The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-12-03
The Association for the Relief Of Aged
Indecent Womar

Amidst the rushing, mighty voices which
are sweeping from the Potomac, from the val
ley of the Shenandoah and the banks of the
Mississippi, calling for help with unappeased
earnestness, taxing to the utmost the public
treasury and private liberality, shall not the
sstill, small voice" of our home charities find
listening ear? The poor are still at our
doors; suffering at home is not diminished by
the suffering on grander scale abroad; but
ID rather increased by the numerous victims,
who, from able producers, have now become
helpless consumers. Reason and humanity
therefore call our thoughts back from the stir
ring scenes of war and its terrible conse-
quences, to the peaceful, afflicted sufferers at
home.
! The poor mother, who perchance may have
lost her only son, the stay and staff of her
life, is now in silent sorrow and bitter sadness,
seeking where in the wide world she shall
find rest. We have a society among US.
which, for several years, has been taking such
by the hand, not saying to them "be ye cloth
ed and be ye fed" but putting them into
comfortable "Home," where their cares are re-
lieved, their wants supplied and the weary
steps of declining years are supported by the
strong arms Of a generous charity.
Who better needs the colsoling ministra-
tions of benevolence than that poor, infrm
woman. who once enjoyed, it may be, afiu-
ence, certainly comfort. and hope as buoy
ant as ours, but by adverse winds and the
stormy vicissitudes of life, has been stranded
on the desolate shores of poverty, and friend
less solitude? How sad the contrast with her
former joys and happy surroundings! There
are many such; and few can know how many'
until experience or practical effort have intro
duced them into that wide and disconsolate
circle. By the good Providence of God and
their kind forethought, ladies of several reli-
| gious denominations in onr city were deeply
impressed with the need of providing COM
Portable home for that very class of persons.
BY great exertions and the generous aid OF
many of our liberal gentlemen, they were able
to purchase house, comfortable but not am-
pie, and to constitute small fund, with which
they at once entered upon their most admira-
BILE work. With persevering assiduity and
kindness, thes gentle sisters of Charity have
given of their tlme and means to this noble
cause. For eight years they have sustained
their "Home," and cheered the hearts and
nourished the bodies OF the succession of re-
| spectacle aged women who, having been cast
down from their once good estate, were glad
to receive the sympathy and support of their
younger sisters. But we are forced to say,
that in these expensive times the means do not
come up to the expenditures; the draft up
on their funds is not met by their current
receipts. And we are constrained to call with
an earnest cry upon our genei Gus community
to sustain this noble charity which meets
most pressing want among US.
An opportunity will be offered on Sunday
evening tor contribution to aid these benev-
olent ladies. A meeting will be held at the
High st. church on Sunday tomorrow even
ing at IL o'clock, at which an address will
be delivered by the Rev. Mr.. Heaoes Of the
Park street church. And it is sincerely hoped
that sum will be contributed, commensurate
to the Importance of the object In the ear
nest words of the Apostle, II entreat thee to
help those women whose names are in the
book of life." And we would appeal to our
liberal men and women not only to afford pres
eut help, but to contribute to more ample en-
dowment for this great object, that the aspi-
rations of these noble ladies', who are working
in this cause, may be able to extend the means
OF accommodating the numerous calls of that
most worthy class for whom the Home is de-
signed, and not be panied by being obliged to
shut the door against further admission.
Thousands of dollars have been contributed
10 Boston and other large cities to endow sim
liar institutions among them, which have az
forded incalculable relief to aged and unfor-
tunate women, who have been cast friendess
upon the world. And we happen to know
that here, several ladies have made provision
in their wills for aid to the fund. But the
sums are small; would that some Josiah Brad
ley, like him of Boston, would remember by
thousands this association, and furnish it with
the means OF extending its usefulness to all
3 appropriate cases. Let us all remember that
our mothers were women, and that to them
we owe what we are and what we hope.
A Son.