Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-05
TO SAVE THE DEGRADED
A Convention of Christian Workers Soon to
Be Held Here. -~''
National Organization Formed From
the Results of the Work Done
I'm the District.

The committee in charge are pushing the
arrangements for the first annual conven-
ton of the National Gospel Mission Union,
to be held on the 18th, 10Th and 18th Of this
month in the Foundry NJ. E. Church, corner
Ath and G streets northwest. Many favor
able responses have been received from
superintendent of missions, matrons of
rescue homes and active Christian workers
in various fields of labor Among the sub
jects to be discussed are evangelistic work,
tent work, services in halls and cottages,
open-air work, Gospel wagon work, how to
deal with seekers. inquiry room, seekers
form, personal work. how TO study the
Bible, the tramp problem. stunning among
depraved men and stunning among aban-
doned women. midnight mission work. UNI
versty settlements. boys encampments,
ch.idren's Christian homes, etc.
Local Subjects for Discussion.
Among those who have announced their
intention to be present are the following
named: T. B. Irons:de, superintendent OF
the Market Street Mission. Morristown. N.
j.; Mrs. f. NJ. Whittemore, founder of the
Door of Hope, New York ETY.; J. Z. Reed
of the Helping Hand Mission, Chicago; S.
F.. Curtis of the Rescue Mission of St.
Louis; S. H. Hadley of the Old Jerry Nc
Auley Mission. New York city; Mrs. Smith
OF the Strahan Rescue Home for Women,
New York: Rev. VIM. Funk of the Brook
lyn City Mission; Mr.. J. C. Myers Of the
Bethany Mission. Boston, Mass. and many
others.
In addition to the great array of Chris
tian workers from abroad Rev. Mr.. Ennis
will present the objects and Efforts of the
Brotherhood of Andrew and Phillip; Rev.
Mr.. Skellenger will speak for the Christian
Endeavor: Rev. Walter H. Brookes for the
Colored churches of Washington; Mrs.
Platt, the newly elected president Of the
w. G. I. T., for that orga niZat.on; Mrs.
La Fetra for the Hope and Help Mission.
The Silver Lake Quartet will sing, and
Mr.. Geo. W. Hsvell, the well-known leader
Of mission muse, is organizing picked
choir of mission singers and instrumental
lists. who VIII contribute TO the musical
program.
The National Movements.
The>success of the Central Union Mission
of this city in reaching the unconverted
classes has lei to the conviction that SIM
liar work may be successfully prosecuted in
every city. This mission in zen years
has grown from very small beginning to
"a city evangel:zation movement, with
great building in the center of the city
and a dozen branches IN various other sec
tens, with well organized corps of work
erS carrying on almost every conceivable
form of effort to reach the ursaved. In
ten years more than 0soGO persons have
profeSSsd conversion; the congregations
aggregate an attendance Of 10000 an
nually; about fifty meetings week are,
held: successful eVangelstic work among
suburban churches has been done, and an
almost unprecedented activity has been
maintained at a comparatively small eN-
pense in money. the work being almost
wholly done by volunteers, without pecu-
mary compensation.
After much consultation with Christian
workers, evan6elists and mission leaders in
other cities, an organization has been eff
fected, to be called the National Gospel
Mission Union. Its object is to Christian
ize America, and while it is not restricted
in it's agencies and methods. yet it's found
ers have in mind several important fea-
lures. to which others may he added as &C.
cason arises.
Objects to he Attained.
1t is proposed to organize gospel missions
in cities where they are needed and to
secure the fellowship and cooperation of
those which already exist as far as this is
found practicable. plan will be adopted
whereby existing missions and those which
may hereafter be formed may become
auxiliary TO the national union for pur-
poses of cooperation and mutual benefit.
1t is also proposed to organize training
schools for the training of men and women
for this special class of work, SO that the
missions of the cities may have competent
superintendent and other helpers.
Another object Is to organize corps OF
evanselists. who may respond to demands
for special services in churches and mis-
SionS.
An important feature will be the fact
of refrainiEg from the organizing OF any
churches or anything that would constitute
rival of ecclesiastical bodies The eff
fort will be to cooperate with the church.
eS and not supplant or compete with them;
to harmonic existing bodies and not to
produce strife; to strengthen and not weak
agencies
The last ten years have Witnessed Won
derful progress In the movement for the
evangelization Of cities. and there has
been a practical demonstration of the fact
that the gospel is powerful In the reclaim
ing of the lost even when they have fallen
to the lowest depths of degradation.
Branches Already Started.
Growing out of this national movement,
which was organized last January, a rescue
mission has been established at Alexandria,
Va, and Central Union Mission has been
established in Pittsburg, Pa. similar
work has been organized in Philadelphia
under the name of the Cross and Crown
Association great work is being organ
lied in Baltimore, and Major Hilton is now
in Evansville, Ind, organizing general city
mission work, under the auspices of this as
ISOLATION.
The following committees are in charge
of the arrangements:
Programme. D. Bailey, Geo. A. Hilton,
Geo. w. Wheeler. F'inance-W. l.. Bruen,
Judge Arson S. Taylor, S. W. Woodward,
G. w. F. Swartzell. T. A. Harding and Mr..
Matthews. Place of meeting-N. A. Rob-
birs, A. L. Swartwout and w. c. Tyler En-
tertainment and transportation-Dr. J. E.
Carpenter. ]. Z. Pugh, P. s. Foster, Mrs.
S. d. La Fetra, Mrs. P. W. Pratt and Mrs.
Craft. Mrs. A. E. Miley, Mrs. Randall.
Printing and press-Geo. W. Wheeler, H. P.
Goodwin, A. B. Slauson, w. Osgood and c.
Kloeber. Invitations-G. G. Martin, S. D.
Luckett, o. B. Brown, Allen Wood. Music
Geo. W. HavelL Ushers-P. w. Pratt, J. C.
Muncaster, E. P. Clayton and Karl Han
sen.
Invitations have been extended to about
fifty pastors residing in Virginia and Mary
land, and entertainment is desired for them