Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-14
SERVICES FOR THE VETERANS.
DIR. Jones's Interesting Report on
Work at the Soldiers Home.


The report that Rev Or. j. william
Jones, as chairman Of the Committee on
Religious Work at the Soldiers Home,
submitted at the meeting Of the MINIS
terial Union on Monday, was received
with great favor and heartily endorsed
IL was as follows: 49,
Your committee have done what they
could to comply with the spirit OF t IiI
resolution by which they were appointed
and beg leave TO report progress as iol-
lows: -,
1. We found that one Of the most i'm
portant things TO be done was TO neat
the chapel 50 that the old soldiers can
be comfortable while attending services
there in cold weather, and TO- hSht y 20
that they can hold meetings at night. w g
have had TO put up heating apparatus, anu
have had weather strips put on the uVoI ,
and windows, and have given INSTRUCTIONS
that if this should prove insuniclent Whdt-
ever changes necessary snail De mdue
until the chapel is entirely comfort aDIe.
We have found no difficulty I'm collecting
from a few friends the money necessary
TO make these improvements. The nghtlnS
Of the chapel is more difficult prooleu'
as the authorities are, very properly,
afraid TO commit kerOsene-lampS 10 thg
trembling hands Of the old soldiers, ana
the Electric-Iight Company say that they
cannot extend their wires dncandescenO
TO the home, except at cost or $50 OF
81 600. We are, therefore, awaiting certain
plans of the Board Of Trustees OF the
home. by which we hope 70 have the
Chapel lighted in the not distant future.
2 But we have given special attention 10
the religious services at the home, ana
are gratified 20 find that they nave ser
vice on Sunday at II o'clock A. NJ. con-
Quoted by young men from Richmond
College. and at p NJ, when some min
lister from the city breaches. They nave
also, service at II VI. every day, ana are
anxious 10 have, and generally nave
preaching az that hour; Dut Wheh no mn
lister is present they conduct the service
themselves Ii seems % us very desirable
that SEINE one OF our ministers should al
ways preach at this hour, and we suggest
that by a division OF labor II can De
done without serious burden to any one.
g. We find that there is especial need or
work I'm the hospital There are there now
over sixty patients, ana they greatly netu
Christian sympathy and religious lnstruc-
tion. Personal visiting and work are, also,
greatly needed in the cottages and rooms,
and these battle-scarred veterans Warmly
appreciate and are greatly profted by
such visits.
4 There are some Of our noble women
who are doing a most useful work by fire.
quent visits TO the hOme-leading the
singing I'm the chapel and carrying sun
shine into the hospital, and we should
urge others 10 initiate their example, as
surfing them that in visiting the old sol
diers at the home they Will be following
I'm the footsteps OF their mothers and older
sisters who were. indeed, ''ministerng
angels" in the Richmond hospitals I'm
1S6l-'65.
In general we would say that what we
do for the temporal or spiritual good OF
these old men must be done quickly. They
are fast stepping out of ranks" and IN
the not distant future they will all have
answered 10 "the last roll-call."
Let us, then, count IL high privilege
and a solemn duty TO do what we can for
these patriot heroes. who, in Gods Provi-
dence, are spending the evening Of their
days In our midst.
Respectfully submitted,
j. WILLIAM JONES
w. V. TUDOR
CHARLES NJ. CHUMLEY,
Committee.