Ellis Island
The center of the year's work has been Ellis Island, the great home and foreign mission field, in area covering a few acres, in influence compassing the entire world. Any one with ability to "sense" a condition standing at Ellis Island feels himself to be not at the "hub of the universe," but at the heart of the world, through which are circulating the life currents of the old world and the new. More than one-half of those coming to our shores enter by this gateway. Here is the beginning of the preparation of this great mass of humanity for the process of assimilation into the American spirit and life.
The missionaries at Ellis Island adopted the plan of organization approved by the Committee of Six, and appointed the committees provided for. The operation of this plan has been very satisfactory considering all that is involved. The Committees are organized and reports from some of them are given in the following pages.
There are now twenty-five missionaries and workers representing the Boards and Societies federated with the two Councils, and other Societies cooperating in the work of federating the religious forces in this branch of missionary service. The field of service and the activities of the missionaries at Ellis Island is typical of all Ports of Entry missionary work.
The field of this ministry is:
(a) The railroad rooms. Here quick work must be done. It is just touch and go. The missionaries of our Societies, the American Tract Society, the New York Bible Society, the Y. M. C. A., Y. W. C. A., W. C. T. U., and kindred agencies do most excellent service.