i
MISSION OFFERS GH/INCE FOR SERVICE
—Mary Sullivan
The wind almost blow me off my feet
as I came out of the Plaza Theatre and
started doTO Biltmore Avenue—taking a
shortcut to the bus station* I had ten
minutes before the bus left Asheville
for Black Mountain, A few blocks from
the theatre I passed a little mission.
For just a moment Beverly Shea's voice
sounded above the noise of traffic. A
Bob Jones University student standing
on the corner handed me a tract as I
rushed past—down a wrong street.
Five minutes later I came back up
the same street. This time I walked
across the street and into the little
mission chapel. The presence of God
was unforgettable as I worshiped
with about I.I4. other strangers from
streets in that little 10' by 1^'
Hiim
the
cha~
pel. This was my first visit
New life Mission in Asheville#
to the
Now, a year later, I and several
other students have the opportunity of
working in that same mission, T^m Arena,
the Assistant Diractor, can find much
work for us.
Before I get to that, let me tell
briefly about some of the work of the
mission. It is supported by free-will
offerings and has been operating for
about ten years, and is now under the
direction of Rev, Harold Bronwell, Stu
dents from Bob Jones help with the work
on the same basis as the Montreat stu
dents, It is unsponsored, volunteer
tTOrk,
Services are held every Friday, Sat-
nrday, and Sunday nights in the mission
chapel to reach the people on the
streets, Saturday is the busy day—pas
sing out tracts in the street, bars,
and poolrooms—holding services in the
Old Folks' Home—preaching in a colored
barber shop—and teaching child evange
lism classes.
Teaching the classes is the part of
work which concerns us. At the present
we have seven active Bible classes for
children in the Negro neighborhood. Let
me describe one of these classes for
you o , , , We go into the neighborhood
and get the children together by ring
ing a cowbell, Miat a joy it is to see
them come running—so eager to hear the
Bible stories and to see them presented
on the flannel graph boardJ They love
to singj and when you get them warmed
up, they -can really make a "joyful
noise". There are no discipline prob
lems, These children come because they
are interested, andthey challenge us to
tell them about Jesus, The girls Tdio
have been going to the mission to teach
these classes are Noal Morse, Martha
Manning, Jean Mash, Mary Lou Kiser,
Marjene Cox, and I.
The mission does not look like much
from the outside5 but when one gets in
side its doors, he can feel and see the
results of Christian love.