CHAPTER VI

HOW WE GOT A NEW MISSION BUILDING

(A CHAPTER ON FAITH)

Although by January 1, 1911, we had eighty-four beds filled nearly every night with homeless men, we felt ourselves very much hampered for room. We turned many away. Many a poor fellow that winter walked the streets all night to keep from freezing.

When we pray for a thing which we think the work of the Lord requires, we begin at once to arrange for it, as if the money to do the work were already at hand. Our paper, _The Gospel Tidings_, of January, 1911, said, “Our Mission now does business in three different localities, and will soon be obliged to rent two more places for the wood cutting department and for opening a penny lunch-room.”

We were so sure that the Lord's work needed enlarging that we went to the very best architects we knew, Gregg & Leisenring, and told them our plans and needs, and they prepared with the greatest care, drawings for a building costing at the very least $50,000, besides the cost of the land. Then the writer visited the seats of the mighty in New York City with the best introductions that the District Commissioners and leading statesmen could give. While I was received with great kindness and courtesy, I was distinctly told by one magnate that he helped only the young and those starting in life; by another that his charity could never take a local form, that he gave along the line of research for causes and remedies of diseases. The women, whose secretaries I met, themselves not being visible to plain people, I was assured had planned all their surplus income for five to eight years ahead, so that I came back convinced that God's way for the Gospel Mission was not by way of New York City.

About that time a great fire occurred in an eastern city, and many men and women lost their lives, and the order went out in Washington that every building where a large number of people worked or slept must have plenty of fire-escapes.

We found to put fire-escapes on the Gospel Mission would cost $125, an immense sum to us, but we were preparing to put up the fire-escapes when the owner refused his permission. We told the police, and asked time to relocate, but were peremptorily ordered out of 1230 Pennsylvania Avenue, N. W. We could find no suitable building obtainable within our means.

A MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

was called at my house for prayer. There were thirteen members present. The object of the meeting was stated by President Wheeler, a few of God's promises read from His word, and we went on our knees for prayer.

Each one asked for a suitable home to do the Master's work as seen and done by the Gospel Mission. It was noticeable that after the eighth person had prayed, each prayer took more and more the form of thanksgiving, as if we already had received the building, or money to build it.

There had been offered to us a very large double building which had once been used as the District Building, and upon which it was claimed that the government of the United States had once put $60,000 to make it fireproof. It is situated at 214-216 John Marshall Place, N. W., not far from the foot of Capitol Hill. After having the distinct answer to prayer that God was working with us, a letter was written to Mrs. John Hay, wife of the deceased great Secretary of State, asking her to purchase that building for $25,000 for us and to permit us to pay her a fair interest and pay the principal in annual payments. The letter was written about the first of March. Almost by return mail Mrs. Hay replied that she did not care to make so large an investment, but if we cared to go forward and purchase the building ourselves, that on April 1 she would give us $5000 on the first payment. Never will I forget the scene when that letter was read.

Mr. H. D. Gordon had received the letter just as he was starting for the Board meeting, his face was radiant. When Mr. Wheeler came in the letter was put in his hands without comment. As soon as he read the words, “I will give you $5000 on the first payment,” without waiting to finish the letter, he said, “Let us pray.” We, on our knees, each one thanked God for the gift dictated by His Spirit, and asked God's blessing on the magnanimous woman who had obeyed the Spirit's order.

The Building Committee eventually secured the property for $22,000, of which $5000 was to be a cash payment, and by agreeing to pay $1750 annually, and to pay semi-annually a 5½ per cent interest.

Think of the growth in spiritual power of a little organization which in September, 1908, shuddered at a bill of $25, in the early spring of 1911 joyously making itself responsible for $17,000 bearing a semi-annual interest amounting in the year to $850!

Since that time we have made three annual payments of $1750 each, and we have met all interest to date.

Probably in no civilized country was there ever a dirtier house. The building had been occupied by some foreigners until it had become so vile that the police condemned it and obliged them to move out. They took with them all gas fixtures, all sewerage, heating and water pipes; in fact, wrecked the building, but a mission band is brave, and went valiantly to work.

More than one hundred wagon loads of dirt were taken from the cellars. We know, for we paid ten cents a load to the dump. When we had put in $100 in glass, it scarcely made a mark, so large is the building. It has sixty-six rooms, some of them as large as the chapel of an ordinary church.

The walls have been scraped and calcimined and whitewashed; the entire woodwork inside and all the outside has been painted; new gas pipes and gas fixtures have been placed; new sewerage and bath-rooms have been prepared. Four new fire-escapes and an electric fire-alarm system installed; a splendid French steel range has been set in the kitchen; hot and cold water supplied to various parts of the building, etc.

The first meeting was held in our new building, 216 John Marshall Place, N. W., on the evening of April 15, 1911, Mr. Wheeler presiding.

We found the roof leaked so badly that in case of storm some rooms became uninhabitable. Again I was obliged to personally guarantee the payment of $500 for a new roof. Again, Mr. Ernest Gichner came to my help. He put on a good roof, built up and pointed the thirteen chimneys, put ventilators in many chimneys, saw to resetting, reglazed all skylights, and permitted us to pay him $25 per month till the debt was paid off.

When the possibility of completing the first cleaning seemed most hopeless, when heat, water and gas pipes had to be replaced, several members of the Board pledged $100 each. To some of us that meant great self-denial. Mrs. Richard Butler gave $500 and Mrs. Spindle $200; in all we spent $5000 in repairing and cleaning that building. Every step was made in faith.

It was wonderful how our people sacrificed to get all this done; women who do not do such work at home came and scrubbed and cleaned; many a poor man gave a day's work. Three men who readily command $3 per day, worked three months each at $1 a day with room and board. The people of Washington sent us piles of old furniture, for which we were deeply grateful. Then Superintendent Kline got a great quantity of furniture and many feet of piping for conducting heat, and secondhand radiators at the sale of the old Riggs Hotel. We secured a good mechanic, and with our mechanics at the Mission, installed the heating plant. The expenses during that time were at least $200 per week. At our Board meeting one Tuesday, Treasurer Gordon reported $4.84 on hand. All business was stopped immediately and we went to prayer telling our Father that we had but $4.84 and the bills of the week would be due on Saturday. We had each of us done all we could afford. The following Tuesday the Treasurer reported all bills paid and $284 in the treasury. Thus God not only supplied all our wants, but graciously relieved our anxiety.

SPEAKER CHAMP CLARK

Rather an amusing incident occurred when our cleaning was most strenuous. We have a large number of good women who will do good work if I lead, so on one occasion I took a tin bucket with rags, soap, scrub-brush, etc., and went to help on work rather out of my line. I started to return with the bucket in hand. When I came to the car I saw the Hon. Champ Clark, who had then very recently been elected Speaker, at the front of the car. I was careful to take the back seat, hoping he would not see me. I had barely got seated when he came back and took a seat beside me. I tried to apologize for my appearance and impedimenta. He said, “Oh, bother! Never mind. What fault are you Republicans finding with me now?” and we went at the Reciprocity Bill, then before the House, with hammer and tongs. When I got off at Second Street, S. E., the Speaker carried the bucket and handed it to me in his gallant way, still talking of the measure before Congress. I doubt if he recognized whether it was an old tin bucket or a jewel case which he transferred to me.

As long as this is a faith chapter, I shall here insert a statement of how God sent the last $300 on our annual payment and semi-annual interest due and paid May 7, 1913.

This is from the June, 1913, number of _Gospel Tidings_:

HOW THE LORD PAID THE DEBT

Mrs. Monroe's Letter in _Lutheran Observer_ of May 16:

“On May 1 (1913), we were owing at the Gospel Mission on the building $15,500 with $406 semi-annual interest. We have agreed to pay $1750 each year, so we were responsible for $2156 on May 1; by special agreement it was not paid until the 7th. I want to tell my friends who have prayed with me in this struggle how the Lord led us.

“At the Board meeting, Tuesday, April 29, we had $1140 in the treasury. By Wednesday morning we had $1200. Thursday we had $1300, and on Friday, at Dr. Stearns's class, I reported $1400 in the treasury and requested God's children to ask for the $756 yet due. By Sunday, May 4, we had $1659, when Hon. B. H. Warner subscribed $200, bringing our fund to $1859. A small bill reduced it to $1856.

“The gentleman who held the note telephoned from Baltimore that he would not come for his money until Wednesday, May 7. At the Tuesday evening meeting five of us prayed definitely for $300. On Wednesday morning, just after breakfast, a friend telephoned, 'Please come up at once.' Now, that is my writing day, and I felt I could hardly go, but my times are in His hands, and if He said 'Go,' then that was my orders. I went at once, and my friend said, 'I feel you are needing $300 on your debt, and the Lord woke me up to tell me to hand you $300, and I am prepared to pay it.'

“To say how grateful we all are cannot be put into words. But at this time, when the city was being scoured for $300,000 for the Emergency Hospital, when the Ohio sufferers had claimed all we thought we could spare, for the Board of a little mission, dependent mostly on the poor, as the poor man's church, to pray down from heaven $2156 of a special fund, besides the running expenses, which are always very heavy, means more than money to us. It seems to be the divine seal of God's approval on our work. I had subscribed $500 for myself and friends. He graciously paid through me $656, and now, with the $300, He has made my share $956.

“Some of the readers of the _Observer_ sent me money, but more prayed for our work. Now, join with us in praising God for a message straight from the throne of our dear, loving heavenly Father.

“To everyone who helped, even to the amount of five cents; to those who denied themselves usual comforts to help the Mission; to those who gave to help provide shelter for the poor—to each of us He sends, I am sure, this dear message, 'I glorify you in order that your faith may be strengthened and that you may glorify me.' If any of us has ever had any doubt of God's special providence to His children, let this concrete example be a permanent love-message of assurance to every such doubter.”

NEXT STEP OF FAITH

By June, 1913, we found that nearly every Sunday night more than one hundred persons had to be denied entrance on account of lack of room. We saw by taking down a partition on the north side of the chapel between chapel and hall, we could seat at least one hundred more. We were just over the strain of the last payment, and we were loath to ask our friends for more help, but as God continues to each of His children the blessings which they daily enjoy, so each child of God must continue to help in His work, and relying on Him “who worketh with us,” we ordered the wall taken out at a cost of about $900, which afterward proved to be $1300. Again I had to make myself responsible for the payment of that amount. It was all paid on time.

In this faith chapter I desire to insert the following from the _Gospel Tidings_ of June, 1913:

MR. WHEELER'S STORY

“At the Sunday evening service, December 18, 1912, Mr. Wheeler said: 'When I was in charge of religious work at the United States jail some years ago, one Sunday, after service, I went round, as was my custom, to shake hands with the men behind the bars. I came to a fine-looking man, to whom I said, “Why are you here? I have often seen you on the street, and I have thought of you as a good citizen.” “O Mr. Wheeler, I have been a good citizen. My wife and I have a little store in Georgetown, where we sell oysters in the winter and ice cream in the summer. My wife gave me $65 to settle our bill with the wholesale oyster man, and I took a number of drinks, and finally went into the marble saloon and took a drink with some strangers, and as surely as I tell you I do not remember another thing until I found myself in a cell at the station house.”'

“On further inquiry Mr. Wheeler found that the prisoner was charged with passing counterfeit money. It appeared that after he came out of the saloon a Jew was crying clothing on D Street. This man went into the Jew's clothing store, bought a suit of clothes, for which he offered a $50 bill in payment. The Jew could not make change, so took it to a neighbor, who assured him the bill was bad, and the man's arrest immediately followed.

“Mr. Wheeler went often to the cell to pray with and for the poor prisoner, who devoted his time to the study of the Gospels. He was soundly converted. Mr. Wheeler said, 'Do not trust alone to your lawyer. Appeal to Jesus Christ now to clear you, for, as far as I can see, man cannot.'

“His lawyer told Mr. Wheeler that the court would surely send the prisoner to the penitentiary. On the morning of the trial several Christian men met together and prayed over the case. The court convened at 10 A.M., and the case was immediately called. A stranger asked to be sworn as a witness. He said about this: 'I was in Washington on the day this affair occurred. I do not often take a drink, but I happened to be in the saloon when this man came in. He took a drink with two young fellows who happened to be there, and the liquor made him drunk at once, when one of the young fellows said, “It is my turn to treat, and I will, if any of you can change a $50 bill.” This man brought out lots of money, and got the $50 bill in exchange. I left Washington the next day, that is how I was fortunate enough to remember the date. I got back yesterday, and happened to see a statement of this case in the evening's paper, and I felt simply compelled to come and give my testimony.'”

The prisoner was reprimanded (which was unnecessary, as he was a new creature in Christ Jesus), but the case against him was dismissed, as it was apparent there was no intent to defraud the Jew. His family nearly smothered him with kisses and embraces, and he walked out a free man.

Skeptics may say this was mere chance. But how did it happen that the man came back on that day, saw that account in the paper, felt compelled to testify? No, God directed the case after it was committed to Him.