FROM 5 o’clock in the morning till 12 at night, business is conducted at the mission. Frequently as early as 3 in the morning, the hurrying footsteps of the watchman can be heard as he is going to call some man who has given an emphatic order the night before, “Be sure you call me at 3, for I have struck a job and must be there in time.” When the call is made, the sleeper is given his clothing, which has just been brought from the fumigating-room, and as he pulls on each garment it is quite laughable to listen to the remarks made about the strange yet strong sulphurous odor that has so suddenly come up before him.
The first place of interest in early morning is in the dining-room. From 5:30 to 8 o’clock, men in all conditions of life may be seen. Some have just come from the streets, where they have been all the night; others come from “dives, brothels, cheap Chinese wine joints,” and other places of vice. Faces and clothing alike show the terrible battle they are passing through, and the awful havoc the devil is making among them.
Will this cruel, destructive work of butchery ever stop, we ask? Is there no power with which we can harness up the voice, and with the tones of thunder say: “STOP, you have done too much already. He who has been made in the image and likeness of my Master and my God, you have crippled, deformed, misused, and abused so that he is a travesty and a counterfeit on man whom the Lord made upright”?
Yes, there will come a time when the destroyer will be destroyed. The edict has gone forth: “I will bring thee to ASHES upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. . . . Thou shalt be a terror, and NEVER SHALT THOU BE ANY MORE.” So, thank the Lord, the author of all this misery will soon come to an end.
From the dining-room we go to the laundry. Steam is seen rising in clouds from the tubs as the men are rubbing their garments back and forth over the wash-boards. From here they go with sentinel-like step up the stairs and ladder till the roof is reached. Here clothes-lines are always ready; it is now but the work of a moment to hang the11scanty wardrobe in the sun and air—two priceless gifts from our Father in heaven. Then the men sit down with a look of satisfaction on their faces, which seems to say, “There, that’s a good job and well done.”
The morning hour of 10 has come, and from each department in the mission can be seen the workers wending their way toward the room of the chaplain. Let us look in a moment; some one is reading the Bible. The best of attention is given; for each worker, who is a soldier and sentinel, is there for his “rations and ammunition,” which will enable him to make a vigorous fight in the battle which is waged each day. As the men come from this room, a happy, determined look is seen on each face. Why should they not be happy and determined? Look at the command of Him who made ALL things: “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed; for the LORD THY GOD is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” Joshua 1:9. This is God’s promise, yes, His COMMAND, to every soldier of His. So, dear reader, if you are a soldier of the Lord, enter the battle where you are, and go in to win; for the Lord is with you.
The dinner hour has come; so have hungry men from all over the city. Well-dressed men are here, hungry for a vegetarian dinner. They are taking a broader view of the motto, “Live and let live.” Love is kind, is gentle; surely there is no love in the act of taking life; and gentleness is entirely missing when the butcher holds down to slay the innocent, good, gentle lamb or calf, as it looks up into his face in such a pleading way, as if it was saying, “Spare me, spare me; I never sought to do you harm; I love my mother and freedom, and the things that God has made for both you and I to enjoy.” Love would spare.
Some men come and eat with us who are sick and feeble and need wholesome articles of food, that are well cooked, free from spices and condiments of every description, where fats and grease never enter, and where the tired and worn-out stomach finds rest. The poor, ragged, and garment-patched men eat with us; for their dimes and nickels are scarce, and pennies are looked upon as a “rarebit” frequently. Even without this commodity none are turned hungry from the door.
The 3 o’clock daily meeting is looked forward to with considerable pleasure by some members of our large and ever-changing family. Here the study of the Bible is carried on. Bibles are distributed, and men are invited to enter the class, some of whom have never had a Bible in their hands before. Others are students of rare ability; some have been preachers; some, doctors, lawyers, reporters, stenographers; some are infidels and skeptics. Here are mechanics of all branches. Frequently the time of two hours is taken up and well spent in this class.
The routine work of the day is past; the time for the evening meetings is here. Every worker in the house again repairs to the room of the chaplain to thank God for the work of the day, and to ask Him to take full control of hearts, bodies, minds, and souls, as all are dedicated to Him. We are now ready. Hymn-books are distributed, the song is selected, singing is begun, and praises to God ring through the chapel, mission, and street for fully fifteen minutes; then words of exhortation are given by Elder Dexter or the writer; then prayer service is engaged in, and afterwards comes the sermon. Men then are given an opportunity to seek the Lord; testimonies are borne, and if there is ever a place made sacred by the presence of the Spirit of God, it is the chapel of the Helping Hand and Medical Mission.
Here are some of the words of testimony from men who have been rescued from dingy prisons of the enemy:—
“For twenty years I have been a good worker for and with the devil; he has abused me daily every step of the way. He clothed me in rags and fed me on worse than husks. I had given up in despair, but my steps were guided to this mission, and, glory to God, here I found the Saviour.”
“My mother’s prayer has been answered. I have committed every crime possible for man to do, but murder. I have gone down lower than the animal, wallowed in the gutter, come to the point where I would kill myself; but you people told me so many times that Jesus was mighty to save! I could not see how it was possible for Him to do anything for me; but, O, praise the Lord, I have found Him, and He is mine!”
“I know every trick, nook, and crook of the devil, and have worked in all of them. For nearly twenty-five years I have been a terrible drunkard, and for a year and a half I have not drawn a sober breath. What a wreck he has made of me! but I am through; from this night I will work for Jesus.”
“All taste for tobacco and whisky is gone. Jesus has done it, and I am going home to see my poor old mother. I have broken her heart, but it shall be healed, with the help of God.”
“I thank God for this mission; for it is here I learned about His holy Sabbath day.” (This speaker is over seventy years old.)
Another asked, “Can you tell how a poor drunkard can be saved? I am drunk now, but I want to be free from this terrible power; tell me what I can do to be saved.” (This poor man surrendered all to God.)
We have so many who have been maimed, bruised, made blind; but, thank the dear Lord, they have seen and tasted that He is good!
After this meeting is over, we go into the street, and here we have a feast with the Lord. People come from every direction, and while we are talking to them, the best of attention is given. Well-dressed men and women attend our street meetings. Here, too, we find the “poor, maimed, halt, and blind,” who seem to be so grateful for the Word of God so plainly spoken and so full of love to them.
While on the street we have the privilege of pointing the bruised and bleeding to the medical department, where they receive kind attention from Doctor Moran and Brother Hare, the nurse.
The following is a report of work done for the month of June:—
| | |
|---|---:|
| Penny lunches served | 29,138 |
| Beds occupied one night | 2,269 |
| Baths given | 638 |
| Garments fumigated | 5,059 |
| Persons using free laundry | 159 |
| Garments distributed | 1·6 |
| Medical treatments given | 300 |
| Men furnished employment | 723 |
| Bible-readings given | 63 |
| Men requesting prayers | 67 |
| Men professing Christ | 20 |
| Sermons preached | 30 |
In addition to the above, meetings on the streets have begun, and from the start good attention has been given, and audiences ranging from fifty to over one hundred have listened to the Gospel. So we have great reason to praise the Lord.
