New-York tribune., 1907-12-14
CHURCH AND RELIGIOUS NEWS AND NOTES
THE EIGHTY-NINTH ANNIVERSARY OF Il SUCCESS
FUL MISSION TO-MORROW

st No 4s Catharine street. of Madison street,
which has for years been veritable haven for
that most transient of Gotham's transient popu-
iation the sailors. 1t IS Mariners Church This
little building three short blocks east of
Chatham Square, is the home of the New York
Port Society.
This organization founded in 1878 and to-
morrow il celebrates its eighty-nnth anniversary.
There will be interesting addresses testimony of
sailors and singing by English. Scandinavian and
Spanish sailor choirs. typical ot the cosmopolitan
character of the mission.
The annual report shows that this useful mission
and its Side branch. at Washington and
Charlton streets, despite financial depression con-
tin,e to thrive. 1t the oldest organization OF
its kind in the country and remarkable In that II
spends no money for mere administration
The year ended April go 1907, like the preceding
one has been prosperous to an unusual degree
both pecuniarily and spiritually Inc NOR tsaseS
upon the Mariners Church have been pald oIi' the
society is out OF debt and, being now free from us
tenur,binp effect looks forward with faith and
courage to increased and expenditures IN It's
legitimate work. 10,
The labors of the pastor and missionaries cil-
though increasingly diffculO have been sgnaliy
blessed forty-eight having been received INTO
church fellowship. The encouragenents nave peeh
great both at the Mariners Church ana tlie v est 81
Side Branch, especially in view OF 1he Ah0io@ "
the Spanish work ,r
IT. s+or,s rano-+ gives many interesting details
~ his labors and refers the great changes III
Sailortown'' as explanatory of the ollAiisn1 ' a.
tendance ON some Of the services nc So
stances of the encouragements ana olSCoUt
the lights. and shadc"s-"A ''7
peculiar field .rd his con-
Mr. Anderson (who has recently severed ms So
,,actionr as missionary with the soele'S
several wears of good work among the H0"
,s, sneaks of The hardships OF the sailor
life and the trying work Of the missionary anu
I.s ;,teresting incidents and extracts from lex
ters received and from testimonies oy si''
showing evidences of genuine conVersion-
detail
MANY visits and of much quiee but effective Work
in the reading room. and quotes rep1es 10 hei ie.
tiers TO sailors far which gives cheering eva
dence of the links that bind these WANDERERS "
their church homo here.
The Rev. Dr.. Nugent uses the ancient story OF
.FCl Dorado" in showing the remarkable oiferehce
between old and new Spain. and dweiis upon the
large attendance at the Spanish services, the num-
her of men received into the Church, the new
Spanish English classes and the kindred work al
the West Side Branch
Mr. Yates reports the large number OF visits to
the reading by sailors seeking shelter and
refuge, thus afording peculiar opportunities for
efficient work for Christ He speaks also of the
value Of letters written their homes by sailors.
and relates interesting incidents concerning the
Marine Temperance Society
At the West Side the good work shipboard and
the rooms is continued. Superintendent McCor-
mack shows his be in the pure Word of
God for success. and not in materiaisn refers
the Spanish services, thanks many friends for their
Mr. Tholen also at the West Side speaks of the
old. well tried and effectual methods of winning
sailor and likewise gives cOrroborative testi-
mony from letters.
The eighty-eighth anniversary of the society was
held on November 25. 1906. at the Church of St
Nicholas, and Fifth avenue. New York
City. The large audience appeared to be greatly
interested the exercises, especially in the testi
monies Of converted sailors, and in the singing of
Swedish. Spanish and English hymns by sailor
choirs and also in the rendering by the choir OF
the church of the familiar sailor hymns. Throw
Out the Life Line and Pull for the Shore, the
whole congregation joining in the chorus Ad-
dresses were made by the president, by Pastor
FsouIt and Missionaries Anderson and Nugent,
and by the Rev. Dr. Mackay, the pastor of the
church
While the society is rejoicing in the fact that it
is now entirely free from debt, ii should be borne
in mind that to carry the work requires money;
and TO increase the work is now demanded.
especially on the West Side. increased amounts
will be required.