The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-07

and preached, though never regularly ordained
In this closet are some twenty or SO copy books,
containing notes OF lectures on the Ten Command
merts, the Lords Prayer, the Sermon on the
Mount, &c. Back or this ''oricer Is little cheer
less, barren room, dirty ana empty, with broken
down sofa bed and two chairs and q three legged
stove and piece OF OilclOth on the centre OF the
noor and an old table, with big Bible on it, and
literally nothing else in the room. This is the
bedroom OF the Blocker Mission, and wretched
looking hole it is; but not hall so miserable in ap
pearance as the Blocker Mission himself or it
self (Which Is it y, who Is the most dapidated OBJ
ject conceivable. His coat is torn ragged, dirty,
greasy, shiny; no old clothes man would dream Of
taking IT, no thief would snatch it, no beggar would
accept 1t as a present His boots, which he says
were given TO him, are q mile too big for him, aud
are utterly worthless and rdh down al the heel;
his shirt is as ragged as 1t Is filthy. and his whole
personnel is unkempt and disgusting. His hands
are lndescribaDly filthy, his nails are disgustngy
dirty his lace Is unwashed and his antique appear
ance is decidedly against the "Bleecker Mission"
But Mr.. t. Belin Laval makes an excellent point
IN his own behalf. or rather in that OF 1.-The
Blocker Mission, rom this very shabbIness and
personal NTH. see" he SAYS. Al cannot AFFORD to
live any better than do. cannot afford any finer
clothes than wear. cannot afford TO hire any
take any more out OF the money ! collect for
charity than barely enough to hide my nakedness,
w htSp u iooi oNCf NY head anu TO sustain NY
mere animal lile Ali over and above thus out OF
the moneys collect give to the pOOr--my poor
to wnose service have devoted the balance oil my
He further explains his devotng himself to the
poor and living with them ana for them In squalor
and prlvation on religious grounds. ~ have lived
fifty years for myself" says the Blocker Mission.
land half century Is quite long enough for living
for ones self. | have, Therefore, determined to
devote the balance OF my days TO hvlng ior others"
According to his account Mr.. I. Beln Laval
he delights in using his own fun name--was
"a a hnno and
for several years mad a carpenter shop in Ann
street. Then he became an Episcopalian, and
completely broke down, and he went to sea' to
recruit his energies. Returning to New York he
underwent domestic aflictlon and became ''se-
mined TO devote himself Eat once and forever to
the poor So, IN 1871, at No: % Blocker street
SON. For while he received donations quite
freely. which he claims 10 have distributed to the
poor OF his neighporhood but finally he removed
10 his present humble quarters s.where he unos-
atiously does more good than any one
knows''-a statement which Is probably literally
correct.
At the present time j. Beln Laval claims to
have under the "Denefcent influences OF his mis-
sion" ten poor famhes-two in CROSBY street, one
in Fifteenth street. one IN Goerck street, one IN
NOrolK street, the rest scattered throughout the
CITY. he seldom gives his poor money. "Ihey do
not know now to use money!" he says "but ne
gives them moneys worth in coal, clothing and
TODD, and more than moneys WORTH" he says, IN
care, attention and sympathy" He administers
relig ious consolation, sOothes the last hours OF
the dying poor and sees that they are decentiy
AS for ..mere money" MIR. j. Beln Laval claims
to nave very little Of that sometimes / have
walked and begged all day and have not taken in
hity cents" His average collections in good times,
according TO his statements, are about from SIS to
s. a day, not more. He also complains that he
and religion in his person are often grossly IN
suited, and states that he finds it much harder to
collect money than to distribute It," which Is
strictly the truth.
He also states that he has at different times EN-.
pOyed collectors and solicitors, but they have dis
appointed him and cheated him and kept all
moneys Tor themselves He also announces that
he wishes a respectable matrOn" to take charge
or the of1ce - but under the circumstances, con-
siderng the peculiar location OF the .'offce' and
the peculiar character OF the mission" respect
able matrons' are IN no hurry to apply Tor the
situation.
J. Belin Laval is at least perfectly honest In its
statement that 1t Is wholly supported by charity,
for every mouthiul the mission eats or drinks,
every rag the mission wears is given to IT. and the
very rent OF the bedroom in which the mission
sleeps Is coniessedly paid or If paid Tor at all, out
Some say that this J. Belin Laval has really col
lected large sums Of money 'tOr the poor" OF
which he has only given the poor veiy small per.
centage, Keeping the balance Tor himself though,
being either oil misery disposition as "a
blind" he lives in the wretched style described
Certain it is that, according to his own account
he is one OF those who make living, even If
wretched one. entirely out or 'charty;' ana, as
he Is the whole BleecKer MissiOn-presdent, treas
urer, collector, directory and all-and, as he
makes reports, it is evident the charitable
WHO Iudy De luCltucu W dtu Tie UIsSiOu nave no
earthly guarantee, save I. Belin Lavals own word
that he WALL appropriate their money or gifts
rightly
TINS subject this "Bleecker Mission, this J..
Behn Laval, demands immediate and official In
vestigaton, and either Mr.. Laval himself deserves
a monument Tor his self-denying goodness and
merits the warmest and fullest pecunIary aid OF
the charitable. or, which Is much more likely, he
tude and deserves TO be officially pilloried.
One thing Is certain-lOr man protesting to
have studied for the ministry he Is amazingly
IIn Innl mot EnAx vNto
pies OF science, nor does he regard Ior a moment
the ordinary laws of English grammar.
this 'mlss U It is vague dsjointed, spasmodic
and characteristics
BLEEcKEK MISSION
established ls1l D. Beln Laval President who Is the
The object d TINS institution is to provide orphans
ana such destitute widow families reduced 70
want by death and other unavoidable causes.
clothes and shelter Thus by the kind hand Of Charity
LIT them out OF distress aud shield them tempta
Twohirds of all the robberies and female shame come
of temptation in the days of want.
mainly and Society day than the preacher can in
The institution now olicts your kind and benevole mt
say not unto thy neghoor 90, and again. and to-
morrow viii 've when n9q Sait i y
No. i26 Norfolk street, New York.
Another charitable Tor half and half charitable)
institution, which has the mingled advantages or
being conducted both on phiianthrophc and a
peCunlary OASIS, ana winch IS founded alike on
benevolence and "business,n requires some inves-
tigation at the present time II may DE '.a rightn
but there are certain circumstances calculated to
cast suspicion upon it, and which should be at
once and July and satisfactorily explained by its
friends and managers. AlluslOn is here made to
THE sO-CALLED'i NEW YORK NAUTICAL SCHOOL,
No. e2 Madison street. This establishment claims
to be sort OF nautical preparatory college, and
charges for its tuition like any other college; but
at the same time II claims to take to educate de-
serving young men for nautical pursuits Tree OF
charge, II they are only worthy. Ana to enable 1t
to carry out its last mentioned design ir Is re-
ported to claim and to receive the sympathy and
the material aid of the charitably disposed. So
you can look at IL either as school In which you
get the worth OF your money, or as a deserving
charity, In contributing to which you get the worth
OF your benevolence In practical good done to
somebody ese You pay your money and you take
your choice. The school Is located in a quiet
block, In neat two stored brick house elegantly
furnished. The parors cosey ana the beau
ideal OF comOrt pictures, flowers and articles Of