It is a dangerous thing to praise one man’s work over and above God’s handiwork. With that in mind, I mention John Wanamaker as a great man but only because he was convicted by God and acted on that conviction to reach out to the people of South Philly. At the age of 19, he began his misssion.

“On February 7, 1858, like the Hebrews of old, John Wanamaker, in company with Rev. E H Toland of the American Sunday School Union, went on a scouting expedition in the territory in that part of Philadelphia south of South Street in the Schuylkill River district. Like the Jewish spies of old, they found giants in that land, giants of sin, ignorance, prejudice, hate, poverty, disease, intolerance, violence- enough to daunt the bravest missionary, but they also found that there was need of the Gospel of the saving grace of God which could slay the devil's giants.” (Quoted from Sam Wasson, History of Bethany)