Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1906-11-26
THE CHRISTIAN HOME ORPHAN
AGE.

We are requested to reprint this
which appeared in recent
number of The Advance, to acquaint
readers with the history of the
Christian Home Orphanage of Coun-
ell Bluffs. Iowa.
In 1882, Rev. J. G. Lemen, at that
time pastor of the First Baptist
Church of Council Bluffs, Iowa, had
his attention called % the distressing
need of the many poor families in the
city. He converted his church study
into a storeroom, where food, cloth
ing, ETC., was brought By the good
people of the city, and from there
distributed to the needy. During
that fall and winter a vast amount of
good was done by this means.
The work continued to grow until it
was necessary 10 appoint several
committees TO look afoer the distribu-
ton of the merchandise, caring for
the sick, and supplying them with
medicine fuel aud clothing.
One morning, late in the fall, a
drunken man "a veritabie physical
and mental wreck staggered into his
study and requested that he take his
three daughters. Mr.. Lsmen stated
that he had no way of caring for the
three children; that he simply pro-
vided food and clothing for destitute
families, and If his case was a worthy
one he would supply him with the
necessary articles. The a insisted
that he was a physical and moral
wreck, and unless the girls YER re-
ceived it would mean destruction to
them Mr.. Lemen considered the
matter and faally received the three
girls, taking them 10 his ovn home
where, for several weeks, they were
cared for. He later rented a two
room cottage and hired a woman to
care for them. This act brought upon
him a deluge of requests from other
needy families, several of the children
OF whom ne received and placed in
the cottage, adding from mis- ogn
funds a small additi IN thereto. The
work continued TO grow until it re-
quired much of mis- attention, and a
regular matron was hired 10 LOOK
after the work, as Rev. Mr.. LemeD,
ever then, had no intention of engag-
ing in hat work. However, it would
the Lord had called him for that
particular duty. The duties continued
TO increase, and he began to realize
that the calls of homeless and dessi-
tate children were So pathetic that he
gave up the p~astorate of the First
Baptist church and moved I'VE the
Home TO give il is personal and
undivided attention from that time
on until his death, which TOOK place
Oct. %, 1901.
The development of the Home,
from the frs day OF It's existence, has
been remarkably rapid He placed in
the work some $1,000 OF his y
money-all the earthly possessions he
had. In addition to this tha Home
has acquired ABOUT two and one-haIt
city blocks, when is occupied by
some fifteen cottages. They COM
pieted last year, at a cost of $50, 600, q
new dormi0ory and dining hail. They
are at present preparing the grounds
for the erection of a new building as a
memorial TO Raw. and Mrs. Lsmen,
both of whom devoted their lives to
tue work. Mrs. Lemen died Septem-
Der 10, 1902. This new building will
be a very handsome structure, aud
will cost in the neighborhood of $50
COO.
The work has been continued since
the death of Rev. Mr.. Lemen by his
eldest son, III. r. Lemen, who will be
pleased to answer any inquiries in
regard to the work.
The 10 ne is supported entirely by
voluntary contributions, employs no
agents and has no endowmenss. IL
receives children from all parts of the
country free OF charge, and does not
require any fee for placing children
in private families. 1t has one fea-
ture which is lacking in almost every
other institution in this country. It
receives afflicted and deformed
children, also free of charge. At the