Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-10-22
FOR SOCIAL PURITY.
Strong Pleas to Fathers and
 Mothers for the Children.
SWEET WORDS FROM WOMEN
Sunday with the women's Christian Tenn perance Union Workers and Preachers
 in the Metropolitan Opera House, New

in the Metropolitan Opera House, New / York.
 NEW YORK, Oct. 22.-The Metropolitan Opera house was not so well filled yesterday morning as on the former sessions of the Woman's Christian Temperance union. The reason for this was that several of the reverend ladies preached in other churches and their friends went to hear them.
 The Rev. Elizabeth Greenwood, of Brook lyn, delivered the sermon at the opera house. The first part of it was doctrinal in the extreme In the course of her disserta- tion, however, she took up the much vexed question of marriage and divorce. She claimed that easy divorce laws always pre- ceded the fall of a nation, and cited the case of the revolution in Paris which occurred at tbs close of year during which over 1000 divorces were granted in that city alone.
 In the afternoon the house was filled, a larger number of men being present than at any previous meeting.
 After the opening exercises Dr. Kate Bush nell superintendent of the 'Social Purity De- pertinent" spoke. pr. Bushnell launched into her subject at once. She believed, she said, that men and women were created on the same plan, and that men were every whit as pure women naturally; that it was the usages of society which had established the
 
 an insult to her father and her brothers to say that they were created on a lower social plane than herself
 Dr, Mary Allen, of New York, of the "De- pertinent of Health" of the unien next ad- dressed the aSsemblage
 "You fathres who have boys," said Dr. Allen, "are very careful of your words and actions when ill their presence, but don't you knox that your thoughts influence them! l~ac@ saw the light that little brain was called into existence you had imparted to that child a tangible record of your life? 1 charge you Sn the name of all that you hope for the fu- ture of your children to protect them by your thoughts" "
 Dr. Allen appealed to the young men who thought that a few years of dissipation before they settled down in life would do no harm, to stop and think of the result upon their future sons and daughters.
 The speaker made forcble address to the girls, "the future mothers of the race" A'Keep your every thought pure," she said ''The purity of the girl of to-day means purity of the mother of the future. Oh. sacred mys- tery of motherhood! when young woman slips down into the darkness, alone with God, and a human soul is given into her keeping
 Do not jeopardize the possibilities of your future by marrying a reformed libertine Do net mar the little coming life by harbor- ing thoughts of murder in your heart"
 Mrs. c. H. Harris Hope Ledyard), super intendent of the "Department of Mothers Meetings" first spoke of hog mothers should dress their children.
 ''If you put silk on a girl of seven years sLe will not be satisfied with woolen at seven teen" She spoke of the habit New York girls had of writing to boys whom they had known but two weeks
 Don't you know it cheapens your girlsf' said the speaker. What are you New York mothers thinking about, anyway!
 The lady next took up the question of boys visiting girls in the parlors of their homes and being received by them alone She thought the mother should be present and help to entertain her daughters friends
 My mother" said Mrs. Harris, used to Insist that should have piece of work in my hands when young men called upon me- I never knew her reason until since my own children have grown up. I know now that st was done ;n order that my hands should be kept in their proper place. Then, too, a bright light is needed if one has work to do,"