Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-12-22
na :. i,v.r;ablv ordered in such cases,


devoted woman works a change for the
better in the career of many poor girls who
previously had seen no escape from their
miseries but in death.
The reports of this Society furnish
deeply interesting reading. l give few
facts out of many. NJ. B., respectable
girl, from Yarmouth, came here to earn
her living, and after year Of honest toll,
was led into sin and shame by male
acquaintance. Wien found, che had taken
up her abode with women of questionable
character, and was just on the verge OF
ruin. The Female Mission sent her back
to her mother, and she is now leading a
proper life. S. j., of the same age. was
sent to one of the missionaries by
a married man, who had led her into mis-.
cry and forsaken her. After the birth OF
her child she was seized with dangerous
illness, and for many weeks was an inmate
of the infrmary. While there her child
died. AS soon as she was able to be re.
moved she was sent to her home IN Nor.
folk. She is now respectfully married, and
still lives in her native town. In February,
1876, B. K, bright, intelligent girl, was
brought out of the lowest parts of West
minister. She was kept at one of the homes
for a considerable time, and was then put
out to service, being still at the same place.
r. N, aged Is, was brought to the notice
of the society by young woman who had
been formerly assisted. She said have
been bad myself, but l know she is not,
and | should not like her to become like
l was" The girl lost her mother at an
early age, and two years ago her father
nearly lost his sight, and had to go to the
poor. house. She was then taken in by
married sister and put to factory work.
During the winter she and her brother-in.
law were out of employment, and as they
could not pay their rent the home was
broken up. She pawned her clothes to buy
food, and being homeless, was taken by
bad woman to court in Shoreditch to
lodge. Here she was when the missionary
found her. She was willing to be placed
in the Home, and has since been doing
well. This case, in the helpless and hope
less poverty of which it speaks, reveals the
sad cause why many a young girl in Lon
don plunges into sin, and shows at the same
time how by timely interposition and low
ing sympathy these sorely tempted ones
might be saved.
The Midnight Meeting Movement oper
ates on similar lines to those already de-
scribed. Its object is to rescue the fallen.
In pursuance of this object it holds meet
ings continuing frequently into the small
hours of the morning. Refreshments are
provided gratis, and then those present are
talked with and offered places of shelter
and reformation. In recruiting attendants
for these services cards of invitation are
distributed on the streets by both women
and men. The usual method is for cou-
pie of ladies to go out, followed by gen.
tleman, who serves as an escort and In
cases of emergency to guard them from
insult. The ladies hand the card to the
girls they meet, and if possible accompany
it with few words of entreaty. They are
usually treated courteously by the poorer
class, but those who faunt their shame in
silks are not so we'll disposed. Most of the
cards are distributed the night before the
meeting, but the work has frequently to
be done over again after the doors have
been opened and the feast spread, for, as
matter of fact, few go that are not person
ally led there by some worker. This soci-
ETY. does not contine its efforts to the me-
tropolis, but has branches in the large
provincial towns. London, however, is
the grand center of its operations, as it
ought to be, for, as the society declares on
the title.page of its annual report, To
London the seducer lures his victim
to London women come to hide their
shame-London is the great receiver of
the fallen, who cannot endure to remain
in the small towns and villages, known by
everybody in the place. Therefore, all
Great Britain is responsible for the lost in
London. In presence of the scenes
enacted at the meeting held by this So
cietv, the hardest heart would soften. To
see refined and virtuous ladies STOPPING to
the lowest of their sex, and not ashamed
to call them sister" gives a view of the
nobler side of human nature such as one
could not forget in lifetime. At the
meeting l attended nearly all the girls
ment she entered the room, the hymn that
was being sung bringing to her recollection
memories of happy girlhood, and she
sobbed bitterly to the end. During the
twenty-five years of the existence OF this
Society, 772 meetings have been held, at
tended by over $4,000 women, of whom
many thousands have been rescued and
saved. In 1882, thirty-six meetings were
held in London, with an aggregate attend
ance of 1855. In the provinces twenty
ak were held, attended by l,lO4 of the
fallen sisterhood.
From these statements your readers will
get a fair idea of what is being done in
this mighty city to rescue fallen women.
Compared with the magnitude of the evil
assaulted, such efforts may seem abortive
and wholly inadequate. So they are.
But before we hastily censure the apathy
Of Londoners on this subject, let us be GER
tain that as much proportionately is often
accomplished in our own home communi
ties, and that we are bearing our personal
share of the burdens of this good work.