Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-02-27
THE HEATHER OF THE CITY.

eoiHeiy. lney make ~ pay.
THE HEATHER OF THE CITY.
Scene I'm the Room. of the Central
Union Mission.
SAID TO HAVE BEEN REcLArNEp-rHr sroRy
OF THE MISSION AND MS woRK-A RErIu.
IoUs CAMPAIGN AGAINST VICE AND CRIME
"The conversion OF the heather In Washing.
ton is probably in one sense the object of our
work." The speaker was one OF the gentlemen
interested in the Central Union Mission at eos
Pennsyivania avenue, and he was talking 10 a
STAR reporter who had come into the room. as
probably thousands OF Others had. attracted by
the sound OF religious song. However familiar
The words and music OF sacred song might be-
YET there was q certain novelty about the time
and place Above the CAV laughter OF tina
crowd of pleasure seekers that surged along the
avenue In the strong glare of the electric lights
could be heard the music OF sacred song MANY
pause, sometimes simply Ia satisfy an idle curl.
osity TO know where the singing comes from
and then again In obedience 10 a strange inn.
pulse step ont from the glare and crowd and
nnd themselves standing I'm a broad doorway
reading the inscription "Gospel services every
evening" The hallway Is well lighted aud a
staircase can be seen at the end and as the
visitor presses on the sound OF singing becomes
clearer. Ascending the old-fashioned winding
stairway, for the old citizen will remem Der thaS
ms I'M Is the residence occupied for so many years
good sized room which occupies the front of the
house.
THE SCENE INSIDE
The benches and chairs are nearly all nlled
with strangely assorted audience, all of whom.
however, are paying strict attention TO n man
who In a rather hating fashion is trying 10 tell
his experience of a religious life When be
finishes some one starts Moody and Sankey
hymn, and all unite in genuine hearty styie
la the singing. Then follow more remarks eyi.
IDENTIFY regulated by the friendly caution which
is exhibited i'm large letters on the wall {. Re-
marks limited TO three minutes" IL Is eosnel
meeting, perhaps like a church prayer meeting
except, maybe, that too large a proportion of
the audience were evidently not church-going
people. In TACT some OF them looked rather
tough" and, indeed, one man In his peniten-
orunkard. There were also TO be seen we'll
dressed men, and a good proportion of the half
grown boys who are SO numerous on the streets
at night. After the services the announcement
was made that another prayer meeting would
be held, and this gave an opportunity for those
who were standing in the back room to come in
THE STORY OF THE MISSION.
The STAR reporter, however, did not stay for
the second meeting and as he was going out he
was stopped by q gentleman who had been en-.
gagged In conducting the meeting, and asked in
regard 10 MS Cnristian experience. Without
answering these inquiries, the reporter In the
interests of the readers OF the paper turned the
tables and became questioner himself which
elected the remark at the head of this article
Then, in reply TO a further request for informa-
tion as 10 the origin and purposes OF the mis-
Sion, the gentleman said:
The Central mission has been in existence a
little more than one year. Its growth and sue.
sion was started to reach people who do not
attend church. IL was thought that a location
IN amuch-irequented portion Of the city would
Mttract the people who pass along the avenue.
The results have proved the wisdom OF the plan,
Evangelistic and Gospel temperance work
among the dissipated, the vicious, and the
criminal classes establishes the fact thai hun
dreds or the young men OF our city, many
trained up in Christian families, are going
DOWN 10 disgrace aud death through the power
iul influence OF sinful pleasures and strong
drink; that over 200 persons mostly young
house annually; that about 20. Zoo arrests are
made each year; that 100 600 of our popula-
tion are not attending church on the sabbath:
That scores o. desolate homes, blasted hopes
and broken hearts are resulting from this tide
OF vice and crime. At the suggestion of Mr. n.
A. Douglass, OF the Calvary Baptist church who
was the first to advocate the estabiishmeni Of n
permanent mission, invitations were sent out
70 those known to be interested, asking them
10 meet and talk the matter over. At this
meeting IL was determined to elect a board OF
directors TO take change of this work, and the
tember 10th, 1851: j. ii. Hitescock r oep
Douglass, q. w. Wheeler, William Dubois
and \. A. Robbins. Thus the mission was es-
resumed the Christian worker, .'are entirely in.
adequate to its needs The audence-room il
over-crowded, and the ante-room is not unfre-
quently filled with people who stand through.
out the service TO hear what Is said"
SOME OF THE CONVERTS.
During the year." he continued, "the num-
Der OF converts has been very large. and IL in
increasing daily. One Of the first converts was
q gambler who had fallen TO the very lowest
depths OF shame. Having lost all manhood
and become q low drunkard, he was SO dscour-
aged that at times he mediIated suicide. Going
into the mission one evening soon after it
started, he WAS deeply impressed, though drunk
At the time. He was soon converted and for
happy and useful man. He Joined one of the
city churches, but continued to work in the
mission, and the story Of his conversion, often
repeated At the meetings, has had great In.
duence upon many others.
"Some nine months ago drunken soldier
was attracted to the meeting by the singing
and after hearing how Others were saved. he
became anxious for himself. Being soundly
converted, he threw away his tobacco, aban-
Soldiers Home he secured a situation, and has
supported himself ever since. He. too. is now
utor to its funds. He has been at the mission
with great regularity and has been an efficient
helper One evening recently a professional
twice been sentenced TO fifteen years In the
penitentiary, being once pardoned by the
syivania- The services took strong hold OF MIN
and that night he delivered TO one of the direc-
Tors great bunch of skeleton keys, with which
ne mad Piled the trade OF a thief. He was con-
verted and has since been an earnest and faith
ful helper. Afrer bis conversion be went to
Wi nv tWCuty-uNc DAY. He Is now
earning from SIP to SIS week.
~Ihe conversions embrace soldiers. army
omcers, mechanics, painters, clerks, sailors and
1aborers,-IneD OF all occupations and
ranks In lite. The history OF the converts is full
Of interest," and sometimes startling in its
recital One man, who has q young wife and
children,- was an habitual drunkard, and when
drunk was very abusive TO his family His
children would dee from him when he came
home maddened with liquor. His conversion
bis domestic affairs and gave his
family happy home. Some OF the converts
were drawn into the mission by the singing
some came In TO get warm, some came with the
avowed purpose OF making run, some were
brought Ia by companions, and in the majority
of cases they were persons who would not prob
ably have been reached by the churches MANY
are deferred from attending because OF the linn
ted accommodations. The need OF funds 10
provide better and larger rooms is pressing
heavily upon the directors Of the mission and
hey are hoping that those who appreciate the
and importance OF the work will
provide the necessary means for enlargement
9alasea.
Written for THE EVENING STAR.
lusatiae one from that cold marble hast thou carved
An image warm with life, forever thine,
coursng the living crimson blood thro frozen veins.
Creating In thy power 4 form divine