New-York tribune., 1906-08-04
san JUAN HILL TENT.
Hoo the Gospel Is Carried to This
Difficult Field.

Residents Of San Juan Hill. in the neighborhood
OF eth street. have many opportunities TO hear the
GOspel this summer. In fact they hardly escape
st. great work is heing carried here by the
evangeiistic committee of New York City, ennsting
not only Eeven OF the committees trained workers,
but many others from the churches.
The district is no longer called 'T3els Kitchen %
that name IS under the ban among the evangelists,
but It is recognized the dlfcult field in the
city IN which the tent work has been established.
Il Is noisy block. filed TO overloWsng with people
of almost every race and swarming with children,
while TO the usual street noise there IS added that
OF the railroad trains. which clatter along 11th
avenue only few rods from the tent.
Il IS easy 10 see that a strong voice and per-
sonality viii be needed command attention under
such circumstances. The main service, at s D. m.
IS conducted by the evangelist, assisted by pre-
centOr, Organist and cornetist and IS attended by
the white people Of the neighborhood. mostly IEish
with few Italians and some Negroes
The cfIildrens meeting has preceded this, and &c
IS found quite impossible TO get the youngsters to
go away so that there are always many OF them in
the adults meeting and standing around the tent.
Following this main service is a similar meet
ing. conducted by Evangelist c. L Butler for the
Negroes. while at p is the meeting for Negro
children.
Three services, lasting from 90 10 p. NJ would
test the receptive power OF most churchgoers, but
many remain in the tent for the entire three hours
In addition. two or three street meetings are held
IN the vicinity every night. and on Sunday, July
y, a GOspe1 service was conducted by the Rev NJ
Nardi, the Italian evangelist. for the Italians OF
whom there large number IN 5sth and Goth
streets.
At all the meetings there is good music the sing
ing by the children and by the Negroes be-
ing especially fine The evangelists this season
have been DR.. F. L Smiley. the Rev. H P. Sheldon
and the Rev. Mr.. Stevenson. all men OF real power
who have learned TO adapt themselves 20 these
unusual audiences and have brought 20 them IN a
simple way the message Of salvation.
There Is always a response. but no one can
measure the impression made OF the changes
notice OF the workers.
AIr. Manning who has charge OF the work FOR
the children Is organizing Il in new ways. which
might be adopted in all the tents. In addition 20
the meeting at p; m, he holds street meetings
for children. several each day. He has organized
bands Of ten boys or ten girls, with whom he
meets for Bible study.
One Of the most pathetic sights "a al these open
ar meetings IS the little mother" with her baby
brother or sister in her arms. Staggering under
the weight, she comes into the tent 20 nsten while
the baby sleeps or Is quiet the child herself not
more than eight OF ten years old.
These little mothers" come 70 the tent with their
babies three afternoons in the week, when kinder
gaFten songs and games are taught and simple
basketry while something Is done for fhe habies
Games ana picture books and anything that will
y Ter 9th street and Eleventh avenue.