The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1871-01-14
Third Annual Report
OF THE r-..-
HOME FOR THEFRIENDLESS.


the Friendless, would present our Third An
nual Report. In doing so. We take pleasure
in referring TO the continual prosperity, and
growing usefulness OF our Institution /; and
would express the hope that our Efforts in is
behal. may meet with your approval, and
satisfy all reasonable demands.
Another year of successful labor has been
added to the records OF our Institution, and
our annual meeting finds us filed with graft
tude to our Father in Heaven for the past,
and earnest faith and hope fot the future.
The new building mentioned in our last re-
port, Was Completed and ready for nccupa-
ton by the 9Th of February, aud, on that day.
by previous arrangement, the house was
thrown open for the reception Of our country
friends, with their donations. Very early in
the day our he arts were cheered By the arrl-
val OF heavily loaded wai ems, treighted with
wood. provisions, -four, &C., sufficient to sup
port our large family, for near three months.
Not only did ttis arkab!e manifestation
Of i.berality tend to cheer, hut tier express
sions of interest and sympathy, and the pray
ers offered for our success, strengthened as
for the work, and guided us for the conflict
that was before US. Aud as we gaZed on the
faces Of these kind hearted farmers, with their
wives and daughters, all m ,nitesting their
interest, and their readiness TO contribute to
our support, we could but exclaim, ''what
hath God wroughty' Not satisfied with this
demonstration, nor weary Of doing good, on
hearing Of Cur need for the winter, they i'm
mediately responded, and laden with goodly
portion OF that with which God had blessed
them, they again supplied our wood house
and cellar with provisions sufficient to last
for near two months.
On the day following the opening Of our
house, our citizens came with their gifts
to aid us in the furnishing of our house and
so generous were their donation, that by
the close OF the week, with the aid OF tho fol-
lowing (who furnished rooms entire) We
| we're nicely fitted up for housekeeping, viz:
| The citizens Of Centrevllle, furnished our par
Tors and one bed chamber; Mr.. and Mrs.
MehaIy, OF Eaton, the Chapel; the ladies OF;
Union City, the work-room the ladies Of the
N. +. Church Of Eaton, one chamber; Mrs.
| Severinghaus one; Miriam Maxwell, one
and the lad es Of Washington aud Winches-
ter, each one. The special favor Of the Lord
has appeared to rest upon US, and with won
der, we recognize his providential care Of our
family in the supply OF our daily vans.
Having our present building fitted up as it
is, with reference to our needs, has greatly
| aided US in our efforts to carry cut the design
of the Home. There is, perhaps, but little
need to explain the o'jects of our Institution,
| as they have been so often brought before
you. 1t will be suffic ,ent to say, that it is a
home for the homeless, shelter for the
stranger,a hospital for the friendess sick,
and a refuge for those who having sinned, are
lcounted no longer worthy to be admitted into
the society OF the yirtuous and the pure, but
who weary OF SHINING, are willing to forsake
their evil ways, and come unto us for help.
We have faithfully and honestly tried to meet
all these wants, and to perform the service
You have comm tilted 10 our care, as unto God.
The Institution has been divided into three
departments-the Reformatory, the depart
l e. 81.
department for the Stranger and the Friend
less is distinct and separate, they having no
intercourse with those coming under our
care for reformation, unless they become
, permanent members of the family and re-
Quest to be admitted into the other depart
ment. A comfortable Si,ting-room is pro-
vided with Are in it, and bed cha mber
kept for their purpose. BY this arrange
ment We are spared much difficulty that we
have labored under. We have had of this
class sixty persons under our care during
| the year, for whom we have cared, nuI sed if
sick, clothed if needy, and aided on to their
friends.
Many of those coming under our care are
, exceedingly ignorant number of them can
not read. Recognizing the fact, that the
mind, even ia its darkest state, must have
something to feed upon, and wherein to act,
we have sought to give unto these, food for
|
by reading unto them, but by direct teach
ing. II has been exceedingly interesting TO
note their eagerness to learn, and the cunse-
quent expa nsion Of their minds and the ee-
vation OF their thoughts. In order to more
directly effect this, we have a school of three
hours in the afternoon. taught by a young
: woman for a very small compensation. We
give below one Of the most remarkable in
stances Of ignorance and depravity that ha s
come under our care, which will, we think,
tend to show what can be done in elevating
the most degraded.
The girl in question was brought to us by
the City Marshal, having been found by him
on the steps Of the Ma yor's Office one Sab
bath afternoon--frie and torlorn. the
most AFFECT, miserable, filthy looking crea-
& ture, that perhaps ever has been seen on the
streets Of our ci,y-amost in a state of MI
T dity. A balmoral skirt, and q sack throw n
> over her head, constituted her covering, her
body SO covered with filth and vermiu that il
Q was impossible to tell to what race she be.
longed. Thus presenting to our officers any
> thing but pleasant appearance, but with a
: self-sacrificing spirit and devotion, they re-
/ ceived her, washed, fed, and clothed her, and
then commenced the more difficult work, Of
e removing from the intellect the rubbish that
-. had accumulated thereupon. At first it was
quite q question whether there was mind
Q sufficient to work upon. Some light began
4 to dawn, and hope arise, not in her heart
only, but in theirs. To words of affection
: and sympathy, her heart expanded like an
"a opening flower; for she had long been q
stranger to kindness aud only needed the key
of love to be applied to cause her to oper
thereunto, and receive the teachings given, n.
the Darched ground receives the refreshing
rain. She had been for years, waif on The
world. Deprived of her parents when very
IS young, she was bound by the proper officers
y to family Of great cruelty, who shamefuliy
. abused her, she lived with them for severa
j. years, and then fed into the woods, where
she remained tor months, then commenced a
- | life of rowing, until she was brought to us
}. being as near as she could tell II years q
age. So far as we could discover, she knew
nothing OF God except in biasphe-ly, having
It | never seen a bible or been in a church since
she could RENE mber. Her conduct and man
!" ners were more that of heather in a heath
(, en- land, than a citizen Of a chrstianizet
| country; profanity seemed to he her Ian
cuage, and when called into family worship
= she stovd and wondered as one brought into
:, menaeere. On one occasion, few weeks al
y ter she came, whilst sitting at the tabl
Of alone eating her breakfast, (icr rs yet sh
, was not thought fit to eat with the family Of
account IF her filthy habits aud disgustin,
}. manners) she said, 'Aint glad that I've 60
-. lots to eat and this nice homs-and just 1
} think girls, Mrs<Johnson says if FL be
10 good girl and do just what she tells me, sh
will soon have me just as nice girl as an
of you, and then | NAV eat with her, tel
:. you am going to try hard to be good. y
~ She liste ned with wonder and with raptur
ID to the story of the cross, and very soon az
peared to receive its teachings, and to ope
;" her heart to its power, she has improve
s, greatly in appearance and can now read tn
Bi5e for herself.
Believing that true and effective reforms
ae ton, must be founded upon Christ Jesus. a
" of our efforts are directed towards pointin
those who come under our care TO the liam
er of God who taketh away the sins OF til
IN world" and in order to effect this. every az
pliance is used which has been placed by Ii
IN Lord within our reach. The day commence
Id with prayer, at which time every girl is re
quired to repeat portion OF Scripture prev
ously learned. they then take PAL in the read
n ing of the Scriptures, nd all join in the Lord
prayer, after which they are led in prayer b
r. ono of fbo ofT,cars In the ovpniup tamil