New Orleans by Stephen N. Haskell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 25, 1907

New Orleans

By Stephen N. Haskell

ON our way East we spent a Sabbath with the brethren at New Orleans. This city has been chosen as the headquarters of the work for that field, and the center for the religious liberty work in the Southern Union Conference.

As our work extends in Central and South America and the West Indies, New Orleans will become a more and more important center for it, as that city is the seaport through which workers and supplies will reach these countries.

Commercially, New Orleans is second to only one city in the United States—New York City. Its influence in the cotton States is very great. It is a cosmopolitan city with about three hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants, and furnishes unusual advantages in reaching the Spanish and other nationalities among whom our work is extending at the present time. About seventy-five thousand of its inhabitants are colored, and about fifty thousand are Jews.

New Orleans is a strong educational

center. The Tulane University, costing about one million dollars, is located here. Its influence is felt throughout the entire country. There are also several important institutions of learning for the colored people. This city possesses some advantages above any other city in the South.

It has been decided by our leading brethren that New Orleans be made one of the centers for our work. Providentially there has come into our hands a large twelve-room building and an adjoining lot on Jackson Avenue, at a greatly reduced price. Judging from the location and character of the property, it could not be replaced for ten thousand dollars. They pay only six thousand dollars. It will do very well for a meeting-house for the present, also for conference offices and a dwelling-house. Already they have paid on this property five hundred dollars. One thousand dollars is due the first of July, and fifteen hundred dollars the first of September. The rest is to be paid in monthly payments thereafter, which can be met by the rent of a part of the building for dwelling purposes.

We made arrangements with Elder Horton by which the first one thousand dollars could be raised by the sale of the special Bible Training School, thus affording an opportunity for each of our brethren to take part and never feel it. Those who two years ago sold the “Help for India” special Bible Training School can now thank God for the way the Lord has blessed the work that was started among the eighty million Hindustani-speaking people by the sale of that special. Now we have an opportunity of helping establish a memorial for God in the largest city in the South. The New Orleans special sells for ten cents a copy. Now is the golden opportunity to work the cities. What is done will have to be done soon. May God hasten the time when the last soul will be gathered from both city and country for the everlasting rest in the city of God.

If any of our brethren have a stray dollar or two and wish to aid in the purchase of this building, let them send in their orders at once for a quantity of the New Orleans special Bible Training School and sell them or give them to their neighbors and friends. Address all orders for papers to the Bible Training School, South Lancaster, Mass.

S. N. HASKELL.