The Washington times., 1914-10-17
BY KENDRICK ScOFIELD.


tober IS, 1884. the doors Of the Cen
trail Union Mission, were opened to
the Down and Cutters"
Since that day. more than mil
lion homeless men have passed with
in the doors which have never been
locked against them. In the mis-
sion's dining room, they have found
sustaining meals. In the dormitories
they have found refuge from the
merciless winter streets. In the
chapel where there has been service
every consecutive night for score
and a half years. they have found
the encouragement needed to help
them on their way. In the wood
yard they have been taught that a
man who pays for his lodging and
food in labor, however small, Is
saved from the humiliation of eat
ing the bread OF charity.
The Central Union Mission will
celebrate its anniversary. Tomorrow
morning, at IL O'Clock, in the Metro
politan Presbyterian Church, Fourth
and B streets southeast. the Rev.
Paul R. Hickock will deliver the
anniversary sermon. In the after
noon, in the auditorium of the Mis-
sion on Louisiana avenue, with The
Rev. George A. Miller, president Of
the Missions ministerial council,
presiding. there will be song,
prayer and testimony service, and
this is to be followed by an open
air service, such as the mission has
conducted for many years. at
Seventh street and Louisiana avenue
northwest. The evening service will
be in the auditorium of the mission,
beginning at $50 O'Clock.
Standard of Efficiency.
The work the Central Union Mis-
sion has accomplished may be meas
ured by two standards-by dollars
and cents or by the number Of hui
man lives it has affected during it's
existence.
The present building at 622 Louis
lana avenue northwest, represents
paid-in value of close to 100000 The
building today has a debt Of about
$4,000. And the upbuilding of the
mission has been accomplished by
the evangelical churches Of the city
The pastors Of these churches today,
by virtue Of their position, cast the
vote controlling the membership of
urer's report show that today the
Central Union Mission is a self-sup-
porting organization. in so far as the
income from its industrial depart
ment is sufficient to pay the salaries
of Superintendent F. J. Lukens and
his employees. Other expenditures,
including the actual work Of relief,
are betrayed by contributions
AS to the relief work OF the mis-
sion, the report for the year which
closed September 80 last showed that
during that time there were 81. 533 in
dividual lodgings in the mission. OF
these lodgings ! ,0SS were furnished on
account of labor in the woodward
and 1871 for other classes of work,
or total Of 8,279 paid for in labor.
Cash payments, mainly in ten and
fifteen cent amounts. were made for
1,679 beds, while $40 lodgings were
given free
Million Life Tragedies.
That is how the work of the Cen
trail Union Mission stands in dollars
and cents and cold statistics But
1t Is not quite so easy to deal with
a million human lives, and each one
that of Had it and spent it," or
Let 'cr rip" in such a way as to
tabulate them according to rule and
line, as assets or liabilities to the
thirty years work of the Central
Union Mission. Then. too, a million
life tragedies in a single mass are
apt to dwarf by the sheer force of
their numbers the individual stories
which may be found among them.
And Yet, men bent upon killing a
fellow man have wandered into the
mission. according to Superintendent