The Market Street Mission is a Christian evangelical organization whose goal is the rehabilitation of Morristown's homeless and disadvantaged citizens. By using a multi faceted strategy that includes treatment of the mind, body, and spirit the Mission hopes to transform habitual substance abusers into Christian men and productive members of the Morristown community. Their philosophy is described in one of the early mission statements. "To preach the Gospel to the poor, to reach the outcasts of society, to minister to the unchurched, and to meet the needs of the destitute in the name and for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ." Further the Mission states that it's "object is to reach with the gospel the non-church going population of the city especially drinking men, as well as the homeless and destitute." Market Street Mission has provided services and support to a vulnerable group of citizens for more than 100 years.
The Mission began in the living room parlor of Mrs. Louisa Graves Owen, Morristown resident and South Street Presbyterian Church member. Mrs. Owen invited the local wives of substance abusing men into her house so that she may "improve the moral and spiritual condition" of these women. Before long she began to reach out to the women's husbands. Both of these groups soon outgrew the limited space available in the Owens' house and were forced to seek other facilities. Around this period the Session of the South Street Presbyterian Church expressed an interest in sponsoring the meetings and they sought information and knowledge from Mission establishments in other cities and regions. Concern out of the spiritual and physical affects such a lifestyle had among citizens and by extension their families spurred the Owens and the Church to action. In 1889 the Session found property on Market Street and promptly organized the Market Street Mission. After assuming responsibility for the meetings the Session organized a bureaucratic structure headed by a Board of Managers with the Session responsible for naming individuals to the Board. The Pastor of the Church was a standing member on the Board. In addition to these responsibilities the Session held title to all the Mission's buildings.
At the time of incorporation Market Street was known locally as "Rum Lane" or "Rum Alley" due to the numerous bars and pubs in the area. There was a great deal of resistance to a Mission from the bar and tavern owners with many going as far as attempting to buy the land that the Mission had planned to use. The group started in a rented two story building that was purchased two years later and enlarged to accommodate the group. Different programs were offered to the men and in 1897 a wood yard was established. Since the group believed that charity without effort encouraged laziness and dependency the Mission started the wood yard where the men could work to earn the meals and housing offered to them. The wood yard provided quality wood and kindling for Morristown. Other programs included gospel meetings, Mother's meetings, free distribution of clothing, food, fuel, furnishings, etc.
In 1898 the building burned down forcing the Mission to seek other arrangements. The Mission bought property on the same street, began building in early1898, and placed the cornerstone of the building on July 27, 1898. Market Street Mission continued serving the Morristown community and even established a name and reputation far beyond the county's borders. Its budget and staff increased annually and the records reveal that it found a great deal of success in transforming many of the substance abusers who sought out the Mission.
The Mission's next major challenge occurred in the early 1920s when tension between the Session and the Mission forced the Mission to consider separating from the Church. By the early 1920s, after two decades of growth, the Session and Mission had determined that the number of people served by the Mission was declining. In the face of the drop in numbers the Church and the Mission debated whether the Mission should continue to operate. This effort was a significant part of the Church's annual budget and the Session wished to use that money for other foreign missions. The church committee, however, wished to see the work continued and voted against cutting of the funding for the Mission. This vote began a gradual decline in relations between the Church and the Mission. As the decade wore on the Board of Managers increasingly sought independence from the Session and the South Street Presbyterian Church believing that such a separation would liberate the Mission to pursue its own course. This was legally difficult since the Church maintained ownership of the Mission's buildings. Despite resistance from the Church a final deal was arranged and in 1932 the Mission was incorporated as an independent organization operating under a new constitution and by laws.
This separation coincided with the Great Depression and the Mission faced the leanest years of its history. During the Depression there was a marked shortage in food and money to assist the residents. Along with the shortage came an increase in the unemployed seeking assistance. According to a newspaper clipping found in the collection "The nationwide wave of depression which has resulted in sending streams of unemployed men and youths through Morristown has caused a severe drain on the financial resources on the Market Street Mission to which institution the many of the unemployed turn for assistance while on their various ways. When questioned today as to whether the unemployment situation is getting better or worse Superintendent L.B. Haines informed a reporter that the demands on the mission for June are running heavier than in May and April." The Mission's economic health continued to decline with the Depression. In a letter sent to potential donors the Mission described the situation as follows: "At no time during the past four years of financial depression, has our situation been more critical than now. Our resources are reduced to a minimum and are wholly inadequate to meet this growing need and distressing situation." The creation of the Industrial Department during the Depression is credited with helping to keep the Mission active. The Industrial Department sent a truck to Morristown houses to pick up household articles and clothing to be sold in the Mission's thrift store. The department became self supporting within two months. It also provided jobs to the Mission in an era of mass unemployment.
In the decades after the Depression the Mission's programs continued to expand. In 1967 the warehouse opened at 25 George Street. Property was purchased at 24 Lincoln Street and opened as a half way house in 1976. In 1977 a non-hospitalization detox center opened. The last decades of the twentieth century were also among the most challenging for the Mission. Attempts by the State of New Jersey to implement regulations and controls prompted a court battle that went all the way to the United States Supreme Court and cost the Mission dearly in revenue and support. The Mission was also adversely affected by the New Era scandal of the mid 1990s and battled the Morristown community over housing issues. With a history of great success and great struggle, the Mission continues to play a vital role in the Morristown community.
The Market Street Mission is a Christian evangelical organization whose goal is the rehabilitation of Morristown's homeless and disadvantaged citizens. This collection reflects the administrative, financial, physical and programmatic history of the Mission from 1893 to 1995 with significant gaps.
The Board of Managers governed the administration of the Mission. During the Mission's association with the South Presbyterian Church, the Board of Managers was appointed by the Church's Session. This series contains meeting minutes, agendas and reports from 1896 to 1981 with some significant gaps.
This series includes a copy of a sermon given by Rev. Albert Erdman on the 25th Anniversary of his Pastorate of the Church and a booklet of the memorial service for Joseph Hoffman (first secretary and treasurer). Both were intimately involved with the Mission in the years prior to its separation from the Church. The Mission's post independence Constitution and bylaws are present as well as some records documenting the split.
This series describes many of the different strategies that the Mission utilized to treat the residents' different afflictions. As mentioned the Mission believed that the most appropriate treatment for the men was a multi level approach spiritual, psychological, and physical. The series includes some program descriptions and schedules, an attendance book for the Children's Meetings, a minute book from the Converts and Workers Union, and correspondence discussing a women's Bible study and sewing class. The spiritual aspect of treatment is represented through the Annual Report of Chaplaincy and Counseling Department and a folder of evangelical ephemera. The physical nature of residents' recovery is approached by the materials concerning the used furniture and winter coat drives.
Throughout the history of the Mission several buildings were acquired for a multiple of purposes. These properties came to the Mission either through purchase or gifts from sympathetic citizens. This series includes among other items an invitation to the dedication of the Mission's second building (the first was destroyed in a fire), records concerning houses in Morristown other than Market Street and the Warehouse on George Street . File folders containing records of houses have been grouped together. The rest of the series is arranged chronologically.
This series contains information concerning anniversary day celebration programs and speeches, presentations, Christmas parties, and graduation and memorial programs.
As with most non-profits a steady concern for currency and where it was going to come from afflicted the Mission. This series is arranged chronologically and includes correspondence asking for subscription contributions to support the Mission's programs, check records, an annual financial report, material concerning the Mission's insurance policies, documents regarding its experience as a victim of the New Era Fraud, and information concerning grants received.
The Mission has been operating in Morristown for over 100 years affecting the lives of innumerable men. This series is made up almost entirely of statistics kept by the Mission from the single year 1959 and the years 1966-1975. Statistical reports show numbers of residents categorized by race, marital status, age, religious affiliation, birth place, and whether or not they have a drinking problem as well as numbers of services provided in a given month or year.
Other than a few references to Executive Director Jack Pinajian there is very little information relating to staff in the collection. This series contains a phone directory, some executive director reports from 1980 and limited Pinajian correspondence.
Historically the Mission has had very favorable relations with the town that hosts it. It has performed outreach through mailings and activism in the community. This series contains documentation of that outreach and activism via correspondence, press releases, and ephemera.
This series reflects some of the issues the Mission had with the state regarding various regulations with which New Jersey wanted the Mission to comply. For many of these issues the Mission felt that complying was either an undue hardship or an infringement upon their Constitutional rights of separation of Church and state. Included are forms requesting exemptions from state regulations, forms from the state Department of Agriculture, and papers regarding the Mission's alcohol detox center, which was operational from 1977-1979. The Mission applied to the state to develop a sixteen bed non medical alcoholism detoxification program according to state law. The law includes the establishment of short term alcoholism treatment centers as alternative placement to incarceration.
This series contains the Mission run newsletters
The Mission has appeared in the local newspapers on many occasions throughout its history. This series contains clippings most notably from the
The photographs in this collection are largely undated. The earliest photo may date to the 1960s however the bulk of the photos are from the early 1990s. They capture events such as parades, banquet dinners, and anniversary and graduation celebrations. There is also one folder of individual shots of mostly unidentified Mission residents.
This material is open for research without restriction under the conditions of the North Jersey History Center archives access policy. Records may be copied for use in individual scholarly or personal research, however, as with all materials in the History Center, researchers are responsible for obtaining copyright permission to use material from the collection. Material in the Records of the Market Street Mission may be photocopied, but because this material is a permanent part of the History Center's collections, researchers are advised to photocopy with care, using only the edge copier for bound material.
Records of the Market Street Mission. North Jersey History Center, The Morristown and Morris Township Library.
Processed by Lawrence T. Greene, Spring 2004 and Anne Trepcos, Fall 2006