Twice-born Men in America

In Short

This book serves as both a memoir and a manual for Christian rescue work. Written in 1914 by a former psychology teacher turned missionary, it details the daily operations of the Gospel Mission in Washington, D.C. Through vignettes of men rescued from alcoholism and destitution, the author argues that true social reform requires spiritual regeneration. It remains a fascinating historical window into the intersection of early secular psychology, urban philanthropy, and fervent evangelical practice, illustrating how mission work functioned as a vital, if often overlooked, social safety net at the turn of the century.

The Story

The narrative begins with the author’s transition from an academic career in psychology to the gritty, urgent reality of city mission work. Disappointed by the lack of practical analysis in academic texts regarding the "greatest mental and moral change" possible—conversion—she turns to the Gospel Mission to observe the process in action. She quickly finds that her academic background is eclipsed by the lived experience of street-level evangelism.

The arc of the story follows the growth of the Mission from a modest, volunteer-run operation into a comprehensive center for social aid. As the author and her colleagues grapple with the sheer volume of "driftwood of humanity"—the hungry, the homeless, and the addicted—they realize that spiritual guidance alone is insufficient. They begin to experiment with industrial branches, including a woodyard, a paper-baling plant, and a laundry, designed to provide men with the dignity of labor. These initiatives are often born out of desperate necessity and are frequently hampered by shifting economic policies, such as the government’s changes to wood pulp tariffs, which periodically disrupt their self-sustaining industries.

Throughout these logistical trials, the focus remains on individual lives. The author shares stories of men like "Will W.," a young man from a prominent family who, despite multiple relapses, eventually finds stability through the Mission’s intervention and his marriage to a woman who shares his faith. She recounts the experience of a college-educated doctor driven to ruin by drink who, after his conversion, manages to reclaim his professional life. These accounts are not mere testimonials; they are framed as psychological studies of "the blood of Christ" acting as both a destructive force against sin and a constructive force for integrity.

The narrative also captures the constant, underlying tension between the mission’s workers and the city’s indifferent elite. The author recounts her futile attempts to secure funding from wealthy New York magnates, only to realize that the mission’s strength lies in its reliance on the "poor man's church" and the prayers of its supporters. The book concludes by placing the Mission’s work within a larger social context. The author warns that unless society addresses the underlying causes of unemployment and neglect, the simmering despair of the masses will inevitably lead to social upheaval. By the end, the Mission stands not just as a place of prayer, but as a proactive, indispensable institution that provides medical care, food, and a pathway back to the "highway of prosperity" for those the rest of society has discarded.

How It Unfolds

The psychological inquiry The author establishes her premise that conversion is a concrete, observable, and vital phenomenon. She critiques the academic world for failing to study the practical application of regeneration and sets out to prove that mission work is the ultimate laboratory for this transformation.

The struggle for resources The narrative moves into the practical challenges of sustaining a mission, detailing the constant need for funding and physical space. The author recounts her failed efforts to solicit help from wealthy outsiders, leading her to rely on local prayer and small-scale, faith-driven fundraising.

The industrial solution As the mission grows, the author describes the transition from purely religious services to the creation of work programs. These chapters detail the logistical hurdles of running a paper baler and woodyard, showing how the mission attempted to make its charges self-supporting rather than dependent on charity.

The defense of the mission In the latter half, the author shifts to an argumentative stance, contrasting the mission's hands-on approach with the perceived elitism of traditional philanthropy. She advocates for a more active, outward-facing church that treats the "social dynamite" of urban poverty through both physical relief and spiritual teaching.

The People

The author, Harriet Earhart Monroe, acts as the primary narrator and guide. She is a woman of formidable intellect and rigid conviction, who balances a scholarly interest in psychology with a deep, uncompromising faith. Her growth is marked by her shedding of "mean pride" regarding public, outdoor preaching.

Mr. H. D. Gordon, the Mission’s treasurer and a prominent lawyer, serves as a model of devotion. He is described as a man of great pathos, often seen standing alone on street corners with his guitar to sing salvation to passersby. He represents the ideal of the "singing evangelist" who bridges the gap between professional status and street-level ministry.

Mr. Kline, the Mission’s superintendent, is the most poignant example of the transformation the author seeks to document. A former alcoholic who had descended into dishonesty and despair, his journey from a ruined life back to sobriety and leadership provides the emotional anchor for the book’s claims about the "keeping power" of God.

The "driftwood of humanity" are the unnamed men and women who pass through the Mission’s doors. They are not treated as statistical problems but as individuals—the newsboy, the doctor in ruin, the deserted soldier. Their persistence in seeking help, and their eventual integration into society as "useful citizens," serves as the evidence the author presents to support her theories on moral regeneration.

In Its Own Voice

“I taught psychology for fifteen years at the Atchison Institute... I was there greatly impressed by the fact that the books gave no adequate analysis of the psychology of the greatest mental and moral change which can come to the human mind, namely, conversion and regeneration.”

In the preface, the author explains the academic frustration that motivated her to move from the classroom to the rescue mission.

“Unless Society, with a big 'S,' reaches a hand to the unemployed these people will surely become a menace to our great cities, and on some sad day they will dynamite our public buildings.”

The author issues a stark warning about the consequences of ignoring the plight of the urban poor, framing social welfare as a matter of civic survival.

What It's Really About

The central argument is that the "religion of Christ" is the only truly effective agent for social and individual transformation. The author posits a dual-action model: a destructive element that cleanses the soul of past vices like alcoholism and deceit, and a constructive element that rebuilds character, integrity, and industriousness. She argues against the secular, purely humanitarian approaches to philanthropy, suggesting that without the "divine spark," social services merely manage symptoms rather than curing the root causes of moral decay. Ultimately, the book is a call for the institutional church to stop looking inward and start acting as a radical, omnipresent force for order in the "alleys and courts" of the modern city.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in the history of social welfare, religious studies, or the early 20th-century urban experience will find this book deeply illuminating. It offers a rare, ground-level view of how American cities managed extreme poverty before the advent of the modern welfare state. The prose is earnest, brisk, and occasionally startling in its blunt assessment of human behavior.

However, readers should be prepared for the author’s period-specific attitudes, which include a strong, moralizing tone regarding "hereditary sin" and a singular focus on conversion as the only solution for social ills. The book does not attempt to be an objective, modern sociological study; it is an unapologetic, intensely personal document of its time. Its power lies in its raw, unfiltered look at the "driftwood of humanity" and the unshakeable confidence of those trying to save them. For anyone curious about the intersection of faith and labor, or the sheer, grinding effort required to run a mission in the early 1900s, this work provides a vivid, firsthand account that remains both historically significant and intellectually challenging.