The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-19
THE MIDNIGHT MESSTON

HE most difficult problem that Christian
philanthropy has to deal with is what is eu-
phuistically termed the ''social evil" 1t is
almost impossible for the laws to take cogni
zance of it or to adopt any measure for bring
ing it under supervision without legalizing
an iniquity that saps the very foundation of
society. 1t is difficult to even discuss the sub
iect publicly in such manner as is neces-
sary for proper understanding of it OF
for the adoption of efficient measures of re-
form, and pure men and women have an in
stinctive aversion to being brought in con-
tact with it in any way. Another COM
plication is in the aversion shown
by society to woman who have
fallen from virtue, so that, even if disposed to
reform, they find themselves bafied and
thrown back upon their old mode of life
almost at the first attempt to rise out of the
depths of sin and infamy; and the very small
results that will be achieved by large expen-
ditures of money and by much patient labor
is a encouragement to many who prefer to
give their time and money to objects of a
more promising character. Notwithstanding
the enormous difficulties that environ this
subject, and the manifold discouragements
that must attend any efforts to
restrain a gigantic evil, it is the
manifest duty of good men and
women to assail it resoutely, boldly, and per-
severingly, but with all the delieacy that the
peculiarities of the case demand, and il is
with a view of exciting the interest of the
respectable people of Philadelphia to the
efforts of few self-sacrifcing ladies and gen.
tlemen for the reformation of the fallen
women in our midst that we call attention to
the Midnight Mission, which has been in
operation somewhat over two years, at house
on Locust street, above Ninth The mission
has the following objects in view:-
81. To preach the Gospel to a class numbering
several thousand in city, class never found in
our churches, unreached by other missionary SER
vices.
sin, Christian Home, ever standing ready to well
come the los-ever saying by its presence, Return.
"3. To make that Home, with its quiet, gentle,
cheerful influences, not an asylum where numbers
should coDgregate and stay, but where few
awhile, strengthened, tested, and after due proba-
tOn, placed out in Christian families in places where
their past was not known against them, and where
respected by others, they might begin TO respect
themselves and thus have a new start in llfe"
What has been accomplished by this mis-
sion since its inception is little, very little
indeed, in comparison with the magnitude of
its field of labor, but still enough has been
done to encourage perseverance and to secure
for the mission the cordial cooperation of
our citizens without distinction of sect or re-
lieious belief. During the year 1869 one
hundred meetings were held, the ave-
rage attendance at which was eight. The
number of women admitted to the Home was
7O and the average number of inmates was
- OF these % left to return to their former
mode of life, were restored to their
parents, 30 were placed out,
and II inmates of the Home Since
the mission was organized POO meetings we're
held at which the average attendance was 10
and the aggregate attendance over 1000; the
! average number in the House was II and the
| aggregate number 200. OF these 75 were
! placed out in families, 25 restored to parents
and 100 returned to their old life. The prac-
tical results, therefore, of the two years work
of the mission were 100 women restored to
the path of virtue, while upwards of 1000 have
been brought under influences that may pro-
duce beneficial results in the future.
The work undertaken by the midnight
mission is distinct from that OF tho Magdalen
! and Rcsine Associations and the House OF the