Connecticut western news., 1886-11-24
THE SUNDAY PULPIT.
Echoed in n Finh Avenue Church by the
 Rev. Mir. Eaton,

''The Working Woman's Cry of De spair."
 It was the title of sermon delivered Sunday evening ill the Church of the Divine Paternity, on Fifth Avenue, New York; the preacher, the Rev. Charles II. Eaton.
 "There are in this city," ho said, 'one hundred and twenty five thousand women who are breadwinners, who have no male protectors, no means of support other than their own efforts. There are thirty two thousand five hun dred out of employment; thirty thous- and destitute, and every year twenty thousand are dropping away to evil habits because they are destitute.
 "Consider these serious facts
 ''They are obliged to accept whatever wages are offered. There are trained sewing women making waists at two and half cents each. One woman is reported who was able to make twenty five cents a day, working nineteen hours. You go out some day and buy cloak satin lined and quilted We'll, it is perhaps made by woman who makes fifty or sixty cents working six teen hours day.
 Similar statistics come from Buffalo | Women make trousers for from twelve and half to twenty five cents, and shirts for from six and quarter cents to twelve and a half cents. They earn from $1.50 to s a week. Overalls are made for sixty-two cents dozen; fan nel shirts for $1 dozen.
 "A change in fashion, such as in feathers, may throw four thousand women out of work Of two thousand women one hundred and thirty four av- craze $1; three hundred and fifty six av- craze $2.
 "One winter day a young woman came to me for advice. A wealthy man was said to be responsible for her con- dition. She wished to lead an honest life, and she could earn from $12 to $14 q month. Her board cost her from $3 to $3.50 week. 1 hardly knew what to advise her. l hardly know what her end will be. 1 new no one who would take her with the spot on her character. She went out again to struggle, to fight the battle of life.
 we have no sympathy for such women, think statement such as thls made by working woman would help us to understand the temptations, | would incline us to listen to their cry of despair:
 ''l have worked eleven years. have learned five trades, both with the needle and the machine. I work fourteen hours day, for my children have to be fed. l know all the trades well. Five years ago I made $l.50 day. Then wages went down to ninety and eighty five cents. For year the best I could do has been eighty and seventy-f five cents day.
 ''I am sixty two years old. I can't learn new ways. l am strong, I can work fourteen hours day, and never asked help. 1 used to say when troub { came that it was the Lords way, now l don't believe it.
 ''It does not seem possible Tn this nineteenth century, with all it's civiliza tion, with all the churches in the land, that there could be any such women in the midst of us.
 "In our churches we have beautiful
 pictures, good music, all the advanta ges that wealth can give; and we let the Master go on His solitary way to the cross, for He goes to the cross every time woman like this cries out in hel grief.
 ''Something must be wrong in oul methods of living, in our economies, ol such things could not exist.
 ''Yon, daughters, in your purity, dc not forget that outside the home circle
 beyond the Church-for somehow they don't often come to the Church the, seem outside the influence of the Churcl women are working, slaving, unti l oh l they feel they are forgotten by God.
 ''Women are crying out in despair fo help. The Song of the Shirt might b. ] sung every day in New York. Twent, thousand women are going down every year blasted for the sins of men, becaus we do not know how to reach then with the power of the Gospel. ) "How can we reach them9 : "First, let us educate every woman t. understand the dignity of labor. Bov } many are able now to do the first th1n: about the household? How many fath CTS and mothers are there who say, wv , have labored hard all our lives that ou children shall not know what labor is2 I This is essentially wrong. Let th ! daughter of every rich man in the lant be taught to labor, so that if throwl
 on the world she will be able to sup T port herself without selling herself. "'Then educate women so that the ] may accept more opportunities of earn f ing livelihood. Why should so man be earning bare subsistence, particu - larly by the needle, when trained nurse t command almost any price, and ar wolth it?
 s ''ln the city it is almost impossible t.
 get trained housekeeper. There t nothing menial in the common work o d the house. Women trained in sucl g work come from other countries, ar
 generally we'll paid, live we'll, have op
 portunities of seeing their friends, an' are able to lay up something. Othe
 women, from false pride or t1ai-ine , are unwilling to accept housework as
 calling. But they ply the needle un
 der a severe overseer and for pit !, tance.
 "There IS another thing which I fin a it hard to impress. We ought so 5 govern ourselves as not to delight i : getting big bargains. To get bargain some women will go from store to stor :. in search of them, compelling merchant l to reduce the expenses nt the bargai ;, counters. Often blood and lie are los :; in consequence by tho women who serv s at these counters. These employers al @ in a measure responsible, but there f one thing which every one may do- = don't buy anything without paying s fair price for it. Whenever anythin
 you want is worth a certain price, bu
 it, but don't try to take the bloc
 and lie of women by gettingit cheape
 ''These bargain counters are in man