The Washington times., 1895-03-09
RELIGION is 4 BUSINESS
Central Union Missions Method
of EVan5eliziHg Washington.
FACTS IN TIE ANNUAL REPORT
The Sinful Multitude Is Not Expected to
Seek salyation-The Mission Works in
the Highways and Byways LESS Than
Dozen Men Started the Great work-Ef-
fort to Make 1t National


1T is useless to sit between the four walls
OF cl.urIh and expect the sinful multi
tude TO flock in and be saved. There is suCh
a thing as business enterprise ana there
is such a thing as religions enterprise"
These statements are embodied in the tenth
annual report OF the Central Union Mission,
just issaed, and it is further asserted that
it is that spirit OF religious enterprise which
has raised the organization to its present
high standard of usefulness.
Ten years have elapsed, the report states,
since the little handful of men, less than q
dozen, conceived tie idea o. holding Gospel
services on the street for the purpose OF
reaching and preaching 10 the chanchless
masses. and in those ten years the LITTLE mis-
sion has become a great evangeiizaJion So
citty, tie street meetings have become i'm
meuse ConyOCStiOnS before the Gospel
wagon. and The Central Union Mission,
wlth branches in an sections OF tie city,
has become q model for activity. thor
ough organization, practical methods, evan
gelcal faith, spiritual power, and aggressive
energy.
Tents have been erected, cottage meet
iBgs have been established. the jail, work
house, statiou-houses, engine-hOusCs, and
cheap lodging houses have been visited; a
weekly paper has been started and widely
circulated: laymen have visited OtherToWHs,
where great reyivals have followed; Cos
pei meetings for children have beerstarted,
and work fOrJhe colorcd people ia The alleys
has been undertaken.
QUICK TO TAKE ADVANTAGE
Wherever an opportunity was afforded
for doing good work the Central Union Mis-
sion was quick 10 take advantage oft.
The report gives a brief history Of the or
gaHization and rapid growth OF the mission
and Of its steady effort to subordinate
temporal RELIEF to its religious work. The
basis OF its charitable work is the Industrial
department and tie employment bureau.
Use has been made of all the different
charities hospitals. homes. ard inStitu-
tions in tAe city 10 the utmosteXtentp possible,
and where these agencies We're Insufficient
or Inadequate tie Mission supplemented
them with its own appointments. Ia this
way il has gradually expanded its system
OF charities until il is rapidly becoming the
leading agency in this city for the care OF
the poor
About $50. 600 have been paid on the new
ana repairs. and about S44 b00 remain TO
be paid. The payments are At the rate OF
81 600 every quarter. The running eX-
penses at present aggregate about So goo
a year. aud IL has required about 50 ,0CO
10 meet The annual demands for charity.
The building committee is DOW pressing
an effort to get pledges from 900 men
and women 10 pay 50 cents a month IN order
10 meet the maturing obligations on the
buildi'ie. This done the board VIII make
a similar effort to provide forsits current
expenses. which amount 10 the same sum,
about $500 month.
ONE GREAT BURDEN.
IT these efforts are successful it WI
relieve the board OF one great burden ~
least, and enable il TO give more attention
TO the work itself Efforts are also being
made 10 form national evaDgCllZatlon
society, which VIII be similar in its work
lngs 10 the Central Union Mission.
During the past year ! Z 30 persons have
profcsscd conversion. and during the past
ten years III converts have been made.
The aggregate ecst for the current ex-
Penses during the past year was 50 .059. At.
This makes an average cost OF S2.2S for
each religious service held
The report makes u summary statement
OF the different phases of the work of the
Mission. TO suggest something OF its extent.
The Bulletin. published weekly. with a
circulation Of > .OO0; tract distr button,
nightly services III the auditorium. daily
MONDAY services. ten branches in different
parts ofthe city. work in thel lodging houses,
in the ials, and hospitals, house To- house
visiting, missionaries, and other employees,
the poor mans dining room. the woodward,
the dnruitoTies for men, the dormitor Is
Tor women. the laundry street meetings,
alley work. Gospel meetings in all its
branches relief work for the poor, the great
Thanksgiving Day distribution. the Mission
singing, the training class, the national
movement. the women's band, the mems
band. and work in suburban communities
ali fiji a large place in the Mission and give
some idea OI the extent OF the work during
the past year.
REBUILDING THE WAGON.
The stable in which the gospel wagon was
stored was burned during the past summer,
and with it the wagon, which is so famI-
lar TO the Sunday frequentcrs Of Pennsyl-
vania avenue. was destroyed. It was fully
insured. however, and the board VIII re-
build il in time for the work which com
menCeS the first Sunday in May.
About 125 homeless men are sheltered
and fed daily, and aS rapidly as furniture
and bedding can be procured the capacity
is being Increased to 500. the floor space
being entirely adequate TO the shelter Of
that number.
All the employees of the building sre con
yerts OF the Mission. who are out of employ
ment. and who gladly take service there
until they can find more lucrative sitUa-
tons. The laundry work Of the entire build
ing is done by Mission women.
The whole industrial department is self
supporting, and the board considers il a
solution Of one of the great problems which
arises whenever an effort is made To help
the helpless, shelter the homeless, or lift
up the fallen
The Mission has lost ore Of its most
earnest and enthusiastic workers by death
during the year, Mr.. ] II. Hitchcock. who
died September 10 last Resolutions de
ploring his passing away and recording his
devotion 10 the interests OF the Mission Were
spread upon the minutes OF the board.
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