The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-12-11
ATTENDED ONLY BY WOMEN
Subject Of Unchastity Again Dis
cussed 10 Trinity Church.
TWO SPLENDID ADDRESSES
Mrs. Frances u. Swan and DR.. Anna {.
Clarke tho Spenkers-Mothers Urged
to Counsel Their Daughters aud
Also Gain Their Confidence.

the SUBJECT OIL ONcndStity. IL wa"
the third of a series of four meetings
which will terminate with Sunday
nights service In the church when Rev.
Edwin Lunn Miller, the pastor will de-
liver sermon on the causes of the evil
and the safeguards against 1t.
Last nights audience was much lar
ger than the gathering of men which
on Monday night was addressed by
Mayor Connell, DIR. w. W. Ives and
DR.. L. NJ. Gates.
Mr.. Miller opened the meeting by
reading Proverbs, XXI: 1881 and offer-
ing prayer. After welcoming the aud
ience he cited the general opinion that
woman suffers more than man from
unchastity, but she has the qualities
which will exert a greater influence in
initiating against the evil. He urged
mothers to influence their children for
good when they are young and pliable,
and said Mayor Connell's statement
that "257 girls Of respectable parentage
are being watched by the police on the
streets each night" showed the need
of more counsel from mother to daugh-
ter and greater confidence between the
two. After Introducing Mrs. Swan and
DIR. Clarke, Mr.. Miller withdrew.
Mrs. Swan by reason of her official
position as a member of the Scranton
poor board, has had ample opportunity
for personal observation, and the know
ledge she has gained aided her In her
address which was interspersed with
many incidents of the shame and mis-
fortune following more than one down.
fall. She said in part:
Mrs. swans Address.
In accepting the invitation extended Dy
the pastor Of this church to talk to the
mothers and girls of our city on the social
purity question. only one motive prompt-
ed me. That motive was desire to brins
mothers and daughters into closer re-
lationship TO each other; to raise my voice
in warning and entreaty to motheriess
girls, and to impress upon willful and
thoughtess girls, the danger they are m.
For many years, public, social and chaT-
table duties have brought me into per-
sonal contact with all kinds and classes
of people Among the number no class
has so appealed to my symapthy as nave
the scores Of motherless, friendless disap-
pointed or fallen girls. who have felt that
life at the best seemed a burden to them.
have not outlived the things that in
terested me in my girlhood days, and am
still q girl at heart. and feel a keen inter-
est in whatever interests them. In their
happiness and success I find much pleas
ure, yet equally grieved or anxious am
when meet those whose lives have been
blighted by sorrow or sin.
Young girhood must be impressed with
the fact that pure. upright life In the
sight of God and man is the only life
that will insure them friends. position,
happiness and an eternity of joy. No one
can afford to exchange 1t for the harvest
that follows an immoral life. No evil ac-
ton ever leads to good and 1t must leave
its stain upon the heart, Its sting upon
conscience and embitter with remorse ev-
cry pleasure.
Matter Difficult TO Determine.
It Is a question whether morality Is an
intuition of the mind or whether each in
dividual mind can determine for itself
through the voice of conscience the moral
obligation 1t Is under Many moralists
say that human nature is endowed with
instincts, which at once approve or dis
approve of an action and that conscience
will settle the question, while others hold
that virtue is doing good to mankind In
obedience to the will of God. and for the
1t Is difficult to determine whether rea-
son, hatred, love or prudence forms our
opinions as to what immortality really Is,
and equally puzzllng to know to just what
extent conscience leads US In deciding
moral questions. While conscience Is
great power and warns us " some extent
when we are about to commit q SIN, yet
all do not seem to inherit ii in like degree.
1t may make itself heard In very still.
small voice. but its utterances cannot fail
to be understood. The germ of conscience
is planted when the parent teaches the
child the necessity of obedience and that
II he does not obey, punishment will surely
follow his acts OF disobedence. AS he
comes to the age of observation and rea-
son. he understands why he should obey
certain laws Of nature and will, without
fear of punishment choose to do so.
As conscience Is a growth. 1t Is strength
ened by every sacrifice We make for our
selves or others. The sceptic may scoff
at religion, the profigate sneer at the holy
voice Of conscience, but they can never
fly from the power of its voice. From
childhood we have heard Its warning voice
before the performance of every evil deed.
1t will ever support truth. justice, and
innocence and no one can find excuse
before God or man under pretext that he
could not distinguish between right and
wrong.
Self examination Is too often neglected
In order that We may not touch some
wound of the conscience. Girls, do you
find the lessons of life hard to learn?
Remember that you are not struggling
alone, for every soul Is more or less
tempted and tried.
Battles That We known Not Of
The V,orv nno xr,ho ofxo ato u,1s H., ~,,,,
side from day to day may be in the very
throes Of agony. while trying to overcome
self. How impatiently we listen to the
loving word of caution! How thoughless-
ly the remark that brings the blush to
the cheek is passed by! II the old Puritan
law were in vogue today how different an
appearance our streets would present
after sunset and how many young girls
would avoid the pitfalls that they find
awaiting them as they walk the streets at
night. Be sure that in the company that
you meet in this way you will be led into
excesses that you never dreamed Of.
A fact that I should like to impress
upon you Is that a large percentage Of our
fallen girls are motherless. girls who have
had no tender loving words Of admonition
as they have faced life alone. No true
friend to caution and advise them Of the
danger line just ahead as they were fas-
cinated by snowy dress. ease Of living, or.
In turn amused by the coarse Jest; abb
sorbed by sensational and trashy litera-
ture; goaded into excesses of dissipation,
Or fattered by the attention Of boys and
men.
How different their lives might have
been II they could have learned from the
lips Of a true friend how much OF happi-
ness life has In store for those who lead
tel ~.f~~
are to be found in good books. and how
their own horison could have been broad
ened and happiness increased by making
other lives better. The leading newspa-
pers Of the day cost but little and give US
an acquaintance with people from all ma
lions. Intellectual pursuits are stimulat-
Ing, and patience. courage. self-discipIine
and persistence are al strengthened by
the determination To become wise.
Have Not Been Tsmptsd.
Many persons believe themselves chastc