The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-13

Indianapolis is justly celebrated through
out the United States for it's charitable in
situations. 1t has been pointed out as
great originative center, for no sooner is
noble thought conceived by the citizens
than an attempt is made to give it practical
demonstration. AS result of this, institu-
tons for the furtherance of all good works
have sprung up--homes that offer shelter
and assistance to every branch of human
need and suffering. Not only the city of
Indianapolis, but the State of Indiana has
been keenly alive to the need of organized
supervision of poverty and vice. There are
separate prisons for women and men, and
the aim of the government is to reform as
well as to incarcerate Money and brains
are also freely expended upon the "ounce
of prevention as well as the pound of
cure" for the public schools rank first in
the Union, and the protective and warning
voice of the State is audible every night in
the curfew. indianapolis was settled first
by God-fearing men of education and re-
finement. They were pioneers that Verita-
bly, lighted the torch of progress which it
has been the pride and duty of their de-
scendants to carry. We are asked some
times, HAS not charity been overdone
here?" or What is the good of 1t all?" or
What will they devise a home for next?'
The best answer is in cold facts. In spite of
a population OF two hundred thousand; in
spite of the bad influences necessarily
brought by converging railroads and the
different industries attending prosperity
and growth-Indianapolis has no actual
Sums. Poverty there is, and wrong doing,
but SO managed, so relieved, so encouraged
to better things by the all-embracing char
tiles that there are no districts absolutely
set apart to wretchedness and crime. The
members of the Salvation Army, those
glorious and notable workers in what they
call the waste places of many genera
tions,'' testify to this The pioneer ''hOme"
the veteran in this field of Christian en-
deavor, is the Indianapolis Home for
fTlendleSS Women, at the corner of Captto:
avenue and Eighteenth street. For years it
stood alone, opening its doors as the name
implied, to the shelterless, the sOrrowful
and the sinful. AS time went on and the
city increased helpful sister institutions
have sprung up around it, to carry out as
''specialtieS'' lines of charitable work which
are all embraced in the home. The Y. W.
G. A., to assist those women that help
themselves; the Katharine Home, for the
care of ladies who have drifted into the
sad waters of dependent old age the
Eleanor Home for sick children; the
Friendly Inn, the Flower Mission, the Dea-
coness Hospital, the Door of Hope, the Res
cue Mission, the Alpha Home and many
ticle to give a little sketch of the mother
home that SO tenderly and successfully
grappled with every difficulty i'll the old
days. 1t stands now with the assurance
and dignity of thirty years of quiet and sue
cessful work. During the civil war Indian
apolis was suddenly filled with a floating
element quite new to its peaceful Puritan
traditions. AS railroad center 1T was alive
with moving troops and with the refuse OF
a camp, which does not always move with
it. The rebel prisoners confined at Camp
Morton were objects of deep solicitude and
kindness to the Northern women, who
never. forgot that the mistaken boys in
gray were their brothers, and in their
sickness and need ministered to them.
Meanwhile the Jail was full of loose female
d pr yervtb bGr he Women
who had ministered to their brothers, even
when in arms against them, could not turn
a deaf ear to the suffering of their forlorn
and erring sisters lady who passed by
the Jail on her daily walks was moved 10
pity by the blank despairing faces she saw
behind the bars. She went to read to the
Wretched prisoners, taught them to sew and
finally interested in their behalf many lead
ing citizens of Indianapolis. The thought
had been growing in many minds. Tor III All
important movements it is found that the
beginning does not exist in the conscious
ness of one person alone. When the time is
ripe there are found so many VINO give
literally of time, thought and money that
it is impossible to designate the origin OF
the idea. But the idea ltself was thi Is, 10
establish a home under the care of a Chris
tian matron to which friendless, shelterless
and sinful women might come. 1t was the
initial purpose of the home to receive WOm-
EN- upon leaving .the Jail, to give them, IL
possible, some useful household knowledge,
to endeaVor to reclaim them TO cleanliness
and decency. 1t meant, also, to open its
doors to those women who were not guilty,
only for the time being without shelter;
wives perhaps, who had come from the
country in the vain hope Of fndlng mere
Northumberland on some Southern battle
field Old decrepit mothers, who had come
to find soldier sons that could speak TO
them no more; orphans left Go the mercles
OF cruel world, the product OF broken
homes.
rible wreck and debris, and 1t was to Dind
these bleeding domestic wounds that the
home was first established. The distinct
classes of charity are still visible IN It's
working, now that the civil war has be-
come a matter of history, for Satan Is a
general who never surrenders his sword
1t still shelters the penniless widow, the
forsaken wife, the destitute invalid, the
helpless child and the betrayed, despairing
girl. The first matron was the celebrated
Sarah Smith, a Quakeress widely known
for the sweetness and strength or her
Christian character, and under her manage
ment many were reclaimed From the
house rented in 1867 the home was ra moved hovea
being donated by charitable and devoted
If has been the dominating idea of the
home to avoid accentuating to the unfortu-
nate inmates the fact that they are In an
institution. They are taught the usetuI du-
homework, etc.-upon a scale that could
be transferred to their own homes or to
domestic service. They are made TO feel
the responsibilities that the individual has
toward the whole as a member OF a family.
Many instances during the past thirty
years can be cited of the beneficent useful
ness of the home, but space forbids the
mention save of a few representative ex-
amples. Many years ago an almost naked,
filthy, wild creature was found IN the
woods near the river She lay beside the
grave which had been dug for her baby.
Her feet were frozen, and she was almost
insensibe--about TO perish as the beasts
perish, monument TO mans cruelty and
Ignorance She was brought TO the home
and found refuge and a mother in Sarah
Smith. There were reasons why her life
could not last long She learned. however
to love the Lord Jesus. and dying. on her
breast We're found verses of Scripture
which had comforted her
The home finds it's glory in being the
messenger of Gods justice TO those that
suffer through no fault or their own. One
day poor woman almost at deaths door
from dropsy rang the bell. Her pitifui story
was soon told. She was deserted wife.
and. working desperately to earn an honest
fk7nxe ga the WaSltylb until