The times., 1897-05-03
Mrs. Barrett'S Touching Plea
for the Unf0rtunates.
TAKES SOCIETY TO TASK
Interesting Addresses at Luther
Memorial Church-Dr. Butler Wei
comes the Speakers-Secrcta
Morton Outlines the Work OF the
Florence Crittenton Mission.

Florence Crittenton Mission. Mrs Kate
Waller Barrett, the national organizer OF
the Crittenton Homes. and under whose
personal care is the Washington Home,
made the principal address, with her on
the platform icing Mr.. Morton, secretary
of the founder OF these great charities and
phIanthropies.
1t was announced after the address that
it was the object OF the local home to
nave lady OF each congregation in The
city as one OF its honorary vice presidents
The representative from Luther Memorial
Church will be selected at Il meeting to
be held at the church this afternoon
DR.. Butler introduced Mrs. Barrett, ex-
tending To her warm welcome on behalf
of his charge and speaking OF the con-
tinuing necessity OF the organizations she
represented until the perfecting Of the
kingdom Of universal righteousness. Dr.
Butler selected as the scripture reading the
story OF the woman whom Christ told to
go and sin no more.
Mrs. Barrett spoke from the suggestions
OF the words of the Lord 10 Sifaon: Il
have somewhat TO say 10 thee, Simon" and
.'Seest. thou, this woman They were
assembled, Mrs. Barrett said, 70 consider
this outcast, this despised, tins loathsone
woman, this woman rejected of God, as
it is the mode To speak OF her, All men
saw her on the streets. in public places.
They knew the last phases OF her career.
but there were others which they did not
know, had never seen. They had not
seen her in her peaceful quiet country home
trusting in the faith Of the seducer, nor had
they seen her after her fall, driven ont by
family and friends, carrying with her
burden whose only sin was that it did
not bear the government stamp.
They had not seen her in that stage of her
life wheT, perhaps, she was forced to buy
bread for one body by the sale and pros
titution OF her own. Those who had not
seen this, or had not known it TO he true.
Were familiar with only the more disagree
able side of the subject
Thespeaker said that she would u OF main
tain OF the whole class of fallen W omen that
they Were more ned gainst than SHINING,
but She would assert that scciety's attitude
toward the erring sister was NEST unjust
most unkirld. Her experien taught her to
believe that the great number of women
ofthis class whose cases she ehadinvestigated
had been betrayed tis true that they sell
dom had evidence TO prove that fact, but
the fact of having no direct proof was the
strongest evidence of betrayal. Society's
attitude was un Just and illogical, because
it condemned without taking into consider
alton the circumstances OF a woman's fall,
in which respect such condemnation as a
practice was unique. it was the only in
dictment against which the accused was
not permitted a plea in defense. The
murderer was given fair trial and, at the
worst, his punishment was death; but the
seduced is not only not given trial but is
sentenced to q Worse punishment than
death-social ostTacisTn.
The great problem by this evil, Mrs
Barrett said, IS the answer TO the inevitable
question asked by the woman who is be
trayed Where shall I go, or what sh all
j DOR She took issue with the proposition
that vice OF this nature was necessary
evil, but even assuming this TO be partly
true. yet this class of women was dealt
with illogicaIly, for it was unfortunately
true that with the exception OF a few
Christian people, the world was king no
interestin the problem. She believed that
God had a controversy with those who
opposed the rescue OF these women, " no.
although deprived of the opportunity of
have time and bar before which their
plea would be entertained Mrs. Barrett
told the audience OF the inspiration OF her
work and how her Services were enlisted
She gave as an instance Of the inequality
and injustice of life the case of an infant
Of a betrayed woman placed beside that
of pure mother, the blight that would
follow the former through the world, while
yet both unconscious of sin or shame.
Arraiguing society for this, she said:
''Shame is il that one is given a chance
denied to another equally innocent and
guntless! What a disgrace that the un-
conscious child should not be given a
| chance and that the mother should be
| forced into u life Of SIM o, man,
where is thy chiyslry? o, man, where
| is thy manhood? o, woman, where is
| thy wonanhood: where is thy woman S
heart2 o, Christian, where is thy Chris
tianity, that the door and heart should
| be closed against such as these?"
| Mrs Barrett closed her touching and
| eloquent address by some account of the
institution in this city, and made an
| earnest appeal on behalf of the eighteen
| young mothers there who were being
/ rescued from the street or the brothel
| An address was also delivered by Mr..
| Morton, who outlined the object of the
| missions, the manner in which they were
| founded, and the number Of women in the
| United States who needed this kind of as
sistance. He paid high tribute to the
| founder Of the work, described its ex-
tension and acknowledged the assistance
| Of the railroads in the free transportation
| Of the car of the national officers Of the
| society wherever it was desired. After
| the address al collection was taken up in
| the interest Of the work