Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1918-02-07
CHRISTIAN HOME 0RPH-
ANAGE OF Co. BLUFFS

During the past week it has come to
my knowledge that certain parties
have made accusations against the
Christian Home Orphanage, which, if
left unchal,enged, will no doubt work
harm in the minds of some people.
We believe that all old friends of
the Home. who know of the 35 years
of hardship and struggle, of the sacri-
fees that have been made, will agree
with us that the Home has proved it.
self.
However, we deem it our duty to
make this public statement and ask
you to give this article space in the
first possible issue of your paper.
1t has been charged that the Home
does not have the number of inmates
claimed In reply to this, i wish to
state that for more than two years
past the daily poulation of the Home
has no. been under 240 inmates.
will give personally one hundred dol
lars TO any church or charitable or
sanization in your town or county if
this statement is proved to the con-
trary.
Ii has been charged that we are
boarding children and getting rich"
by so aoing. In reply to this, I will
state that board is being paid for
about twenty-five inmates. These
are children OF parents who have
met with disaster of some kind, who
need temporary help but are able to
pay for it, In such cases we deem it
no more than right that they should
do So Ninety percent of the inmates
here are strictly charity cases. Every
cent received from boarding children
is credited to the funds of the Home
the same IS any other money receiv-
ed here | shall be pleased to show
anyone our board records and the re-
ports in the Home paper in which
credit is given for these sums. If
these statements are found to be in
correct in any particular, l will give
one hundred dollars personally to any
church or charitable organization in
your town or county.
All merchandise and supplies of ev-
cry nature are used exclusively for
inmates of the Home, and l will give
one hundred dollars personally to any
church or charitable organization in
your town or county if any instance,
can be shown where supplies of any
kind were ever sold or disposed of in
any way, and l will give the above
amount for the name and address of
any person who ever bought or re-
ceived any such supplies at any time.
will pay the same amount to any
church or organization for any in
stance where donations to the Home
were not fully and properly credited,
and for any instance where items of
expense were not fully and properly
published and accounted for.
do not believe that the ones who
have brought these charges against
the Home, mean to injure this work.
This article is written in all kindness,
and we know that each one will ten
der the same consideration to this
great work.
The Home has gone through many
trials and tribulations. 1t has been
only because of the loyalty of it's
friends that it has weathered the
storms.
The work is hard and combining, and
taken all in all, it is a thankless job.
The demands on our mind and heart
are constant.
| | would mot give the hours and the
physical energy to any private. secular
business that l give to this work
daily.
Hansen, the former having passed
Only because of the love bear this
work, the sacredness of it. because OF
the lives of my father and mother
which were cheerfully given for its
sake, would / remain in it. 1t would
not be possible for the friends of this
work to pay me enough to hold me in
| it year in and year out-years full OF
sacrifice of every kind. Believe me
it is only because the work, is very
dear and sacred to me. l would
gladly give my life in defense of it
When these groundless and truly
cruel charges come, they cause pair
and unnecessary burdens to our al
4 ready overloaded shoulders.
4 Since the war, it has been a con
stantly increasing burden to raise the
necessary funds for the support of the
Home All know of the demands OF
our country. These foreign CALI
have affected every institution in ou
own country. None of these institu
tons have complained. And in mos
cases we believe that people have az
| preciated the irving position in Whic]