The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-05-27
Bridport w. G. 7. U.

MRS, W. W. WlNCHEsihh . 'AhnDioAo'i
BELOVED SISTERS OF THIS UNION:
When YOU nominated me for your
nresident felt that with all my house,
hold cares, my parish duties and my
work with the children, it were unwise
for me to attempt anything more. But
Won very kindly offered to stand by me
and so far as possible relieve me of the
work to be done, and so nobly have
Won fulfilled this promise, that really
there have been no burdens for me to
bear.
You have exhibited SO much interest
and earnestness in the meetings, 80
much faithfulness in attending them,
in keeping the minutes, sending out
your reports and doing all the work of
the Union, that have anticipated each
meeting with new joy and delight, and
have become more closely united with
every one of you by the tender bonds
of love and sympathy than ever be-
fore.
Many, who have not been accustom-
ed to fill a prominent place in any of
our meetings heretofore, have taken
hold so willingly and energetically that
it has rejoiced my heart.
And here let me express to you my
warmest gratitude for your kind for
bearance with all my imperfections as
a leader, and your hearty cooperation
in the work.
am very, very thankful that such
an organization has been formed in our
midst, not only on account of the good
we hope il may accomplish; in saving
the Young and rescuing the perishing,
but also on account of the reflex influ-
ence upon ourselves.
What body of women Cor of mem
can thus meet together from month to
month, having the same holy purpose
in view, the same high aims and the
same hope of success, without being
drawn towards each other in mutual
fellowship and love, without being
made more holy and spiritual, caring
infinitely less for self and worldly
pleasures? Under such influences sec
tarianism, bitterness and wrangl;ng
will vanish, and give place to a health
full state of society; for the most active
growing christian Is one that gazes
lovingly into the face of Christ and
helpfully around upon humanity, in
stead of retiring within himself and
having his eye ever turned towards his
own interests. Have we not, even in
the short time which has interviewed
since our organization, by the reading
of books and papers, and the study of
topics given for discussion, become
better acquainted with facts and princi-
Piles, and learned to love better the
work, and to feel more interest in the
cause of temperance?
Has not every mother beeh led to see
more clearly the importance of home
influence and that it is her duty to
mark out lines of work and study,
which will keep ever before her mind
the fact that the body is sacred, design
ed to be the fit temple for the Holy
Ghost, and to carefully cultivate habits
of purity and temperance in everything
pertaining to the household?
Let me urge you then, dear sisters, to
go forward! In the name of Christ
and looking to Him for strength and
guidance, 60 on; and let the hope of
success rouse and stimulate you to ear
nest effort against King Alcohol and
all the evils in his train. Make your
meetings more interesting, inform
yourselves, enlighten the ignorant.
arouse the indifferent, and win over
the prejudiced, bringing them one by
one to engage in active labor, in full
sympathy with our Union.
Woman's work is beginning to be
recognized and appreciated. She is
finding her true place, as never before,
in all the religious and benevolent ope-
rations of the day. There is hardly a
paper which does not contain some
glowing account of their success and
some high commentator of their
work. AS writers and speakers thew
compare favorably with the other sex
Some gentlemen of taste and Judgment
praise emphat'cally the temperance ad.
dresses given by lady in our own
county. Women are admirably fitted
by nature, with hearts full of sympa.
thy and kindness, with energy, pa.
thence, perseverance and tact, TO reach
and influence many who could not be
won by those possessing sterner qua Ii.
ties. Says one writer, if you silence the
women you cut off the right arm of the
church and rob her of more than hall
her power. Allow me to give a some
what lengthy quotation from DR.. w
w. Patton, "Woman has an intuition
of the goodness of man or of cause
which is often accurate, and is ALWAYS
an incentive to effort. She has also 4
romantic devotion in her nature which
makes her worshiper, an enthusiast
and, If need be, a martyr. There
are no more self-sacrificing patriots
than women, no more earnest parti.
sans, no more thorough deyotees
How warmly they entered Into the late
civil war, on both sides! What a now.
er they have always been in the Chris.
tiah Church by reason of their imagina.
ton, their faith, their enthusiasm. fhei,
fortitude, and their affection!
"That pastor is weak indeed. and
sorely TO be pitied, who has no circle
OF admiring and sympathizing ladies.
who are neither weak-minded nor svc.
ophantic, but who appreciate Christian
character, intellectual ability. RIGHT
ideas, and faithful labor, and are moi
ashamed to show it. Their coarser-
minded, money-getting or place seeking
husbands are often too busy to think.
feel or act in this direction, and the
atmosphere OF cooperation and encour-
agement about the pastor is left 10 be
created Dy ladies OF Intelligence and
piety. Blessed is the man and tbe
cause which they champion! And have
not the churches of all denominations
learned to value highly the organized
cooperation OF women? What a testi-
mony is borne in This respect by the
large and fruitful Woman's Board of
Missions in each branch of the church
fruitful in self-denying labors, at home
and abroad, as we'll as in contributions
of money! 'o'
What newvigor also have they infus-
ed into the temperance cause. basino
their efforts on distinctively Christian
principles and methods? The Single
example of one woman, Mrs. President
Hayes, quietly but effectually given