The morning call., 1891-12-13
TIT FLORENCE MISSION.
Interesting Sketch Of a Prominent New York
Asylum.
Special to THE SUNDAY CALI.

Florence Mission | Why the very words are
an inspiration And now that the millionaire
phianlhropIst and evangelist, It's founder, Mr..
Charles N CrtteutOn, is lab0ring in San Fran
cisco, and expects TO found the fifth Florence
Mission there perhaps sketch OF the mother
mission In New York might prove interesting TO
the multitude OF readers OF THE DAILY CALL.
Every White Rbbone: is interested in these
Florence Missions for the rescue OF erring wO.
men, for the Social Purity Department OF the
Woman's Christian Temperance Union Is one OF
It's most important lines OF work. Our beloved
President OF the Worlds aud National Woman's
Christian Temperance UNION, Miss Frances L .
Willard Is herself the Superintendent OF this de-
pattment and her speeches for a white life for
two-demanding for men the same stand I'd OF
purity that they demand for wonderland her
pleas for those erring sisters are thrilling MASTER
pieces OF eioquence. The speech of the matron,
loval White Ribbon sister, Mrs. A. l.. Prn die
before the Worlds and National Convention OF
the w. c. /. u. at Boston, brought tears To all
eyes, and as she tod OF Tue muitituaes req eemea
by lhe Florence Mission every heart thrilled
with icy and so vivid was her description that
| many were so enIhused that they made special
trip TO New York 10 visit tins Bethel OF rest ana
| what place of inspiration IL Isl
The story of its founding is a pathetic one.
| MIR. Charles n. Crlttenlon, wealthy wholesale
| where loving wife aud gleeful little ones made
| his life Il very paradise on earth. The BABY girl,
Florence,
! fathers heart poured forth It's wealth of devO-
| lion. Her own-coined phrase, "papas baby"
| l,ped by her tiny lips. was music 10 his ears
| rarer tban any songs ever trllled by Nilsson or
| Pain. But tie little SOng-bitd scared away be-
| yond the heavens blue and "Dapa's baby" be-
came uapa's angel and joined The heavenly choir,
where never minor strain OF agony breaks the
| woudrous burst OF melody.
| Then In a dalkened upper chamber of that
| palatIdl home-on, so empty aud SO desolate-
| this father wresIled with anguish of soul. won
| derIns why God should have crushed his heart.
| He moaned forth, My God! my God! Why
| hast thou forsar Gu me?" But God never for
| sakes us and is always nearest us when most we
need him and. az OF old, the Savior whispered.
| Peace, be SUR; and LOT a wOndrOus calm set.
| tied over the stormy. restless spirit
Then because all 10 whom the Cbrlst-sprit
comes. ike the Christ. must "go about doing
good" this consecrated man went down into
| the Sums 10 lit up tile fallen, ana once when he
! said to poor Magdaiene In The words of Jesus,
''tio ana sln no more" the thought Il shed
across his mind, where can she 60? not a door in
| New York save The door OF Il certain house is
| open TO her, and then and there he resolved 10
| erect a home for those ertlng ones as memorial
OF the little four yeaT-Old Florence whose tender
| heart always pleaded win her papa TO help any
| poor woman thrown across her path So down
hire, 81 and % Blocker street, within a stones
| throw Of tie BoweIy, with all It's saloons and
houses of shame, Florence Mission" illumI.
| mated with bright cOlors shines out as 4 beacon
| light among the breakers OF sin.
comnudlous double lou story house. bought
| and furnished by Mr.. CriItenton at cost OF
| 100000, is the priceless memorial 10 his angel
| Florence-prCeiess because here thousands
upon thousands OF precious souls have been re-
q, deemed, and even Que soul Is beyond world in
| value.
The beautiful chapel is nightly crowded with
| very mixed company. Upon the platform are
| the Christian workers, often some Of The best
talent OF tie country attracted here, for Florence
Mission is surely The house OF God where fresh
BAPTISM of the plrit comes 10 all who listen To
| lhe wondrouS testimonies Of these redeemed
ones. There on one side are he gITls wno
cued from lie OF drunkenness and shame. call
| Florence Mission home Upon lie other are
steel HlIls who wander In and indeed
suatched as brands fIom the burning Back OF
| all ave a multitude Of men, many OF them re-
| deemed and many OF them dis>Ipated Outcasts
| from society. But under the songs, the prayers,
| ana Understandings and testimonies this crowd
| VIII stay absorbed IN closest attention I'LL IL
| O'Clock. Pastors who can't keep their prayer
| meetings longer than O'Clock should study the
| secret of Florence Miss ion where those whom
| the world calls ouiCaSI mn amt women eagerly
| isien III midnight. The testimonies are mar
velous, md one after another. men
aud women. who h d been drunkards
| and thieves and impure, arose aud
| testified that through The power OF Christ they
| bad be changed into sober, honest, yirtu0us
Christians. and are try Ing n every way 10 bring
| their old companions into the same blessed eX-
| Ierience. AT the request for prayers many
| hands go up every night. and The Inquiry room
nnds ~ ny souls crying TO God for pardon. This
| Is one church where the doors open every
night 10 the year, aud every hour OF The day, too
| The distressed ana poor and siu-ScR are well
| coined and relieved.
Here is preached and practlced the religion OF
| Christ, which not only feeds the soul but the
|
| iessly calls abandoned women. are taken INTO
! Florence Mission, and food and shelter aud
| clothing aud medicine given Them. and under
| the superiutendeuce OF Mr.. Johnston and the
! matron. lovingly called by the girls Mother
Prude, deep spiritual atmosphere per-
medteS the blessed ihOme and these dear girls
| become consecrated women, and hundreds OF
| them to-day restored to friends, mar
| ried, or earning an honest livelihood. Many OF
them became missionaries and have joined the
| Florence Mission Rescue Band, led by Mr.. aud
| Mrs. Draper and they go down into the Sums
| and dives and by kindly words and loving
| prayers ana songs they bring hundreds OF those
| whose lives have been ruined by drink back into
| a better life. Aud thus the good work goes on,
and every year about 500 girls pass through
| Florence Mission and two-thirds OF them are
| permanently redeemed. And, oh, their deyO-
| lion 10 Mr.. CIittenton Is most pathetic. They
| regard him as their human savior. and how
| many have said TO me: al it hadn't been for
| Mr. Ciitentou's Florence Mission / would have
| ded in a charity hospital and Today be lying in
| The potter s field. Do you wonder we girls love
| him like fatber?"
| MIR. Cnttenion bears The entire expense OF
| running this large establl >hment, aggregatIng
about $4,000 per year, aud, besides, he Is dedl-
| eating his entire time and talent To eyangelistic
| work and thousands OF his converts are In their
| turn blessing the world.
How all phianthl opic hearts wish that all
| wealthy men would follow lie example of Mr.
| CrtItenton, aud instead of erecting a costly
| monument 10 the lonely cemetery they would
| erect memorial for their loved like Flor
| encc Mission, or some university which would
| bless thousands OF the living. Even the gIandest
| mausoleum would scarcely keep IN remembrance
| these precious ones, but 10 every life OF the
| thousands which these institutions bless the
| picture OF Florence CrlttentOn aud Leland Stan
! ford Jr viii shine with halo OF glory And 10
! those VINO have coDsecrated their wealth 10
| God will come the tender words OF the Christ
| "Inasmuch AS ye have done it unto one OF the
| least OF these We have done ii unto me-"
Netr York, Dec Z 1891 NJ. 6. c. EDHoLM
|