Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-12-12

uCSJ lICIO III 4OOO1 WAOA OeobO w
G. T. U. was organized, as well as
the one in Winona, 1884, were
mass conventions and not delegate
conventions as Mrs. Chaplin and
others supposed.
Gas to my continuance in Office
against my written protest, my res
ignation and your appointment to
the Presidency, you know ALL"
This communication gives us the
beginning of things as to State
work. There were two or more
local Unions or had been previous
to this time, one still survives, of
which our Recording Secretary will
give account.
When | received Mrs. Steele's
letter in October, 1884, asking
that / would represent the State w.
c. T. U. at the National Conven-
ton, 1 had never heard of the State
organization, and OF course was sur
prised at the request. My reply
was that / was the Lords, and He
could send me whithersoever He
willed in His service, for l had
ever regarded this glorious work
as vine of His own planting. 1t
had been dear to my heart since the
"Crusade Days." when an invalid
"shut in" ! had crept to the closet
many times a day, to pray with
those who were going into the sa-
looms to pray. Althoug | had less
than weeks notice, the dear Lord
made it plain to me that | must go.
Some of you have heard me tell
how He made known His will.
Blessed reality His promise II
will direct thy work in truth" +"
Dear sisters, would that / could
convey to you some idea, some
impression Of that grand Conven-
ton. l sat in amazement to see
what the Lord had wrought. In
stead of a frail vine, leaning upon
man for support, beheld one of
wondrous growth, beautiful to look
upon, clinging to the Rock OF Ages,
into whose "cleft for meS the ten
drills had crept, out of reach of the
streaming blast of opposition con-
tinuously hurled against their God
given mission. Never before had
l so appreciated: GLOW firm
foundation, ye saints Of tine lord" !"
or Crock of Ages, cleft for me-" as
when l heard it sung by that won
derful body of women, gathered to-
gether in His name, from every
State in the Union. The power
of God rested upon them, and was
it strange that one who was hun
gering and thirsting came away full,
too full to contain the blessing.
There and there I renewed my
conservation to the work for the sal
vation of the homes of our land,
for the homes of our own Missis-
sippi to save them from the Rum
demon, which had so long been let
loose upon US, entering every place
held most dear to woman, blIghting,
cursing from the cradle to hoary
hairs, all who came within reach Of
poisonous fangs.
First Mass Convention of Mississippi.
The Convention at Winona was
to meet two days after the close of
the National. Miss Willard pur.
posed attending, but owing to the
illness of her private secretary, Miss
Gordon, she could not come. She
sent in her place our beloved Su-
perintendent Southern work, Mrs
S. F. Chaplin, and Mrs. G. B. Buel,
Corresponding Secretary National
w. G. T. U. ] had been requested
by the Columbus local to represent
it at Winona. So l had the pleas
ure of accompanying the ladies to
Mississippi. We found Winona
thrown open to entertain the Con-
vention. The speakers were there
and everything ready, but where
was the Convention 3? Only two
representatives from the State-at-
large. Bro. L. E. Hall, of Sbubuta
and myself. / will not attempt to
tell how / felt about our women
falling to respond. I knew it was
just fer need of being aroused, not
that we were lacking in good earn
est, true women, who only needed
to be informed and told what a
door the Lord had opened. So
there again I gave myself anew to
the work for our State.
Mrs. s. F. Ckppin-Mrs. Buel.
A letter from Mrs. Steele, Presi-
dent, telling of her own i'll health
and sickness in her family, were suf-
fcient reasons for her absence. Our
Mrs. Chaplin and Mrs. Buell.
"pIucked victory from defeat" as
Mrs. Chaplin wrote to Union Sig
nal. They had crowded l,ouses day
and night. It did seem that the
country had turned out to hear
them. Much and lasting good
was accomplished. After two days
at Winona, they visited other places,
some of which are represented here
to-day. We know the labors of our