Fighting the Traffic in Young Girls; Or, War on the White Slave Trade
History
Fighting the Traffic in Young Girls; Or, War on the White Slave Trade
Prostitution
But I saw that such a course would open one to grave misunderstandings.
It is not according to the accepted order that a minister of a large
city church should browse around the slums and visit in the brothels.
The saloons were not a part of his expected field of labor. It was
prudent and indeed necessary that the Church should speak its own mind
in these matters. Therefore the whole problem was laid before the Board
of Deacons and later before the Church itself, with the result that the
Church voted most heartily that the Pastor should feel free to use one
day a week in such labors on behalf of the fallen and outcast as he
might feel led to do. Further the Church placed the work of the Midnight
Mission upon its regular calendar for 4 per cent of all the missionary
funds, contributions to be made quarterly towards its work, thus putting
the city-saving work on a level with every other missionary enterprise
of the denomination. So was the Pastor given the endorsement of his
people. Such action provided ample protection and was as wings for the
accomplishing of the gigantic tasks set for a small band of heroic men
and women. The Church was kept informed from time to time as to the
progress of the midnight work. Care was taken not to allow this work to
become a mere fad, but it was so presented as to rank with every other
ministry of the Church. The young people were not drawn into this type
of work at all, as it was not deemed advisable to take young people into
the streets of sin where the fight against the White Slave Traffic was
being waged. Earnest warnings were given the young folk and the young
men were especially instructed in the dangers and allurements of the
scarlet woman. Thus the Church was related to this needed warfare in
both a physical and spiritual manner. The results upon the Church are
most striking and satisfactory. It can be said with full agreement that
the outcasts need the Church, but it is equally true that the Church
needs this kind of service and without it suffers a loss of sympathy and
aggressiveness that is fatal to the peace and prosperity of the Church.
A Church ought to die fighting itself that refuses to give battle to the
White Slave Traders! Shame on the minister and the Church that is
indifferent under the revelations that are made every day showing to
what depths the vile creatures of the red light districts have sunken to
gain a little more of cruel gold! God will not hold guiltless men and
women who, hearing the stifled cries of the enslaved, heed them not! It
behooves the sons and daughters of the brave men who freed the black
slaves to rise in another and holier crusade to free the white slaves
from a bondage blacker and more damning than any the world has yet
known. Yes, it is high time that every preacher of the Gospel
investigated the conditions of his own city and town.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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