The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-31

|UN|QU SCENES Al
DINNER \ ! | |. ( FOR POOR ! ] {.
Hundreds Of Women, Old Men.
and Children Fed.
SICK AT HOME REM en- 3 Erred.
Baskets Were Sent to Those too Feeble
to Attend-Addresses by Mr.. Mau-
pin and Mr. Branch-Will
Have New Baths. 81.
SICK AT HOME REMEMB 60

NO one who was present yesterday. at
/ the short service and the dinner to the
| poor, which followed at -..e Methodist
Institution for Christian Work. can ever
| doubt for moment the 81 eat work for
good Rev. George H. Wiley is doing
among the people for whom he lahors.
Four hundred and more thinly clad
and hungry men, women and children
| were fed. Before dinner a short relig-
Gus service was held. Two or thee brief
| talks delivered, several bright hymns,
| old as the hills, loved and known by
all. were sung, accompanied by the organ
and vionn, and in which all joined, and
dinner followed at once.
The scene in the chapel was unique,
| that in the lunch room was a revela ton.
Never was such gathering probably in
the city Some of the best and most re-
fined and cultured ladies in the city were
there. All around them We're women
addictedto every form OF health destroy
ing habit-some poor and dependent
through no fault Of theirs, once petted
members of wealthy families probably,
but now almost homeless, poor and de-
pendent, pride long since gone: others
brought down to poverty and wretched-
ness by drink and drug habits. Scores
and scores Of children OF botn sexes
were there. Most pathetic of all, per-
haps, was the large number of men on
hand to get dinner. Some OF these were
very old, hardly able to creep, and others
in the hey-day OF their strength. One thing
forced itself on one looking at that
cleanliness of all. The women were not
frowsy and the mems faces were washed
clean and their hair. combed carefully.
LINED A HYMN.
The religious service began at one
O'clock Rev. Mr.. Wiley lined a hymn.
Come. Thou Fount of Every Blessing,
and asked all to sing. y volume OF
sound, not SO G.scordant either, filled the
room. 1t was remarkable the number
OF children's voices heard in their shrill
sweetness above the rest. Children do
not sing if they are in a strange place
or afraid, but they are at nome at the
institution. Among the ministers there
were Revs:. w. w. Lear, ]. .. Babcoca.
I. a. Anderson, a. A. and q. W. Jones
and James Z. Cook, Of the HoSe Me-
mortal Presbyterian Church.
Mr.. Adulson Maupin is the president OF
the Board of Trustees of the Institution.
He was on hand and made a brief tank
in which he commended Mr.. Wiley. Just
before Mr.. AIaupin began some down by
the door began talking. MI. Wiley MADE
a request that not Il word be spoken
while MIR 4Aaupin was talking. He was
literally obeyed, SO far as could be seen.
1t showed that the superintendent is
power among his people and is loved and
obeyed by them. Mr.. JOHN z. Branch,
one Of the wealtl1iest mon in tile city,
busy with many duties, letti his comfort
able office to spend some time at the
institution. He was called upon by MI.
Wiley for {, talk and responded briefly.
urging the Importance Of early training
and good company for children.
Another hymn was sung and Rev. Mir.
Cook, who did much to raise money for
this dinner, prayed. Mr.. Wiley said this
minister alone had collected $21.
WOMEN AND OLD MEN.
Mr.. Wiley allowed the women. old men
and sick children to go to the first table
When referring to sick children. he asked
a woman in front of him If. the child in
her lap was sick. He was a good sized
tightly. So Mr.. Wiley must have con-
cluded that he was lame or SICK. But
the mother shook her head, saying he
wasn't sick Then he'll have to wait
until the other children 20 in said the
superintendent. The mother kissed her
boys lead as if some aftront had neen
given him. and she would shield MIN.
Poverty had only intensified her mother
love.
In the dining-room the feeble were
given chairs, the others stood up. y,
ea CHI plate was a great slice of ham, be-
tween two even larger slices Of bread,
coffee. strong and hot, crackers, cake,
oranges, nuts and candy. ETC.
The fo,.ovins, ladies composed the conf
mittees which waited on the table and
prepared the God: Mrs. Ella Greer.
general chairman, ana !. subcommittees.
Meat Committee--Mrs- Sarah Fleasants.
Mrs. Temple Mrs. Hechler, Mrs. Wal
ford, Mrs. Forbes. Mrs, Hulce. Mrs.
Hughes, Mrs. Jeter, Mrs Smith; Bread
Co1nnlittee-Mrs. Becker. Mrs. Tiler. |
Mrs. Arnold, Mrs. Manson. Mrs. Creek
more, Mrs. Kinsey, Mrs. Nelson. Mrs. !
Rodgers, Mrs. Michaels. Mrs. Farrell. |
Miss. Greer; Table Committee-Alss Hun
ter Ferguson, Miss Emily Ayers, Miss |
Irene Barber, Miss Jennie Jones, Miss !
Muir, Mrs Dalton. Mrs. Willis Mrs. i
Richardson. Mrs. Massey. Mrs. Mitchell: !
Cake, Candy and Nut Committes-lirs. |
Andrew Bowman. Mrs. .Til!er. Mrs. |
Johnson, Mrs: Hobbs; Coffee Committee
Mrs. Hughes. Mrs. Bah, Mrs. Wilson !
and Mrs. LYMAN.
NOW FOR BATHS.
Mr.. Wiley said after. all had left that |
he was confident that four hundred hau !
ben fed at the tables. \ number OF !
baskets were also sent. out TO people |
who were sick Or so feeble that they !
could not walk to the institution.
When all the people and baskets had |
been filed and sent away the ladies' had |!
a meeting and counted aver the money |
left over. They found on hand SEQ. |
They at once agreed to Civ this towards (
having baths put in the building. Rev. /
Mr.. Wiley said last night mat baths |
would be put in costing not less than
5000 >. This is the next work to be under
taken by him.
NEWS FROM RARTON .HF1cHTS