The age-herald., 1898-06-12
ETCHINGS FROM
 CURRENT TOPICS

The good women in charge Of the Mercy Home-one of the worthiest charities of the state-are fortunate in having succeed ed in about completing the foundations of their new building, corner of Twelfth ave- nue and Twenty-second street, North High lands.
 It Is the intention of the board of mana gers to have the interesting ceremonies of the laying of the corner stone to occur in the near future, after which the building proper will progress as rapidly as the funds in hand will permit.
 There is every reason to hope and ex- pect that the big-hearted citizens of Blr- mingham will do their part towards the making of this institution a great and per- manent success
 No deserving charity ever appeals in vain to the sympathies or the purses of Birmingham men and women, and while the struggle to establish institutions of merit upon a secure basis is oftimes diff ficult undertaking, yet 1t is never an abso- lute failure in this community.
 This much among many other righteous deeds. stands to the credit of the citizens of tais, the newest and busiest of Alabama towns.
 The Mercy Home, although inaugurated at a time of great financial depression, has become one of the permanent institutions of the city. the object of which is to pro- vide food and shelter to homeless, hope less women and children. Its doors stand open night and day for the reception of those despalring women to whom all other refuge is refused No human being, neith- CT angel with averaging sword, guards it's entrance against those weak, frail crea- lures, those social Hagars who are cast into the desert of despair, and who crave mercy and relief from the buffetings of an awful fate.
 Sick and needy little children and hum gry, appealing women find at the Mercy Home shelter a certain degree of com- fort, and an almost divine sympathy for human agony, and human weakness.
 The ready financial response being made to the appeals for the establishment of an- other charity hospital in Birmingham demonstrates the timely generosity of it's people.
 Birmingham, with its shifting, changing cosmopolitan population needs all the charity hospitals that can be provided, made up as the citizenship of the Bir-
 
 young men without homes, of miners, me- chanics and railroad employees, the neces- sity for place of refuge in times of sick ness, for this useful class of people is forced upon the consideration of all persons who feel any concern in the welfare of their fellow creatures. A large majority of ever industrious men in times of pro- tracted illnesses find themselves in sore
 
 meager and their homes unpaid for. The incrasing sympathy for the sufferings and misfortunes of others is one of the hap piest and most encouraging indications of the coming of that better time which shall make each man in a measure his brothers keeper.
 The Hillman hospital established nine or ten years ago by the women of Birming- ham and endowed through the generosity of MT. T. T. Hilman, stands as a monu- ment to the unselishness and faithfulness of many noble men and women of this city Through all the dark, dismal days of financial worries; through disappoint- ments which would have tried mems souls, beyond the point of endurance, and with struggles constant and intending, a small
 
 season and out of season to give Birming- ham a charity hospital where the sick and helpless poor could find succor and aid In this they have succeeded, and hun dreds of men and women rise up and call these faithful few women, righteous and blessed.
 The establishment of the Hillman hospi- ta1 a..ezt AI.o Charities, marked in the history of the charities of Birmingham. Up to that time there place, save the county almshause, where the sick poor could be cared for. After the inauguration of the Hospital of United Charities. the board of | managers, composed of many of the prom inent citizens of Birmingham, found their hands very thl of the duties that pressed upon them because of the importance of their enterprise and the scarcity of their funds. Unto this day, under any and all circumstances, they have grandly fulfilled their mission of caring for the needy, suffer- ing poor, without money and without price. Their labor of love and Christian charity has received the generous assistance of many of Birmingham's best physicians, un- til now the Hillman llospital-the successor to the Hospital of United Charaties-is one of the finest and noblest charities of this district.
 Whatever Birmingham undertakes with her heart in the work she does not fail to | accomplish, and the establishment of an- other charity hospital can be depended upon as already assured. Two hospitals for the care of the helpless poor are none too many for community with the population of Birmingham. They are both needed. The Mercy Home. the Sisters hospital and the Hillman hospital deserve and should receive the generous support of the people of the city. BALL. POINTED PARAGRAPHS. E From the Chicago News.