JOHN WANAMAKEB 493 school and church activities as for his purely business achieve- ments. He early identified himself with the Presbyterian Church under the pastorate of Rev. John Chambers, in whose honor he dedicated, in 1902, the John Chambers Memorial Church, which he erected at a cost of eighty thousand dollars. He organized the world-famed Bethany Sunday school in 1858. This school first met in the room of a cobbler, but the membership has grown from twenty-seven scholars to over five thousand. In 1868, Mr. Wanamaker purchased a large lot and erected a substantial stone Sunday school hall which has since been enlarged several times until it will now ac- comimodate thirty-five hundred people. A large Bible Union meets in the auditorium of the church adjoining. In 1868, he opened a savings bank for the young people of the Bethany Sunday school, accepting deposits of *'one cent and upwards. '* In 1913, the bank had over twenty thousand depositors and deposits amounting to about two million dollars. He suc- ceeded in framing and having passed by the Pennsylvania legislature a general law regulating savings funds, so that the investments were fixed in certain securities, and loans disallowed to any of the officers, directors, or employees of the savings fund. He maintains, also, in connection with the Bethany Church work, a dispensary where about ten thou- sand patients are treated annually. Mrs. Wanamaker and he built the children's ward of the Presbyterian Hospital, which he helped to found and of which he is trustee. He takes a deep interest in the welfare of boys and men. Not least among his enterprises are the ^^ Men's Friendly Union," with a membership of one thousand men, connected with the John Chambers Memorial Church, and the
- Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip," with nearly one thou-
sand men, for whom was erected the Bethany Brotherhood House, equipped with reading room, museum, auditorium, trapper room, swinmiing pool, lockers, gynmasium, roof gar- den, etc. The members carry on an active Building and Loan Association. Near this building is the **Free Library of Philadelphia, John Wanamaker Branch." He was an ardent admirer of John B. Gk)ugh and has taken
