In 1867 various city evangelical churches met at the Flinders Street Presbyterian Church to form a city mission, following the example set by David Nasmith in Glasgow in 1826. The mission's principal aim was 'the evangelisation of the neglected classes'. Like the Methodist 'Central' missions, the City Mission, based in Light Square, eventually came to focus more than on simply spreading Christianity by also looking to the material needs of the underprivileged. This practical work included rescuing girls from 'lives of misery', with a cheap-house scheme and working girls' clubs, amongst other services. From 1898 the Mission employed George Gee Wah to work with the Chinese population, and Beshara Abotomey, to work with the local 'Syrian' (largely Lebanese) community. From 1883 until 1924 the Mission also ran a Chinese School. During the Great Depression the City Mission distributed blankets and food, and ran a soup kitchen and a women's clinic.