Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1907-05-16

last November he was secretary Of TIL
Congregational churches of MassachIf,
sets, which position he resigned toI
begin the self-appoiated work as pas
tor of the Parish of All Strangers" ~
as he is pleased to style his field of
labor
Neatly printed cards placed in every
! conspicuous place in hotels, theaters, \
| lodging houses, etc, announce in fn
top line, Chaplain Boston Hotels az BID
Theaters, Parish of All Strange B
and then go on to say: "The gu 3,
patrons and friends of this hotel, %ith-
Ing to have the services Of a clergyeI
man, are respectfully informed that,
they may call upon Rev. Eugene C.I
Webster, The Hotel Chaplain, who
will he pleased to render any kind of
pastoral service, regardless of creed,
nationality or residence" Then fol
lows his Office address in Tremontl
Temple and his home address and ten
ephone number, and below this on thA
bottom of the card is the announce
ment that Requests for services may
be sent to the residence at any hour Of
the day or night Messages left at
the hotel Office will be forwarded
promptly"
On Sunday nights Mr.. Webster con
ducts services in Boston hotels, choos
ing a different hotel each Sunday He
has audiences composed of men and
women of all and of no creeds, church
members and those who scarcely ever
see church interior-all of them
strangers.
That the establishment of a chap
lain for hotels is feasible is apparent
from the fact that hotel and theater
men, clergymen and philanthropists
commend the idea and offer to assist
wherever and however they can.
Il have been asked how l hoped to
overcome the difficulty Of conflicting
creeds in preaching to all strangers"
said Mr. Webster in speaking of his
work. "The great underlying pri1R
pie is the same in all the creeds we
have to deal with here All of them
believe in the Bible; prayer is used intf
all churches. l shall leave out contro-
versial points, of course, and deal only
with the great essentials.
THE work is progressing steadily
with the assistance of the hotel and
theater men, all of whom have done
much to help me. Hotel clerks make
for me, and theater men
do the same. For the present we
shall have to use a hall or my own
home and office and the theaters. In
time we may have a church supported
almost. entirely by the theatrical pro
fession. Many leading actors and ac-
.resses have written to me already and
a willingness to contribute
Some time l hope to have a fund
for the carrying out of
another feature of the work-the Mac.
Ing of Bible or Testament In even
room of every hotel and lodging house.
And then hope to publish a paper. a
monthly paper, for distribution among
guests of the hotels of Boston.
There is another feature of the
work among the strangers. I meet
many visitors who are members on
at their homes, but who. al
though they are perhaps spending
ome weeks in Boston, or even months,l
ire not acquainted with any church of
heir denomination here. When meet
hese people l Immediately notify pas.
ors of their denomination, so that
hey may call and make the strangers
Welcome.
The latest development Of our plansI
mine and those who work with me4
the founding of what we shall call
he Chaplaincy association. Mr.. Rich
rd c. Humphreys. treasurer of the
'ublic School association, is treas
rer." 81