The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-12-14
REPORT OF A MISSIONARY.
WORK OF THE CITY SOCIETY OF
BAPTiSTS.

keeu
MIG. F. Williams, Missionary of the
Raptist City Missionary Society, has pre-
parcd his report for the year ending Deem
her 1. 1890. A copy was furnished last
vcek 10 the pastor OF each Baptist church
in Richmond, and the paper will doubtless
he discussed by them to-day in their pull
nits. Following is the report in full:
Brethren Of the Baptist City missionary
Sorio;v: In making this, my second annual
report. t0yOu. | desire, In the first place, 20
rsfsr 10 my increasing conviction of the ne
ceSzity for our work.
BEFORE attempting this, however, lit
nm nv heart 10 God for His help, that
may sci this important matter out IN moth
ing more nor less than its true light. Let
me ask YOU. then. TO 20 with me awhile as
rstrace nv steps in this work. We
Knock ut the door OF an humble
home The door Is opened by a hard
working woman, surrounded by her
little children. We hold a few moments
conversation; portion Of Scripture ia read ;
prayer il offered; tracts are given. with
. notion she SAYS; we are not Church MEM
her. and rarely ever 90 a. church. A pray
or yas never offered in our house before.
Tho children sometimes 70 10 sunday
school. No one comes here 10 talk to us on
the subject Of religion. My husband sta o
-, homo sunday mornings and walks cut
somewhere IN the afternoon
We knock at another door, and nearly
the same scene occurs. The last unwilling
statement. however. is this IL used TO gs
10 church, and my children 10 SUNDAY
scbool lint We can never get clothes % 20
go Nv husband gets good wages for hls
,,o,t lint ON saturdays when he Is paid IN
~, -. with some OF the men 10 the bar
-, and he treats. and they treat IN turn,
I'm ibey yet fun Of whisky; then ne gets
,.o,,ie mil and comes bone, and Is under
,,e influence Of whisky tail Monday morn
inc and then goes of 10 WORK AGAIN. ou'
he brings vsry little money home lou
know people don't like to Nist such ~s we
a. rot eyacgerate. am sure, when
say there are thousands ol SUI" "''''0' '0~'
tered through our city. ,,. .,,,-
A. snofber house we are invited IN. I'VE
.,,,. baro from the country eighteen
months ago" saws the lady. I'VE are meT-
hrs of a church IN the country, ana my
husband was an active member boih IN the
sunday school and the church. lie used to
ride seven miles every sunday TO assist IN
tho sunday school. and was never absent
I'm an appointment Of the chHrch. But
.,incs we came here he has lost his interest,
s,neb,w. lie doesn't 20 10 church very
oftan and / have been only once since we
moved here. Everything 10 so different In
The churches here. We don't feel at home
IN them. and 50 we don't 90. NO one has
ever said anything TO US about going to
church. some one called once 10 get the
children % 20 10 sunday school,
IN THE OTFICE.
Th,, isa sample Of great many homes
among Us. except that some OF them have
been here. instead Of eighteen months. three
sndd ye wears or more. We will now have a
vord with this man in his office. Don't
sav churches 20 me- he replies, 81 never
=, 4, them" We show him a religious
S,,t written hy Rev. Cunningham Geikle,
ID ID "Nh0 is the author OF this-a minis
Ter, Well. | don't want anything written
minister. don't want anything t. DO
vifh churches and ministers. Ny wife 10
m. nh.r ot the church and the children go
a. ~undav-SchOol. and her pastor calls on
her. but am not at home, and never see
him. Tn. Bible. ! never read that. am
not an intdel. believe in hereafter, ana
certainly / believe IN Jesus Chrlst, IL you
come IN again will be glad to talk 70 you
more about my views
Ina lsrg. grocery store the clerk is busy,
and the wife Of the proprietor. a lady OF
some thirty years, is standing near the
stove. To our inquiries she replies, Il never
mink about death. | don't want 10 Die. II
,,ers to allow myself to think about IT.
shoud 20 crazv. think lite Is time lot
Ules-ure-t0 be just az happy a. YOU cam ana
never know il you can help II. "hen uesln'
A. @ ,miny" The husband now comes IN.
~ don't believe in any herebf err he says.
There l. no more Of rae when die than OF
nv horse out there when be dies am 20
in, I, make the most Of pleasure here, and
let the future take care Of Itself. Ny wh'
vas raised i'm the -- =. =. and take her
N church now and then when some extra
sneaker l. 10 preach, because we Ike nue.
spanking
People Of such sentiments are 10 tue Work
.h,t.-. Offices. stores, and other places.
a.. noN 4 bleak. chilly sunday morning.
W.yyaik along some-of the less irequentei
streets of the city.
so GOOD.
We approach a small group OF men stand
inc hy a warehouse. one OF them steps for
ward 10 meet us. and seizes us by the manu.
and with "A satanic smile on his face says:
AN sir. YOU can't DO me any good. /
Ln,,g I'm going 10 hell. ! am drinking
m,n. aud / am going TO drink and go 20
hell | want drink now, and l IN going 10
b,ye one soon. Another one comes stagger-
inr up. a whisky bottle sticking out OF
the inside pocket Of his coat ne
SAYS. Il know You. lou use1 10
faik TO the men at the Jredegar
Works I've been TO high mass thl. morn II
irg Give us a talk here. won't yOnT' We
renlv. ..Ye- II you will all ait down on
tbat log there" He turns 10 the SIX OF
eisbt men. VINO. like himself, have been
drinking and commands them, sit down
thara ali Of you!" Tney obey. The BiOle
IL Ouencd % the verse. God 80 loved the
world" *. How Gods hesrt beats Tor 'he
fallen il. shown them. The man VINO hau
ss.ad for the talk. now breaks in and says,
sS,Ve PRAYER. won't y0ur e. u
YOU viii take off your hats. MEN,; ne
commands take of your hats Every
nat i. on. and he kneels down on the gravel
stones while the PRAYER II onered. ~ e are
uu,h obliged TO NOu," comes from All One
foUows Us few steps aud says, Il kho"
you. I'm ashamed to tell yod my name.
I'm ashamed 10 be in this crowd. I'm gong
70 turn over new leaf ana DO better
Here il another crowd, ali young men,
" road the Bible and talk TO them. AT
length one Of them says Nv ny, SIR All We
Uork for during the week 10 20 get money
IN buv whisky enough 10 drink Saturday
night and sunday ,.,,
behind "A pile of railroad ties, PLAYING carus
Tor money. Ne belong 10 such ana such
SUNDAY schools" they say. I'VE were there
"A little Mullt tuls iutIhih-s ~
an did man tattooing the arm Of a Young
man. H. saws. Read the Bible and give
az = talk.~ He stops the tattoolDg, The
Soupg ,nan. the boys, aud he listen. They
take Oh their hats. prayer is offered, ana
"a we turn awsy the old man says; ""
thank your ...- -,
Here are a dozen e0lored youths from
twelve TO twenty years Of age pitching
crap a. they call it. The money Is on the
grOtnd. and they then throw for H. Terri
bl, blasphemous language pOisons the air.
Their face. are besmeSred with dirt, thei5
clothing is scant and ragged. the sky Is
cloudy. aud the wind cutting. but they heed
II Dot. Oniy bY patient waiting aud re-
pe.ted efforts % get their ear will they stoI
10 listen 90 US. fine Commandments on
swearing and sabbath-bfsaking are read
and enforced.
some Of them 20 home. and others start,
but fes squares "a the gambling fever
Isse them. and they 20 a. il again.
Itissafe % say taat the number OF these
gatherings 10 be found any sunday Is ie-
glOn.
IN BOARDfrGHoUsE.