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*"■— - T W S' FMQRwflff flk 111 Jkg& ~" ■■ ■ ' -■" . ■ ■■--■-■■ ■ t . . 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 T 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 ■ f < • ’WkwV * <. Jr ■ & / Bl® : , :-'7 ’■ ' •’ : ’ .A ’’ t 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.