The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-02
a sAruRDAY SERMON.

-tA-4= 80
These IthingsI ought ye to have done
and not TO leave the other undone--A1at-
thew 2S:23-
Did you read the letter OF Margaret
Hill McCarter in the State Journal
Thursday evening regarding the appeal
for funds for the Topeka Crittendon
Home? If not. hunt up that paper
and read It.
Mrs. McCarter's argument is that
Topeka-generou and whole-souled
little city-is unbalanced in its gener-
osity. It has built magnificent struc-
ture for the moral. physical and spirit
ua1 welfare of the young men of the
city in its new Y. NJ. c. A building,
but an appeal to aid weak and errfng
young womanhood is met with little
positive encouragement. A sister
city is destroyed by an earthquake.
and we respond sympathetically but
innocent girIhood is betrayed produc-
ing as great anguish Of spirit as thar
into which San Francisco was plunged,
but It IS hidden from our sight and We
do nothing about it.
It was assuredly right and proper
that Topeka's sympathy and cash
should go out to San Francisco in her
great itCE0t D4L ~ PdlAlg anu CASH al
also needed at Topeka's very doors for
the unfortunate and weak victims or
sin whom the Crittendon Home seeks
to help. The investment in the new
Y. NJ. c. A. building viii pay a tre-
mendous interest both to the moral and
financial interests of this city, but al
investment in Crittendon Home to aid
its work of saving young girls from
going down to life of shame in which
they would become a positive menace
to the moral welfare of Topeka, would
pay still larger moral dividends and
save these victims from becoming in
struments for the PRONUNCIATION of vice
and crime.
''Over on the hill south Of town IS
this home" writes Mrs. McCarter. s'It
has bare floors, curtainIess windows
and a general need for everything that
makes a real home. It has been given
many things, Of course individuals
and clubs have done much for It, and
their giving has been a blessing. But,
with all these there has never been
enough done to permit the home to
really fulfill it's mission. One tenth
Of what the Y. NJ. G. A. unhestitatingly
required of the city-a demand moth
ing but an earthquake could hinder
would have meant a fabulous sum to
this mission work Within these walls
are housed the most unfortunate of sane
and sound creation-the fallen girls.
More than 80 per cent Of these have
been deceived, betrayed and the curse
is on them. They are not the pro-
duct of degradation. They are the re-
suit of unprotected lives.
'Once, a few years ago, saw 3
beautiful young girl there, whose fath>
er had died in the service of his coun-
try. Her first years were in the or
phans home at Leavenworth, I think.
from which she was adopted by IA
farmer in the western part of the
state This foster father and a fos.
ter brother, when she came to young
womanhood, wrought her ruin. And
she looked so young and unequal to the
battle before her.
Her story, with variations, is re-
peated continually in this place. What
can the home do for its inmates? Bring
them to respectable living. and to af-
fectionate motherhood Very merci~
fully it would shield these children o.
iIlfate, and then sent them into a new
clean life, and above all foster the
mother love that in the years may be a
blessing to the child and parent alike"
Topeka does well in its generosity
in other respects; let it not overlook
the needs of Crittendon Home.