The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-02
~ .Josh rloheuHE DID,
4 e'rv t4issioNARr
ny THE REV. ,. X. BOWMAN.
Rector OF All saints, Richmond.

Rector OF All Saints, Richmond.
= N writing, as have been asked to
do, an article on the above title
1t must be remembered that much
OF the work OF the church-often,
indeed. the greater part OF it,
cannot be tabulated or reduced to
figures. The great purpose OF
the church IS to save people through
Jesus Christie give them the I
gospel with Its "promise OF this
life as we'll as OF that which is
to CONS" Therefore. the great and
widening influence which the
church exerts upon the city, by the
contact OF her members with nom
Christian men and women; the char
acter. the general uprightness Of life.
!he civic Righteousness. the justice
in business. her silent and voiced pro-
test against evil and oppression In alt
Its forms-this. together with the
building Itself. with its steple or tow
or, pointing heayenward and generally
surmounted by the cross, Yields an in
tluence and does q work which can
not be measured or weighed or count
ed.
With this borne in mind. We may say
that the nrst, the Greatest, the most
important work the Richmond churches
arc doing to-day as
PreaehinE ,zthc Gospel ~
1T IS a cause for unending rejoicing
that the church in Richmond Is be-
fore all else evangelical. The terms
High and Low and Broad find little
place here. The question OF ornaments
and posture and the like, which have
their part. no doubt. and help many
people. are here considered, OF small
Importance by comparison with the
all-absorbing business OF preaching the
gospel.
The Episcopal Church has in Rich
mond. ior in Henrico parish. which en-
braces Richmond and Its suburbs.
nineteen church buildings, whose value
Is more than 100000, whose congre-
cations are ministered to by sixteen
rlergymen. These congregations make
n n1bership roll OF 5000 baptized
persons. whose contributions for the
year 1905 amounted TO the sum of
$121,000 for the gospels cause. But as
have Just said. these figures tell
< nothing of the exhortations to truth
of the high ideal Of duty. Of the as
furance of responsibility and accounta-
biIity to God. OF the righteousness
temperance and judgment to come,
which is continually kept before these
ship In these churches, and Of the
lnduence which they exert for right
sousness upon all with whom they
come in contact. That Is the preach
ing of the gospel and that Is the hrsi
great work which the Episcopal Church
Is doing lin Richmond to-day. y.
AItrulsm.
The Episcopal Church in Richmond
Is we'll as elsewhere. in her work fol
the souls of men. has not lost sigh
of her. duty in caring for their bodies
1t IL fact which Is over and Owe
lgain lost sight OF that the grea
part OF the charitable and hospita
work Of the city Of Richmond wa
prompted and is carried on princi
pally. we may say almost entirely. b.
the church. The feeding and crsint
The ,city's own institutions; the fue
the food and NGlothtng that is dis
tributed in such large quantities an
nually: the lifting the fallen. the find
ing work for the unemployed. tn
ministering to the sick. the reclaim
Ing the waits and orphan children
nearly all this done by chrlstia
people. and in this work the Episcopa
Church in Richmond is second to non,
The Retreat for the Sick. one Of on
oldest hospitals. was founded in ls7
by Mrs. Annabelle Ravenscroft Jen
kins, and was intended to be an IN
stitution of the Episcopal Church, BIZ
because OF conditions then existing an
because the CHURCH had never undo,
taken anything Of the kind befor
members OF other communions wei
asked to help, and they have rendere
most faithful service. But to gre,
extent the work has been done b
members OF the Episcopal Church. {
the 100000 requests, over 900 ha,
come from people OF the Episcop
CHURCH. In the thirty years OF tn
institutions existence 1T has minis
tered to very nearly 10000 pat,en
and about one-fourth OF these ha,
received every benefit it had 70 81,
without money and without price
The cost OF maintaining the Retre
for the Sick during the thirty yea
OF it's existence Is 3255,27s.s3, or abo
an average OF $500 per annum.
Another instance Of the hospit
work the church in Richmond IL doir
to-day is seen In the Sheltering Arm
This institution, founded BY Miss r
becca Peterkin, was, like the Retire
FOR the Sick, intended to be strictly
hospital of the Episcopal Church,but I,
many good and sufficient reasons, 1t W
decided to have all people who won
be Interested, take "a hand in this wo
and share the blessing which con,
to those who for Christ's sake and G
ter Christs example, help forward t
healing of the sick and suffering, 7
shaltarlnR Arms has averaged sin