New Britain herald., 1916-02-04


 ciety in New Britain that through churches and Sunday Schools and in to feel that they are mo more strang- CTS and foreigners, but fellow-cltl- zens," not only of this earthly city, l but of the heavenly kingdom.
 The word statistics carried With IL an inevitable suggestion of Wearlness to the listener, to say nothing Of that ] experienced by the compiler, so Will | not burden you with tappiaIed state- ment of the number of visits made ana 1 received and other figures or the past years work, though I hope you will read them in the printed report; but I do want you to feel that back of 1 these figures is a vital personal con- tact with these same immigrants whom we like to feel are our neigh bors and warm friends.
 Brands snatched From tho Burning
 It would mean little to you if l should tell you that 365 visits have i been received in the office since the first of April, when my service there really began. I would rather tell you of the opportunities these visits l have afforded to explain the Bible truths to those to whom they are ab- | 1 those who are just learning how to pray. One freaent visitor at the of- ] fec is a young Italian woman for whom the former superintendent la 1 bored long and patiently and with many discouragements; now the fruit begins to appear and the object or 1 such unceasing labor and prayer mas come out into beautiful Chrlst1an life, and her happiest hours are spent at the Italian service on sunday ana in learning more perfectly the way ot life in these quiet talks at the office. 'I can hardly wait for Sunday to comc" she said one day; m in such a hurry to go to church. Such re- marks are not so frequent even i'll the best-regulated families, as to make this one seem comm onplace. Her husband has also been led to at tend these services. and quite recent lv our hearts were gladdened by the appearance of her father mother and threc sisters with her at church. Sometimes the office caller is a mo- ther with a heart overf1owing with sorrow and anxiety because of the ill ness of her only daughter; she comes for sympathy and friendship in her deep distress and it is a privilege to assure her of both.
 A young girl, too early burdened with houesho old cares. comes just to talk it over, for it isn't easy at the age of sixteen to care for the needs of a father, older sister and three brothers; and affectionate interest helps to make it little less hard.
 A young man from a mission church in New York comes to the ott. fo rnr1z iynG in in O house, eats in various restaurants, and missing the companions. the friend ly missionaries and the athletic and social attractions of the church he has just left, feels very lonely. His for mer Sunday School teacher com- mends him to our care, and through an evening call at the City Mission office he is introduced to Sunday School workers here and started to- ward new friendships and Christian ! fellowship Other callers came to the office for consultation in regard to various phases of the work, for help in dom estic service and on other er- rands, but the heart of the office work lies in the direction of calls such as 1 I have outlined.
 129s Visits in Past Year.
 l To tell you that the superintendent and her assistant have made 129s visits during the past year would be to 1 state a cold and uninteresting fact 1 If you would realize how full of in ! terest these: visits have been you ! would need to go with us on our i rounds perhaps by devious routes in to rear yards bounded on one side by stables and on another by fac tories, to visit our Italian Sunday School scholars, some of whom have been introduced to you this evening. Many of these people are Sicilians 1 and speak a dialect hard to under stand, but the children serve as will ling interpreters. I was calling in one of these homes one evening when the oldest boy came in from school. i He immediately went to his mother and evidently following an established custom, kissed her deferentially on either hand Piloted by willing guides, I climbed outside stairs to the top floor where Gennarino lives with his father and mother, Carlo, who is par tially paralyzed, Giulina, the grand mother and various unc1es and cousins. It was Gennarino who said when the story of Daniel was being reviewed in Sunday School, The King came to the den of lions in the morn ing and called to Daniel and Daniel answered I didn't get hurt D His people are Neapolitans to whose dia- lect I have become accustomed, and they smile beamingly as we converse, for with these appreciative foreigners
 a. little comprehension goes a long
 way Tho adults in the family can
 read in their own language which is somewhat unusual, and are glad of the promise of an Italian Bible
 At another time. a little Polish girl came to say that her brother wanted