Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-28
Takes Cheerful View
Of Her Misfortune.

Il suppose it's for the best" she said
and smiled.
When she was talking she was seated
in a large rocker. Rheumatism had so
bound her muscles that she was unable
to lift her hands which are withered
with age and pain.
peculiar malady, found occasion
ally by physicians is slowly turning her
body to stone. But the physicians say
she may live for years In that condition
of absolute helplessness.
For many years in Atlanta the name
of John Barclay was as closely asso-
ciated with charitable work as that of
Carnegie is with the founding of libra
ries. The millionaire gives out of his
abundance. John Barclay mortgaged
his home to raise money to guarantee a
certain sum so that a local charity
might not lose a fund promised by a
wealthy philanthrOpist on condition
that Atlanta raise an agreed sum
Mr. Barclay was never minister in
his church, the Methodist. but he
worked as faithfully as many ordained
ministers In the congregation of the
First Methodist church he and his wife
were noted workers, They aided the
-elief efforts of this church and often
went further in their work than did the
church
More than % years ago Mr.. and Mrs.
Barclay founded the first mission In
Atlanta. 1t was started as a SUNDAY
school in the factory district out Ma
retts street.
The old-time residents who occasion
ally went out to aid in the carrying on
of services tell Of how Mrs Barclay
played the little organ in those DAYS
when even then rheumatism had so qf-
fected her that she found it the great
est pain to pump the organ.
The Sunday school grew and grew
until it became a regular mission
church. 1t was afterward called the
Barclay mission
This was not the only charitable work
that Mrs Barclay did. There is hardly
"a more revered and favored institution
in Atlanta today than is the Sheltering
Arms, a place where little children are
cared for and taught while their moth
ers labor in the mills. Mrs. Barclay ia
spoken of as the woman who was the
real founder of that institution. To
other charitable organizations she gave
her aid both physically and financially.
At the time that his wife was carry
ing on this work and giving her strength
for the poor and unfortunate in dav
when there was no organized effort
for charitable relief here, Mr. Barclay
OF Ni tic
rious similar causes. So quietly and
modestIy was his work done that only
after his death did his fellow citizens
know how much he had ACCOMPLISHED
and how much of his money had been
given
Then they held a monster memoriR
service in his honor. The old Baptist
Tabernacle building was packed win
the throng. The rich and poor alike
came to pay honor to his memory.
Since then they have forgot the widow,
who is now a subject for charity her
self.
One Of John Barclays efforts is des-
tined to be the largest institution of its
kind in the South. The Harriet Hawkes.
Industrial home is but an enlargement
OF the Barclay Mission for Wayward
Girls. and will carry out the work on a
scale made possible by the gift of A. K.
Hawkes., the Atlanta philanthropist.
one of the main buildings on the large
suburban place where the institution
viii stand is to be named Barclay hall
IN honor of the man who first conceived
the plan for such an institution in At
lauta
What will become of the woman who
is helpless today after lifetime CT
work in the interests of humanity" il
the question that an old friend and