The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-12-02
UNION ]. W n MISSION ! WORK;
Splendid Record Made by That Institution
Under Superintendent Harry Walton.
IT HAS LONG BEEN la LABOR, OF LOVE
Since ITS Opening $4,000 Pcopic
,Invc Attended tho Meetings, 500
Hnvo Protested Conversion, 70, 900
Have i,Sen, l.agged ana $4,000
Meals Have BccnSorved.

Meals Have Bccnsorvcd.
\ stranger happening to drop In on
one OF the beautiful little meetings held
nightly ut Union Mission, on Lower
Church street, would find Ii hard to be-
licve that less ehht II decade ago the
same building was rendezvous for
disrcputablc women and men, and the
scene OF dissraceful orgies and brutal
vulgarity.
L, was here that Louisa Applebce,
better known rs Dutch Lou" had her
noted dye, combination dance hall and
bar. den of vicc--call 1t what you Will
And 1t was here drunken sailors and
painted wrecks of womanhood fore
gathered mir;hlessly and made the
night hideous In the ways most APPROX
cd Of sin and actual crime
1t was this building that Mr.. s. Q.
Collins quietly purchased in the spring
or lS"2, and transformed from broth
cl into Il house uf God. The unsiehtly
structure WAS rcmudcled Within, some
thing after the plan Of the Florence
CrfttentDn Home in New York, and on
June 18th, WAS formerly dedicated to
me work. The property is still owned
by MI. Collins. who gives it rent free
Tor mission purposes. Indeed. this gen.
any credit ror the good work, could he
know OF this article. has been the
backbone, so ito speak. He has, in all
expended nearly $4,000 on the mission.
though this fact Is known probably 10
not more than half n dozen of his
friends
ffior 10 the opening OF the mission.
MI, Dan Roberts and his wife. Saliva
non Army workers. with barracks on
good, but they had left the city before
the institution was opened. They re-
turned about two years later. however.
ana nave been located ut the mission
ever since, doing earnest and faithful
work -
On May 1ith, 1892, one month before
the mission doors were ohcncd. Mr..
Harry walton Portsmouth hoy. then
general secretary of the Newbcrne n
G., y. NJ. c. A.. arrived in the city IN
take charge of the work. \ choice moro
lortunate could not have been made.
ana no human being can measure the
results that have been drought about
under his superintendent.
ArScr {; connection Of nearly six wears
WHn me mission, Mr.. Walton has prac
leaiiS decided to resign the position ana
eHter me presbyterian ministry, prob
nbly as pastor of the church at Inn,
a source Of profound regret TO the
Board OF directors. and 20 all those who
nave the Interests of the mission n:
heart. and although Mr.. Walton has NOT
given his final answer to the hoard II
Is hardly probable that he will change
MS decision. arrived at after SO much
careful consideration
AS matter OF fact, the s,lpcrinten-
dent. whose capacity for work has ns
tonishcd all who have watched him ovi-
IDENTIFY needs change OF some sort
Tor he has broken himself down with
ms labors though he Is very reluctant
10 admit II. He is too modest too IN
claim much credit for the good work
done at the mission. hut in the general
summing up of things he will get IT.
In view of Mr., Walton's contemplated
resignation, some facts regarding the
work done At the mission since his in
cumbency will he interesting. The pres
ent superintendent was installed i'm his
position on June lith, 1892. when the
mission was opened for work II was n
new thing in Norfolk, and for the first
four months and u half OF its existence
was largely n matter of experiment
During this time the success of the
work was so encouraging as to prove
heyond doubt that the mission was a.
needed institution and should be made
permanent one.
Accordingly n meeting OF renrnsent,.
tNe business men was called to consider
inc matter. Aiter an enthusiastic sas
SION, well constructed plan OF action
was adopted, and q board of directors
was elected. or this board, among Tho
most active members were tho folIov
ing: 5. Q. Collins Barton Myers Iutbcr
sheldon, Judge NJ. l.. Eure r. s Cohn
Captain John l.. Roper Captain John
!. l5"i;on. y c. Field. Ira u. White
captain Il. p. loyal, John l.. Farront
and T. W. Goodwin
- was at Hrs; intended that the work
W lht MISSION should he chiefly among
Noiiiei' anu an effort was made to &C.
MI HiaIroh from the Northern cities
rms tailed. and nj the cXpir,tinn az
nine months the W. G.. r.. u ladies s,;h
mat they would take charge of Tho
women, and this was the berinninr -,
tne florence Crtienton Home, which
WAS established some years later ar
t''i temporary homes in HuptcrcviII,
an" tFamD!eion had been utilized Tho
VIE since tina; time has been prlncin,I-
" among men. though not q Iittia ho.
peeh accomplished with the other say
AZ. an %iad 4WflGame is extended 10
close estimate places the number M
y. uP'e who have attended the mcatiuns
IL INC mission since 1t, opened a, 12?, 00o
Ni'H an average nightly atendanc, ar
ltti % 10 ~. There have been in tha,
"' i"!St 800 Professions of CON
s'sai>Hl' 3Nd Tyr s,mtn. three of whom
,,a s,s ,.lHiiEH'i", tai,i the mission have
S;Li others have condurt az s,,,,;iI:,
sttutions. o. are doing Gods wn,.l. =,
o.nST WAYS, 'Twrntv ,l,,,,,o, '