The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-03-25

men. The character Features OF
these meetings are lively singing, bright
testimonies; and simple presentation of
the Gospel. The miraculous power of
God is displayed here in such manner
as to cause the hardest heart to admit
that Jesus can save. All phases of hu-
man life and experience are heard in the
testimonies. Time nor space will not
permit to speak of the missionary inf1u-
ence that has gone out from this grand
work, or of the converts, who, being
saved themselved. are engaged in win
ming souls for the Master in their various
fields of labor. The necessity of Rescue
Missions is being demonstrated more and
more each year. The number of young
men coming to the cities and large
towns from the country, the saloons with
all their bad influence, and the number
of young men who are drawn into drunk
ennes and crime by these agencies, make
the rescue work necessity. This work
could not be done in church, we
can introduce them to the church
and Sabbath School or be a recruiting
station for the church. Most of our con-
verts do join some Evangelical Church.
We take man up who is discouraged,
all hope gone, perhaps almost dying from
drink and its results. keep him off the
street, feed him, clothe and give him
work, we have done what we could and
hope that he may go straight, but how
strong are the habits and associations of
years. He may fall and fall again, but
at last he is anchored to Christ. During
the year there were 1856 inquirers and 50
protested conversion.
Our reading room, provided with daily
and weekly papers and periodicals, re-
Iigious and secular, is open every week
day and is largely taken advantage OF by
working men in their unemployed hours.
In the new building it is proposed to add
a reading room for girls over 10. The
attendance at the reading room last year
was 6,1S8, the largest in its history, the
increase being 80 per cent. over the larg-
est previous year. The committee re-
news it's thanks to the publishers of the
various city, papers for supplying the
rooms with their papers gratis.
In November last an addition was
made to the second story of the building
which provided kitchen. janitor's room
and large dormitory (the expense of
which was borne chiefly by members of
the Mission Committee.) This addition
made possible the establishment of a
woodward on small scale, friend paid
the expense of a shed in the rear of the
building and furnished enough wood to
commence the experiment with. 1t
proved successful far beyond our antic-
ipation. Able bodied men out of work
were enabled to earn temporary relief
and thus preserve their independence.
In every case men received full
value for their labor; homeless men
being paid in meals and lodging. Those
having families, in cash or orders on their
own grocers, as the superintendent
deemed wisest In the two months of its
existence 274 lodgings and 805 meals were
earned by homeless men and $61. 39 was
paid in wages to unemployed residents of
the town. The fire brought this part of
our work abruptly to close, but the ex-
pertinent proved the wood yard to be
self-supporting, also great advance on
the ordinary forms of relief. Since the
fire the meals and lodgings have been
earned, finishing work in the yard or in
partially taking down the old building.
During the year 191 free and 1886 earned
lodgings were furnished. as were 70 free
and 1,974 earned meals. Clothing was
furnished to 116. permanent employment
found for IS. The committee extend
thanks to Mr.. VIM. Cooper and the N.
Y. and N. j. Telephone Company for the
free use of their house on Bank street
during the months of February and
March.
Both fountains, one on Speedwell ave,
and one at the Mission, were in opera
ton during the summer months. The
ice for the Market street fountain was
donated by the Shelley Hygenic Ice Co.,
and that for the other by the gentleman
who originally presented the fountain.
The past year has been exceptional in
many ways in the history of this work.
For some years the Mission has needed
more room, the work has grown far be-
yond the greatest expectations, some
years ago it was necessary to have more
room and the present ruined building was
secured and was but recently enlarged at
the expense of several hundred dollars,
and now the destruction of the building
by flre renders new one absolutely ne
cessary. 1t has been decided to erect a
plain brick building, the size will be de-
fermined by the amount of money raised.
1t is intended that the basement shall be
used as a woodward, the FIRST floor as
reading room. Office and meeting room;
second floor for mothers meetings, DOR
mitOry and janitor's rooms. The work
done is undenominational and the COM
mittee not only appeals to this church
but the community at large for help in
the erection of the new building. The
remains of the old building are being re-
moved, we are anxious to lay the foun-
dation of the new, we are waiting for the
necessary amount to be subscribed, will
you help us, will you subscribe to-day 2
We are under heavy expense to carry on
the work at present. having not only rent
to pay but the interest on a mortgage of
81, 100 besides. Our aim is to raise
enough money to pay off the mortgage,
buy additional land for our increasing
work and erect plain building suitable
to carry on the work. We place in your
hands the lifeline, will you throw it out
to the perishing? If you cannot do all
your generous heart would prompt, will
you not do at least the little you can !?
Do not refrain from giving because you
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