The morning call., 1892-01-02
MARINERS CHEERED.
Noble Christian Women Bid Them
q Cordial Welcome.
s Crowded New Years Day Reception at the
Mariners Church-How the W. G. T.
q. Cares for Jack Ashore.

"Jack Ashore" is the title of a novel that
was exceedingly popular thirty years ago,
but is forgotten now. even when the boys
who read it have blossomed into statesmen,
legislators and merchant princes. But the
somber truth is that there is not much ro-
nance about the average sailors life
ashore it is mostly a fitful fever of lib
erty, boisterouS struggle in strange ele-
ment, condition of getting drunk and be-
ing robbed, brief hilarity AMI long spell
of repentance
The trouble is that no one cares for
sailor. For boy to run away to sea" is
almost equivalent to blot on the family es-
cutcheOn. Very few people on New Years
day care to think how many human beings
of the most impressionabe class are drift
ing along the city's water front with no
home to 90 to and no one to care for them.
For there is no class of men 80 impression
able as the sailor, of whatever nationality
he be. AS a subject for missionary effort,
nothing more promising can be conceived.
SONS OF NEPTUNE.
Yesterday the San Francisco Woman's
Christian Temperance Union took posses
sion of the Mariners Church at Sacram ento
and Drumm streets and got together a
crowd that taxed their best efforts to feed
and entertain. The great idea was, of
course, to get the sons Cf Neptune inside
and keep them there while being subjected
to such influences as would bring wildly
before their minds the sweet images Of
mothers wives and sisters
A sailor has all too little Of such sur
roundings in his life. but the ladies who en-
tertained poor Jack yesterday sought to
make him feel that he had sister in every
one of them. When they had lunched him
and dned him free Of charge they sat down
by bis side and talked to him without the
slightest suggestion Of patronage or 0stenta-
tfous sympathy, beginning and ending with
New Years day.
4 number of the men were induced to sign
the pledge, and mere glance at the read
ing-roOm Of the church showed that scores
Of genuine sailors had given evidence of
ability to care for themselves while ashore.
| The managers of the church worked heartily
with the ladies in their efforts to keep their
| guests from ObeYlng the wandering instincts
and drifting into the street, where the good
work would be undone in five minutes.
FLAGS AND EVERGREENs.
The chapel Of the church was nicely dec
| Grated with the flags of all nations. and the
| pulpit, fashioned like the stern of ship,
| was adorned with a wheel trimmed with
/ eyergreenS In the gallery above the'en-
trance door twenty or more ladies were busy
/ entertaining the mariners with coffee, ham.
| cake and solid refreshments. The good
| work was kent up cont nuously from 10
! o'clock in the morning 10 10 o'clock In the
/ evening, and as fast as the guests were fed
! they were taken care of and escorted by
! other ladies to the chapel.
Tie programme of the entertainment in
| the chapel wGs made as varied and inter
estlng as possible. Among the numbers
! which particularly pleased The sailors were
| TecitatiOns by two little girls, Miss Vida
! French, daughter OF a well known physician,
| and Miss Clara Pedley Neither of the
/ girls was 10 years old. and the eyes OF the
! tars mOistened as they listened TO the child
/ ish accents, full Of "reminiscences OF the
homes OF some of them mlgnt never see
| again. One veteran salt sat In the front
row in full suit of Olskins, perspiring
! like a fat alderman in a Turkish bath, but
full Of enthusiast
JOINED N THE CHORUS
The Rev. }. 4. Smith Of London was
another successful entertainer. and when
he told of Sherman's march to the sea. and
started the taT5 10 singing " Marching
Through Georgia." the chorus was taken up
with a feryOr like unto the days Of "64' and
30"
Hymns and evangelistic addresses were
| frequently inteTspersed, and yet there was
! no thinning out Of an audience that at last
| took up all the sitting accommodation and
! compelled the placing of chairs in tue aisles.
! In the evening addresses were delivered by
! the Rev. c. \. BallaHtine and the Rev F.
Plat Of the Baptist and Congregational
churches.
Mis- F. G. James, who was In charge of
the pledge department, READ paper on the
necessity and value of the pledge. 1t is a
mans safeguard, on which, in the hour Of
trouble, he falls back, as the captain on his
! lfe-pTeserver.
Last New Years day the ladies enter
! tanned between 800 and 600 sailors. This
| year the number entertained must have
| been fully thousand
! Among those who assisted, some in the
| culinary department, some in the literary
| programme aud many in both. were: Mrs
! NJ. b. Eden, President Of the Sailors Union;
! Mrs. Maria Gray. County President; Mrs.
| r. NJ. French of the Mission Union Mrs.
| q. II. Ballantine, President of the Northern
| w. c. +. T.; Mrs. f. G. James, Superin-
| tendent of the evangelsiic work Mrs. l..
| +. Williams, late County Superintendent;
| Mrs. Swan and Mrs. Rudolf Schwehl.
! Messrs. Harrington and A. L. Ruthrauf
! gave readings and addresses.
During the day the managers of the
! church held a business meeting and re-
| elected officers.
IN THE EVENING.
Among the numbers on the programme at
| the night service were a duet, Throw Out
the Lifeline" by the Misses Lamont; reci-
tatiOn, THE Nagabond"; song. Have
| Courage, My Boy, to Say No." Miss Rosie
| Lamont; recitation, Miss Susie Buffers; re-
| marks, Rev. Joseph ROwelI; solo, Miss La
| mont; remarks and closing prayer, Mrs
| Sellrldge.