The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-03-21
HELP THE SAILOR.

We bespeak the cooperation of our fellow
citizens III aid OF general operations among sea
men, and particularly in securing Reading.
| Room, Bethel and Exchange whore American and
British seamen, and the seamen of every nation
Withdrawing from scenes of inebria ton and in
\ dulgence, can resort for business and amuse-
4 ment and instruction and the blessings of re-
4 demption Several reaso for this co-opera ton
will be given in this and succeeding articles with
permission.
And. first. although munifcent donations were
given to this cause before the war, and there was
q succession Of acknowledgements and disasters
sufficient to discourage any people from giving to
| it, yet since the war it has not received it's pro-
portlonal share of what the people, in their deep
poverty. have been enabled to give to benevolent
| objects. L have now abored IN this place con
tuuousiy over seven years, under the direction
| Of the American Seamen's Friend Society, a So
clety which, like the Bible Society, embraces all
denOmn atoms. During that period the entire
amount contributed by the citizens of this COM
merclal metropolis of the Southwest, for genera
operations among reamen, has been less than
500 per annum.
But because we have not importuned the peo-
pie for money; because we have held no public
meetings, got no fairs issued no c rculars but
have gone on silently, perseveringly and success
! ally paying our own debts and owe man any
3thlng at the present time, it does not follow
Hhat money has not been needed, or that we
khould be always tied to cradle, which we have
Hong since outgrOwn.
Inc SSS OF the establishment was demon
|s'r4ted 70. As Reading Room and place
degree 5lIsucJ lever achieved in the pslmiest t
days Of the city. AM. it has never been more
successful than during fl6saa st1u1Yinter; and was
never IN more prosperoul han at this
moment 1t has not beerf& NO count
fifty men at time in the Aom. all
silently engaged in reading orr iends
II has been very common to con hd by
day aud by night we have been L. I'd our
evening meetings have never been more inter
esting. More than thousand letters wear have
been written there to distant friends. More than
five hundred letters have been written there
d&irin the last three months.
IThrough four years those hardy Scandinavian
s1amen, who have seemed as if they would
IPrt, have been furnished with place for all
helr religious meetings III perfect readiness for
!hem, and with liberal supply of Scandinavian
publications, without receiving asking far |
thing from them ia return. And our place has |
been more thronged since they left us than when |
hey were with u.s. or at any time previous.
With library Of nearly two thousand volumes |
md large amount Of periodicals in many Ian
5uages, have. so far as the supply is concerned |
me OF the best furnished Sailor Reading Rooms
n the country, not excepting New York or Bos-
on. And he simple reason why no more are
procured - Ihdre place 10 PIT them, If had
ZEN. If the business men Of the city will agree
o furnish an appropriate place, will agree to
upplv it in style that shall be equal at leas to
hat OF the building. l.. H. PEAsE,
SeaRlens Chaplain.