Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-12-14

careful then that we neglect no oppor-
tunity that we may have Of helping II
along. And then there are always those
about us who will need our help and en-
couragement. Oil when will the time
come when women will rise above the
fears of petty criticism and BIO ready at all
hazards to reach out a helping hand TO
their unfortunate sisters.
There is n distinct line running along
this social purity work which is becoming
clearer to our view every year. Upon one
side or the other We must stand. Upon one
side stand those who by their indifference
or prejudice are plunging these unfortu-
nate girls deeper In sin. Upon the other
side stand those who by love. sympathy
and patience are trying 10 lift them out Of
those awful depths of crime. Ask your
selves upon which side will you take your
stand,
We hear so much about the hopelessness
of this class. People are constantly re-
minding us of the fact that they cannot be
reached, They just put them down US the
most hopeless sinners on the face of the
earth and treat them as though they were
about the only people who do sin, and il
they ever do condescend to approach them,
or by force Of circumstances are brought
into contact with them, the first thing they
do is to hold UP to them the most glaring
picture of their sin that words can portray,
anu Aeluulil lhll " Ttilillu Alelu LIlhI tupN
have had hard lesson. and then they call
them hopeless class that it is impossible
to reach.
My dear friends Is you undertake to
reach the tender spot that exists some
where in the hearts of these girls by this
method you may as well give IL up. you
will never reach IL. Leave her sin with
Him who knows its depths and who only
has the power to cleanse it. Talk of any
thing but that until you have gained her
confidence, when once she sees you are
sincere, she will only be too glad to have
sympathetic ear into which to pour her
sorrows. Only through love and sincere
sympathy can one of these Maynard girls
be reached. And what right have we to
look upon them as the greatest sinners2
| know the world has stamped them us
such, but how does our Saviour look upon
them. 1t seems to me he ottener rebuked
the hypocrite than any one else and we
have good many much respected sinners
of that sort in good standing in every
community. Surely the Saviour's rebuke
to the hypocrites who brought the poor,
unfortunate woman to be stoned to death
meant much when he told them that the
one without sin should cast the first stone.
he didn't mention any particular sin. 1t
looks ms though there were some other
about US hateful in His sight us that one,
at least they embraced the opportunity to
stink out Of His presence while He stopped
to write upon the ground.
We have no reason to think He looks
upon sin in any other way now. Don't let
us be too hard on this particular class of
sinners. The same searching eye is upon
us all to-day.
Think gently Of the errlng one
And lot US not forget
However darkly stained by sin
He Is our brother yet.
Heir Of the same Inheritance
hid Of the self-same 'od,
He hath but stumbled In the path
| We have in weakness trod.
Forget not thou hast often sinned
And sinful yet must IN,
Deal gently with the errlng one
As God has dealt with thee.
| will take this opportunity to thank the
unions through their Representatives here
to-day for their prompt and generous re-
| Spouse to our appeal for aid in securing
our school. We trust that every union
| will pledge an annual contribution for this
purpose. The better we are equipped, the
more efficient work we can do. And wish
again to urge the appointment in every
union of a superintendent for the promo
ton Of social purity.
| During the past year we sent to the
ministers OF all denominations in our State,
| White Cross leaflets calling their attention
to the great need of this work among the
| young men. Many very kind answers
| were received, giving this their hearty in
dorsement, yet am thoroughly convinced
that this work will not be inaugurated
until the women of our state take hold of
u and insist upon White Cross societies
being organized. Until we have Social
Purity organization, whose duty it will be
to look after this work, there will be little
accomplished. trust you will give this
matter the serious attention the painfully
apparent need demands.
One other important step taken by our
department during the past year was u
petition sent up to our LEGISLATURE asking
u repeal. OF the Bastardy law, which re-.
quired the father Of an illegitmate child
TO pay 90 cents week for its support for
seven years. They gave us 81 u week for
10 years. This is Il slight improvement,
but when we consider the awful struggle
the mother must make to support herself
at the lowest wages because Of the in
cumbrance OF child, we feel that this Is
still very unjust competence. Who OF
lis can possibly provide the necessities of q
at least be made responsible for the ex.
pense, as the mother has all the disgrace
to bear and seems TO have about all she
can do to battle with the cold indifference
OF the world,
Before closing this report let me urge
you to take up tubs work in all its phases
with determination that it must succeed
Go forward trusting God for strength and
courage and we will gain the Victory. See
to it that the White Cross Society is as
much reality as the Girls Industrial
School. Il. G. MARKS,
Published by request Of the W. q; T. U