The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-10-17
FOR SOCIAL PURITY.
Some Of the Arguments Advanced
at Baltimore's Congress.
OPPOSITION TO THB THBATERs.
One Of tho Speakers Declares They Are
Productive Of Immoral Thought and
Action-Ths Ball Room rs y Corrupter
of Youthful Morals.


Action-Ths Ball Room as y Corrupter
of Youthful Morals.
BALTIMORE, Oct. H. Mother Prin-
die, superintendent of the Florence Crit
tenton mission in New York was q CON
spicuous figure at yesterdays session OF
the social purity congress.
President Powell read paper en- 'fPur-
ity Work Derived from English Expert
ence," by DR.. Elizabeth Blackwell, of Lon
don, who could not be present. She de-
clares the divorce laws Of England to be
the cause Of moral deterioration, and is
earnest In her advocacy of single stand
ard OF morality Of both sexes and the
teaching of sound physical doctrines by
parents and physicians.
The Rev. g. w. Watch, Of Brighton,
Ont, who was introduced as "the only
foreign delegate to the congress-" spoke
OF Purity Work in Canada" and said in
part:
I'VE have no struggle over uncertain
divorce laws, for we have neither a di-
vorce court nor divorce law, except in
one Of the smaller provinces. To procure
q divorce with us requires a special act Of
tho Dominion parliament. The result Is
that for the past ten years there have been
but forty-eight applications for divorce,
forty Of which were granted"
DR.. o. Edward Janney, Of Baltimore,
read a. paper on "Women's Responsible
ties Regarding Social Morality" by DR..
Emily Blackwell, of New York. Mrs.
Blackwell said in part:
1--WE want TO bring all women to under
stand that the only true way TO deal with
prostitution is, first, to diminish the de-
IL a. \
vice with public reprobation in men as
well ~ In women; secondly, TO organize
among women a broader and more effective
form Of rescue work. At present most Of
the effort In this direction is devoted to
saving the fallen. .we want still more
active effort to save those who are ready
to perish, and every woman should feel
bound to throw her help and influence
into these efforts"
Rev. j. d. Welty, of Kansas City, Mo-,
White Cross superintendent Of the purity
department., W. G. T. u, took ministers
to task for neglect Of social topics. "The
pulpit Of our timos," said he, "save in q
very few exceptionable instances, Is not
outspoken In warning and instruction
concerning chastity, social dangers and
social duties. How few preachers ever
touch on the commandment of the deca-
logue, or upon Christ's law for purity, or
give an exposition upon his teachings
about marriage and divorce. II they would
take up these subjects more frequently
they would not SO often be caught officiat-
ing at the marriages of unlawfully di-
vorcsd persons"
Miss Jennie Ackcrman, an around-the-
world missionary of the w. G. L. u,
stirred up the convention by saying that
she had Just come from Iceland, where an
impure woman was absolutely unknown.
"That is because they recognize no impur-
ity in man." sho continued, mo matter
what his station may be. When we begin
q crusade In this country against men,
and brand them for their vices with the
infamy with which they brand women,
then, and then only, can we get an ideal
state of society Of which they boast In les
land. Let us begin tremendous crusade
against fallen men,"
''The theatre as rule hurts everybody.
It wastes the time that you may want to
account for when you come to dio," said
Mrs. Deborah @. Leeds Of Philadelphia,
who read a paper written by her husband,
Josiah W. Leeds, on 1.-THE Relation Of the
Press and Stage to Purity" Leeds OBJ
jeoted to 'patronizlng the play house be-
cause 1t is not a safe school of morals. Its
performances are usually coarse or sensli-
Gus. Almost every actress Of the day has
becn divorced. Such an atmosphere la un-
worthy Of woman.
1.-THE ball room is the place where many
Of our boys get their first downward i'm
pulse" declared Mr., Leeds, land 1t is our
virtuous girls who give them this idea,
and not the women of u lower class. The
home pnrlor, too, Is often the place where
they gain improper ideas by seeing our
women In dresses that are really undress.
1t was glorious to me to hear that the son
of the ameer of Afghanistan, an Asiatio
prince, had recently declined to take to din.
ner at Windsor Castle an English peeress
because she wore dress cut decollette."