St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-05-03

young men and women, and old
ones too, who owe renewed conf
dence in themselves and the world
to the kind and generous treatment ac-
corded them by the people of the Bethel
association. The mems department of
the association work has been entirely
in charge of the chaplain and superin-
tendent, Rev. Edward r. Pierce. This
gentleman is, beyond doubt, the true
modern exponent of charity and philan
thrOpy. The work he performs in the
service of his protegeS, the poor and
homeless, is simply phenomenal. Rev.
Mr.. Pierce will have control of the now
almost completed Bethel Home. The
mems department will be moved from
the present quarters in the union depot
in couple of weeks, and the legiti-
mate home of the society will receive IFS
people. The ladies. upon whom has de-
Volved a large share of the work in
securing the new and commodious home
for the friendleSS, are among the best
known in st. Paul. Among them are
such women as Mrs. K. NJ. Newport and
Mrs. George Skinner. The ladies men
toned are president and vice president
respectively of the society. Mrs. c. G.
Higbee is second vice president; Mrs.
y. A. White, corresponding secretary;
Mrs. {. A. Severance, recording Secre
tary, and Mrs. j. q. Adams, treasurer.
As an indication of the number of good
women who are working for the sue
cess of the new home, it may be men
toned that 100 representative ladies of
the city were present at the meeting
held yesterday afternoon in the Man
haitian block to complete arrangements
of a plan to raise money, of which more
anon. The chief merit of the Bethel
association as charitable organza ion
is in the fact that il knows no creedS,
diScriminateS in favor of no class, but
offers its assistance and encouragement
to all. How about cOnVictS, did some
ask? Well, even cOnvictS are men and
women, and the good people of the
Bethel treat them as such. Did any one
know that within the past year Chap
lain Pierce had taken in hand and Sc
cured positions for $50 cOnvicts dis
charged from the state prisons? OF
course not, but that is just what has
been done. The state board of cOrrec-
tons and charities in ten cases out of
eleven where liberated prisoners apply
for assistance, turn them over to Chap
lain Pierce. The old gentleman takes
the man by the hand, treats him like a
human being instead of like d danger
Gus dog, and the result of his system
has been maryelOusly successful. One
of the principal aims of the Bethel asso-
citation is to reach the class of young
men who attend no place of worship
whatever, and have no religious
belief beyond hay notion that
there is somebody somewhere who
is responsible for everything he sees
about HIM in nature. The doors of the
church are open, of course, but these
lads don't enter because they are afraid
they would be conspicuous by their
dress or department. So. even though
curious to know something about the
religion which seems to make thousands
OF people happy, they pass by the doors
of the churches. The doors of the
Bethel are open, but that is not enough.
says Chaplain Pierce. Not enough, say
the ladies of the association. If the
people won't come in they must be
brought i'll, so while Chaplain Pierce
gets round among the young men of all
classes in the city, he tries to get them
interested i'll the club room, the smok-
ing room, the reading room, and the
other attractions of the new resort.
Once he gets the man or boy
to enter his domain; once he can
get chance to talk to him and show
him how he he can get a rational pleas
ure out of life without prejudicing his
chances Of salvation, he is sure of the
man. He may not come back for a
week afterwards, perhaps not for a
month, but he will come some time,
and the churches are i'll favor of his
being benefited morally and in every
Olher way by the associations found at
the Bethel. Then, again, is Chaplain
Pierce found visiting the hospitals. He
goes to every male inmate in the wards.
and the ladies of the society visit
the female wards. To these pa
tlents they take newspapers and
magazines. The society gets these in
six languages, so that, be the sick per-
sons nationality whatever 1t NAV. he
can almost always be supplied with
something to read. These good people
sit and talk with the sick, and when
they leave each bedside its occupant
feels better that they have been there.
Visits are paid every Thursday to the
Woman's Christian home, where relig-
lOus services are held. They stop at
nothing, these progressive Christians.
Even the cells at the police stations are
visited frequently.
The Bethel will be dedicated to-day
week, and the lunches to be held this
week are for the purpose of paying. off
the debt and dedicating it free of all
debt.