The Rise and (Sudden) Fall of the New York Magdalen Society: How a Methodist Doctor Upset the Entire City of New York

Authors

• Philip Hardt, Asbury Theological Seminary

Abstract

In the 1820s, several new interdenominational societies distributed Bibles and tracts, formed Sunday Schools, and launched missions in areas of the city that lacked a religious presence. Another society called the New York Magdalen Society (hereafter, NYMS) was formed on January 1, 1830, to rescue women from prostitution. To be sure, this society was greatly needed as this activity had been steadily increasing. Their primary focus was a dilapidated area known as the “Five Points.” Purchasing an asylum (i.e., a large house), they started to accept women who sincerely wanted to change. Yet, their first annual report, issued in July 1831, turned most of the city against them because of its supposedly “lewd” contents, overly high estimate of prostitutes, and its total silence on economic issues. Besides these relatively mild criticisms, several other less obvious reasons seemed to account for the outraged response. Ultimately unable to withstand the constant attacks, the society soon went out of existence.

DOI

10.7252/Journal.01.2026S.06

Recommended Citation

Hardt, Philip (2026) "The Rise and (Sudden) Fall of the New York Magdalen Society: How a Methodist Doctor Upset the Entire City of New York," The Asbury Theological Journal: Vol. 81: No. 1, p. 98-117.
Available at: https://place.asburyseminary.edu/asburyjournal/vol81/iss1/7