Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-02-28

PURITY M4SSM EETIHG.
Addressed by Mrs. Charlton Edhoim o
ChicagO-"Ben Hur" Performance De
nnuncad

Addressed by Mrs. Charlton Edhoim of
ChicagO-"Ben Hur" Performance De-
nounced,
The massmeeting held in heinterests of
purity at Hanover Church Monday night
was well attended, women comprising the
majority of the audience. The wall in the
rear OF pulpit and front of pulpit platform
were draped with the Stars and Stripes tied
with large white ribbon bows. The por-
trait OF Miss Willard whose kindly face
seemed to beam approval upon the assem-
bly, was cOnspicupusly placed upon an
easel. The Rev. Lafayette Marks, ID. d.,
presided, and Mrs. Charlton Edholm, the
purity evangelist of Chicago, addressed the
meeting on Social Purity"
Reference was made to ''slumming"
tour that afternoon when Mrs. EdholIu,
Mrs. Marks and Matron White, accom-
panied by the Rev. f. b. Short and Police
Sergeant Black. visited q number of the
houses of ill-repute in this city. 1t was
expected that opposition would be made
by the keepers Of these places to getting
admittance but none was made, and the
visitors entering would sing and pray for
the inmates
1t was the merest mockery, however, said
Mrs. Edholm, to convert these girls and
then leave them i'll those dreadful places.
4 large home should be provided where
they could be taken to lead u pure life.
This home should supplement the Girls
Industrial School. It had been her province
to see many girls thus rescued become
evangelists of purity or happy wives and
mothers. Many girls spoken to during the
afternoon on being asked their age would
give it as over 90, when they were evidently
but 10 or IL. This they were compelled 10
do by the keepers to avoid being made
amenable to legal action. Of the total of
go, 900 lost women, 100000 were trapped
h ,ttptGh h iTNca nd mn apriu
and where one is saved thousands are lost.
We contribute money to mission work
and send it across the sea to support mis-
sions. This is well, but people should be
missionaries at home and go across from
st. Paul's NJ. Il. Church with message.
| did not think she said, in going to see
the beautiful story of "Ben Hur' the
other evening that | would see a ballet.
God forbid that any Christian woman
would Willingly chaperon such perform
ance. To those in charge it may be that il
was simply number OF little girls dane.
ing upon the stage, but we in rescue work
know to what the ballet leads.
Purity should be instilled in children's
minds from earliest youth. 1t is possible
for men to lead pure lives as we'll as
women. We are reaching out to time
when girls can demand of the men they
marry purity for purity, sobriety for
sobrety and honor for honor.
The evil of the saloon was then dwelt
| upon at length. The influence OF liquor
is to excite baser passions as long as we
have traffic in rum we will have traffic in
| souls. The liquor traffic is embedded in
social and commercial life and the fault is
due to the I0O,000,O00 Christian (?) voters
! in the land 1t is often said that woman's
rights women do not care for husbands
and homes, but in many cases women are
| driven ont of their homes with hearts
bruised and beaten to use their influence
against the curse of drink. If the women
OF the land could vote the saloon would
go out in one ballot. 1t is said politics are
dangerous for women to meddle with and
the tariff question is difficult thing for
women to understand and | suppose
women never will understand why men
should think more of wool than of the
welfare of their boys and girls.