The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-02-13

THE BETHANY MIssIoS-THE Ninth ANNvER-
sARY MEETING-HIsTORY or THE INSTITUTION
AND ms GOOD WoRK.-The southwestern sec
backward in its moral state than any other.
AS "birds of a feather flock together" so the
subjects Of poverty and crime are accustomed
to congregate in one locality thereby render
ing their emancipation all the more ditnculJ'
but none the less desirable. This Locality,
therefore, has been the most inviting Heiu IN
the whole city for the labOrs of the phllanthro-
pist, who has properly recognized the tact Dy an
earnest and determined effort.
The movement was started on the seconu ohD- t
bath of February, 1858, on whlch gay the
first quarters were in two rooms IN the second
story of the dwelling No. 2l35 south street.
Twenty-seven children ana Two aquiIs q were
present at the opening session. No benches
were to be had but seats were improvtsed by
bringing pieces of scantling from the cellar,
and supporting them upon bricks. Notwith-
standing this almost insignificant beginning,
the school prospered from the very first, the
number of scholars increasing at each success
sive session, until the roll shows the present
NJ membership TO be MS follows:-
Infant school, %5 Primary school s5 %; senior 1f1
Total, SOL Male teachers, "a female teachers,
2s. Grand total, S53.
were soon found to be too small, and 1t being
impossible to procure larger rooms in deSlra-
BILE neighboThood, the following summer large
tent was pitched on the open lot on South
street, west of Twenty-first. The tent was
opened on the 18th of July, on which occasion
sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. Challen
TO over three hundred children. In October,
1858, the cornerstone of a building for the use
of the Mission was laid the site selected being
the lot on which the tent stood. Rev. John
Chambers performed the ceremony, the audi
ence being addressed by him and by the KeV.
DIR. Leyburn, Rev. Dr. Brainerd, and Rev, Mr..
Mcleod. While the mission building was IN
process of erection, the services OF the school
were held in the public school house on twenty
third street, above Lombard.
The building was erected in neat ana SUD
stantial manner, being forty by sixty feet IN
size and costing, together with the furniture,
about $500. On the 9th OF January, 1907, the
Bethany Mission Chapel was dedicated, the SER
vices being again conducted by the Rev. John
Chambers, assisted by the Rev. DIR. heyburn,
Rev. Alfred Cookman and Others. When the
Sabbath School was fully organized in It's new
quarters, it numbered 24 scholars and IL
teachers, Since then its numbers have steadily
increased, until they have reached the gratlty-
But even these commodious quarters have
been oulgrown by the school, and there is now
in process of erection another and larger build
ing, which will occupy the entire end OF the
block at Twenty. second and Shlppen streets,
being 1857 feet on Twenty-second street, rum
ming to PEN berton street, and liz feet on snip
pen street. The general style of architecture is
the Gothic. There will be two buildings one for
the church and the other for the Sabbath
| school. The church fronts on Twenty-second
street, and is 48 feet front by 50 feet on Shippen
| street. The lower floor will contain a study
! for the Pastor. a committee. room, lecture
/ room, and large room, designed as
Reading Room for Young Men. The Audience
| Chamber is directly over, and is 80 feet IN
| height 1t will comfortably accommodate 500
persons. There will be entrances at both front
anu rear, ana a small tower al Jue eaSJeTu Gnu
| will contain the bell. The Sabbath School Hall
lies south of the Church, and is 50 feet front on
Twenty-second street, by los feet on Pemberton
street. IL consists of an oblong room With an
| arched recess on the south for the platform, on
either side of which will be the Infant Schools,
20 by 35 feet each of which will seat 800 children.
| There six claSs-rooms on each side, each
| containing 25 chairs, and shut off by glass
| partitions, for the accommodation of Adult
| Bible Classes. The large middle portion
of this room, designed for the main school, will
be So feet by 70 feet and will hold 100 classes and
800 scholars. The Lecture Room OF the Church
will also be so connected that the large glass
partitions can be drawn aside ana this roo IN, ~
by 55 feet, added II necessary, for special occa-
sions. All the rooms, though shut of by glass
doors, can be thrown together during the OPEN
ing and closing exercises, and thus accommo-
dations are provided (without counting the
Lecture Room) for l7CO persons. The sabbath
School Hall will be completed first and then, as
fast as means are obtained, the Church will be
pushed forward. 1t is expected that the sab
| bath School bullding.will be ready FOR occupa-
| tion early in the fall OF the present year.
Last evening the ninth anniversary oil the
| Mission School was held, great interest being
| manifested in the exercises by large congre-
CATION The school-room was tastefully deco
rated for the occasion, not the least interesting
| adornment, as far as the delighted children
| were concerned, being the grand assortment OF
| cakes and conlections which were TO be dlStrl'
| buted among the little ones. The exercises
| were conducted by the pastor, Rev, 5. Il
| Lowrie, and the Superintendent, John Wana-
| maker, ESQ.,; short addresses being delivered
| also by the Rev. Drs. Reed and Crowell. In
| strumental music was interspersed, and every
/ thing passed off in a most agreeable manner.
| The Mission School, whose history We nave
| thus slzetched, has been doing great and gooc
! work in our midst, and we earnestly eXhorG al
to extend to IL helping hand, that It's Held o
usefulness may be even further enlarged.