Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-21
CHURCH CHARITIES.
What Various Congregations Are
Doing to Aid the Poor.
HELPING NEIGHBORHOOD FOLKS.
Novel Plans Adopted by Many
Organizations.
VISITING POOR ANTILLES.


The parish of st. Johns Episcopal Church
IL one of the most extensive in its work
and well organized in its giving Of any in
the city. In itself 1t is both a rich and
generous church, q convenient and hopeful
combination, and provides money for the
support Of a great deal Of outside work.
both among the colored and the white peo-
pie of the city. 1t supports the st. Mary's
Chapel on 21st street, which Is doing q
great good in that section. In the school
and kindergarten combined In this work
colored children are taken in who have
often been expelled from the public schools,
and their families are helped so far as pos
sible from the poor fund In all the Episco-
pal churches the collection on the first Sun
day Of the month goes into this fund, un-
less otherwise designated by the rector.
The rectors will probably seldom exercise
their prerogative in this respect for the
rest Of the winter. ST. Johns Church also
is supporting other branch missions, homes.
hospitals and the like Cases from various
sources which neither the rector nor his
many assistants can investigate are usually
referred to the Central Union Mission,
which receives considerable support from
the church. ST. Johns has expended more
money already to go toward the poor Of
the city than IL did all last winter.
The New York Avenue Church.
Another large work is that carried on by
the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church
through its two chapels, the Bethany, cor
ner Of 18th and c streets northwest, and
the Faith Chapel, on NJ street between IL
and 9Th streets southwest Both these
chapels. which are supported by the New
York Avenue Church. are located right in
the midst Of the poorer classes of the city.
and MIR. Woodruff. the minister in charge,
has his hands full all the time
The WORK Is not being sllghted nor done
specifically. Mr.. Wooorun nnds that the
class with which he has to deal is made up
largely Of carpenters and builders and the
like, who, IL they could only get work.
would be all right This. however. is the
one thing which cannot be found. Mr..
Woodruff has corps of lady helpers to
Investigate cases and he finds that in many
ways they can do the work better than
men. He is himself an experienced hand
and often finds coal or provisions hidden
away by crawling under a bed or poking
into some corner, when the house has been
| represented to be totally destitute Of such
articles by the claimants. In connection
having an enrolment Of almost three hum
dred scholars. Help is frat given to the
| members OF the church. secondly to the
parents OF children In the school and lastly
| to cases Of all Sorts the work being done
| more or less in cooperation with the AS
ISOLATED Charities. The money is almost all
supplied by collections or donations from
the mother church.
The Epiphany Mission.
Another extensive South Washington
charity is that maintained by the Epiphany
Episcopal Church in their mission at the
corner Of 18th and c streets southwest.
Here the poorer classes are gathered in to
the kindergarten and the various clubs
kept up. Every house in the neighborhood
has been visited and the small children are
urged to come into the school, where the
teaching is not UNCONVENTIONAL in any re-
SnRNf har
been helped SO far as possible by the min
lister In charge, Rev. Albert N. Hilliker,
and his assistants.
Hamline's Plan.
The Hamline NJ. E. Church has taken on
itself the care Of the four squares sur
rounding 1t, or the section bounded by o,
10th, Q and Sth streets northwest This
section has been 'canvassed and the help
there given is in charge Of a special COM
mittee Of which Mrs. H. A. Hall is the
chairman. The money for this work is de-
rived from the poor fund. for which a
monthly collection is taken up, as in all
the Methodist churches. The Sunday school
will aid this year in the work by a change
In the plan for their Christmas entertain
ment Instead Of receiving gifts them
selves, as formerly, they will each bring
some present Of a substantial kind for
some poor child.
The COngregationalists.
The First Congregational Church. corner
Of 10th and G streets northwest whose area
Of work is extensive. and whose field is
limited only by the lack Of money and SUD-
plies, has appointed a special committee for
the relief Of the poor, which is doing very
| active work and looking into all cases
brought to its attention. The committee
has been distributing clothing. food and
fuel sent in to 1t in the best manner DOS
John w. Browning, Fred L. Fishback. Je-
| rome F. johnson, Mrs. S. NJ. Newman Miss
Alice H. Peabody, Mrs. A. s. Caywood and
| H. NJ. Kintz, treasurer.
| DR.. Hamlin's Church.
| The Church Of the Covenant Presby-
terian), although it has no dependent poor
among its members. has many calls for aid
from as many different sources. DR.. Ham,
lin, the pastor. is in principle strongly
against the giving Of money. Fuel food
and clothing even IL obtained ON false pre-
lenses, will be sure to do good but the in
discriminate giving Of money Is with many
| a temptation to drink, and the surest way
| to bring any man to pauperism. The King 8
Daughters of this church aid the pastor in
looking up and providing for the destitute,
while the church co-operates with and gets
help from the Needlework Guild. Its sup
port is also going out in a large measure to
the Peck Memorial Chapel in Georgetown,
| which Is under It's care. his Is q part or
the city which needs much help. The pas
tor of the Peck Memorial Church has either
personally or through trusty helpers can
Vassed the entire locality wherein his church
is situated, extending over many squares.
and he is alternating distress wherever he
can. His work is meeting with a generous
response and large contributions from the
| Church of the Covenant.
The Church of the Incarnation CProtes-
tant EpiscopaD is doing, through the pastor
and circle Of the Daughters Of the King a
large amount of charitable work in the
parish, although its labors are by no means
| confined to that. The regular monthly col
lections are used for this purpose.
| At the All Souls Unitarian Church, cor
ner Of 14th and L streets, body Of young
folks, known as the Lend Hand Society.
is very active in raising funds for the poor
| lust now while the Twentieth Century
| Club is also busy in the same way. The
| Parish Union has to do with examining
into various cases, and the church Is allie
waiting much distress. although there is no
regular fund provided upon which to draw.
| Catholic Charities.
| The Catholic churches are working this
winter in their regular lines. Their work is
always divided thoroughly into parishes and
is well systematized. The work Of looking out
| for the poor is, as always, in the hands of
| the priests and the sisterhoods. great
| deal is done through their schools, but, as a
| rule the priests are familiar with the condi-