The Portland daily press., 1878-09-24

The following is the Secretary's report:

Cash on hand 1878. Observation-Disclosures. 337 to
The following is the Secretary's report:
sECRETARYs REPORT.
Before looking at the results of this second
year of our work, it may be well to give the
date OF the beginning of each department OF
March 4, 1876, preliminary meeting having
been held in February. The annual meeting
occurs in September. By vote of the society.
Inc coffee house was opened January l, 1877.
The Flower Mission began its work in May,
1877, and the Diet Mission June Is. 1877. The
mission at the police station was established on
the same dag, June IS, 1877. The Friendly
Inn was opened Jan. ]. 1878.
The coffee house, the first venture of this
society, has had year of prosperity. The
novelty OF the enterprise is no longer an attrac-
tion and those who came from curiosity, come
no more. Aside from this the numbers have
been well sustained. and we have reason to
believe that it is accomplishing the work it was
designed to do. One part of its mission and
one that has been surprise to US all, has been
ments OF the work as cannot be self-sustaining.
The Flower Mission has continued its pleas
ant ministry through the summer, this year as
it did last distributing flowers to invalids. both
in the several hospitals and in their homes
Flowers have been sent to the Jail also, and
they have everywhere been very gratefully re-
ceived.
The work of the Diet Mission has gone for
ward with constantly widening influence. The
specific object Of the mission is to supply suit
able food, fruit and delicacies for the sick, who
would otherwise lack these things. These
gifts being carried personally by the ladies' of
the mission, many circumstances of the in
valid's family become known, and often the
visitor has the ability Individually, and not as
part of the Mission work) to find employ
ment for father, who could not otherwise
obtain it, or the mother is helped to provide
suitable clothing for her children. And many
other avenues for friendly aid are opened bs.
tween those who have abundance and those
who need. The coffee house has assisted in
this work. supplying food TO the amount of
sixteen dollars each month, to be divided equal
ly between the several wards.
The Police Mission, which we feel to be one
of the most important branches of the work
of this Society, is one of which no adequate
report can be made. Deeds, not words, must
always characterize such work. During the
year the faithful agent Of this Society has cared
for 27S women and children. Some of these
have only required attention for a day or a
night With others thescare, beginning at the
station, has reached on for weeks and months,
and, with the help of members of the Society.
has been wide enough to touch every part of
the unfortunate woman's life. Tender womanly
sympathies and strong womanly hands have
not failed to be ready with many expedients to
win and to shield these, our sisters, for whom
Christ lived and died. Some of these have
some have voluntarily gone back to the old
way, to be again and again brought to the
station. The city govern nent has. during the
year, given its endorsement to the value OF this
work at the station by appropriating 500
toward the salary of our agent there. 10 con-
nection with this Mission, urgent need is felt
of home for women, and toward that our
desires and our hopes point.
A place for the Friendly Inn, the only new
branch of work undertaken within the year,
&Iac 1hfo of aunt1 nyin
1t was finally decided to take house on Fore
street, called the "Every day House," from the
constant succession of tenants moving in aud
out. 1t was repaired by the Society with lib
eral help and encouragement from the proprie-
tor, Mr.. Thomas Mr. Baxter and other friends
giving money and kind words on its opening
day. It's designed to furnish neat and COM
Portable lodgings, and wholesome food at
small expense, especially for the help, first of
those persons who are in danger OF being at
tracted to lodging houses and drinking houses,
where they would be brought into contact with
drunkenness, gambling, thieviDg, and kindred
iniquities; second, for the help of those who
are under these Influences but desire to break
away from them, and need place to which
they can go, away from the immediate presence
of temptation; and third, for the help of those
who are voluntarily living an evil life. yet who
may be reached by good influences and awak-
ened to some realization of their condition and
their need. An incident or two may give some
idea of its work.
Some time since the man W no had charge of
the Inn, noticed crowd near the building and
gong to see the cause, found well-dressed,
middle.aged man. insensible from intoxication.
and surrounded by crowd of rough men and
boys. He took him to the Inn and cared for
him. After night of sleep the man came
down to the lower hall, saying, "The last |
knew had vest and watch and money. "
Each Of these had been taken care of and were
brought to him. He seemed astouished and
asked, "Where am I?' On being told, he said,
"Thank God for a Friendly Inn." He proved
to be country merchant who had come to the
| city to purchase goods, and had CONSIDERABLE
| sum of money. When he was able to leave he
| wanted some one from the Inn to go to the
| depot with him, as he said he didnot dare to
| trust himself on the street again.
Recently, letters were received from father
| in England, expressing gratitude for the care
| given his SOD, who was saved from grea'
| temptation by kindness shown him at the Inn
and from the son himself, expressing the same
feeling.
A sailor Zone of many spent some days a
the Inn, and when he found employ ment OF
another ship, one of the officers called for him
The managers of the Inn gave the officer goo'
| report of him, and to the sailor himself, heart!
good wishes and "God bless you, as he mlg6
have had in leaving good home. AND D.
went away, so far az we know with clea
record of STEADY, sober life on shore. Ii W.
contrast this with sailors usual life on land
we shall see something of what has been al
tempted and accomplished in this direction
Incidents might bs multiplied; for an, eigh
| months trial of the Inn justities the need tina
| was fela for its establishment. The lodgin
| rooms are nearly always full, and often app
| cants are obliged to be turned away for lack {
room. For the last three months the lon hf
| be a self-sustaining.
| In looking at our work as whole, we 81
| that it has grown far beyond our first antcipt
1 hat hal
classes of need. More and more we reali
how great a thing 1t is to help, in small
large degree, any man, or woman, or child,
| live better life. And while our sense OF r
sponsibility is greater than evsr before, W
enter upon another year, as we did the las
with growing expectations and very gil
purpose"
For the Society,
SUSAN M. BUzELLE.