The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-02-12

The most remarkable institution in
North Carolina is Miss Matte Perry
Of Marion. The word ''institutiOn" il
used adVisedly, for she is the founder,
the owner the director of Elhanan
Training school, the most remarkable
institution in America. Miss Perry
came 10 Raleigh 10 help make Nc
DoWcn county dry and made telling
talk before the committee. Who IS
She? And what is she doing?
Miss Perry was seen yesterday, and
talking about her work. said. that
there are now 40 students and chill
drcn in the home called the "Elhanan
Training Institution.' The word
EIhanan meaning. "The Lord Gract-
ouely Gave" This institution is the
most remarkable one in North Caro-
lima or anywhere else. 1t takes the
most destitute children and young
people to be found clothes them,
feeds them, educatcs them and pre-
parcs them for life's work. No APP
zeal has ever been made to anybody
for money to carry on this work.
Eight years ago Miss Perry who is q
native Of South Carolina, having had
her heart set uoOn the work of train
ing neglected children, learned that
4 large and handsome hotel which had
been begun in the boom times Of
Marion, had been abandoned and could
be purchased for very little money.
Hitherto she had expected to begin
her work in q small house with not
more than eight rooms, and had been
waiting for the Lord to answer her
prayer to put il in the heart Of some
body TO give her the necessary money
to make this small beginning, bat
when she saw this building il seemed
to be the answer to her prayers ana
she had the faith to believe that God
would as soon provide on a large, as
we'll as on small scale. and she found
that she could purchase this building
for $4,000, with three acres OF land.
At that time $4,000 had been spent
on the building, which was not nearly
completed Voluntary contributions
of $500 came TO her which was made
as q cash payment Since then,
without personal solicitation, money
has come from different sources and
from thiTty-six states. Canada, Spain.
Scotland and india. and the building
has been nearly completed. 100 acres
of land in addition has been purchased
and Miss Perry is now erecting 9 large
dOrmitory which will accommodate
200 boys. the material of which will
cost about ten thousand dollars ana
the boys are doing most of the work
in constructing this new building.
learning q trade, paying their way to
school and providing Il home for other
homeless boys who will come after
them. During the past year there
came to her over eleven thousand
clothing and supplies and the crops
and dairy products Of the institution,
the entire expense last year being
about fifteen thousand dollars. There
is - debt of about three thousand dol
lars. The balance has all been paid.
Most contributions are small. but one
came in January OF $1,000. Miss
Pc-ry is the institution. There is no
Board Ct Directors, no CuratorS. no
Arrangements no Board of Visitors, no
church behind it-nothing but Miss
Perry and her faith in Almighty God.
she says. I'VE run on the principle
that prayer avails and prayer prevails.
God knows and GOD cares" The pan
try has not been empty in two years.
There are eight hundred loaves of
bread consumed a week. 1t costs
about $50 q day to run the institu
ton.
Miss Perry was in Raleigh to help
to have the distlleries and saloons
driven out of Marion. She says that
the only good they have ever done to
dren, whose fathers and mothers
made drunken 10y whislley, have
neglected their children and opened
the door for them to be cared for and
saved in her institution. She does not
fear the closing up of the saloons and
stills there will close the institution.
for there are plenty Of destitute chill
dren all over the land who needs its |
gracious influence. There are eight !
teachers in this institution. one music |
teacher and the total number Of peo- |
pie employed to care for the children |
is seventeen. They are paid no sal |
airy, but share in the prosperity of the |
institution and II the meal should set !
low in the sum they would share in
the poverty. But she says that can
not be, for God will send all that may
be needed.
''Faithful is He that calleth you
who also Will do it, G TheSs. 5:23).
Il the Lord thy God am jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers
upon the children unto the third and
fourth generation of them that hate
me, and showing mercy unto thous-
ands of them that love me and keep
my commandments" (EX. 20:5-6).
I was born in Oconee county, South !
Carolina, May 18th, 1868. / praise !
the Lord that my ancestors for gen
efatiOns had professed to be Chris |
tians, and l have the privilege of
claiming the promises given to the |
seed Of the righteous" Naturally, I |
had q quick temper and a selfish, stub
born disposition, and very few people I
loved me l was duh at books and
cared nothing about religion until the
blessed Holy Spirit convinced me of
my sins at the age-Of nineteen. and 50
,'4"i 4li'b tl4t ttDoGt my CtIluitlOu lildl
] spent hours in prayer and Bible
study-Often until after midnight
searching to know God. At times I
was more concerned than at others,
and it was three years before l finally
Welded my heart to God. | think |
an truthfully say, however, that the
Y1o purpose of my life since that day
has been 70 know and to gIorify Him
"H the Garth; l have tried to DO my
best
praise the Lord that my parents
SPARED themselves no effort to keep