Evening star., 1898-07-30
in TENT AND FIELD.
Work of Y. NJ. @. A. Among Uncle
Sans Defenders.
COMMISSION OF THE ARMY AND NAVY
Total Of Fifty Tents Maintained
in Home Camps.
CUBA AND PHILIPPINES

The Young Mems Christian Association
has made statement of its religious work
among the soldiers Of the United States,
that those interested may appreciate the
extent and value of the work of the associ-
atoms labors and methods. The strength
of the work lies in its practical adaptabtlity
to the needs of the soldiers.
As soon as war was declared. and before
troops began to mobilize, it is declared this
organization began to take steps for Chris
tian work in the camps and on the field.
The International committee of the associ-
alton took matters into consideration and
appointed a representative committee and
called 1t the army and navy Christian COM
mission. Before the men were appointed
each was consulted and every one of them
enthusiastically expressed a willingness to
serve on the committee and support the
work. AS it now stands, the committee is
composed of the following well-known men:
John w. Foster, ex-Secretary of State; Col.
J. j. McCook, William E. Dodge, Morris K.
Jessup, Ex-Governor Beaver of PennsyIva-
nia Dwight L. Moody, who is in charge of
the evangelistic work; Chas. w. McAlpn,
N. w. Harris and Joshua Levering, late the
prohibition candidate for the presidency.
Number of Tents Maintained.
Secretaries w. B. Millar and John F.
Moore of the International committee were
selected to look after the details of the
work, and they now have more than fifty
fully equipped and manned association
tents, some of which are at Tampa Key
West, Mobile, Chickamauga, Falls Church.
Dunn Loring and other places of encamp-
ment not SO large. Outfits have also been
sent to Manila, Santiago and Porto Rico
Where regimental lines are maintained
tents are provided for each regiment but
where it can be done one large tent is so
erected that it can be used by two or more
regiments.
Each tent is furnished to look as much
as possible like lyceum or an ideal asso-
citation room. There are comfortable chairs
in great number, tables for reading and
writing, books, papers, magazines and
games in great varieties. Either an organ
or piano, both of which seem to be highly
appreciated by the boys who are musically
inclined, has been placed in each tent. Sta
t1onery in large quantities Is furnished free,
as well as are pens, ink. pencils and similar
supplies. Stamps are on sale all the time
and mail delivery IS maintained in some
cases. Express packages are received and
carried to the nearest stations, to be for
warded, and, in fact. every possible con-
venience is furnished that can be offered to
the boys who are far from home and
who at the best suffer many hardships.
Work at Camp Alger.
In Camp Alger there are about u 600 SOL
dfers, and 10000 of these have access to
some one of the fourteen associa ton tents
in operation there. To conduct this work
forty-three men, most of whom have had
experience in association work. have been
employed. There are three evangelists Civ
ing their entire time in conducting special
meetings, besides one leader of music, anu
one man who gives his entire time to visit
ing the hospitals and doing personal work
among the men who are sick.
1t is said the soldiers have shown tnem-
selves willing and ready to respond to the
appeals the have been made to them and
personal workers have been more than
pleased with the results Of the efforts they
have made.
The following figures, furnished by the
association, will give some idea of the work
done at Camp Alger: The total attendance
for twenty-eight days in June, 1S4, 1856; let
| ters written, 5000: letter sheets supplied
soldiers free, over 100000 envelopes, 96 069;
attendance in gospel meetings, 23 462; num-
ber of inquirers. 672; personally dealt with
1S9, professed conversions, about l 900; ses-
| sions of Bible classes, 40; attendance at
Bible classes $50; number OF entertain
ments, 10; number in attendance, 6,756
Provides Entertainment
Besides the religious meetings, the asso-
citation has endeavored to have one enter
tainment every week in each of the tents
AS far as possible the talent is secured
from among the soldiers. Many entertain
ments have been furnished by people of
reputation from all parts of the country,
and Washington itself has contributed
some of it's best talent
The statement is made that wagon loads
of magazines and other literature, collect
ed and prepared mostly by the Christian
Endeavor Union of this city have been
distributed through the association to the
thousands who are anxious to get most
anything to read"
The chapiains in every regiment where a
tent has been erected have shown the
heartiest interest in the work. In some
tents Y. M. C. A. organizations have been
effected, and officers chosen by the men
from among themselves. Quite a number
of Sunday schools Christian Endeavor So
cieties and the like have been organized.
Appeal for Aid.
To carry on so great work as this re-
| quires the expenditure of vast amount of
money, and the commission, it is said, finds
itself facing the necessity of retarding it's
work at Camp Alger, unless the support is
more generous than it has been in the past
a great deal of the time of its officers, and
has assigned its general secretary, Mr.. W.
N. Multer, to Camp AIger for the summer
He had been given the general supervision
of the work there b. the international COM
mittee.
While the members of the association
who have been in close touch with the
movement, have contributed literally, they
will be unable to bear the expense of the
work now carried on at the camp. For this
reason the people of Washington and the
churches are invited to investigate the
work, and decide whether it shall be con-
tinued with the present equipment or
whether it shall be curtailed.
HAMILTON FISHS FUNERAL.