Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-10-07
THE CHRISTIAN WOMEN
OF Memphis Appeal to All Glasses q
the People for Help
I'm Their Efforts to Save the Young and
Reclaim the Erring.

the pecunlary demands of the growing
work of the Woman's Christian Associa-
ton are so urgent that an appeal is neces-
sary, and we venture to hope that no one
will refuse to give it a careful reading
that you will ponder the whole matter
well; and seeing how inadequate the
means are at present for sustaining the
blessed work, will more generously than
ever before "help these women" The
hand which in former years directed, and
the human influence which inspired our
association In all its preceding years, has
been removed, and it now falls more di-
| rectly upon the citizens of Memphis to
sustain n-it-sr.les it fail altogether. The
work OF our association widens year by
year, and even with our faithful corps of
| workers it would seem as If we should cease
| extending our work, were it not that the
needs of our city are so limitless, and the
resources of Him in whose name we are
| working are so beundless. Are we not
told that the cattle on thousand hills,
and the gold and silver in the very earth,
are his? Then why should we faint or
| grow weary in his service. We wish to
| be placed upon a permanent financial
basis, SO that our entire time may be de-
voted to the direct work, rather than the
| oft recurring one of finances. We feel
| that the time has come when this subject
| should be brought up before the commu-
nifty at large. We feel confident that so
soon as we make known that until our
| financial difficulties are removed this
powerful agency for good to this commu-
nifty will fail, or the extent of usefulness
will be retarded, some one like Boaz will
arise and entreat that the cleaning be
made easier for us. The meth
| DDS and channels of work are
the same as in past years.
The fields for quiet, womanly service are
still the city hospital, JAIL, poorhouse,
Mission Home, the intelligence office, and
ward visiting Each department having
committees assigned to their special work
and the labors of these visiting committees
consist chiefly in sowing broadcast the
seeds of truth, with but little opportunity
for knowing how far they take root, spring
up and bear fruit. Hence it is all the more
cheering to find evidences that this seed
sowing is not in vain, and that some who |
hear the Gospel message while laid upon |
beds of sickness or shut up in the prison |
cell find it indeed the power of God unto |
salvation. So quiet, yet so perceptible, is |
this woman's work, year by year, ON every |
side, thatw are gaining hope that in some |
place, we know not where; that in some |
time, We know not when, the voice of the |
Father OF all may be heard again as in |
those primal days speaking the simple |
words, ''Let there be light" To these de- |
partments of work our committees would |
thankfully receive any contributions of |
papers, tracts, Bibles, text cards, and books |
for their distribution. Anyone who wishes |
to contribute any OF the named articles can /
send them to No. 80 Jefferson street, care of |
superintendent of Intelligence Office. The |
systematic ward visiting, each under the /
direction of its chairman, undertakes to /
be responsible for cases OF need within |
their respective wards only 1t is their |
duty to collect and distribute judiciouSly, |
with a full knowledge of all facts, food, !
fuel, clothing etc, as it is needed Pro- !
fessional beggars and impostors have as |
much reason to dread our system of |
charity as the really deserving poor have /
cause to be grateful for it. 1t is work of |
love TO seek the silent sufferers and carry /
to them relief. 1t is through these ward |
visitors and humane city officials that the
waits of our city and streets are gathered |
up, and who being sorely troubled to know
what to do with them, bring their unman-
ageable burdens to our Mission Home To |
these helpless, miserable, rejected and |
neglected ones our Home is ''way-side |
inn" The older inmates come to us, the |
children are brought to us for pity and |
help, for nursing and healing. / tell you,
friends, we do not half comprehend the |
importance of looking after the enfortu- |
nate children of our city. And wien 1 |
see the neglected, sad-faced, weary-eyed |
little ones in the purlieus of vice and |
crime there is just one thought that comes |
like a ray OF sunlight through the riffs of |
cloud, and it is this: There is not one of |
these uncombed, unwassed, untaught lit
lie pensioners of care that has not some |
kind angel heart that is pitying it |
in the heavens above. Parents may be |
harsh and brutal, communities may be cold |
and neglectful, but the angels must ever |
regard them with eyes luminous with ten |
der pity. What shall we do with these |
children? Good people should combine |
to care for them. The city should make |
some appropriation for their support. |
Churches should make it an important |
part OF their work to look after them. |
Now in the absence of any other institu- |
ton, the doors OF our Mission Home have |
been opened to them, for we contend that |
it is better to care for them there-teach |
them daily, train them religiously, culti- |
vate in them habits of industry and all |
that tends to make them what they should |
be-than to allow them to remain as we
find them. Now my dear friends, while !
all is being done in the industrial
department of our Mission Home-no
hands that can ply the needle, or feet that
can tread the sewing-machine, serve in the
cook-roOm or laundry, are permitted TO |
live the lives of idleness-yet the pro-
ceeds from this labor is not sufficient by
one-third to meet the expenses of a family
OF which you will find two-thirds in help
less childhood. The annual memberships
(which Is 3 per year. and the monthly
contributions amounting to not exceeding
$50 monthly, with the proceeds OF the
Mission Home, are not sufficient by $3.50
to meet our expenses which exceeded
last month $500. This amount includes
hn
namely, ward bills, etc. The fune-
raj expenses must, of a consequence,
occur sometimes. Through the liberality
OF the superintendent of Elmwood we are
now in possession of another lot, to whom
we extend our sincere thanks. We have
also had 100 barrels of coal donated to us
by friend, to be used in the ward work of
our city.
Now, dear friends, ladies', gentlemen,
and firms, shall this recital of our work
and our needs, and the necessity for YOU
to sustain us in our work, shall this ap-
peal fail to accomplish the much desired
result? / hope not. How many will
respond to it by becoming monthly con-
tributors to the amount of 81, more or less
also, members by the payment of 81 per
annum; and is there one or more liberal
hearted man who will respond in large
donation? We are in debt; and every
honest man knows how unhappy he would
feel were he in similar situation. Now,
cannot some kind friend influence others
to unite with him and come forward with
| a handsome donation? Our lady mana
gers will canvass in their respective
churches; but, dear friends, do not wait
for them. VIII the churches not make us
an annual collection? Churches in other
cities do it, why not in Memphis? You
could not but feel that the Lords money
requires no better investment. MAY the
Lord influence our dear friends and citi-
zens to help us, relieve our burdened
hearts and cheer our dropping spirits, is