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2 A Methodist Mission Work By S. T. DALSHEIMER OT by description nor theory nor casual observation do we gain an intimate, ac curate or practical knowledge of “how the other half lives.” That mysterious and to most of us, that. inexplicable “half” of which we have learned to think and to speak as the “submerged tenth,” is an element of growing im portance in our sociologie development. N By slow degrees, by experiments and ceaseless ef fort, this element has been intelligently reached, and at last there is a. promise of its being intelli gently helped. Bnt mortal man is so dominated by material conditions that it is difficult for the maxi mum of either intellectual or spiritual conditions to be reached, with only the minimum supply of the physical needs. For many years experiments have been made in the field of home mission work, both in this country and abroad, and of all plans tried that of the Set tlement work has been proven to be the most far reaching and the most effectual from every point of view. The first notable achievements along this line is that of the Hull House Settlement in Chicago, founded by Mrs. Jane Adams, but this effort was directed primarily towards the betterment of the material surroundings of the mixed foreign popula tion of the Chicago slums, and was identified with no religious denominational work. There is, however, a Settlement in Atlanta, lo cated near the Fulton Bag and Cotton Mills, which was created by and is under the direction of the Central Methodist Missionary Board, and which is A Gospel Settlement. The work done there is conducted along the ex act lines of that in Social Settlements, save that each branch carries in it a special element of prayer, and this is made a prominent— not a subsidiary feature. The Central Board began this work years ago by employing a city missionary, one of the first paid employes of the Board. The work grew so enormous, and increased so rapidly in scope and extent that now there are seven paid workers in the employ of the Board, and there are four places of work. The population surrounding the mills, and being composed of the families of mill operatives, was chosen as furnishing a most fertile field for the op eration of these workers, but the work itself is of such a complex nature that it was found necessary to have trained workers, and three years ago the first one of this class was employed. The Scarrett Bible Training School at Kansas City, Mo., supplied this worker, but since that time others, especially trained in Home Mission work, have been also employed. Although the work began in the usual way of visiting among the mill families and supplying ur gent needs wherever discovered, the necessity of some conveniently located central point for the basis of the work was soon felt, and a settlement or a group of residence workers was founded in close proximity to the mills. From this point the families of the mill employes are reached, first by the visiting trained nurse, who attends and alle viates all eases of sickness and co-operates with the established charities of the city in placing patients in institutions designed for the purpose; and sec ondly, by the training, educating and uplifting from a moral and intellectual standpoint the children of the mill operatives. It is literally true that a little child’s hand is more potent in influencing an entire household than any which wields the scepter of adult author ity. Feeling the force of this, therefore, the mission workers determined to Teach the Children simple, useful, practical domestic virtues, in the hope that almost intuitively these same virtues may be transmitted to those sordid homes where the The Golden Age for April 12, 1906. light of domestic knowledge is so urgently needed. To teach by example more than by precept, is the main object of this settlement work, and it is most certainly having the desired effect, as shown in the steady improvement of the domestic lives of the mill families and the consequent develop ment of their spiritual lives as well. The Day Nursery. One of the earliest features of this great work was the establishment of a day nursery, where mothers could place their little children for a safe, pleasant day, while their own work went forward in the mills close at hand. The pathos of these tiny infants, who in their helpless babyhood, form a sort of object lesson for the mother’s guidance, is most touching. If a child is left in the morning in an unbathed, uncared for state, it is returned at night as sweet, as dainty and as fresh as any moth er in any station in life could require. Little by little this one feature has had its effect in teaching mothers sanitation and cleanliness, and, therefore, in enabling them to give more effective and effec tual care for the babies who are, after all, the corner-stone for future domestic advancement. In this connection it is well to mention the clin ics for children conducted in the Settlement Home three days in the week, by Drs. Collier and Visan sky. Here ailing children are treated, proper diet ordered and many are thus adequately equipped for all the future. Children more advanced than these are given a special course in kindergarten training. A suita ble and attractive room is provided for this work, and the approved appliances are in regular use. The children use small tubs and wash-boards, wee chairs and beds, toy dishes, blocks, etc., and when they have attained the public school age, are train ed in music, rhythm, pictures and nature loving. Night schools are conducted for the benefit of the older children who are employed in the mill. The public schools of Atlanta supply the teachers for this work. The gymnasium is particularly enjoya ble and a useful feature of the night school, and it forms a much-needed physical relaxation and exer cise for young bodies over-tired with much daily labor. The building in which this settlement work is conducted, was given, rent free, to the Central Board by Mr. Elsas of the mill company, and is commodious and comfortable, although not nearly adequate to the growing needs of this rapidly grow ing work. It is hoped to add to the space, or even to procure an entirely new building at some time in the future when the financial condition of the Board warrants it. At present there are five resi dent workers in the building, under the able man agement of Miss Rosa Lowe. These young women are Miss Lowe, Supt.; Miss Dollie Crim, ass’t supt.; Miss Crim, supt. day nur sery ; Miss Viola Crusart, trained nurse; Miss Mary Dickinson, kindergartner. The following are officers of board: President, Mrs. J. N. McEach ern; Ist vice-president, Mrs. R. P. Milam; 2d vice president, Mrs. E. F. Morgan; recording secretary, Mrs. M. M. Davies; corresponding secretary, Mrs. T. P. Westmoreland; treasurer, Mrs. M. L. Trout man; superintendent Devotional Department, Mrs. James Jackson; superintendent Educational De partment, Mrs. Geo. Muse; superintendent Indus trial Department, Mrs. R. B. Thomas; superintend ent Physical Department, Mrs. T. B. Lumpkin; su perintendent Social Department, Mrs. W. R. Ham mond; superintendent Home Department, Mrs. H. R. Calloway; superintendent Woolen Mills Work, Mrs. Wm. Nixon. A hungry man does not pray; an ill woman or a feeble child is absolved by physical discomfort and brain and soul alike fail of their mission. “A sound mind in a sound body”—a judicious culture and spiritual enlightenment—all produced by careful consideration of material needs, would form the philosophy of the broad work, and would give to other workers an idea of its purpose and its power. News of the Week. Police have confiscated a pamphlet by Count Tols toi. General Blanco, who succeeded Wyler in command of the Spanish forces in Cuba in 1997, is dead. The Hastings Industrial Company of Chicago, 111., proposes to locate a canning factory at Macon, Ga., which will pay SIOO,OOO annually in dividends. Mr. Andrew Carnegie last week stopped over in Atlanta for the express purpose of visiting the noted author, Joel Chandler Harris, at his surbur ban home in this city. Miss Florence Parker, of Los Angeles, CaJ., whose mysterious sleep for seven weeks excited the interest of the medical fraternity, has gradually come into a normal condition. Baron Rosen, the Russian Ambassador at Wash ington, received a dispatch from St. Petersburg announcing that rumors of probable anti-Jewish uprisings in Russia are unfounded. Italians continue to come into the South. It is expected that several hundred wall arrive within the next two or three weeks from northern points for the sugar plantations of Louisiana, and for gen eral work in other states. •» A large hall in which the local associations in Nagold, South Germany, were celebrating in annual fete, collapsed and all present were buried beneath the ruins. Estimates regarding the .number killed vary from 100 to 300. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius has become so active that the people in the surrounding country have become greatly alarmed. The shower of ashes falling in Naples is so thick that pedestrians are carrying umbrellas. The sky is obscured from view. Paul Noquet, a French sculptor of note and an enthusiastic amateur aeronaut, had his balloon to collapse during an ascension on April 4, and the unfortunate man’s body was found in the waters of Bass Creek, along the south shore of Long Is land. A company of English Spinners has visited New Orleans, having made a tour of the Yazoo belt cot ton country. One of the objects of the commission is to look into the feasibility of buying land in America upon which English spinners will raise their own cotton. A statement, claimed as authoritative, is to the effect that the mysterious donor of the $400,000 which was recently presented to the pope, is no other person than Mrs. John Mackay, the widow of the American “silver king.” Mrs. Mackay is a devout Catholic. For the first time in the history of the law courts of Massachusetts, the full bench of the supreme court has handed down a decision declaring that a married woman has the right to bring action against another woman for alienation of a husband’s af fections. The German warship, Falke, has been dispatched for a cruise along the Western coast of South Af rica. The purpose of the cruise is to display the German flag in ports along the coast and thus in crease the prestige of Germany in that part of the world. The creation of an artificial island in the middle of the entrance to Chesapeake Bay is proposed by the joint board on coast defense as absolutely es sential to the defense of the national capitol, the cities of Baltimore, Norfolk, Newport News and even Richmond.