Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-12-12
PRESIDENTS ANNUAL ADDRESS.
waiting-Trusting.

The story of the rise and progress
Of the Woman's Christian Temper
ance Union in Mississippi may ap-
pear wonderful to those who know
not the 'fsecret of the Lord" but to
those who have waited before Him
in faith, believing, His gracious
fulfllment of promise it is not
counted a strange thing. Many OF
us, doubtless, had been led to ex-
claim: 81 had tainted, unless [ had
believed to see the goodness of the
Lord in the land of the living"
During our waiting" time. our
hearts rested upon the promise,
Therefore will the Lord wait that
He may be gracious unto you, and
therefore will he be exaeted that he
may have mercy upon you, for
the Lord is a God of judgment,
blessed are all they that wait
for Him." Isaiah Both chapter,
18th verse. Not in idleness did
the trusting ones sit, for the Lord
was teaching our hands to war and
our fingers to fight. Some were
called to watch unto prayer" while
others went forth to work, and now
those who prayed, and those who
went forth for the warfare, bear
ing precious seed, rejoice together
at the abundant budding of what
promises to be a glorious harvest
"For God and Home and Native
Land"
Miss Willard.
Thrice did the beloved President
of the National w. C. L U. wend
her way through our State,
scattering Temperance seed, hoping,
trusting to see the day, when Mis-
issippi's daughters would heed the
bngle call for Home Protection. |
have not had the pleasure of hear
ing Miss Willard tell of those days
of pilgrimage. l only know she
came, and wherever she went. left
the imprint of her glorious mission.
Her heart rejoices over us to-day,
as does the heart of the White
Ribbon Band, of America, for it is
We'll k1iown to our sisters beloved.
that the talismanic w. G. L. u. has
spread her wings over our State.
Though we were not swift to respond
still since we have enlisted, it is for
the war, having come to the front,
have come to stay. We are not
yet sufficiently strong to cast out
eyes around comparing our work
with sister States for while we are
making rapid strides in that direc-
ton, we are not yet complete or
ganization.
First Organization.
The following extract from let
ter of the former State President,
Mrs. F. E. Steele of Corinth, will
give the first steps of our State
Union:
"In October, 1883, Miss Frances
E. Willard wrote us that she and
Miss Anna Gordon would be at
Corinth in November, and would
like to organize a State w. Q. L.
U. Col. Inge, DIR. Steele, Rev. j.
A. Bowen and others. took the mat
ter in hand, and advertised it as
much as they could. Miss Will
lard and Miss Gordon came Nov.
2lst, 1889, and lectured that after
noon and night, also the next morn
ing. The night of the 2lst, the
Mississippi State w. G. I. U. was
organized in the Cumberland Pres
byterian church. Without my
knowledge or desire, | was nomina-
ted for President, by the committee
appointed to make nominations for
all the offices: Mrs. Sallie E. Nc
Cloud for Corresponding Secretary,
Miss Mary Lowy Recording Secre-
tary and Miss Hall for Treasurer,
all of Corinth. We were all elect
ed of course. The reason all of the
officers We're chosen from Corinth
was that only one lady out side of
Corinth attended. Our local union
was organized the next morning and
has continued in active operation
up to the present time.
We made extensive efforts to
have State Convention Nov. 1st,
1884, at Winona, Miss, with re-
suits known to you. The work
was new to our women, and 1t
seemed almost impossible to arouse
them. I sent out earnest appeals
in November, 1883, urging the or
ganizations of local Unions all over
the State, giving some general in
structions as to how to manage.
We sent out an organizer, and part
ly organized several Unions, but
they soon fell through for lack of
help and information.
aBy a mere accident q? we heard
of you in the Summer of 1884,
and after some correspondence, you
were commissioned to represent our
State w. G. T. u. in the National
w. G. T. U. Convention at st.
Louis.
"The first Convention called to