Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-02-29
GMurtester 4ailp spp.
From the London Times.
IVII IIIt LOIIuOH IlNles.
HOPE FOR THE FALLEN EXTRAORD BINARY |
MEETING IN LONDON.


One Of the most extraordinary meetings for
years past took place on Thursday morning,
Tor rather the proceedings were to have com.
menced at midnight on Wednesday, at the
st. James Hall, No. 60 Regent street London.
in connection with the important question of the
great social evil.
The meeting was none other than one of the
"falen women" for the purpose of hearing
prayer and addresses, and originated in this
manner: Some gentlemen connected with the
County Towns Missions, English Monthly
Tract Society, Female Aid Society, London
Female Preventative and Retormatory Insti-
tuition, the Trinity House, and other institu-
tons, feeling anxious for the welfare of the
multitude OF fallen women who congregate
every night in the Haymarket, Regent street,
and the principal casinos and cafes in the
neighborhood, resolved, after mature consider.
alton, to attempt to convene some of those I'M
happy persons in suitable place near these
localities, where Judiclous addresses might be
given, to be followed by prayer. The mode
which to the conveners appear most likely to
succeed was to invite them to tea and coffee ;
and neat card, inclosed in an envelope, was
distributed among them at the casinos, cafes,
and in the streets, indited as follows:
"The favor of your company is requested by sew
erai friends, who Will meet at the st. James Res.
taurant, SO Regent street, take and coffee
gether on Wednesday night, Feb. 3 at Il O'Clock
precisely"
Some hundreds of these were distributed
during the past few days, and, as will be seen,
the experiment met with a great amount of
success, Notwithstanding that many treated the
matter with rdicule, while numerous others
thought the whole affair hoax Such, how
ever, it did not turn out to be for shortly be-
fore midnight, a large number of these unfor
tunate creatures arrived at the entrance of the
st. James's Restaurant. Here they were
shown into the large dining-room of the hall,
capable of holding some hundreds of persons.
There was an abundant supply of tea and cot
fee, with bread and butter, toast and cake, to
which the strange assembly did good justice,
at the various tables about the room, and round
which they clustered in small parties of six or
eight, chatting over the popularity of the
meeting, and wondering what was to be the
course of proceeding. The number gradually
increased, till there must have been at least
$50 persons present, and these were solely
composed of the unfortunate creatures whose
moral and social condition the meeting had
been convened to ameliorate, excepting some
30 or 30 clergymen and gentlemen who had
been instrumental in calling the meeting. OF
course, the meeting was not allowed to be a
public one so far as regarded the admission of
the other sex, for, had it been so, no doubt a
very large number would have assembled out
of curiosity, if not for any worse motive
While the repast was going on, the principal
gentlemen present mustered together at con-
spicuous spot for the purpose Of addresses be-
ing delivered to the meeting. Among them
were the Hon. and the Rev. Baptist Noel, the
Rev. w. Brock, the Rev. w. O'Neill, the Rev
- Haughton, MIR. Latouche, 1.-THE BANKER Mr..
NV II AIay,UalI Mr. VI
others.
Shortly after one o'clock the Rev w. Brock
stepped forward and briefly opened the pro-
ceedings by stating the object Of the meet
ing.
The Hon. and Rev. Baptist Noel then ad-
dressed those assembled in an eloquent, yet
pathetic and affectionate discourse, abiding to
his hearers as his "dear young friends" He
commenced by drawing a picture Of the his
tory of a virtuous woman from her childhood,
pointing out the unspeakable love of the father
and mother for the child, the association with
sisters and brothers, the affection of the hus-
band, and at last the love which she herself
bears her own children and then he compared
that picture with the position Of those who
had erred from the paths of virtue. 1t was
quite possible, however, he assured his hear
ers, that some of them might yet be happy !;
they might ask him how, and say it was diff
cult to become so-and so it was, he admitted
but it was not impossible, for they had a friend
who was even more tender than the mother,
and stronger in His love than the father; and
One who would never desert them He was
friend who would rescue them if they trusted
in His boundess confidence. That friend was
Jesus their Savior, who had died for them.
He was with them in that room, as certain as
possible, and just ready to be their friend
therefore, he entreated them to turn to their
Savior. Their whole future depended upon
whether they would have him or not. He
could take them to glory from life which
must end in perdition-could cleanse them OF
their sins, and carry them to God. If they
asked him when to do it, he should say at once,
and they would be happy for the rest of their
lives; if they believed in him, they would be
saved. The Savior himself said, God SO
loved the world that He gave His only be-
gotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
Him should not perish, but have everlasting
life" Would they accept the offer, or not ?
He entreated them to accept it at once, and be
happy forever, their cheeks never fading, their
consciences would sleep in peace and they
would live long to enjoy the esteem of those
who were good. Let them take the resolution
at once, and they would never regret it. The
honorable and reverend gentleman then read
letters from several girls who had been re-
claimed, stating the happiness they felt and
then he went on to say that his young friends
might ask how they could follow the course he
pointed out. OF course, it would require some
sacrifice to be made, but they must expect that
and help each other, and it would not be &
matter Of regret ultimately that they had made
the sacrifice. They might think they woult
never be loved again; he told them they would
Therefore, let them say, like others, LET u,
make the sacrifice" for was itnot better than tc
walk on to the end which was perdition In
conclusion he eXhOrted them not to depdr
without needing what he said Might the
Lord accept his prayers, ard might He alsC
accept those unfortunate creatures he was adj
dressing, and to them he said "Give up tina
which is contrary to the will of Jesus, and say
Il will take heart and be a child of Cod"
The Rev. W. Brock, the Rev. Mr.. Haugh
ton, the Rev. W. O'NeiIl, and others, then of
tered up prayers, and the effect produced by
the earnest and touching appeal of the frs
named gentleman, delivered in deep tone O.
voice, was most touching.
1t was announced that any present who re-
pented their sins would be received into the
London Reformatory or the Trinity Home, and
that further arrangements would be made FOL
the reception of others elsewhere if funds
could be provided
The meeting broke up about o'clock.
The conduct of those present was highly
credtabe, and quite void of levity or con
tumely, and we may safely say that the ex
pertinent so far has been successful.