The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-03
ACTON PARK ASSEMBLY.
First Day of the Lecture Course-At-
tendance on the Grounds.
Interesting Lectures and Exercises-The
People Who Are There-Notes and
Incidents.

Hitherto the first two days of the annual meet-
! ing have been seriously disturbed by the
cottagers getting their houses in order for house
keeper, which state of affairs avoided this
year by the Assembly or lecture season begin
ming at noon, of yesterday, after all the hustle
| and confusion were over. Never has Acton
Park looked so beautiful as now. The grounds
are clean and the avenues OF trees make shady
arches overhead, while the cottages, a number
Of which are new, bright and more pic
| turesqHe than ever. There were fully 500
people there yesterday afternoon, and the even
| ing trains brought in large number of people
from Indian apolis, Shelbyville, Greensburg and
| other places The cottagers are comfortably pro-
| vfded for in every way. In this connection it
| should be said that the railroad company
through their officials have been doing every
thing that could be desired to add to the comfort
| and convenience of the jewellers at the
Park and their visitors, kin1nesses that are
fully appreciated. Telephone connection win
| probably be made between this city and the
Park to-day, which will be a great convenience.
There is also postoffice at the Park.
The Assembly services, or lecture course, be-
gan yesterday afternoon in the new tabernacle,
which is pretty ana airy building, seating l.
$50 persons. This capacity can be increased
800, without crowding. by placing chairs in the
spacious aisles. The acoustic properties of the
tabernacle, which is built in the form of a Greek
| cross, are perfect. The chapel, devoted chiefly
to praise meetings, which are held each morning
| at o'clock and each evening at O'Clock, seats
| 300 persons.
Mr. Will CumDack, OF the board of managers,
| opened the course, explaining TO the audience
that Miss Frances E. Willard had been unable to
get here to speak, as advertised, on the tenn
Gho fo Uoa IA
| ington Territory, on the shores of Pugets Sound,
| organizing btanches of the women's Christ
ian Temperance Union to carry on the
great work that rs being done well
here. He then introduced Mrs. NJ. L. Wells,
president of the W. c. t. U. of this State. Mrs.
Wells thought that In this day of civilization
and Christian enlighten ment and in this land
especially it was almost INSULT to talk to an
audience abnut the evils OF intemperance. 1t
is strange that such an evil should exist and
that it should be legalized vice, vice that has
| so premeated our political institutions that
parties and legislatures-even our national gov
vernment trembles before it. 1t is vice that
| is given a certificate of good moral charaete r
which is seen hanging up neatly framed In the
saloons of the land that it would seem to a
person who might drop here from another planet
that it was not the church or the school the
home but the saloon, the home destroyer, that
the government had delighted to honor The
speaker laid stress upon the fact that the liquor
question a home question and as a
were the greatest sufferers by reason
of the vice Of tntemperance had
a right to discuss. Mrs. Wells told
of an humble but earnest worker in the temper
| ance cause, poor colored woman in Indian
apolis who believed that the way to save her
race from drunkenness was to begin with the
little children and inculcate lessons OF temper
ance at early age. This woman Is Mrs. Hill,
widow with four children. who earns her Nv
ing at the washtub. She cannot write, but has
learned TO read little Last Sunday afternoon
was celebrated the first anniversary OF the work
begun by her among the colored children. She
and four others, all colored washwomen, have
organized two W. c. t. Unions, five Bands of
| Hone, of 3l7 children, and two industrial
schools, one of which contains 169 children and
| the other twenty. In these schools, which are
composed chiefly of girls, there are few little
| boys) the girls are taught to sew and do other
useful domestic duties, and the boys are also
| given light work. These duties are interspersed
| with temperance lessons and moral Instruction
The sessions are held once a week on Saturdays.
Mrs Hill and her co-workers bave also estab-
| lished unions and Bands of Hope at Franklin.
| Greenfield, Greencastle and Splceland.
Mrs Nichols, of Indianapolis, followed in an
| address vigorous and beautifpl. She did not
| treat the liquor question Its legal but in its
| social aspect, aud concluded her lecture with
| true story that created a decided sensation. She
said: In an orphan asylum under the care of
| the Womans Christian Temperance Union in 81.
/ Joseph county, this State, / saw little baby
| whom its mother had never seen. The father
| was drunkard, and in fit OF drunkenness had
| committed crime that brought him into the
| State prison at Michigan City. The mother was
| forced to make living for three children There
| came a time when she knew she would have to
| give up the care of those three children or give
up her unborn babe, Win IN a spirit OF sublime
| and maintain the best she could her three chill
| dren. But fearing the mother love would prove
| too strong II appealed 70 by single sight or
| touch of her baby, she asked the board of man
| ayers to take the babe away before she had seen
| 1t. Who Will make good to this mother as she
| goes about her daily toll the loss of her bahy's
| Kisses and caressesf When one has nuTscd q
| babe through sickness and then seen it taken
| away in the arms OF death wien one has stood
| by the little mound that entombed it and felt
| that Its face could not be seen again, and 1t so
near, none but the blessed Savior knows the
depth of agony In the mothers heart. But to
| know that ones baby lives and yet one has
| never seen 1t; to know that by walking little
| way one might fold 1t In the arms and yet may
| not do it; to know that it's baby smiles and
caresses will be given to those around, and not
| one smile or kiss to cheer the mothers heart or
| tighten the misery of her life TO know that If
| one could come upon it IT would turn away as
from stranger. All! this Is an agony pray no
woman who hears nae TINS day may ever know.
Last night Rev. John G.. Chaffee read poem,
"Winter Glow, an Idyl."
| The programme for to-day is as follows:
| 11:3o A. M-Rev. c. N. Sims. "The Philosophy
| "The Novels Read" P. Me-. W. HalfOrd,
| ssThe Newspaper as an Educator"
Rev. 7. Dewitt Talmage will lecture on Satur-
| day at p. NJ on "Big Blunders"
ACTON PARK DIRECTORY.
The following is directory of the cottagers,
chiefly heads of families:
| Armstrong Dr., Armstrong I. j., Aten Susie,
| Anderson Ida. Altman g. T., Allen J. j., Alexan-
der A. W, Alexander Dr., Allison III. c., Ander-
| SON J. 8.
Booth E., Brown W. g.. Brown s. c., Ballard
Clara, Beck A. T.. Beck G. C., Budd w s., Budd J.
R., Budd R. CT Braden j. 2, Bradep r, Bard
Bonner S. A.. BrackenW w.
Crossley Mrs. NJ F., Cook Mary, Clark Lon,
| Cheney c. W., Campbell j. s.. Cochran W. A.,
Cook Ora, Caylor j., Chaffee j. g., Conner J. B.,
| Cooper W. D., Clark John. Clark A. N. Conkin