10 have four hun
dred attendants, it gives average of thirteen
thousand regularly attending church, which ia less
than onetbird of the entire population of city.
There must be, therefore, after large allowance
for those who occasionally attend church, a large
number that never attend any church Such, it is
hoped, may be reached by this missionary effort
The missionary ID supported by the voluntary
contributions OF the friends of the in the
several religious denominations above named 1t
ia made his duty to visit, far possible, all
families and persons who, either from necessity
want of disposition, do not enjoy the means Of re
ligious instruction; to exhort them to embrace and
practise the precepts and commands OF the gospel;
70 pray with and for them, that they may be thus
made to feel the Importance and the necessity OF
providing for their own eternal salvation az offered
in the gospel.
Stated religious meetings kept up in those
neighborhoods TAI thest from and moot announcement
of access to the common means Of grace. Com
Portable places of worship arc provided, and as
often possible the pastors Of some Of the churches
and brethren possessing the gilt OF exhoraton, and
other similar means of ilnparting religious insruc
ton, engaged to go to these places Of worship
and minister, to edify those who hear. The good
results already manifest OF these religious meet
ings held in places where such instructions have
rarely been known before, are apparent that
they have wrought in some few cases complete
revolution in the character Of the neighborhood.
or this kind is the Sunday school and meeting sta
ton on English Hill
Another means Of doing good, practised by this
association through its agent, ID the reading and
the distribution Of religious tracts and books.
Tracts can often travel where the missionary can
not, and perform their holy work in silence where
other means would be Intellectual.
Our agent has also done much good in establish
ing and sustaining Sabbath schools in destitute
parts Of the city. and very many children have
been induced to join the regular Sunday schools
attached to the different churches.
Our worthy and laborious agent informs US, in
his report that during the last year he has made
two thousand nine hundred and ninety seven reli
gious vsits in many different famili.s, includ-
ing the allnshouse. the marine hospital, the city
infirmary, and city prison. He has engaged in
prayer two thousand one hundred and fifty three
times in these different places. He has distributed
four thousand and eleven tracts, OF forty three
thousand six hundred and twenty pages, and he has
held one hundred and ninety four religious meet
ings.
Our agent also in forms be has found but little
real obstruction in the performance OF his work,
and that his appeals to the hear. and conscience
have in many cases given the bappest results. He
states in his report, 81 have good evidence to be-
lievc that within the range Of my ministry, and
within the last ten months, there have been tDenfy
fuo conventions" Few pastors, with all the means
of a well organized church and Sabbath school,
have the happiness to enumerate go many new en-
listments under the banner of Jesus Christ. What
Christian can be Indifferent to such results?
These converted souls are 30 many vigilant
guards the watch-towcrs OF Zion to protect
our city from the midnight assassin and tho house
burner, and, We might almost add, even from
the wrath of Almighty God. For, had one
half Of this number Of righteous men been
found in Sodom, it would have been spared for their
sakes. And what good citizen, that loves the we'll
being Of society, would not contribute freely TO
carry on, the great and important results designed
by this association? II 10 confidently believed that
one faithful missionary, in bis mode Of working.
will do ms much TO protect our citizens in life and
property many times that number OF our city
police. Much of the good that has been already
and ia still to be done by this association cannot
be revealed till the ldgment day But il will be
revealed in that day; and II must be great com
fort to every laborer in the Of Jesus Christ to
know that not single mental or physical effort
made TO advance His Kingdom shall fail OF its re-
ward.
In conclusion, we do appeal most earnestly to all
good ci,zens of this metropolis, who love the cause
OF Jcsus, who love the Of morality, who love
the cause OF humanity, good order, and the proec-
ton Of life and property, 10 come forward and con-
tribute to THE noble, phianthropic, and Christian
enterprise. tits designed TO draw up subscription
lists to be presented TO the citizens generally for
their aid and approval.
l.. ID. GALE,
IL. RICHARDS,
Committee of Publication.