, 1860-09-11
The Great 1seaal EVIL.

In connection with tho decision rendered the
other day BY. Judge Sutherland, which It wN
our painful dn'y 10 announce and comment
upon, It may be proper to refer 10 Efforts put
forth for tho refo,nstisn Of that s]s4. especially
designated as "unfortanates." About nix
months sance, = aeries Of midnight meetings
was commsucad In London, and to theae Wefe
invited numbers Of those characters, who weEo
treated to q temperate Tepast, and then advised
ea1neatJ to foraake their guilty course Of life.
opened in various localities for such Al mani
tested desire 10 reform. An article recently
published in the London Daily Netos announces
that already nearly two hundred women hare
been induced to change tseir life, while several
who had run awaJ from home have been re-
being from the city Of New York. 1he result
NAV not htve fulfilled the expectations of the
more sanguine, beng but drop in tho bucket
compared with the vast mass Of abandoned wo.
men f1equensing the streets Of London. But
beginning has at last been made; whatis more,
and meaps will be devised te arrest, II possible,
the further progress et this great soci4ieprosy.
The expenaes OF these meetings are said to have
averaged nearly $500 each.
II Te are not mistaken, much evil has re.
suited from ignoring this evil in the pulpit and
tbep press~ It has not bsen deemed to be fit
topic for private conversation, except in whis-
pers: and in all refined social gatherings it has
been studlously avoided. The motives for this
may haye been unobject1onable, in some cases
eyen laudable; Jet as q general sule it is not
the best method Of guarding against danger to
ahut ones eyes to its existence. Certainly no
otber form OF evil is thus treated. In the xa.-
fa,a against intempeEanee, profanity and law
lessuess in general, We are to depict crme in its
most forbidainE aspect, aud hold it up before
tie public. In order that ts horrible features
may deter the unthinking from entering upon
The dangerous coprse. Is there any good rea-
sons why contrary line Of condnct should be
pursued in regard to the licentiousuess which
prevails everywhere around us!
The profe8sipg Christian has certainly no d.
rine warrant for such Eealing Of the lips !; tor
there is no sin more repeatedly denounced, no
vica more frequently held up to public execra-
ton, and thst IN almost overy book Of the ga.
cred volume from Genesis 10 the Apocalypse.
No minced phrases or very delicate terms are
employed to depict the crime aad its fearful
consequences.
It Is terrible TO think that, independent Of
thousands VINO have fallen victims to the pas
sions OF others, there exist secret oEganlz2-
tfons with active agents, every whers ct work
to induce Joung Wsmen 70 enter upon
career Of iniamy. Disguise it as We may. ibis
il the fact.
These minions Of destruction are found at
work upon eur emigrant vessels, and rnultitudes
who left Western Europe unta;nted with the
are prepared for and thrown into the dens Of
vice. As if to complete the work Of ruin, the
door is carefully boited ard barred against all
escape. The victims Of these couspiracies are
led to believe that no hope exists for them, and
they naturally prefer period Of stormy e;
permit them to think upon and realize the
wte,chedness Of their situation. The expert
ence Of several reformed females has been pub.
lished, md in nlmuss every case it would serm
that, after foraaking their abandoned lie, the
shock aud consequent depression Of spirits
good resolutions, and drive them once more to
crime.
And then, in how many cases would it be
judicious for Well-ordered family to permit
one Of these probationers under its roof Ard
yet in all cases there ought to be at least an
cry Of these wrecks of humanity. The lesson
go clearly taught in the eighth chapter Of
Johns Gospel should bs closely studied and
faithfully carried out.
What is to be done9 We can, at all even1s,
awaken attention to the subject, aud this age is
both an inventive and executive one. We may
even organize and fight the great social evil
BE- restored, bat more may be prevented from
falling into the frightful abyss. At moderate
outlay, for example, the unsuspecting may be
forewarned and cautioned against the tempta-
tions presented On board OF emlgraut vessels;
even the 81 erciea Of evil might be checkmated
in our comfy toHns mud villages, At the
same time, while dep1o1ing the late Of those
who follow spch life, the public should learn
to yts,t on tho head OF tbs seducer that indig-
nation which it hitherto has heaped almost ex-
clusive1y upon his victim. Why should true
galiantry, any more than prncticai Christianity,
Teserve nearly all its indignation aad disgust
for the weak, the sufferer, tbs party sinned
against, irstetd OF the original and greatest Of
fender: These things At least can be done,
and more if the attempt is made IN earnest.