The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-12
A REMARKABLE CAREER.
Rzv. FATHEB aUNTING-oN AND
HIS WORK AMONG THE POOR.

PzV. FATHER HUNTINGTON AND
HIS WORK AMONG THE POOR.
No. Content with Sacrificing the Good
Things of Life to Battle with Misery
He Sets Out 10 Learn Trade So
That He Can Support Himself AS
Do the People to Whom He APP
peels.
Copyright 1ss9.)
NEw YORK, June She has given him
salf to the poor is what his friends say Of
the Rev. w. s. Observation-Disclosures Hunt
;,gtou. as he is better known among New
Workers. and all VINO knew the reverend
tather are agreed that richer, more mag
,ifcent gift could hardly be spread before
Aha noversy-ssricken tenement houses of the
East side than this ofshis life and all his
forts with which he has so lavishly en-
lowed them.
He is the son of Bishop Huntington, and
|, himself devoted high churchman.
Therefore Of course. his work among the
narrow streets and the tall tenement houses
and their wretched poor have the church
as their basis, their starting place and their
adjective point. But while the greater
mart of his efforts have distinctly religi-
Gus aim and are carried on along distinctly
religious lines, he has branched out some
what from these, particularly during the
last few years, and sometimes helps on his
work by means that are social rather than
churchly.
Father Huntington is a young man still,
be can be but little past thirty, and he
looks forward to a long life which is to be
snent in battle with the forces of sin AID
misery, and in getting nearer and more in
sympathy with the lives and hearts of the
working poor.
His work is carried on from the mission
of the Holy Cross, a plain, simply furnished
brick building on the corner of East Fourth
street and Avenue G.
The mission was started a dozen years
AGO bv the Sisters of st. John the Baptist.
II is supported by an endowment from one
of these sisters, by subscriptions from its
wealthy friends, and by voluntary offerings
from the people whom it seeks to ben
eft.
Eight wears ago Father Huntington en-
tered the mission and since then he has so
endowed it with his own personality, his
II own earnestneSs, and his strong feeling of
the equality of humanity, that the work
II has become known as Father Huntington's
4 work." more generally than as the Holy
Cross mission.
He is an ardent disciple of Henry George,
q and it was during the latter's first canti-
a dacy, two and half years ago, that he
Il first began TO DO known. He espoused
a Georges cause with great fervor, and made
many speeches in his favor.
Aside from the immediate church work
with it's Sunday school, its services, once
& daily and five times Sunday, there are a
N number of guilds-one for men, one for
women, one for boys, another for girls,
and still another for young children.
The children have games and such amuse-
81 ments, the girls and women are taught to
II sew and knit and embroider, the boys and
+ men have singing and religious instruction.
Under the special care of Father Hunt
ington, there is weekly meeting which is
attended by the wealthy friends of the
mission and its poor commandments. They
are all rich and poor alike, under solemn
promise to him to treat one another while
the meeting lasts exactly as if they were on
a complete equality. $500
1T has done the rich people great deal
n of good" is Father Huntington's most, i'm
portant conclusion as to the results of these
meetings.
Father Huntington and his three assist
ants have all taken the priestly VOWS of
temperance, chastity and obedience. They
exercise the usual priestly care over their
parishioners, visit the sick, the forsaken,
the miserable. the destitute, and sometimes
give material aid to the most distressing
4 cases.
But we do not wish to give the impress
sion,' said one of the priests, that the
church is source of material help. We
try to do nothing that will make them feel
dependent or tend in the least to pauperize
them"
4 Father Huntington is tall and slim, with
a q long, thin face that is full of earnestness
gray-blue eyes, and strong, firm chin and
mouth. His manner and speech are ener-
getic even to brusqueness, and his influence
with rich people is powerful Many ladies
have been induced by him to spend their
spare time teaching in the vilest quarters OF
tie town.
What results of your efforts can you no.
tlce among these people after they begin to
come here" one of the priests connected
with the mission was asked.
I'VE can notice a very decided difference,
They soon begin to seem more self-respect-
Iu and to show more elevation of char
acter-ln short they become more civilized. .
Holy Cross mission is about to have an
addition to its working force who goes there
under peculiar circumstances. He was one
OF several young men belonging to Felix
Adler's society who established club in
the most wretched portion of the east side
They tried to influence and elevate the
people around them by appealing to their
reason and their moral sense, and by inter
eStlng them in things that would appeal
70 and awaken their intellects.
One OF them, however, after patiently
trylng the experiment, has decided that
ethical Culture offers nothing with which
to lay hod of the masses. and that the only
way OF reaching them is through the church.
30 he has decided to give up the ethical
work, III studying for orders. and will soon
be ordained and cast his lot in with Father
Huntinston's mission.
If wish to do the best things possible
IN this work, is Father Huntingtoa's latest
decision, Il must be still more with and of
the people. must get into close sympathy
with them. 1t is not right for me to
Dc supported in this way, while they
work.
90 ne has decided to cast his lot entirely
WIN the sons of toll, to support himself by
LIS own hands and earn his bread by the
sweat OF his brow. In pursuance of this
teclslon he. is about to go to one of the
towns in Ceitral New York where for two
months he VII work, probably in factory
earning tiade and voluntarily making
himself one Of the toiling millions whose
Gnly crusts arr those which they earn by
Inc seVerest labor.