Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-05-14
New Bethphage Mission Home

Preparations are heiUG maze Tor Tue
dedication on May II Of a new beild.
ing for the Bethphage mission in Axtell,
The home o. eplleptles in Kearney county
'fhe growth On this Institution in four
years has been somewhat remarkable
Rev Is @ William Dahl has written au
account % The progress made since the
establishment of The undertaking Feb
ruaY y. 1918
There were only nfly persons 81 The
FIRST meeting In re Bethphage swedish
Lptbcran church when the mission eag
organized The object Of The effort WIS
~ provide q home for those suffefing
from mental Affections. especially the
feeble minded and the epleptic Nearly
al attending the first meeting Joined as
members ana paid initial fees or 81 each
Other Bind hearted persons were soon
Interested IN The project. says Mr. Dahl
and The membership was Increased 10 ROO
In May 1914 tho president Of the ASSOC
caiiol vent 70 Europe, partly 10 visit
relatives IN sweden and partly to study
he inner mission work of Germany lie
hopod also 70 gather some money for
the work begun IN Axtell The cause
was presented before the. churches Or
Sweden and collections for the Beth.
pbage mission soon Melted the hnnd.
come sum 81 Siii8@
During the first year Of the actlNity 1T
Beihphage arrangement was made for
INC acquiring Of forty acres of ground
from u Mrs Lizzie scott Mrs Scott
donated 500 81 the 5000 fixed a. the
price for the property and the Beth
phaee mission paid 1900 ont Of lta IN
come Tor the first year Many thought The
purchase OF The land an unwlse step, Tor
there seemed to be difficulties IN the
way Of paying for 4 Although notes Of
$500 payable before 1870 we're given to
Mrs Scott there seemed 70 be no i'm.
mediate chance 70 begin the erection of
building The following spring there
came pathetic letters asking how soon
Il would be possible 10 admit patients
ono letter was 40 very touching that II
was foit that something should be done
Finally it was decided 20 rent small
house near the church and parsonage
that had recently become vacant The
property was IN bad shape, but generous
people in The village gathered and axea
u I'M
Soon the necessary furniture was also
provided Some gave chairs others gave
tables curtains Or other articles on fnrni.
tufe or household Necessities Tho little 4
home was first opened IN midsummer. and I
n wns proud moment for the Bethphage
mission. when the patients could be nd
mltted
Before long another house near By was
vacated and rented for the mission pur
poses. The first home was called Home
Bethel and the second serepts Late In
The fail Of 1914 stlll another home was
rented and occupied. This was called
Home Nazareth. The membership Of the
mission continued to grow until at the
close 81 the second year the number was
Log IN the second year the income was
81 1888. There were patients IN attend.
onee from Kansas, Colorado. Illinois and
Texas, ~ we'll as Nebraska
Under the management Of I. Bescher
who fret went 20 the institution as pa.
tent, a tin shop was started with Mr.
Bescher who had az least partially re.
gained hts health. as manager Coin
cards. wrappers for tho missions monthly
papcr Gudax, frames for pictures AMI
household articles Of tin were some n
the articles fnnde At this shop \,
A. TIC end of the third year Of the mis-
lions activity the income had Increased I
% G2o02.ia Many patients have been
AIRED for, Several more houses have been |
'ented for the use Of the sufferers, there I
being now eight houses In use. Some are
or the patients and some for tho workers !
II tho institution One building IA used
or shop and another for a laundry The
,ulidinR about to be dedicated will have
ost about $4,000 and will provide homes
or thirty patients and the attendants
other buildings are planned as fast ms
Means are provided and the necessity In
'reases u is probable that other build
ngs win be under way before the end Of
he year
Altogether forty-seyen patients have
,een admitted There are now twenty pa
euts IN the homes Some are epieptics
md some are feeble minded, lnvalids, old
'r feeble. The hangers are optimistic
'egnrdinG the future
Encouraging letters are constantly re-
'elved promising financial help, This IN.
ereat Is growing IN the vicinity also
Plane are under way to plant thousands
u trees and II Is hoped 10 make the insti-
utlon grounds the beauty spot Of the
community There win he Mica sidewalks
and trees on both sides lust "A soon as
Tho means can he provided
nui there are other things that are
sorcly needed Some of these are com.
forts. rolloWenses unveils, table linen and
many saeh articlea o. genersl utility
The house mother sister Aurora swan
burg VIII be glad 60 answer any cues
lions ln regard % measurements etc. ~
the things needed
Another proiecl Is lhp placing in every