Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-04-25
TO THE PUBLIC.
From. the Board Of Managers OF the "O-
,,.en's Christian Home"


,,,en's Christian Home"
Tn rasnonse to the request Of several
clergvmen and prominent citizens at the
,;ua Of the onvention of charities, held Ill
St. Paul last autumn, the Msgdalen society
have prepared the following statistics; Io
show vhv the Home was opened, we copy
from the first annual report by the presl-
dent. In August, 1873, five persons belong
inc to houses of ill-fame came to the "o-
mems Christian association asking for help
IN turn from their lives of shame. The as
sociation at once published call for the
Christian women of st. Paul to meet them
at Plymouth church, for the purpose OF es-
tablishing Christian Home for the reforms
ton of fallen women. The result OF this
meeting was the organization of the MaGda-
len society of Minnesota, under whose
auspices the Women's Christian Home came
into existence The following October, and
was formally opened the first of November,
the first inmate being received after o CLOCK
p. NJ, the daughter OF the keeper OF one OF
the most notorious houses in the city beng
the applicant TIE i've who first applied
had lett the city long before our "Home,
was started Tag the city was tnen governed
for short time according to the charterJ
The matron's reports show the number
cared for is one hundred and seventy-elght
l7S0. but owing to the loss of the reports of
Two months IN 1875, and OF two months In
1873, ws cannot give the exact number.
This does not include the infants born IN the
"Home" as they do not affect the questions at
issue, namely, as to how the work wears, and
the desirability of continuing IN 1t.
It is known to all who have interested
themselves in our work, that We have cared
for two classes of fallen women. One es-
pecially encouraging feature of what we
have done has been with the young mothers
of illegitimate children. We are aware there
are those of different opinions from our
own as to this part of our work, and just
here we wish to say, in justice to ourselves,
that some reports current are entirely false;
as that we have received and cared for IN
mates the second and even the third time
that the CLONE" is to them a cover for their
iniquity.
The fact is, We have never received one
who is to become a mother to care for her
the second time. At this date, we are able to
recall seventeen az instances in which re-
Cancellation has been effected between the
parents and the straying ones Of both
classes Two have been mar
ried at the Home" to the
men who led them away, eighteen (1S) others
have been apparently well and happily mar
ried since leaving the Home" Two wives
have been reconciled to their husbands.
OF the large number who found situations,
we have favorsblereports of more than thirty
c4Il fhn Mo
to which they went on leaving the "Home."
Twenty seven (27) give evidence of possess
ing the higher and Letter life of the
Christian. Four a. have died, who entered
the dark valley fearing no evil. There are
twelve 12) inmates now IN the "Home."
What think you, fellow townspeople? Is it
a small thing for little handful OF humble
women to have thus assisted more than one
hundred of our erring sisters to desire and
attain q nobler life?
OF the fifteen of whom We feel no assur-
ance of benefit received three were keepers
of houses, whose coming to US We felt was
with no earnest desire for re-
form. We have tried to be
faithful in sowing beside all waters.
OF this number but four a. were in the
"Home" long enough to really come under its
influence. The figures we give have been
carefully gathered from managers ard mat
rons' reports, who have their information
through correspondence or means less direct
of many we have lost all trace,
which we regret. Perhaps it is self
evident fact and needs no expression here,
that those who are the most deeply in earn
est to do and be right, are the most anxious
to be in some manner IN correspondence
with those who they gladly acknowledge
have helped them.
There are some facts in relation to the
class not mothers, that we wish might be
borne in mind. 1t is not the one great sin
by which they are branded that is most fire.
quently their only enemy, but those other
demons, tobacco, wine, opium, which they
most frequently fail to cast out.
One came seeking our assistance, with an
earnest desire to reform. In attempting to
leave off her opium eating, tremens ensued,
and she gave up IN dreadful despair. Two
others, but for timely assistance, must have
taken their own lives, feeling theirs were
living deaths without whisky, but both are
good women now.
A pleasant portion of our work has been
finding of homes for twenty-four helpless
little children, homes in the true sense of the
word, where they have been adopted as the
parents own loved and tenderly cared for
ones.
Many nationalities have been represented.
Americans, 81; Germans, %; Irish, 20;
Swedes, IS; Norwegians, II: French, 5;
Scotch, 2, and the remainder unknown. We
have had Protestants, rs; Catholics, 80, and
the large remainder, no particular belief.
In the first years we received inmates from
many other States, but three years ago q resolu-
ton was passed limiting admission to those
of our own State only, as our resources were
30 small, and we felt we ought not to try to
bear more than MInnesota's burdens, though
we had, and do still have, applications for
admission from other States.
It must be evident to all thinking per-
sons that tee care of all these bodies and
souls must make heavy demands upon
brain, nerve, heart and time, Of the little
band of women who have this work in
charge, for many times the duties are very
arduons, and the results disheartening, and
we have to pray that our faith fail not.
There are those who, we have abundant
reason to know, do not forget us, who both
sympathize with US, and give US material
aid. But the depleted condition of our
treasury demands US to appeal to the gener
Gus heart of our citizens more widely and
earnestly for the assistance we need, and we