West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1881-11-09
CHRISTIAN WOMANHOOD.
In Council in the National Capital.
Eighth Annual Session of the WO-
mans National Christian
Temperance Union.

inclusive, the christian women Of
the country, in council in the Ma
tional Capital, were at once the
sensation Of Washington City, the
feared and ri,liculed by the avari-
ciouSiy-wicked OF the land, and es-
pecially the lnxiously-watch he'd and
prayel-for Of all the good men and
women all this great country
over The Woman's National
Christian Temperance Union,
met in its eighth annual session, on
Wednesday, Oct 26, in Foundry
Church, Washington, with a grand
delegation Of noble women from all
parts of the country, mum bering in
all two hundred and sixty-one, be-
sides visitors.
The sessions, lasting through the
week, were harmonious, enthusiast
tic, and full of promise and inspira-
ton for the future.
Miss Francis e. Willard, Presi-
dent, was the central figure Of the
Convention, as she is and has been
the central inspiration of the reli-
gion of Prohibition, especially in
the South, during the year past.
A three-days Convention Of three
hundred women could not help be-
ing full of rich incidents and
charming episodes We wish we
could give West Virginia readers
all the details of what was done and
said by these earnest christian
mothers, wives, sisters and daugh-
ters
For this issue we can only Gull
few good things from this grand
National feast Of good cheer and en-
enlargement to all the good people
of the land.
Soon after the Convention was
called to order, Miss Willard arose
and said she would now introduce
one who had done as much for the
good cause of temperance as any
body in the country. ut is need
less to say" said Miss Willard,
chat | refer to our dear, beloved
sister, Miss Anthony" Miss An
thony in short speech urged those
present to use theirinfuence to put
down
THE DEMON INTEMPERANCE.
"Give the ballot to the women"
said Miss Anthony, "and | warrant
you that we will crush the life out
of the monster intemperance."
Applause.
At the conclusion of Miss Antho-
ny's speech, Miss Morrison, of Indi-
ana, rising to what she claimed was
a question of privilege, walked up
to the platform, and going up to
Miss Anthony, placed her hand on
that lady's shoulder, and pointing
to the picture of the late President
Garfield, said, "Our late lamented
President, in the moment of his
greatest triumph, kissed his aged
mother" She then imprinted the
most
LOVING KISS UPON THE CHEEK OF
MISS ANTHONY,
and retired to her seat amid deaf
ening applause.
Miss Willard then introduced to
the audience her mother, whom she
stated had come all the way from
the prairies Of Illinois to be present
at the Convention. Every one in
the church arose, and Miss Willard
gently and affectionately entwin-
ing her arms around the neck of
her aged mother, said "This is
THE DEAR OLD HEART THAT NEVER
FAILED ME.
How we'll | can remember, before
was a christian woman, how my
dear mother knelt by my side and
prayed for my salvation" 'Last
night" continued Miss Willard,
"when met my mother at the de-
pot surrounded by about sixty no
BILE temperance ladies from the
West, my heart leaped for JOY"
Miss Willard, while delivering this
short speech, almost broke down,
and, indeed, there was scarcely
dry eye to be seen in the whole CON
gregation.
STATES REPRESENTED.
The following States were repre-
sented in the Convention by dele