The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-04-25
A PLEA FOR THE OLD MISSIONS


A PLEA FOR THE OLD MISSIONS.
What are the needs of additional
mission enterprises in this city. With
the City Mission, Oak Hall, Yale mis-
sion, Calvary Home and the Salvation
Army we seem to be well supplied. I
am informed that not one of these mis-
sions are overrun with the unchurched
at any of their services, and to in
crease the number of missions is to de-
crease this attendance. If it's an at
tempt to improve the methods in use
why not put the effort into the mis-
sions now already started and whose
boards of managers are known to all
our Christian people
The Salvation Army has for years
worked with the idea of lifting the
lowest, and the clergymen of this city
have been faithful in their efforts to
reach the families of non-church-
goers.
The friendless and homeless man
within our city limits, no matter from
what cause, can be sent to Calvary
Home, where accommodations, limited
only by the support the public give it
by appropriating for their use the re-
suit of the labor of it's men.
The religious work of the Calvary
Home Is approved by those of all de-
nominations and is of the most thor
ough order, and it's method of caring
for men are the nearest advisable APP
proach to those advocated by the Or
ganized Charity societies of the Uni
ted States, acting from the purely
Christian standpoint
Many wise missions to-day have
adopted a plan of Christian ethical
teaching, adding to the methods of
twenty-five years ago, believing that
there is an advance in the mission
work of to-day as well as in church
work. To exhort men to become
Christians is only part of the duty of
missions; in addition the Christian life
must be taught and temporary help
must be furnished, always insisting
that one should be their own helper as
far as it is possible in all things per-
tanning to temporal needs.
This I can say on the best of author
ity is insisted upon at Calvary Home,
and no money is accepted for lodgings,
but requiring that those helped must
work for what they receive rather
than in any way encourage directly or
indirectly vagrancy, thus not only
preventing the destruction of the
greatest of all manly qualities aside
from true Christian character), but
building up the spirit that prompts one
to earn what they receive.
1t may be that the old missions don't
| resort enough to the introduction of
| concerts, entertainments and socials,
| but these are not means of salvation;
| they do not feed or clothe the body or
save the soul. The institution that gives
| a man a good concert might be ex-
pected to give man a good bed, but
when told that they must pay twenty
| five to fifty cents might ask where the
| Christianity comes in. There might
be some palliation if the price was re-
duced to that of those who have no re-
| gard for the soul, for even these cheap
| lodging houses might claim they could
give better accommodation for an ad-
| vance in price.
| 1t evidently is expected in the new
mission enterprise to call upon the
PUBIC TO Duy IlCkelS 70 De given TO
those who ask for lodging, and the
proprietor of the lodging house enter
| prise relies on the inducement that it
| is a. Christian lodging house to gain
| the support of the Christian public,
| forgetting that by so doing they are
| asking the public to join them in en-
couraging men to undertake to live by
begging, which surely cannot be offset
in respect to damage to character by
the entertainments, concerts or socials,
or even the religious services of those
| whose standard resembles this new
enterprise.
| have thrown out these thoughts to
ask the public to think of this matter,
and while they are making up their
minds where to give their support, not
to forget the old missions, and if pos
sible to help them by your hearty sup
port for what they have done.
FRIEND OF ALL MISSIONS.