Year: 1874

But few days ago, a leading religious


journal ofthis Coast expressed deep hu-


mility and shame that woman of tho


town shed tears Of pity and anguish over


the dying form of her male companion in


moral SIN, who had been stricken down


on public street in San Francisco. The


leading secular journals Of that city re-


ported the woman as being stylish in APP


pearance with a youthful, girlish face,
innocent in expression and calculated TO
awaken sympathy for her forlocn con-
dition. Yet the interpreters of the Gospel
preached by the lowly Nazarene were
terribly shocked that this woman had the


assurance to appear in such role rs n


mourner over an apparently dying man
whose life was blottod with wickedness.
No matter what the judgments of man
may be in this and like cases, there is One
who judges not the act but the MOTIVE
The average man who falls into evil ways
with evil women rarely compromises
himself by an outward or public express
sion of regard for her, and the religious
journal is not shocked at any display of
masculine weakness and such would
probably be highly gratifed at the conduct
of man who figured in little tragedy
at Virginia City, Nevada, one day last
week. The independent gives the ac-
count in full, which in substance is as fol-
lows A hearse, alone and unattended,
was seen to leave the dead house one
morning and wend its solitary way to-
ward the cemetery. There were no car
rlages in attendance, no mourners, only
the two undertakers on the box, These
men lowered her remains into the grave.
Not prayer went up for her repose, not
a tear moistened the sod above her last
resting-place. 1t was the funeral of Jen-
ME Gray, who, though a fallen woman.
had reached no level of degradation SO
low as the one occupied by j. Mercer,
the Cornishman who lived with her while
she could contribute to his pleasure, and
deserted her on the way to the tomb
This man was living with her when she
died, but when she came to be buried and
the hearse started on its solitary procession
he, arm in arm with companion, unfcel-
ingly turned into Babcock's saloon and
took drink. No sooner had the breath
of life left her body than the remains were
hurried to the undertnker's, and her effects
into lumber wagon for removal. Thus
ended an episode in the life of this man
Mercer, which to his poor fallen compan-
ion was doubtless an absorbing tragedy
in which her life went out Here are two
pictures presented which lead to serious
reflection upon the injustice Of society
which consigns fallen women to the
lowest depths Of iniamy while living, n
forgotten grave when dead, yet scarcely
rcproves her male companion in guilt.
No woman sinks so low that she does not
find some man to keep her company, yet
the denunciations of church, state and
society are hurled at her with bitter
malignity. To the fallen comes no voice
OF pleading from holy teachers or devout
women beseeching her to turn her steps
toward righteousness and her thoughts
upon God. None so interested in the
salvation Of souls as to risk their reputa-
ton by being seen in conversation with n
woman Of the town, though centuries ago
the great Master set notable example.
Society laments the wide spread social
evils, and the pulpit walls out against its
and offers words of warning
to the pure who may be tempted, and
Christian women rejoicing in the strength
Of uncorrupted virtue, draw their skirts
Of self-righteousness about them, and
thank God that they are not like the
But when has society ever
eXerted itself to save fallen women ?
How many Christian homes have thrown
wide the door and welcomed the penitent
TO the hearthstone with as
surances Of forgiveness and willingness
to guide her footsteps into the ways Of
purity and happiness Alas the answer
is n bolt and bar OF respectability which
not only refuses protection and shelter,
but even a kindly word of reproof and ex-
hortation to the sinful woman to forsake
her ways of moral death. h.-,Nockton
Leade1.