“It is a very curious thing to say, that while I saw no relative of mine, being far separated from all of my kindred, while I had no time to accept the hospitality of friends, but ate my dinner at my boarding house, so as to be at the Mission for service, yet it was one of the happiest days of my life. It is wonderful the kindness God puts into the hearts of His people at this season. Not a member of the Mission has wealth, yet God gave us means through His children to feed between three and four hundred people. A little Ohio Joint Synod Lutheran church at Fulton, Md., sent us a dozen chickens, two bushels of potatoes, some fine apples, turnips, beets, cabbage, etc. We bought fifteen turkeys, a lot of hams, then the New Willard Hotel prepared our fowls and other meats, and the Raleigh Hotel prepared and cooked all our vegetables, adding enormous pans of baked beans, and all this they did free of charge. “Bakers sent us bread and pies, florists sent us great quantities of flowers, so that we were able to feed all comers and send out a number of baskets to poor families. This was the bodily side; the spiritual side was even better. “The services began at twelve o'clock noon, and lasted until ten at night, with a change of leaders, musicians and varying audiences each hour. “Two boys, about sixteen and eighteen years old, had walked all the way from Richmond, Va. As they fed their famished bodies, one said, 'O Jim, did you ever before hear of such a place where one can really get all he wants to eat, can get a hot bath, can get one night's lodging all for nothing? I am so tired I just couldn't walk any more!' “One man, about thirty years of age, simply prostrated himself at the altar, and cried aloud to God for pardon. After he rose he said about this, 'I came from the workhouse this morning an angry, outraged man, after thirty days' sentence. I felt my punishment was a great injustice. My hand was against every man, for I felt every man's hand was against me. I was ready for any crime. Someone met me and said, “Go to the Gospel Mission.” I answered, 'I prefer to go to the saloon and get drunk and forget for a few hours my sorrows and loneliness.' But the friend brought me here. You have given me a good dinner, but that is the least, you have reached the friendly hand. Brother Wheeler says I can make this my headquarters till I get work. I am a skilled mechanic, and I can soon get my place back again, and now I want to say God has forgiven me my sins, and they are so black and so many. I was a Christian in my early life, so I know what I am talking about when I promise my God and all you, my friends, that, God helping me, I, this day, take Christ for my Saviour and I will love and serve Him all the days of my life.' That of itself paid me for all I could do.