The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-27
REV, GEO, H, WILEY
TELLS OF HIS TRIP
Made Observations as to Mission
Work
AND REACHED CONCLUSIONS
Thinks There Should Be More Preach
ing in the Parks and the Streets.
His Ideas for the Future of
the Work here.
AND REACHED CONCLUSIONS

The Rev. George H. Wiley. superia-
tendent of the Methodist Institute on
East Main Street, a cut OF which appears
herewith, has just returned home from
an extended tour Of the West.
While away Mr. Wiley visited many
places, primarily with a view to getting
suggestions as to mission work, and 1t
is expected that a result OF his OBJ
servations he will institute some changes
at the Institute, which has grown into
one of the most important religious
works of the city. When asked for an
account of his trip and of thefincidents
he noted on the way, Mr.. Wiley prepared
the following:
You desire me to write of impressions
made about mission work during my re-
cent trip west and how far the plans l
investigated may be followed in Rich
mond?
Before 7 attempt an answer to the
above let me say this, that whenever L
stopped at a place where mission work
or subjects for mission work could be
found l invariably tried to learn some
thing about such folks or such work
before l visited wonders in nature.
Il stopped at Colorado Springs, and
while there visited Ceyune Canon, Gar
den Of the Gods, Cripple Creek, Pixies
Peak etc. etc, but before l went to see
them I had been in twenty of the many
religious services going on among the
masses in that city of all nations.
CAS- I expected I learned of some new
wrinkles and departures in mission work,
and while I received some valuable sug-
gestions, I doubt if have in mind a
single feature CT such work that l would
ask our committee to inaugurate just
as I found it. for this reason that there
is such q radical difference in the people
| vi
GENERAL, CONDITIONS.
..Of course there are some features
which are found in every broad and in
telligently conducted mission in our cities:
thee is also much important work to
! be done which in each mission communi-
~ is necu'iar to that place and must be
done by means adopted to the needs OF
that particular section.
IAN illustration in an article I read
YESTERDAY from one Of our magazines re-
veals this fact strongly. In the busiest
port CT New York under some of tie
great sky scrapers.' there are women
who have not been out in Gods sunlight
for so long that their babies are often
born blind On the top of the Same
| houses may be found children OF the
! i,nitors six years 3D. whose feet have
never trod the earth. These things are
matters of pathetic interest. but certain
| " not of study by Richmond mission
workers as to how the women might
4 be gotten ont of the cellars or the chill
i. dren fron, the roof
Two thinrs would mention that have
been brought home to me Very strongly.
The first is. that if we are to do the
best work for the souls Of men We have
got to help them in body and mind il
they need it. in other words. the only
places ! found err:nently successful spir-
ituaNy were those missions that We're
ernirently practical in their efforts, where
TIE night schools and the lodging-rcom
and the d spensary were locked upon
as the work OF Almighty God and as
means, yes as necessary means in city
missions for savinr souls.
OUTDOOR WORK.
another thing very manifest (and that
T believe we should do more of in Rich
mond) is the rapid increase OF out-dooi[
work in the past ten or twelve years IN
the portions of the West visited at thai
time. Tent work and street-corner WORK;
services on vacant lots and at the mar
kets, not conducted by wandere"s and
people without influence. but by
!, the very first people in the place. saw