Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-10-25
Western Seamen's Friend Society-An
Appeal to the Citizens Of Grant Co.

Mr.. EDITOR While attending the
State Fair at Milwaukee it was our
fortune to tarry at the Sailors Home,
and of course learned something of
the Bethel work and it's objects,
which we deem Of sufficient impor-
lance to lay before tho readers Of the
Herald
The Western Seamen's Friend So
ciety was organized some ten years
ago as a home missionary society,
having as its especial object the
"evangelizstion and improvement,
socially and intellectually, Of seamen,
boatmen and r. II employees, TO-
gether with muItludes OF neglected
children, aud others who are found
about harbors, levees and the great
depots of the West" THIS society
has proved successful to such an ex-
tent that branch associations have
been formed in Pittsburgh, Cincin-
natl, Cleveland Toledo, Detroit,
Milwaukee and ST Louis. with Chi
cage As headquarters, An almost
Incredible am Of good is result
ing from the W rtngs ~ The society.
La mos p nt c'l-. aDDve mentions
Ell, an established I'll mes" or
BOARDING house. waero seamen.
Doalmen aud others arc provided
with good board and lodging at
very low rate, aad forming retreats
secure from "oharks" ana "humau
spiders" who intest all our Western
cities in large numbers, snbsisting
manly upon the hard earnings of
this class Of laborers, to obtain which,
making drunk and robbing being
among the mildest processes resorted
TO. Large numbers who had thus
been deprived of their means have
been cared for with christian kind
ness, sobored, fed, and furnished en-
! ployment, thereby making a lasting
impression for good. These mem
almost invariably ever afterward
seek the protection Of these Clones"
while in port, and many, very many,
have been led to higher and nobler
life through the influences thus
thrown around them. Intemperance
being the bane,of this class Of persons,
thissociety has formed temperance or
CARNATIONS which are accomplishing
much good. Thousands of ragged
and neglected children have been
cared for, and while large sums are
expended annually for clothing and
other necessities, their moral training
has not been neglected, and Sunday
schools, sewing schools for girls, and
singing schools have been Instituted
and maintained fer their benefit.
So much for general statement
now about 'our Home" in milwaukee,
in particular. The building is q
large four story brick, situated
near the river in the midst Of the
docks, and quite accessible for ALL
1t contains some ffty-eight rooms
including reading room well sup.
plied with newspapers and maya.
zines-the benevolent contributions
OF the various publishing houses OIL
the country. The west half Of the
first floor Of the main building is neat
ly fitted up as a chapel and furnish
ed with an organ. Services are hello
every evening at Z o'clock and OF
Sabbath afternoons. The inmate.
alone form q very respectable con
gregation. The men are very order
~ and exceedingly well behaved, en-
tering into the spirit Of the exercise:
with zest worthy Of imitation il
some of our churches The Sabbath
School is maintained and well attend.
ed Tins institution is sustained
mainly by contributions The build
ing has been partly paid for by va
rious Sabbath schools in the State
each school sending in the sum O
torty-fve dollars being entitled IL
own as theirs room of the building
the name Of the school being let,ercC
over the door Quite a number o
rooms remain 10 &c takyn |, s. de-
sired that an effort BE- made 10y other
Sunday schools to -tcure the room.
remaining thereby caucelling The
debt still upon tn tui ding.
This enterprise strictly belonging
to this State, We would feel proud IN
having Grant county represented
and by little effort several room.
may be purchased Ia order that all
may have an opportunity to assist il
this noble work, we hereby extend
an invitation to the people of the
county to send in donations of such
sums as they may feel disposed
| Contributions Of suns under forty
| FIVE dollars will be set aside rs "Grant
county" and any school or village
sending in that sum will be properly
credited and room assigned. VII.
lagos and neighborhoods NAV be
canvassed by S. S. scholars and the
amount raised very easily. For
every dollar thus contributed . copy
OF the Bethel Banner will he furnish
cd for one year Tho Banner is an
eight page monthly, full of moral and
religious reading matter, and is fully
worth the dollar This paper is pub
Iished at n very low cost by benevo-
lent publishing houses, and is the me
dunn of the society.
we can cOnscicntl0usly recon-
mend this enterprise as wen worthy
of the attention OF the benevolent
and philanthropic Of this county.
At this season Of the year, with the
rigor of the coming winter in view,
extra regard should be paid to the
necessities of the poor and destitute
of our land. In every neighborhood
there are doubtless objects to claim
our sympathy, aud while these may
be relieved, let rs also out Of the
abundance which an overrulinc
Providence has given us, bestow
portion upon the needy Of our cities.
1t very rarely occurs that in giving
to charitable cause we get our
money back, with interest, but in this
instance we receive more in the val
liable reading matter contained in
the Banner Friends, do not be
backward but send in your donations