The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-02-24

Inc Zith annual meeting OF the New
England Watch and Ward society was
held in the Park Street church, Boston,
last evening. Rev. Frederick B. Allen,
secretary, opened the meeting and the
principal speaker was Bishop Coadiutor
Mcvickar of Rhode Island, president Of
the society.
In opening he said the organization
simply asked the renewed interest and
cooperation OF the citizens OF Boston and
vicinity. The response to such a request.
ne added depends very largely upon what
the society has TO say for itself
And yet" he continued, upon this
very point we meet the embarrassment
that belongs to all such works as this.
that we cannot begin TO show what this
society really is and has been doing If
we were going 10 talk about some hos
pital, or some refuge for homeless and
parentless children. or some haven where
outcasts might be reclaimed, we should
have statistics to tell you of we should
be able to show you some Individual
cases of what we have done; we might
even have stereopticon here with pic
lures. before and after, in the various
cases OF which we should speak
WORK OF THE SOCIETY.
mo, we cannot bring up the individual
cases, except at rare intervals, of the pos
tive work we have done for this or that
individual Ii is impossible TO measure
work In the world that is too big for
measurement. We could tell you of some
vicious one arrested and brought to con-
Nlction, because he has been preying for
months or years or attempting to prey.
upon innocents. We might better than
that, tell you OF some poor girl whom we
nave helped, and saved not from actual
crime, but from the path which was,
through the iniquity OF others the sure
path of ruin for her. We can't paint to
you the 10000 who have not gone astray
We cannot paint for you the numberIess
homes that have been kept pure and
sweet We can't picture the sunshine :hat
is In many and many home where sor-
row and shame might have been. We
can't begin to describe the pure atmos-
phere breathed throughout this city
which would have been poisoned IL it had
not been for just such agencies as that
we represent
GUARDING THE HOMES.
ut is something. to be sure. when an
agent OF this society, in response TO a |
note | sent him. wrote me a few lines |
telling of the work done this year: how |
eight men had been convicted and sem
fenced VINO were circulating obscene pic |
lures ana obscene books, poiluting the |
youth Of our city and nation It is some |
thing when the principal and head master |
OF a great boys school, where your chill |
dren are found, comes To this society's |
and shows how a young |
man travelling for one of the best rail. |
roads In the country there finds a book |
put into his hands for sale. the very |
worst possible of books one that would |
pollute the one who touched IL or read a
single page or look at a single picture. |
That book had started on its round OF |
pollution IN one OF the great schools of |
which New England Is proud. il Is some
thing when your shows and theatres. and /
posters and pictures I'm windows, hayr !
been purged and purified
IL IL your society. II is doing the |
work that YOU are responsible for doing |
II stands before the Legislature and de-
mands the best laws that can be passed
and with you at its back 81 gets these
laws passed And then II stands back |
Of the one who administers those laws,
the guardians OF your public peace 1t |
aDRtttS 10 You as clltZcnS OF Boston.
proud, and rightly proud Of being such
lt appeals To YOU rs phlanthropists. in
terested I'm humanity. whether that hu-
manty stands on the highest pinnacl !.
or IN the lowest or humblcst walks Of
life In its most helpless condition II
appeals Co you as Christians the followers
NJ him who would not that one OF the
least Of his little ones shall perish"
PROTECTING THE WEAK.
Secretary Allen said the society had
bepn carving ON the work for nearly
quarter ~ a century. and that it's VERY
DSst labor was It's silent quiet work of
prevention. The protection Of Young wO-
non occupied n large part of its cfforts.
lie told of an instance that happened
Within few we ks OF n man who sought /
he acquaintance ~ young woman and
Within n short time asked her hand I'm 1
marriage The circumstances were 80
iusnicious that tho society made an i'm
and discovered that thu man !
was already married and was seeking |
he ruin of this girl.
lie said the society was also investi-
,nting advcrtiscm nts where there were |
promises OF occupation. and finding in
many cases that such advertisements |
we're base and unworthy
In two conspicuous cases. he said. ono