The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-03-10
REV. G. H. BEARD
LAUDS CHRISTIAN
union CAMP ICN
Prominent Churchman De-
scribes Worthy Work of
Great Enterprise.
i(By Rev. G. H. Beard }

dISdI GuIcIpI
(By Rev. G. H. Beard }
It is clear that If Bridgeport is to
keep effective and save from bad
setback one Of the best Of its civic
institutions, we shall all need to get
back of the present campaign for
$4,000. for the Bridgeport Christian
Union.
AS citizen who has had nothing
to do with the management Of this
campaign, I want to volunteer the
opinion that there is scarcely any
thing more worth while for Bridge
port men and women to do.
Eight years ago there was not a
single place in the city to which men
that were down and out could be sent
with any assurance that they would
be effectively cared for and helped.
The one or two rescue missions that
existed were either financially un-
trustworthy or religiously soft, or
both. There was no place where
beggars could be tried out to make
sure whether they were protest. onal
and lazy tramps trying to live on
will to respond to helping hand
Everywhere good people were hand
ing out dimes and quarters to men at
the door and on the street, only to
have 1t spent in more drink and de-
bauchery because there was no City
Mission. no adequate lodging house
no woodward, no man to give them
personal and friendly oversight.
>rs~ k;<x~
Union was started. It was a difficult
start. But, fortunately, Charles w
Simpson was secured to take charge
of the work,-One Of the sanest
most practical most unselflsh and de-
voted men that ever lived. He has
associated with himself men of like
charactef-some Of them themselves
rescued from despair-and the good
they, and the people that have back
ed them. have done is beyond tell
ing.
The Christian Union has housed
thousands OF homeless men: 1t has
given meals-neArly a quarter OF a
million-in return for temporary
work: it has taught men to practice
religion as wei as to pray, and has
pointed them to God as the only de-
pendable source OF power to keep
straight and live q clean 1ifes It has
reunited broken homes; it has encour-
aged men to line up with their own
churches, whether Protestant, Catlio-
lie, or Jewish; it has helped men to
help themselves by finding them
steady employment and has furnished
employers with hundreds Of useful la
borers, skilled and unskilled; it has
made Bridgeport a bad place for the
professional tramp to- come to, and .
haven Of rescue and renewal for
those overtaken by temptation or mis-
fortune; II has saved money and made
men for this city.
To profess disbelief in the Christian
Union is to- prove oneself ignorant Of
its real character and work, or caro-
less of elemental human need. To
put money into it II one of the best
investments we can make.
All expenses Of this campaign have
been met in advance. Every dollar
given goes to make the everyday work
of the Mission possible and increase
its efficiency beyond an proportion ia
the cost
It is true we Have Of late had
many campaigns" and many Bridge
port people have been very generous
in contributing both money and work.
But, with rare exceptions, the people
that have given generously to each
worthy cause for which q campaign
has been made, are not complaining
of their number. Let every man OF
woman that ii inclined to ray, Esd
many a1peals!'' stop and foot up the
total he or she has aactuAl1y contri-
buted, and then compare that with
the totals spent in other, and perhaps
less worthy ways 1t isn't how OTTER
we are appealed to that counts, but
how much or how little we have Civ.
en- in proportion to our earnings fo1
the betterment Of the community
Yesterdays meals do not make to.
days needless This lending a help
ing hands IT not what we are here
for anyway? II everyone OF us woult
adopt the old example OF devoted
people and give a tenth OF all w
earn. the Bridgeport Christian Uniol
treasury. and every other worth!
treasury, would be fun to overflow
ing
Perhaps none Of as has yet sizet
UP this need, or the value of thu
Bridgeport Christian Union fully
Many. surely. ought to be signin,
their names for gifts well up in thu
thousands next week Yet we will
not leave it all to the men Of wealth
Let the rest OF us Of smaller mean
realty sacrifice something to do NOR
than We have yet done
Everything worth while costs. TIL
Christian Union Is being run mos
economically. It is paying big re
turns ON the investment Let's al
get back OF St We owe it to Bridge
port. to our fellow men. and to our
selves. Busy men and women ar
giving freely OF their time to put tn
thing through. Let's rid ourselves a
once OF the notion that we are dom,
thm favor when we subscribe. The.
are doing as a favor. and renderin,
our city . gracious service. It's III
to us TO make It success.
GERALD H. BEARD.
HUMANITY LIMITED