Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-12-12
HOME FOR FALLEN WOMEN.
Dedication Services ut the New Home on
Promenade Street-AIl the Protest
ant Churches of Memphis
Represented.
Appropriate Remarks by Rev. Messrse
Carmichael, Walk, BOggs and
Stainback-PraiSe and
Prayer.

tond4tfOn OF4lfe B1ildfGG-What Is Need
ed-COllectiOn Taken up-Cheer-
ing Letter from Rabbi
Samfield.
The Ladies Christian association Sunday
afternoon lnaugurated a noble work-we
mean the dedication Of the Home for Fallen
Women, the object of which has already been
! set forth by the APPEAL. The building Sc
lected for the Home Is the old Commandant's
| house in the navy-yard, large and well-ar-
ranged edifce, adapted to the purposes of the
institution. The energetic efforts of the ladies
| have secured many donations, and resulted in
! the handsome repairing Of the Building, five
rooms Of which have been fitted and fur
nished by as many different churches. The
| two rooms which the ladies of the Linden
street Christian church have furnished are es-
peclally noticeable for the good taste evi
denced in its comfortable appointments. A
competent and experienced matrOn has been
secured for the institution, which begins work
Immediately enh6ting In its behalf deter
mined women and christian ladies. The work
is one which Professionalism, if we may except
the efforts Of the Episcopal church, has neg
lected too often, and perhaps ignored. For
| one false step of woman there has been no
| atOnement requisite to secure restoration. The
world, while practcing vice and encouraging
SIN, never forgets or pardons female un
chastity. And after all, it is a gratifca-
ton to know that woman has not fallen too
far from human virtue but what her own sex
will stop to lift her up to heaven.
Angels weep over the fall of man,
and so did Christ for shining hu-
manity; surely, then, wo nan cannot
waste her idleness in selfish and hypocritical
piety, by ignoring the consciousness of chris
tan duty which such mis- fortune demands.
1t Is, after all, the noblest work in which
woman can engage. They who picture hell
In all its eternity surely should not, with hu-
man vanity and social hypocrisy, damn fallen
woman, and coldly adjudge her too unworthy
OF redemption. Make the effort, and no one
dare scorn the work, nor sneer at the laborer.
This Is mission above and beyond any one
sect, denomination, or religion Its inspira-
ton comes from the bright canopy which
overlooks humanity. Its inauguration is an
evidence of christian faith, its prosecution an
| assurance of nature highest religion, and its
success the measure of noble womanhood, and
we have been asked if the moral courage of
the ladies engaged In this work will be strong
| enough to secure the accomplishment of its
object? To say ''yes, would express our
admiration for the character of The women
who are engaged in this Eaudable undertake
ing. Should they fail, an expression of pre-
dicted success had added to our regret and
given modification. Hopeful as we are, and
| anxious, too, let US await, to watch, en-
courage and record each step and every ac-
ton In the grand work. If the Christian
ladies of Memphis be true to this mission,
united Il action, free from denonninatianal
ZEAL but discrete and deliberate, industrious
and indefatgable, they viii succeed in the
work which was yesterday so auspiciously in
augrTated. The institution has been most
AUPICIoUsLY INAUGURAEED,
and we confidently look for good results. By
half-past two o'clock Sunday afternoon ladies
and gentlemen began to reach the home on
Promenade street, and in short while the
large reading rooms and library, which con-
meet by folding doors, were filed. The great
majority of persons present were ladies, and
all evidenced much interest In the occasion.
Both the old and the young were present, and
better and more intelligent representation
of Memphis society we have never witnessed
at any meeting having for its object the good
of humanity. The different Protestant de-
nominations were represented In the persons
of their ministers and the members of the
church. All seemed enthused and ANXIOUS to
unite in the cause which Christ so beautifully
and toucbingly taught, and, as we think, to
form part of the practical duties of his fol-
lowers.
THE DEDICATION EXERCISES
were opened by the choir with Mr.. Francis |
at the organ, singing What Shall the Harvest |
Be, which was followed by prayer from Rev. |
H.. Il Ill N.
meeting joined In singing the following inyo- |
cation hymn written for the occasion( which |
was read by Rev. S. B. Suratt:
God of all grace, in mercy see, |
Thy people here together bow,
Joining their earnest prayers to Thee
For gifts THOU ONLY canS't DestOW
., sun Of righteousness now shine
With gracious favor on our way;
May Mercy, Truth and Love Divine
Guide us BY WlsdOms Heavenly Ray;
Crown with Thy blessings rich and sweet,
Our work Of Love, begun to-day.
Rescue the fallen; turn their feet
From SIMS dark paths to Heavens bright way |
SO shall Thy Church her powers employ
To praise Thy name Eternal King
And songs OF pure seraphic Joy
Through Heavens high courts forever ring.
REMARKS BY REV. DR.. CARMICHAEL.
Rev. DR.. Boggs, of the Second Presbyte- |
rian church, then introduced Rev. DR.. James |
Carmichael, of Grace church, who responded |
in amost interesting and eloquent impromptu |
address, which was attentively listened to |
and appreciatively received. 1t seemed but |
proper that DR.. Carmichael should make the |
inaugural address in behalf of cause for |
which he mas labored so assiduously and un- |
tiringly. More especially can we say this, |
as we have observed his good work, and that, |
too, when the great epidemic was spreading |
its terrors and giving a skeleton to almost |
every home. During the yellow fever epi- |
demic of 1873 the Commandments house was !
used as hospital, and within its chambers |
DIR. Carmichael was a constant nurse and ad |
wiser. We refer to these facts, written SO |
windy upon our heart and mind, because the |
conversion of the building into home for /
fallen women suggested their expression in |
connection with the able minister who yester- |
day made the inaugural address, DR.. Car
michael said that in that room where they
were assembled he felt like casting |
the dust from off his shoes, for /
he stood upon holy ground. |
The last time he stood In that room there
was in one corner an old man bowed down
with sickness, and uncared for by the SYM
pathy Of the christian city 1t was his priv:
lege to baptize him, and see him pass away
to the great unknown not to the great |
unknown" though, for the Master in
whose cause they had assembled not only had
trodden the devious pathway of death, but
had drawn aside the curtain of the shadowed |
land. He died in the faith of Christ in that
very room. Now the house which had been |
sanctifed by scenes like that has been trans
formed into a home for fallen women-a
home for those who are destitute In this cold.
cunning and calculating world, Of that friend
ship and affection which makes the earth |
7 10 bob pf IL