, 1923-01-11

front. Is it any wonder that thousands and thou
sands of seamen- the world over look upon the
Seamen's Church institute as their home?
There is everything at the institute-barbeI
shops, tailor shops. lunch rooms. outfits for sale
everything that there might be along the wafer
fronts exterior with none of its demon-like in
terror.
Here is a place like an enormous hotel with
comforts such as even hotels cannot afford, and
yet at prices such as are charged by lodging
houses, so that there is not the feeling of charity
There are great reading rooms, lounging rooms
there is nothing stiff here, there are entertain
ments, dances, movies. magazines. books. smokes.
there Is companionship, there are beds with cool,
fresh linen, shower baths, places where a man
may wash and dry his clothes. over eight
hundred men sleep there every night. though sew
eral hundred have to be nightly turned away until
the new building next door is erected.
There is a chaplain always on duty. talking to
the men, helping them, bringing families and men
together again-through the Institutes wonderful
missing men department." This chaplain has also
studied law sufficiently so that he may help
the men in various legal difficulties that arise
and he Is a chaplain with a very keen sense of
humor. II keeps everyone ''smoothed out" "And
he gives everything he owns away" the house
mother told me.
Mrs. Janet Roper. the house mother. is a quiet
person whose skin and enormous success Mt her
work is realized us one goes about with her. She
is very far from being aggressiyely executive. She
doesn't talk about systems or theories" or
executive ability" She talks about the men.
She showed me about. There is not n wash
bowl in the building that is not a memorial. Every
room has a memorial plate upon It's door. A
favorite form of memorial has been to donate n
room. And in the new building which Is to be
started in the spring already many of the rooms
have been donated. Sometimes | came across a
Chinese nnme-a Chinaman who wanted to show
his utilization with. and his affection for. the
building with the green light which had meant
home for him In a foreign city.
But typical OF a seaman, according to Mrs.
Roper. and typical OF what a seaman should be
is illustrated In the memorial plate on a room
donated in memory of the captain of the Titanic.
'1n memory of Captain Edward j. smith.
II. N. r., who lost his life while in command of
for forty years, faithful In duty. friendly in spirit,
firm in command. fearless In disaster: he saved
the women and children and went down with
his ship"
The link which thousands feel with the lnsti-
tute Is It's greatest stronghold against the sordid-
ness Of the water front. Men arriving In Brooklyn
telephone to see II there Is room for them. Men
from all over the world come here and go forth
TO tell Of the green light In the tower which stands
in the building where there is everything TO help
them. There Is the bank. the post office. the place
where their baggage can be safe.
In n park nearby there are open mir moving
picture shows In the summer and various enter
ailments
The Senmen's Church institute Is under the
Protestant Episcopal church. Its chaplaIns are
Eplscopnlinn, though It's employees are OF all
faiths. 1t serves ali-the chaplain who visits the
men in the hospitals brings rabbls to the Jews.
priests TO the Iiomnn Catholics. and ministers In
Whatever faiths these men have been brought up.