The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-27
PRISONERS AID.
Annual Meeting OF Association 10
First Baptist Church.
Interesting Address Made by Miss Halsled
OF Hartford.

The annual meeting of tho Prisoners
Aid Association was held yesterday after
noon Mt 80 o'clock In the First Baptist
Church. Rev. DIR. King. pastor OF the
church. presided over the meeting.
The annual report of the secretary was
read and accepted. In regard to the work
Of the Sophia Little Home shs report stated
that an effort WAS being made 10 make IL
10 n considerable extent an Industrial
Home Fifty women ana two infants
have been taken In during the year. "A
good deal of progress has been made In
steps toward procuring the new building
and the building fund now amounts 10
SO, $50. The building lot bas been fenced
in and considerable work has been done
on the grading of the lot. Two sales
were held during the year, tho proceeds
of which have gone to the maintenance
of the work. Numerous visits have been
made 10 the state institutions aud much
help has been given by Supt. Eastman.
Sixty-three professional medical visits
have been made during the year and one
death has occurred. The general beBltn
OF the women NJ the homo is good and
there Is little sickness. the trsasurer's :
report was next read and accepted. lDe
total receipts for the year we're siO70. =; 4;
expenditures $4,000. 40 leaving a balance on
hand of $40. 50. A bequsst OF s2JO0 mas
been resived for the building fund.
Ihe nominating committee presented
the..followipg list and the persons named
therein were duly elected: President,
Miss Susan q. Sawyer; vice presidents,
Mrs j. *. Barney, Miss A. de Il. Look-
wood and Miss Mary T.. Arnold; secre-
tary, Miss Susan Pockham correspond
ing sscrstary. Miss 4 lioe Vaughn; treas
urer, Mrs. T. II. BoRert; assistant treas
ursr, Miss Mar u. Arnold.
Miss Halsted Of Hartford, Conn, al
dressed the meia bors OF the association on
the work of n home with which she was
connected, the object of which was sim
liar to that Of Gthe Sophia Little Home.
She spoke most fervently and enoourag-
ugly of the noble work done in rescuing
girls and women from degradation and
misery, surrounding them with happy
home Influences and teaching them To
live better ana trusr lives. The keynote
OF tho work was love Most Of tho women
were anx ious for some ones love, and
even the apparently Eost hardened were
susceptible TO II. OFTEN it was only when
thay felt and knew that an Interest was
taken in them, that some one cared for
them and truly loved them in their sin,
that their conscience was softened and
they were lea To righteous lives. May
girls were taken from the police stations,
and on first offences there was an under
standing with the judge that they should
be turned over To the care of the home.
fpestimable good was accomplished in
this way. Miss Halsted gave many illus
trations OF girls saved from n life OF dis
prnce who had become physically anu
morally new creatures, and she also de-
ecribed at some length the daily life In
the nome.
DR.. King called for remarks from any
! one present, and one or two ladies made
brief remarks. DR.. King then addressed
the association in n very able and forcibs
speech. lie spoke of his great interest In
| the work and said thnt he came TO know
| of the great value Of the work OF such a
| home In former place of residence. He
spoke eloquently Of the need of such a
| work that lent helping hand in tiine
| OF disgrace. The record OF many years
work might look small, but in Gods
sight Ii was large. for it meant souls
saved Though there were many people.
| he said, who could not be actively identi
fed with the work, yet 1t had the cordial
sympathy Of every true and right minded
citizen. The new home will be one of the
crowning features Of the charities Of this
city. He spoke ut some length ON the
elements of the work and called II one OF
the Cnristliest works that one could en-
gage in.
After collection was taken mp and .
hymn had been sung the meeting ad
Journed.