IN THE FIVE POINTS. N former articles the outer machinery of this mission has been dwelt upon, because, that being essential to the whole work, we wished to give it its proper place and prominence. But there is another aspect which is still more interesting to many, and we should deem our work but half accomplished did we not dwell for a little time upon the moral influences of the mission and their results. The Society entered its field of labor with just the views and feelings which would have influenced them had they selected a point on foreign heathen ground, and (excepting the fact that they were familiar with the language) found themselves beset by the same trials and difficulties. During the first year the outward organization necessarily occupied much care and thought; but the one great object of the mission was never forgotten. Bodily necessities were supplied, education thought of, every accessory influence seized; but redemption in the glorious fullness of its meaning, including soul and body, stretching beyond time into eternity, was the high point to which every effort was steadily directed. This was the abiding feeling of the missionaries, class-leader, and the ladies' Board, as month after month the former toiled, and the latter listened to reports of alternate discouragement and hope. Conversions were cautiously reported, because of the peculiar ignorance and degradation of the subjects. A "class" was formed. At a quarterly meeting, Mr. North, the leader, gave a most interesting account of the class, of their gradual increase in knowledge, of their advance week by week in spiritual light and experience, from the first faint conviction which led them to join, through the successive stages of penitence, faith, pardon, and the exulting joy which followed. He said it had been clear, marked, decided in every instance, and expressed his most entire confidence in their present religious experi ence. a scene which fulfilled their warmest hopes. The Sabbath school was convened as usual, and was remarkably quiet and attentive. The room was soon filled by an audience of a mixed description; but the utmost solemnity and decorum prevailed. We could not restrain our emotion as the emblems of redemption's finished work were, for the first time in that region, spread before the eyes of the people- there, where sin had reigned-for years had had an unbroken triumph-had slain its thousands and its tens of thousands, as though the Saviour had not died and lived again. But now the spell was broken; redeeming grace had shown its utmost power, for here were men and women rescued from the most sottish interperance, from the deepest moral degradation into which human beings can sink, reformed, converted, made "sons of God, and heirs of everlasting life." Mr. Luckey preached a most appropriate and impressive sermon from "Do this in remembrance of me," after which the names of ten persons were called, who immediately surrounded the altar, and, after a suitable exhortation, received the righthand of fellowship from their pastor. After the usual service was read, Mr. Luckey requested the new converts to surround the first table together. Together they had wept, and striven, and prayed; together they should commemorate their deliverance, and anticipate their blood-bought victory, when together they should drink new wine in their Father's kingdom. A solemn influence rested upon the congregation; the children seemed awed into perfect silence, and even at the "Five Points," we said, "Lo! God is here! let us adore," and, with feelings too deep for expression, the friends of the mission succeeded those with whom they were thus made "one in Christ" in commemorating the dying love which had rescued each and all. With a solemn, earnest benediction the scene closed, never, never to be erased from the memory of some, to whom it will ever remain an era of solemn feeling, of realized hopes, of joyous anticipations. The members having stood their six months' probation, the Church was organ- More than a year has passed since that ized by the Rev. Mr. Luckey, and they first communion, and the moral progress were received into full membership. of the mission has been slow but continuThe 23d of November, 1851, dawned ous. Twenty-two adults now attend the clear and bright, and many friends hasten-weekly religious meeting, either as memed to the mission room to be partakers in bers or as probationers for membership ; while others, by the advice of the missionary, have removed from the place to more eligible situations. We have stood by the dying beds of several of these rescued ones, and have listened to their failing accents of praise as they rose from their wretched homes on earth to the paradise of their redeeming God. THE CHILDREN OF THE FIVE POINTS. When the ladies commenced their mission in this miserable locality, the hope of rescuing the children from the almost certain result of corrupt parental example was perhaps the strongest feeling that influenced them. The children! hundreds of them with drunken fathers and drunken mothers, who made no provision for their comfort, and scarce any for their physical existence, beyond the miserable dens they called their homes, and in which, after a day of begging and perhaps want, and after a day's exposure to every evil influence, they crept to sleep-greeted with oaths and curses, and ofttimes with stripes and heavy blows! Children! precocious in self-reliance, in deceit, in every evil passion, while the better nature within them slumbered or had been destroyed because no suitable means had ever been used to vivify or awaken it! the regular days for the distribution of clothing a lady was attracted by the countenance of a pale, weary-looking child about nine years of age. She carried with difficulty a large baby more than a year old, and, although the children all around her were full of life and hilarity, she sat listless and unamused, no smile betraying childish interest or joy. On inquiry, Mrs. Luckey remarked, "That child has a drunken father who abuses her mother dreadfully, and she lives in a constant state of terror and dread." The lady resolved to watch over that little girl, and throw some sunshine over the darkened path of the drunkard's child. Closer acquaintance revealed a maturity of thought and a strength of sympathy with her suffering mother touching in the extreme. She came regularly to Sunday-school, but always, during the session, would whisper, "Mrs. Luckey, please let me run home and see how mother does-I am afraid father will come home and hurt her," &c. Her little heart seemed never at rest, and her face had an abiding look of weary despondency. After some acts of exceeding violence, the mother was obliged to complain against her husband. Maggie loved her father; for, when sober, he was kind, and she pleaded, "O mother! do not let them take him away, for what shall I do without a father!" He was committed to the Tombs, and the next morning early Maggie took her little brother, four years of age, by the hand, went to the prison, and sat hour after hour by the window, talking to, and trying to amuse her father until his time of liberation came. Of late her countenance has brightened, and she greets the lady (who in heart adopted her) with somewhat of childish glee. One little newsboy was found who regularly paid his drunken mother's rent out of his scanty earnings, and had remained comparatively untainted by the scenes of vice that met his every step. The ladies, with woman's instinct and woman's tact, recognized them not only as depraved little human beings, but as children; their young hearts beating with childish hopes and fears, with childish yearnings and desires; awake to every tone of kindness, and yet so unaccustomed to any government but that of hasty blows and brutal caprice, that it seemed almost impossible to subdue and restrain them by those laws of love and gentleness which yet were the only means deemed expedient or useful. There are, however, bright exceptions. We gaze on a few sweet young faces, and smoothe the silken hair of some whose appearance declares maternal care, and in the visits made we find now and then a cleaner home, and hear all a tender mother's anxiety and thankfulness for her chil-waiting for the appearance of Mrs. Luckey. dren expressed, and listen to tales of privation and suffering which words could scarcely exaggerate. We also have occasionally touching illustrations of the finer shades of character, which awaken peculiar sympathy and hope. On one of The children give evidence also of bright intellect and quick perception. One afternoon a number of them had collected around the door of the "Old Brewery" The rain poured in torrents, and they stood without a shelter of any kind. Mr. Luckey opened his office door, and kindly urged them to run home; that Mrs. L. was detained by the rain, and might not arrive for some time Turning from them, he closed the door; but, quick as the lightning's flash, his ear was greeted by the full chorus of one of their hymns: "We'll stand the storm, it won't be long, We'll anchor by-and-by;" and they stood it until Mrs. L. appeared, and anchored them by a good fire, and applied the hymn they had so sweetly sung The Society have endeavored to unite every moral influence in their plans respecting these children. Their object has been, by education, by kindness, and especially by religious instruction, to prepare the minds of these little sufferers for the reception of that higher influence which alone can regenerate and save. They have always remembered they were influencing children, and have therefore accounted innocent recreation as a valuable auxiliary in this great work. In the summer of 1852 the Greenestreet Sabbath-school invited the mission school to accompany them on a picnic excursion. The invitation was thankfully accepted. On Friday morning, June 25th, the sun rose bright and clear; the atmosphere was remarkably cool; and at seven o'clock we hastened to the "Old Brewery," where we found the friends who had labored in the preparations, clothing the children, pinning on each a badge, that we might know them, and reiterating much past instruction as to behavior, &c. Every face looked bright; the greatest excitement prevailed, and the scene was amusing and interesting to all beholders. We formed them in procession, and were surprised to find how respectable we looked. Barring some bare feet, we would scarcely have been recognized as a mission school. At eight o'clock we were seated comfortably in a commodious car, and started at a rapid pace for Hastings. We questioned the children around us whether they had ever been in a car before? No. Had they ever been in the country? No. What pleasure there was before them what entirely new scenes would greet their vision-how would their minds receive enlargement and elevation, when they gazed upon the clear blue sky, and saw nature in her glowing beauty. We looked beyond the mere day's pleasure, fully believing that some young hearts would receive impressions never to be erased, and which would in some way affect their entire future; that a desire, an ambition would be awak ened to escape the precincts of the "Five Points" with its degrading associations, which in this blessed land of light and liberty might be largely gratified. We had no trouble during the ride, and at half-past nine arrived at Hastings. We recollected that probably two-thirds of the children had not yet tasted food, so immediate preparations were made for breakfast. Mrs. Barker's kindness had provided bread and meat for all, and we expended the first hour in feeding about one hundred hungry little ones, who pressed around us wild with excitement and joy. This task finished, they had permission to roam, under certain restrictions. Away they went with a shout, Mr. Perrigo, their indefatigable superintendent, keeping only a general supervision over their movements. After an hour or two Mr. Perrigo, with a few who had gathered around him, commenced singing a favorite hymn; in five minutes he was surrounded by scores; he led them to a beautiful hill, arranged them in a semicircle on the grass, and for an hour the grove was vocal with songs of praise to God. This was the hour of deepest gratification to those who had the charge of that happy group. Gratitude for the past and present, and hope strong and believing for the future, took possession of our hearts, and we could but weep, and pray, and trust. Again they were disbanded, to roam at pleasure until three o'clock, when they were assembled and seated in ranks upon the grass, and treated to pie and cake. This was the amusing scene, though some attempts at fibbing and cheating made us painfully remember who they were, and from whence they came; yet for the most part the antics were only those which mischievous boys of every rank generally perform. At five we again gathered them by singing. The Greene-street friends had some instruments of music, and aided us in this effort. They had been counted when we started, and it was now quite desirable to keep them still long enough to do the same; but this required considerable ingenuity on the part of their teachers, for they had become almost uncontrollable from the excitement of their day's rambling. But by making soldiers of the boys, forming them in a line, marching and countermarching, and appealing to their military pride, Messrs. Perrigo and Brown at last succeeded. We reëntered the car at six o'clock, and, without accident or hindrance, arrived safely in NewYork at dusk. On reviewing the day, the friends unanimously concluded that they had not had any more trouble with our "Five Points" than we would have had with one hundred children from any other quarter. Some were rather unruly; there was a little quarreling; but no bad words spoken, no marked and peculiar misconduct. And thus we learned anew the moral power of kindness. There was, there could be no authority other than that which love created; and we found that sufficient to control those who came from the homes where drunken parents raved, and uncontrolled passions had full sway. Two ladies in their round of visiting called on a drunken mother, who, a few days before, had turned her five children into the streets at nine o'clock in the night. Shivering with cold, they were admitted into the missionary's office, and made comfortable for the night. The woman was sober at the hour of the call, and while one lady kindly reasoned with her on her wicked conduct, the attention of the other was arrested by the little children, who had quite a baby-house under an old table. She gave one a penny —a look of joy, a whispered consultation, and the child darted from the room, the visitor supposed to buy something to eat. In a few minutes the child returned with a little looking-glass; which was placed in the baby-house with the utmost glee. Here was a fact remembered to be acted upon. Thanksgiving day was appointed, and the ladies resolved to make the "Five Points" a scene of festivity and joy on a larger scale than had been attempted in previous years. Want of room makes it necessary to omit many interesting preliminary scenes— the gathering of the friends at the "Old Brewery," the arrival of provisions, (the gifts of various benefactors,) the washing and dressing of nearly three hundred children, and the preparation of the mammoth tent which had been pitched in the little park for the occasion. We can only describe the scene of the Thanksgiving supper at the "Five Points," November 27, 1852: At half-past four all was ready. On our tables were sixty turkeys, with beef, ham, and tongue in proportion, and sundry chickens, geese, &c. Sufficient pies, cakes, bread and biscuit, celery and fruit, and candy pyramids filled the slight intervals, and the whole presented an appearance inviting to the most fastidious appetites. Plates and cups were arranged around for more than three hundred; the lamps were lighted, and the signal given. Hundreds of visitors stood in silent expectation, and in a moment the sound of childish voices was heard, and they entered in regular procession, singing a hymn prepared for the occasion. They took the circuit of the tent, and were then arranged standing around the tables. They stood with folded hands while all sang the doxology, and Mr. Luckey asked a blessing upon the occasion. Not a hand was raised, not a voice was heard, until the ladies and gentlemen who had charge of the tables supplied their hungry visitors with food. Then all was glad commotion, and then was the time for joyous tears. Three hundred and seventy poor, neglected, hapless children, placed for an hour in an atmosphere of love and gladness, practically taught the meaning of Christian kindness, wooed and won to cling to those whose inmost hearts were struggling in earnest prayer for grace and wisdom to lead them unto God. They ate and drank without restraint until all were satisfied; then again formed, and commenced singing. In the central aisle was placed the stand containing the toys and cornucopias of candy, and another filled with oranges and apples. By these Mrs. C. R. Deuel and Mrs. William B. Skidmore were seated. The children marched by them in as much order as the dense crowd would permit, singing as they went, "We belong to this band, hallelujah," and in each hand the ladies placed a gift as they passed, until all were supplied. Then all the children left the tent. There was now an interval of a few moments. The tables were hastily replenished, and then notice was given to the visitors that the company now about to assemble were the "outsiders," about whom we knew nothing, save that they were poor and wretched, and all were warned to take care of their watches and pocket-books. They came in scores, nay, hundreds ; they rushed in and surrounded the tables, men, women, children, ragged, dirty, forlorn. What countenances we read! And the children who accompanied them miniature likenesses, both physically and morally. We spoke to them words of kindness and encouragement, and they partook until not a fragment was left, and then, without tumult, left the tent. We felt, as we looked upon them: Of ignorance hath from the brow erased; May we not praise our "Five Pointers"-the converts of the mission, tenants of the "Brewery," who worked for us without thought of pay or reward-our children, who, in behavior, were equal to the same number of children from any district the poor outsiders, who in that atmosphere of love seemed for the mo the building, or to carry out plans of benevolence when it is finished. We plead with all to help the philanthropic, the patriotic, the religious. All have an interest in this great experiment, for, as Dr. Potts remarked, (in his address at the laying of the corner-stone of the mission building,) this effort will arouse by its success, guide by its plans, and determine by its results, benevolent action in other cities of our Union, and perhaps even of the old world. The Executive Committee of the Society are Messrs. Francis Hall, 46 Pine-st., William B. Skidmore, 135 Hudson-st., Daniel Drew, 37 Wall-st., Henry Shelden, 124 Broadway, Leonard Kirby, Treasurer, 47 Cedar-st. Donations can be sent to either of these gentlemen. THINGS WONDERFUL AND TRUE. ment to be humanized and softened? Not WITH a very near approach to truth, a plate was broken, not an article was missed, and we did not hear that a stone was thrown, though a large pile of bricks by the side of the park had awakened some apprehension. Surely we thus prove the strength of moral influences, for four years ago the same thing could not have been attempted. human family inhabiting the earth has been estimated at 700,000,000, the annual loss by death 18,000,000. Now the weight of the animal matter of this immense body cast into the grave is no less than 634,000 tons, and by its decomposition produces 9,000,000,000,000 cubic feet of gaseous matter. The vegetable productions of the earth clear away from the atmosphere the gases thus generated, decomposing and assimilating them for their own increase. This cycle of changes has been going on ever since man became an occupier of the earth. He feeds on the lower animals, and on the seeds of plants, which in due time become a part of himself. The lower animals feed upon the herbs and grasses which, in their turn, become the animal; then, by its death, again pass into the atmosphere, and are ready once more to be assimilated by plants, the earthy or bony substance alone remaining where it is deposited, and not even these unless sufficiently deep in the soil to be out of the insorbent reach of the roots, and plants, and trees. It is not at all difficult to prove that the elements of which the living bodies of the present generation are composed have passed through millions of mutations, and formed parts of all kinds of animal and vegetable bodies, and consequently it may be said that fractions of the elements of The Society still need funds; they our ancestors form portions of ourselves. have no money with which to complete-Working Man's Friend. In conclusion, we remark, the present aspect of the mission is one of encouragement and hope from every point of view. The Sabbath-school is large and prospering, under the unwearied care of Mr. Ira Perrigo, who, in connection with Mr. and Mrs. Luckey, superintends the Wednesday evening singing school. A large infant class, conducted by Misses Browne and Luckey, is interesting and improving. Also an adult Bible-class, taught by Mr. Fessenden, of the Broadway "Tabernacle." The day-school, averaging an attendance of one hundred scholars, is prospering under the tuition of Mr. Cooley and Miss Bland. The whole region is under a plan of visitation by the missionary and his wife, aided by ladies of the Society. Many families have been reclaimed from the lowest degradation possible to human beings, and are now living in comparative peace and comfort. The mission-building on the site of the " Old Brewery" is rising higher and higher, and soon the topstone will be laid with shouting. |