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VOLUME ONE.
NO. TH IET Y-FI VE .
The Florence Crittenton Mission Movement
HE ethical or underlying principle of
a great movement for reform, whether
it be political, philanthropic or reli
gious, is in large measure the keynote
to the entire system, and this prin
ciple also determines the scope and
stability as well as the ultimate con
summation of the desired ends. This
is most strikingly true when a moral
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wave of overwhelming force is directed against
any condition of evil which has 'become firmly
fixed on the rock of universal toleration and estab
lished custom.
There are but few persons in America today who
do not know the object of the Florence Crittenton
Mission for the rescue of women from all paths
of evil living, but when it is fully understood that
the main purpose of this mission is to effect “not
reformation but transformation” in the individual,
it will be readily seen that the spirit of all lasting
personal reform is recognized and is utilized as a
great working princple.
Among all civilized nations there has even been,
from time to time, much talk as to “social purity
movements,” “social betterment of the masses”
and “improved moral tone of a community,” yet
these terms have been in a great measure merely
“catch phrases” which have seemed pertinent as
a sort of spurious platform eloquence; but the
clarion cry of real reform is only sounded by those
who recognize the urgent need of “new life” for
the spirit and who are ready to aid the spiritual
regeneration by offering to the poor, world-weary
body a chance for physical regeneration as well.
This chance came to the young women of America
some twenty-five years ago, and it came by an in
cident far removed from the realm of chance and
yet seemingly so commonplace in its characteristics
that those who know the story still marvel at the
train of natural incidents which have been so won
derfully used to consummate the divine plan.
“And a Little Child Shall Lead Them.”
Every truly great movement has centered around
some commanding personality as though the “hu
man touch” were needed to prepare and arrange
conditions which are to result in the development
of the race and in the present instance the per
sonality of the founder of the mission for the
rescue of fallen women is a business man of New
York, one, seemingly, like hundreds of others in
his outward life, but consecrated for a special pur
pose toward the sinful and oppressed in the world
of which he was a part. This man is Mr. Charles
N. Crittenton, whose name, and that of his little
daughter, “Florence,” is associated with these
missions throughout the world. Mr. Crittenton is
actively engaged in evangelistic work, but his awak
ening to a need of spiritual things, to a lack which
the world could not supply, was caused by the
ATLANTA, GA., OCTOBER 18, 1906.
'Reformation, Transformation”
personal loss of his beloved child, which darkened
his own life but which led to the brightening of
thousands of other lives.
Mr. Crittenton’s Own Story of His Life.
In a recent interview which Mr. Crittenton
granted to The Golden Age, he tells the simple
story of his work and in it we read an epic as
grand and glorious as that of any which mortal
pen has ever traced or mortal tongue has ever told.
When asked of his early life, Mr. Crittenton
said: “My boyhood days were pleasantly spent
with a good father, mother, brothers and sister on
a farm in Jefferson county, New York State. I
remained there until I was nineteen years old, then
served one year as a clerk in a country store in
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CHARLES N. CRITTENTON.
Hendersonville, N. Y. Later, I went to New York
City, arriving there Sept. 27, 1854.”
“Did you have any plans as to your work in
the city?” Mr. Crittenton was asked, and in re
ply he said: “No, but on the day after my ar
rival I went into an undertaker’s store as clerk
where I remained for about eight months, then
went as a clerk into a medicine and fancy goods
business at 476 Broadway, where I remained until
1861. In April of that year I commenced business
by myself on a capital of Sixty Dollars.”
In reply to a question as to how he managed with
so small a capital, Mr. Crittenton replied that his
method was to solicit orders from retail druggists
for goods to be obtained at the wholesale mer
chants and then to deliver the goods promptly.
This he continued for a long time, doing business
on “a strictly cash basis,” said Mr. Crittenton,
and “thus I was able to keep my own books, car
rying them around in my pockets!”
Ihis seems an unusual plan as compared with
our modern business methods, but it was a success
ful one, as will be shown, for this story was con
tinued thus: “I was married in 1859, and then
my companion assisted me in many different lines,
and any success I had I always gave the credit to
her” said Mr. Crittenton, “on account of her in
dustrious disposition and economical nature. We
had three children. The youngest was little Flor
ence, who died March 18, 1882, aged four years,
lour months and four days. This placed me in an
attitude of rebellion against God, I saying often
to my wife, as I would see other parents with their
six, eight or ten children, ‘Why did not God take
one of their children instead of taking one of our
two?’ This revolt continued for many, many
months. AH the comfort I could get was in going
to Woodlawn Cemetery and shedding tears on the
little mound.”
“Just how long did this continue?” Mr. Critten
ton was asked.
“Until Oct. 20,” he replied. “On that day at
4 p. m., in my upper chamber at 2019 Fifth avenue,
New York, Jesus came into my life.”
The Beginning of the Great Mission Work.
“But did you take up your great work at once?”
was the next question.
‘Soon after, I was with a brother singing, pray
ing and talking with two erring sisters in a small
room in Baxter street, and when about to leave
them, I said to one of them, ‘Nellie, God bless you;
go and sin no more’; but a voice from God seemed
to ask, ‘Where is she to go? No door open for her
but the brothel.’ ”
And this was the beginning—how often the
words “Go, and sin no more,” have been used
without the unspoken question that followed it in
Mr. Crittenton’s heart! To him it meant a com
mand the fulfillment of which is told by himself as
follows:
“Soon after that night, in a back room of a
mission church in Grand street, a few Christian
gentlemen assembled, asked God to lead them, and
discussed the matter of opening a door for these
mother’s helpless girls. Officers were elected; the
Rev. John Goodby being president. A house was
rented that day at 29 Bleecker street, New York;
superintendent and matron were employed and the
work began at once.”
The Mother Mission.
“From that time until the present,” continued
Mr. Crittenton, “the door of what for years has
been termed the ‘Mother Mission,’ has never been
TWO DOLL AES A YEAE.
FIVE CENTS A COPY.