Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-21
STARVING MEN GET
COURAGE WHEN THEY
EAT AND GET WARM
Thousands Return to Homes,
Mothers and Children
From Philadelphia S
Breakfast Association.

In the gray and misty dawn Of any
Sunday morning or late on any Sunday
afternoon there may be seen on North
scenes that can be found in this great
city, At these times hundreds of home-
less, hungry men, and sometimes a few
women, assemble in line outside the Sum
day Breakfast Association headquarters
and there wait, with hanging heads, until
the doors Of the retreat are opened. Then
they file inside, where the odor OF boiling
coffee meets them and their red and un-
happy eyes begin to sparkle slightly as
they see stacks of rolls and sandwiches
waiting to give them little strength.
For more than SO years this institution
has been a haven for the unfortunates,
who, through drink or wild lives, have
lost their manhood and womanhood. their
money and, in many cases, their self
respect and friends, After they are In
side each of them is given three steam
Ing cups OF coffee and four sandwiches,
and the Tapldity with which they devour
their portions In most cases would indl-
cato that they have been without food for
days,
But they do not only receive food to
,,relieve their hunger and neat to soothe
their benumbed and aching arms and legs
They are also given the bread of life"
for their souls welfare, After they are
all inside, usually almost 800 OF them.
the doors are closed and none OF them
Is porInltted to return TO the streets
until after religious services are ended.
Personal appeals are made to them, and
by this and tho testimonial talks given
by men now prosperous In the business
and professional world, who were once In
the pews of the old church building them
selves, many of them are encouraged to
start out right again.
mo person can guess the results OF the
work, which is entirely undenomlna-
tlonal." declared W. Bruce Barrow, treas
urer of the organization, O few days ago.
Time and again we are surprised TO have
well-dressed Christian men, some OF them
with good businesses In this city and In
all parts OF the world. come back TO the
old church and get up and tell the boys
that where they are the visitors We're
once also, and letters are received often
giving exactly the same kind of stories
OF the men who were once afraid aud
ashamed, but who decided to start out
again at the Sunday Breakfast Assoeia-
tion."
Sometimes mothers find their sons,
whom they m0urned as dead. standing in
the line. Sometimes sisters and wives
gaze into the faces of the Hhivering and
ragged audience and their eyes meet those
OF their brothers and husbands. and they
are reunited. Every Sunday there Is some
such tragedy witnessed, and great Is the
Joy OF those who are doing the work when
they see just one more mother made hap
py as her boy" walks ard home by
her side, or when a = - father smiles
the old love smil zee again and kisses
his one-tlme sweetheart and returns to
comfort his starving children and to try
TO provide for his home once more,
The Sunday Breakfast Association is the
oldest organization OF its kind. and It's
work rs the most extensive In the eoun-
try. It was started at 1lth and Wood
streets. but since 1885 II has been in the
old church on 18th street, which was once
the place of worship OF the Eleventh Bap-
tist Church.
1t depends entirely on private eontrlbu-
tions for support. and up 10 the present
time II has always had sufficient funds
for It's work. The most prominent men In
Philadelphia are helping the work and
some Of those who were encouraged to
start out on the new path" 10 the right
way" when they went there for a sand
wieh and cup Of coffee to keep from starY-
Ing send In gifts OF thanks also