The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-07-19
MUST keep OPEN THE
DOOR OF REPENTANCE
Christian Society Needs Attitude Of
Christ Toward Pubiicans and
Sinners.
EPISODE OF FALLEN WOMAN
Rev. W.. A. Cooper, In Central
Methodist Church, Presents Lesson
Drawn From Theme. Applicable In
City Now.

Methodist Church, Presents lesson
Drawn From Theme. Applicable In
City Now.
In the course of his sermon last
night. which was one OF a series on
the life of Christ, Rev. w. A Cooper.
pastor OF Central Methodist Church.
described the event OF the poor fallen
woman of the streets, who followed
Jesus into the house of the rabbi and
fell at his feet In anguish and washed
them with her tears and wiped them
with the hairs OF her head
Mr. Cooper said that the pride OF
the rabbi was insulted and his self
righteousness was outraged by the
entrance Of such q woman into his
house. His attitude was one OF con-
tempt for the unveiled creature. and
he represented the ordinary religion
of his day. Jesus had shown great
sympathy FOR the publican and sinner,
He had stood and cried. Come unto
me ali We that weary and are heavy
laden and / will give you rest" His
enemies charged him with associating
, with publicans and sinners Implying
/. by the charge that he was one with
| them and also guilty. 1t was his at
tftude of sympathy and love for these
poor unfortunate creatures that caused
them TO reciprocate and give up their
lives of sin and shame.
Spirit Of Repentance.
! Jegus had aroused In this woman the
| spirit of repentance and a desire TO
regain her wemanhood. and therefore
she followed him into the house OF
Simon. the rabbi.
Jesus recognized her need of for
gIyeness and He spoke the words
which thrilled her whole being. Thy
| sins are forgiven"
| Now Jesus did not paIliate her sin.
| but he opened the door of repentance
to her. This Is the attitude that Chris
/ tfan society should take. Christian
society cannot look upon her sin with
! any degree OF allowance. Her sin 10
| the greatest menace to society and
society in it's organized form Of gov
eminent, must enforce the law against
social and commercial vice.
! But. said MFR, Cooper. Christian so
/ ciety must always keep the door OF
repentance open to these women. and
give them an equal chance with men
| to again stand forgiven and pure
among their fellows.
| Not Even Sure of Churches.
| 1t IL a shame that the door of re-
snecta bility is often closed to these re-
I turning wanderers from the far coun-
try. am not sure. that even the
churches would gladly welcome these
women as members. although they had
repented and given up their lives OF
shame.
| These women have been discharged
again and again when the employers
/ have bee uniformed of their former
I lives, and thus have been driven back
| into sin in order to make living.
Mr.. Cooper declared that he could name
case after case in his social work.
where these things were SO. One case
he spoke of specially when the social
workers OF another city. not Richmond.
sent q girl back to her home and her
own father shut the door in her face
and would not speak to- her.
No society can call itself Christian
| until IL assumes the same attitude
toward these women that Jesus did.
We cannot excuse their sin. nor pal
| late IL. but we can look with sympa-
thy and love upon the sinner and Keep
the light burning in the window AMI
the door of repentance unlocked for
the wandered to return.
But Christian society, as represented
| by the Vice Commission. must do more
than even this
Must Give Protection.
Society ought not only to care for
| tho men and women who fall among
| the thieves Of virtue as they pass along
the road of life, but we must light up
| the way and provide protection for
those who are Ia pass that way. We
honor the good samaritans for caring
! for the wounded and providing Flor
ence Crittenden Missions and Spring
/ street Homes but organised society
must do more. 1t must study the causes
fthese things. It must discover
the source of supply, and the work Of
the Vice Commission will not be com :
plete until 1t studies these questions
Let this commission continue Its work
and study the economic causes. the So
cfologicai causes and the phycho-
logical causes that underlie this prob
lem.
The work of this commission 10
hardly begun, not ended. Some OF us
know, and the city ought to know OF an
investigation that was made into the
mental status of these women. 1t was
conclusiveiy proven that large per
cent of them were but children men,
tally, children OF from eight to twelve
years in mental development. Others
were there because of economic pres-
sure. Long hours, low wages, bad
home conditions. cheap boarding
house conditions contributed to the
fall from virtue to vice. The Vice
Commission deserves the gratitude Of
the city for what II has already done.
but IL 1t stops now its work will be
incomplete and so far as II Is incon1-
ulAta a failure