Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-05-12


water to the thirsty is charity. Re-
moving stones and thorns from the road
ia charity. f.xhorting your fellow men
to virtuouo deeds is charity. Putting
wandersr in tho right path is
charity - Mahomet
Tho following, from the report Of the
temperance committee OF the New York
presuytery, given in recent number
of Christian Work. striges the keynote
OF practical helpfulncas.
Your committee would make an
earnest plea that tue psesby
churrLus OF this city should assume an
active part in the oflnrt 10 counteract
the Influence of tho saloon by providing
for the working people attractive and
sale resorts, especially in the evening.
This can he done either in direct con-
nection with church buildings and
mission chapela, or by opening con
veniert quarters in other localities.
No large outlay in required. The rnoula
should be- cheerful, we'll lighted, and
supplied with facilities for comfort and
suitable amuacmeutd. There should no
reading room with papers, magazines
| and small library of useful bucks
During the day the rooms could be
| utilized for mothers meetings, sewing
glasses, girls clubs and for other pur
posss, while ut night there could be
informal entertainments. readings, lee
| lures, music, &c. i'm word tho
settlement idea adopted and applied
us circumstances permit by each in
dividual church. The necessity for
such places is not questioned; but
/ nothing has yet been done commen
surete with tue multitude of saloons,
and nothing adequate can ever be ex-
pected until the churches themselves
assume this obligation. IL is certainly
a legitimate sphere for churches whose
declared purpose IL is to seek and save
the lost, and thus make manifest the
truth that Christianity is the redeem
ing force of human society. At the
came time it would furnish useful
and specific field for ths retaining OF
church members, and doubtless bring
into the church many who could he
Influence by no other agenry.
at would directly help to sulvs the
vexed question of reaching the masses.
1t would be giving TO them in man.
ner they could understand II would
show that tina church means something
besides sermons and singing. 1t would
he christian lows taking practical
form. Men do not gu 10 the saloon
simply from q desire to drink, but
more often because they have nowhere
, else TO go. If the church would opeu
I something as good or better, the plBcet
i them selves would be filled add in time
, the churches also.
The conditions Of life in our towns
and villages do not admit of the
/. adoption Of the plan above suggested
and yet whenever possible somethi ne
along this line should be ono 10 eact
? locality as counter attractions to thu
' saloons. The reading room for boys ant
8 young men in Wilmington, under tht
management Of tine WomDn's ant
, Young Woman's Christian Temperance
Unions ID doing a good work in attract
: ing and helping large runher .
! these two classes. A gentleman re-
marked in my hearing few days ag
P that the tendency of the times IL 10
: the public to do what should be dom
4 " individuals, adding that in littl
Shile the public will want to come il
and cook our dinners. -
We ars glad to "pasa on this othe
hit of information from Christian Work
1.-The executive committee ,uf th
Church Temperance Society has do
cided to make move forward Il
interesting students in colleges an
theological semlnarius Throughout th
United States in tine cause of tenn
perauce, Bishop Coleman of Delaware
who was long an active worker 10 til
Church of England Temperance Society
has been asked 10 act az Representative
of the society in visiting and maxim
addresses at such institutions 1t ha
n also been provided that illustratiy
a stereopticon slides lie made with re
" lation to the different branches of tn
n society's work jn New York City, nal
IA ticularly the Temperance Legion. /
response to the demand mate at th
last annual meeting, that tine societ
" should CEASE to he mainly New Yor
2 affair and should spread its activtie
Is TO other parts Of the United States
a the general secretary, Mr.. Robert Grl
ii ham has been instructed TO take ster
le for the organization at an early dal
rs Of department of temperance on tn
to PRINCIPLES of the society TO cover til
dioceseH in the States OF Peunsylvani il
rv Delaware and Maryland and the Di
= trict of Columbia. =