DEDICATION OF BETH-ADRIEL.
We now busied ourselves putting our new home in order. It was a
blessed, blessed day, that day on which the dedicatory exercises took
place (Nov. 22, 1904). They were participated in by an immense
gathering of representative men and women, and account of which you
may, if you so desire, read in the San Jose and San Francisco dailies
of that evening and succeeding morning. Amongst others who delivered
addresses was my now personal friend, Mrs. Mary Hayes-Chynoweth, the
report of whose speech it gives me pleasure to quote:
She expressed her thankfulness at being present and seeing so many
interested in a line in which she had been working over fifty years.
She emphasized the necessity of having the spiritual life of God in the
heart to live a Christ-like life. She spoke trenchantly of the need of
purity, not only on the part of young girls, but young men and old men,
too. She bespoke the help of all for those engaged in this work.
Young men need much attention, too. If they had more, there would be
less need to work for women. If the heart is pure, no temptation
outside can have the power to overcome. If every man were in that
condition, there would be no temptation for girls. Let all work
together, men and women, nor one think or claim to be better than the
other, etc.
The pastors of all the denominations were present, some making brief
addresses, and a most excellent program was enjoyed by all.
For some time my work, with the exception of taking an occasional trip
after some dear child, lay in the immediate suburban towns, or in San
Jose proper, so that I was able to spend Thanksgiving, Christmas, and
New-Year with our now large family. In February, 1905, I again started
out on a protracted trip, through central California, making brief
stops to address audiences in Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Mateo, and,
before going further, Redwood City. There was no trouble now to obtain
a church in the latter town in which to plead the cause so dear to my
heart. The only trouble was that the building could not admit the
overflow of people. Thence I went to San Francisco. There I was warmly
received by dear Sister Kauffman, whose hospitality I accepted whilst I
was filling church engagements and visiting once more the county jail
No. 3. Numberless were the questions propounded by the inmates. Many
had gone, but alas! many more had filled their places. The work
promised to be endless.
It was early in May when I returned to San Jose. No sooner had I
arrived than the chief of police telephoned me to come to his office at
my earliest convenience. This was by no means uncommon. Frequently
Chief Carroll had some one whom he preferred should have the benefits
of Beth-Adriel rather than be sentenced to a term in jail.
I hurried to town and was soon in conference with him concerning a
young woman that had arrived in San Jose that morning with a youth, who
was caught in the act of trying to secure lodging for her in a
disreputable house. Evidently it was her first incarceration behind
iron bars. When we approached her cell, we could hear her screaming and
crying with both fear and distress. Upon seeing me, she ceased
temporarily. I put my arm about her in tender pity and tried to say
words of comfort. The Chief had informed me that she had applied to the
health officer for medicine as soon as placed in a cell, her physical
condition being by no means good, in consequence of the sinful life she
had been living. I prevailed upon him to have her committed to
Beth-Adriel, where she was taken late that afternoon.
At the time we had a new matron, of whom I had heard through
correspondence with the board, but had only just met. My impression of
her was by no means satisfactory, nor was I wrong in my estimate, for
she telephoned to my lodgings to say that, on account of this poor
girl's physical condition, I should have to remove her _immediately_.
On receiving this word, I made application and obtained a pass from one
of the supervisors for her admission into the county hospital, and then
went to Beth-Adriel to convey her thither. Poor, poor child! That
matron had barely allowed her to sleep under the roof, and at daylight
had ordered her out on to the back porch and there had given her her
breakfast in discarded dishes. In fact, the matron treated her as
though she had leprosy or smallpox. By the grace of God I kept silence,
but resolved what should be done when the board convened the following
week.
I left Martie at the hospital, only to receive word before the day was
over that I had made another mistake, that they did not take cases like
hers. "What is a county hospital for?" I inquired of the one who was
talking to me over the telephone. Answer: "Mrs. Roberts, were we to
take in those kind of cases [venereal] there wouldn't be a building in
California large enough to receive them. We're sorry, but _she must_ be
removed from here." However, as it was late, they isolated her for me
until the morning. In the meanwhile I again conferred with the chief of
police, and also I received a severe reproof from the supervisor for
not informing him of the nature of poor Martie's complaint.
Upon our discovering that she came from Oakland, Alameda County, I was
requested to remove her early the following morning to that place. Poor
wronged child! She was perfectly pliant in my hands. I felt as though I
could not be tender enough. On the train she told me her story.
Her father and another man were hung by a vigilance committee in
northern California for highway robbery and murder. The shock and
horror of this cost her mother her life. Martie was an orphan as soon
as she came into the world. Her grandmother cared for her two years,
and then she died. On her death the baby was placed in the Salvation
Army home for homeless children at Beulah. At the age-limit (fourteen)
she was hired out as domestic for a lady about to become a mother, who,
as soon as able again to resume her household duties, discharged the
girl. Then Martie began to drift. No one really cared for the poor
wronged child. For about a year she procured one temporary situation
after another in inferior places, visited cheap vaudeville shows and
dances, and made the acquaintance of undesirable people, amongst whom
was the young man now awaiting trial for vagrancy in San Jose.
Upon reaching Oakland, I at once repaired with my charge to the office
of the chief of police. He referred me to the mayor, who, in turn,
referred me to the supervisors. Not knowing any of the latter, I threw
myself on the kind mercies of the chief, who, after much difficulty,
succeeded in locating one; and late in the afternoon I procured a pass
for Martie into a certain ward of the county infirmary of Alameda
County.
Rest assured I did my utmost in the short while at my command to convey
the Master's message of love and pardon for her and "whosoever will";
promised to write, also soon to visit her; and then, my heart heavily
weighted, bade the poor, wronged girl farewell. It was indeed and in
truth farewell. I never again laid eyes on her, for she disappeared
within two days, and not until I read two years ago of her death by
carbolic acid, did I learn the ultimate fate of this another victim of
pre- and post-natal conditions.
In consequence of this and other similar cases that were being refused
the home, I realized that we must have a sanitarium on our grounds as
soon as the bulk of the debt had been wiped out.
On returning, I had a heated discussion with our board, only succeeding
in gaining the reputation of being rather ill-tempered and hard to
please. But oh! dear reader, I was not. I was only zealous, so zealous
for the cause. God knows. Nevertheless, I refused to work until they
promised to be on the lookout for a more efficient matron;
consequently, the next time I met with them, an elderly couple, husband
and wife, were in charge. I perceived, however, that the work was
drifting from its original purposes and fast becoming that for which it
was not incorporated--a maternity home. This tendency was hardly
perceptible at first, but ere-long I discovered to my keen sorrow that
apparently much of my labor had been in vain. What to do or what course
to take I did not know. I prayed earnestly and continued to work,
though with less fervor than at the first. How could I? During my
absence such new rules and regulations were being adopted as made it no
easy matter for any needy girl to become an inmate of Beth-Adriel.
Feeling, after constant prayer, that my loving Lord would have me
exercise patience and forbearance until the annual board meeting in
January (it was now November). I refrained from further interference or
discussion, and again put a distance between them and me, though I kept
in constant communication with several of the family.