The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-31
SAVING FALLEN WOMEN
MRS. KATE w. BARRETT'S EFFORTS
IN BEHALF OF THE WORK.
Pledges and subscriptions for the
Rescue Mission Made at "A Meet
ing Yesterday.

Mrs Kate w. Barrett, who comes to In
dianapohs as the representative of the Flor
ence Crittenton chain of rescue homes, ad-
dressed a mass meeting at the First Pres
byterian Church yesterday afternoon at 3
o'clock. Hugh Fl. Hanna presided as chair
man of the meeting Mrs. Barrett spoke in
the interests of the rescue work being car
ried on in this city, making a strong APP
peal for the aid that is needed in further
ing the work at the mission in charge Of
Superintendent Wheeler on South street.
Mrs Barrett is a forceful speaker, full of
the eloquence that has come to her by her
long experience in the work among the
fallen.
AS Chairman Hanna said Of her, Mrs.
Barrett has consecrated her life to this res
cue work. She said she came to talk of
the lost children who are so far from us
and yet may be found at our very doors;
they who have little but misery in this
life. Mrs Barrett thought If she could
but take her audience into one of these res
cue homes she would need to do but little
talking. 1t would only require glance into
the weary, hungry features of these unfor
tunates-all the fires of hell glowing in the
faces of many of them-to stir the Christian
people to action. There are so few to
speak to the poor, deceived girl who has
taken her first step in SIM, said she, land
yet this girl could so easily be won back
to the path of virtue"
Mrs. Barrett declares it is this deadly
cold indifference on the part of people that
stands in the way of successful rescue
work 1t is the neutral ground they stand
on that prevents the good results. The
speaker believed if she could get thousand
men and women to get UP and declare
themselves against this rescue work there
would be hundred thousand who would
come out boldly and take up the cause.
You do not know the painted and brazen
face you meet in the street." asserted Mrs.
Barrett unless you know her history. You
do not realize that the brazen exterior of
this woman often hides a breaking heart.
Did you ever know how she was led astray?
Did you ever know how it feels to realize
you have ever been abandoned?"
Mrs. Barrett related an incident of her
own happy wifehood. She was married to
minister at the age of seventeen. Her
nome life was frightened by the coming
OF a sweet baby boy. One stormy night a
glrl-a bedraggled, miserable creature-was
let in by her husband The girl had been
deceived and carried a fatherless child in
her arms. She was given dry clothing and
her babe was comforted and lulled to sleep.
There they lay, side by side" continued
Mrs. Barrett my boy, with every oppor-
b funty ahead Of him him for grand life her
hand Of God. And to think that good men
and women would some day be arrayed
against that child. oh, my friends, that
was the pity of it. Let us stand by the
fatheress child and the outcast mother
and give her chance. Oh, get on the right
side and declare yourselves in this unequal
warfare
Mrs. Barrett told of her visit to the Res
cue Home in this city-of how the little
mission was thronged with eager hearers.
She spoke of the work of superintendent
Wheeler, the man who is believed by the
outcast because his hand is ever ready to
dred girls have gone out of the home in the
last year. Mrs. Barrett thought that per-
haps all were not perfect, but she was con-
become better by having lived there. 1t is
impossible to measure the good accom-
plished in the home. Only eternity will
there Mrs. Barrett pointed out that when
fallen woman repented she was not
to lead a better life. The speaker appealed
to her hearers to follow His blessed ex-
ample.
A number of short addresses were made
along the line of Mrs Barrett's talk by
Thomas Spann, II. HI. Hanna, and Revs.
M. L. Haines and ]. A. Milburn. Superin-
work accomplished at the Rescue Mission
for the year ending Oct l, 1897. Four hum
dred and ninety-seven meetings We're held,
with an attendance of $4,000. Three hum
dred and sixteen persons protested CONVEX
sion at the altar One hundred and four
girls were admitted to the home. Five chill
dren were born in the home. There were
two Deaths and twelve girls left the insti-
tuion. being unwilling to abide by the
rules. Forty-two young women were re-
turned to their parents and friends. The
report stated that 1856 meals have been
served at the home in the last three months
A domestic training school and kinder
garten have been added to the institution.
Mr.. Milburn, during his remarks yester-
day, appealed strongly to the audience for
funds with which to go on with this rescue
work. He said it was offering Mr.. Wheeler
an indignity to compel him to go about
the city soliciting money with which to
meet the expenses of the institution. A
substantial sum was raised before the meet
ing closed. One of the largest subscriptions
was by Central-avenue M. Il. Church,
which pledged $500 to the fund