The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-31
TO SAVE THE MASSES.
Unsectarian Mission to Be
Established Here.
SUCCESSFUL SCHEME IN EAST.
Major Hilton Addresses Large Mass
Meeting at Armory-Encouragin
Financial support.

The mass-meeting at the Armory yester-
day afternoon, which was called to discuss
the question of How to Reach the
Masses" was largely attended, and the
proposed solution of the perplexing cues
ton was received with such favor that a
Gospel non-sectarian mission will be es-
tablished at once in the heart of Seattle.
In every city there are many men who
do not go to any church. This movement
is designed to reach that class by going to
them 1t is proposed to make the work
auxiliary to the evangelical churches of
the city, and every church will be ex-
pected to cooperate with the union mis-
sion in its labor of bringing in the masses.
Judge Roger s. Greene, president of the
board of directors, being absent, Dexter
Horton presided. The meeting was opened
by such stirring songs as ITO the Work."
RESCUE the Perishing," "All Hail the
Power of Jesus Name" etc. Rev. Wal
lace Nutting, pastor of Plymouth Congre-
gational church, led in prayer. The call
that had been issued for the meeting was
read by Mr.. William J. Dickson, one of the
directors.
Mr.. Dexter Horton, after the call was
read, introduced Major George A. Hilton,
of Washington City, with few commenda-
tory remarks.
Major Hilton based his address on the
text, HE Came Where He Was" from the
parable of 1.-THE Good Samaritan" and de-
veloped the fact that the question of chow
to reach the masses" was practically solved
by the union mission work. which is dis
tinctlvely undenominational and yet sup
ported by all the churches.
Major Hilton referred principally to the
extensive work done by the McAuley
missions of New York, the Mccall mis-
sions of France. and the Central Union
mission of Washington City. This latter
mission had humble beginning, meeting
in room which could only accommodate
eighty persons, and today it had central
department with over thirty outlying mis-
sions where stated services were conducted
largely by converts of the mission.
This mission also supported Gospel
wagon work which reached 100000 I'M
churched persons annually.
This wagon was built at an expense of
81, 200 and could accommodate thirty sing
ers and workers. 1t was lighted by
electricity supplied from storage battery,
the gift of an electric light company. The
and altogether the equipment was so at
tractive-the singing being an especial
feature-that it had been the means of
gathering audiences numbering from 1000
to 5000. The services held from this
Gospel wagon were made to precede some
indoor service, either at the central mis-
sion rooms or in the outskirts of the city
or in some church edifice. The major here
spoke with much eloquence of
the practical result of such work
in the highways of that city.
81 have SEEM" said Major Hilton, "burg-
lars and thieves throw down their tools
and gamblers pitch their cards in the mud,
harlots crying for mercy and begging to
be allowed to go to the mission. On one
occasion, when we held an open-air SER
vice IN front of a prominent saloon,
grossly intoxicated person was clinging
with his arms around the awning post,
when suddenly the proprietor of the saloon
appeared and rudely thrust him headlong
into the street, saying he could not allow
him TO stand in front of his. saloon. The
poor drunkard rose with difficulty and
staggered over to the Gospel wagon and
begged to be allowed to lean on one of the
wheels for support, at the same time
pointing over to the saloon with the re-
mark that he had spent all his money
there and then was pitched into the street.
He was carried to the mission in the
wagon, and was soon thoroughly changed,
and is today superintendent of one of the
branch missions of that city, accomplish
ing great deal of good.
another of the many converts who
have gone out and forwarded the work
was a poor, degraded, filthy tramp; so
filthy that the leaders were obliged to
turn from him to get breath. The second
night he attended the meetings he was
converted, and today is superintendent of
the BOYS Shetering Home of the citv of
Washington, known, loved and honored
throughout the city as an earnest, effectual
worker in the Masters kingdom. And
anyone who is at all acquainted with the
reform work of the city of Washington
knows Peter Sweeney and it is a pleasure
for anyone to see him and to look on his
beaming countenance."
The speaker brought out by many forci-
BILE arguments the fact that it is not only
the duty but the privilege of the church TO
do such practical work, thus sending con-
verts into all the churches, who become a
source of power and inspiration to them.
and that he was pleased to find that Chris
tian men of Seattle such as issued the call
for this mass-meeting felt burdeped for
such work as he had outlined. and that
the position of these men in society was
assurance that it would be carried on sue
cessfully.
Major Hilton concluded his interesting
remarks by estimating that there were
5000 Christians in the city of Seattle. If
each one of these would contribute 4
cents per week, the aggregate would be
over 500 per year-enough to support
and carry forward at least dozen branch
missions in various parts of the city. Then
the speaker made an appeal to the audi
ence for voluntary subscriptions to be paid
monthly for the proposed object. A free
will Offering was given in a few minutes.
averaging $9247 per month, after which
the meeting closed by singing the dox-
ology.
The management of the mission will be
entirely under the control of the board Of
directors composed OF the following gen.
tlemen: Judge Roger s. Greene, presi-
dent; Henry A. lettering. vice president;
Elem s. Osborne, secretary; James A.
Moore, treasurer; William ]. Dickson. DR..
Rufus Willard, Dexter Horton.
The directors contemplate holding GOSPEL
meetings every evening in the week at
some point in the city where the nom
church-going masses can be most easily
reached. Further subscriptions, to be paid
monthly for the support Of the work, can
be made to any one OF the board of di-
rectOrs