Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-08-25
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning Aug. %, 1909

One of the great factors In home
mission work today is that of the pop
rlation of our great cities, many of
whom have no abiding place, but wan
der about from place to place, and
hundreds of thousands of whom are
strangers from strange lands and con-
sequently unfamiliar with our national
customs and institutions and religion.
The supreme court of the United
States has decided that Christianity is
our national religion. yet they know
little or nothing about it. and many of
them care less Yet there need be no
despair and no fear concerning the
large number Of immigrants in eur
large cities. Many classes of them are
of course desirable-illiterate an
archistic and irreligious. But the pub
lie schools will take care of the Hitter
acy. In the section of our cities where
these foreigners segregate the children
attend the public schools. They are
taught. of course, in the English Ian
suage. and 1t is remarkable what prog
ress they make both in education and
An patterning after American customs
and habits. Take the Italians. whom
so many people dread. In Philadelphia
one section of the city contains 10000
Italians The changes made in the
young people and children in few
years must be seen TO be fully compre-
hended They are handsome race. with
their dark skin and intensely black
eyes, and when properly cleaned and
1icely dressed they are a class of young
people of whom any nation might be
proud But they are apt to learn. and
in two or three generations. through
intermarrying. which is sure to in.
crease. as it has already begun, we
shall not be able to recognize them rs
Immigrants from southern Italy. Many
of the boys and girls and young men
and women are employed IN large de-
partment stores and in various kinds
Of factories. Their fathers may be
-'dagos" and their mothers keepers Of
small shops. but the children will nev-
er be. Education in the public schools
and association with American chill
llren will change all this in one gener-
alton.
The undesirable populations If they
attempt or do wrong will be cared for
by the police departments of our great
cities. But, after all. they are not. in
general. classes of criminals. Many of
sthem must have their beer and other
drinks, but they usually get them Sat
urday nights and take them TO theii
homes, where they have what they
call "a good time" In drink they may
IN rratS hryt ,ly7 hon
selves. Few Americans If they attend
NO their own business will be disturbed
by foreigners. Though they may tek
rough usually as result of the kind
of work they do. they are remarkably
1nofensive. They respect womanhood.
They work steadily at the hardest kind
of work-build our railroads, mine our
coal and other ores. The Italians are
exceedingly jealous and hesitate not
minute to kill any one who interferes
with their love affairs or casts any re
Election upon their daughters or wives.
There is no menace TO the nation even
in the millions of foreigners within
our boundaries. They win soon learn
to love Old Glory and shout as thN
rest Of us. though we, too, are Of for
eign descent unless we are Indians.
When it comes to their religion the
church must take care Of that. Christ
preached In the streets of towns and
cities, and we must do likewise. They
will not come to us, SO we must go to
them, and that means to begin in the
streets or in temporary places amid
them. Street preaching Is more popu
lar today. We are all getting used to
It, and it may have been providential-
ly arranged for such time as this
and such a work Our Italian mission
was established in large city Of our
land by street preaching. Then fol-
lowed tent. next tabernacle OF
iron. and today they worship in a fine
stone church building capable of seat
ing 100 people. A daily kindergarten
IL provided for and carried on. The
church has fully 500 active mem
bers and great following. Another
work was begun among foreigners by
the formation Of a Sunday class for
them. Today mission has been or
ganized, and preparations are being
made for the erection Of church
building. "All things are possible with
God" Get in religious touch with the
foreigners about you, whether they be
one or two families in a small hamlet
or hundreds Of thousands In a large
city.
BIBLE READINGS.
lisa. Iii. IL Nah. /. IS; Nal. Iii. 10;
Matt. *, 35; Z, Is; Mark vi. ZIP;
Luke XIV. ITO; John vi. 24-27; Acts II,
Ill; Acts xvii, 1920.
A Fundamental Thought.