Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-23
THE OFFER ACCEPTED
Ladies Organize a Society to Carry
Ont Miss BasendOrf's Plan.
AMEETING IEMR. LOCKE'S CHURCH.
Miss YOung Explained the Scope of Her
Home in Grand Rapids.
HER TOUCHING STORY WELL RELATED

A second meeting to secure the opening
and maintenance of home for unfortunate
women, was held yesterday afternoo, at 2
o'clock. in the Sunday school room of the
Smithheld Street M. E. Church. About 40
ladies and halt a dozen gentlemen were
present The ministers who gave the move
ment their approval by attendance were,
Rev. c. E. Locke, Rev. c. Z. FELTON, and
Rev. J. W. Miles, OF the Methodist Episco-
pal Church; Rev. ]. 7. McCrory, of the
United Presbyterian Church; Rev. j. w.
Sproull, of the Reformed Presbyterian
Church, and Rev. W. r. Mackay. of st.
Peters Protestant Episcopal Church. Miss
Basendort daisy hutchinson, of this city,
and Miss Georgia Young, of Grand Rapids,
Mich, were at the meeting.
Mrs. c. E. Locke was called to the chair
ard Miss B. NJ. Such was elected secretsry.
Rev. Mr.. Locke explained how the move
ment had been started by Miss Basendorfs
offer OF 81, 900 and her house for one year.
He said that since the meeting held on
Monday, letters had been written to Grand
Rapids, inquiring about Miss 1oung's
work there. The replies were satisfactory
and praised Miss Young. Letters were
read from the Methodist and the Episcopal
ministers of Grand Rapids. and from Mrs.
S. A. King, who was at the head OF the
home in that city. The Episcopal minister
and Mrs. King spoke very highly of the
work started bv Miss Young, but Rev. Mr..
Graham, the Methodist minister, did not
praise so highly. A letter was read con-
cerning the home at No. 91e Locust street,
Philadelphia, and statements were made In
regard to similar establishments in Chicago
and New York All of these institutions
were reported to be successful in their
labors, and instrumental in reforming
many young women.
MISS YoUNG's TALE OF WOE.
Miss Young was then introduced by Rev.
Mr.. Locke, and told her story of the found
ing of the Grand Rapids home. She said:
"My mother was poor. She worked by the
day, but / believe she was good woman.
The Bible was sometimes open on the table
when we had nothing 10 eat. Every morn
ing she prayed, but did not give us more
thas a cracker for breakfast. So came to
think that prayer aud religion did not do
much good. Money was the thing to be
sought. With that one could get food and
clothing and fine house. 1 was married very
young, and my husband deserted me when 1
was 16 years old. 1 was penniless and ig-
norant. 1 started out to find work, but 1
found a policeman. He took me to the
station house. Next day there was no place
to send me except to the county jail, and l
was sent there. From that place L was
transferred to the poor farm. The authori-
ties then sent word to the mother of my
husband that if she did not give me home
she would be prosecuted. So she took
me in. She was poor herself, and
could not we'll afford to keep
me. One day she suggested that L ought to
60 to an intelligence Office and try to find
work. went, but got nothing. Then
visited some of the rich houses, but without
getting employment. That night slept on
the ground. The next day L found my way
TO disorderly house did not know its
real nature when 1 entered, but will say
that was glad to find place to lay my
head.
II grew hardened to the life. prospered,
got money and property and became pro-
prietress. I thought nothing about religion.
What had seen Of it did not impress me
very well. For many years we Fever heard
a word about religion nor the voice of one
pure, woman. We were not heathens ex-
actlv, but we lived in greater darkness 1
was led into this work by seeing that when
a girl became sick she had no place to go.
When she died we buried her, but no prayer
was ever said over her dead body. l went,
at different times, to get minister to pray
at a funeral. They all refused. Seeing
these things went to the Chief of Police
and offered to provide for any girl who
should fall sick.
THE OFFER ACCEPTED.
''This offer got into the newspapers. and
the Episcopal minister came to see me- He
tried to persuade me to become a Christian.
but 1 told him did not wish to have anything
to do with religion. I told him if he could
get minister to pray over the grave of a
girl who had just died, 1 would listen to
him. He said he would do it himself, and he
did. At the funeral nearly all the women
of that class in the city were present, and
they heard words which most of them never
had heard before. The minister called on me
again. do not believe he would have per-
Euaded me, but he brought with him good
woman. She led me into the work which
we are now conducting in Grand Rapids 1
was making hundreds of dollars, and it was
hard to give that up, but one night the
house was closed" ."
Miss Young then briefly told how the
Emerson Home in Grand Rapids was man.
aged. Her story deeply impressed the
listeners, and several speakers said that no
greater incentive could be given for the
work than that woman's simple tale.
Rev. DIR. FELTON,, of Christ Church, ad-
vlsed the acceptance of the offer of Miss Bas-
endorf. Rev. Mr.Sproull moved that the gift !
he accepted, and that permanent society be |
was appointed to nominate officers for the
society, and after retiring for awhile. it |
presented the following list, which was ap- |
proved: President Mrs. c. E. Locke: |
Vice Presidents, Mrs. Rev. W. H. McMiI-
Ian, Mrs. Rev. j. P. E. Kumler and Mrs.
Rev. J. w. Riddle; Recording Secretary.
Miss B. M. Such; Treasurer, d. K. Porter
Rev. J. I. McCrory, Samuel Hamilton |
Mrs. Rev. T. J. Leak, Mrs. J. o. Brown
Rev. j. w. Miles. Rev. C. E. Locke and |
Mrs. r. b. Jones were appointed COM |
mittee to report form of permanent organ
ization at the next meeting. That meeting |
will be held at 2 o'clock next Friday after. |
noon in the Third United Presbyterian |
Church, on Diamond, opposite the Court |
House. Ministers and members of all de- |
nominations are invited to attend. The
movement is intended to be entirely unde- |
noninational
Heavy Scarlet Underwear,
All wool, at SSc to-day-sold all over the |
CITY at 81 25 D n n n