The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-10-30
The: BAPTIST
CITY MISSION.
a Great Work Set on Foot BY
the Baptists Of Ricl,-
inond.
"NlE:l.ol 'l4l HOUSES
-----------------
n
"N!EllIeRIBloRHooD' HOUSES
The Old Ballard House Turned
Into One and Work Has
Commenced.

The old Ballard Ho,i,t, corner Of Frank
lin and Fourteenth Streets, has In re-
cent years become a cheap tenement
house, and in a general way had gone
to rack. 1t Is located In a section that
policemen and others regard ms about
tie most unsavory part OF Richmond.
Some months ago the Baptist churches
of Richmond, Manchester and vicinity
put upon foot a scheme for city mission
work, and the Baptist Council, composed
OF 5regularly3 elected representatives from
thu! churches. was organized for the pur-
pose, among other things, OF carrying
on In o systematic way the city mission
work. @
A Trained Leader.
The council. through It's Executive
Committee, engaged the Rev. James
Buchanan, a man trained in Scotland and
4 New York Tor this peculiar work. to take
charge Of this Christian enterprise as
secretary and superintendent MIR. Buch-
5anan and his wife have now been at
work little over a month, and In that
time they have most effectively set the
bali In motion.
The old Ballard House has been leased
and dgh rooms fitted up for the work,
thus carrying the gospel directly to those
most needing 1t. One room IS arranged
for the sccrctary's Office one for a
chapel in which to hold religious SER
Vices, one for a restaurant, one for a
reading room, and the other four are
lodging rooms. All OF these have been
properly fitted UP and furnished, and
were opened to the public for the first
time last night.
Light Dispels Darkness.
"A wonderful change has been wrought,
and last night, instead OF the dark and
8dingy prospect which the old Ballard
shas so long pres ented, there was scene
of checrfulness and comparative beauty.
The rooms were brilliantly lighted, the
chapel reading room and dormtto cries
were warm and comfortable. I'D
FIJI In the chapel a new organ. a plano and
the modest little desk on the neat plat
FORM together with the one hundred
comfortable chairs. presented an inviting
picture, new to that particular locality.
The meeting last night. which was well
attended, was at firstSa workers meet!
Ing" In which Mr.. Buchanan. who pre-
sided outlined the character OF the work
proposed to be done. and enrolled, so to
speak. his helpers. Stirring talks were
made by Mr.. Buchanan, Mr.. II. r. Pol
lard, Rev. G.. F. Williams. Mr.. Mccain
and others.
BY 9 O'Clock quite number OF people.
attracted by the bright lights and the
spirited singing. had come in. and the
chapel was more than half filled. An
earnest religious service was continued
until after 10 o'clock. and 1t is believed
much good was accomplished on the
opening night
A Case in Point.
In this connection part OF the first
days work OF this new mission may be
related. Yesterday afternoon. just be-
fore night. youth entered the rooms.
He was not tramp. but he was In hard
luck. out of work, out Of money hungry.
and tired. just ready to give up. fall into
any temptation and so to the bad. He
did not appeal for charity, but asked that.
work might be found for him that he
might earn enough tn buy q lunch and
find resting place for night. There
is good deal of work yet to be done