The Portland daily press., 1885-09-30
W. C. T. U.
Tenth Annual Convention of the
Society.
Interesting Proceeding of the Open
ing Session Last Night.

the hall of the Young Mems Christian Association
last evening. An audience which completely fill
ed the room, gathered at IAN early hour and the
social hour preceding the formal exercises was
passed in renewing old friendships, making new
ones, and interchanging greetings.
The Portland ladies were present in large num-
bers to meet their guests from other parts of the
State. The 0rpheus orchestra entertained the
audience with selections at intervals. Among 9th
er prominent temperance workers in the State we
noticed tire State President, Mrs, L. M. N. Stew
ems of Stroudwater; the Corresponding Secretary
Miss S. c. Lord of Kennebunk; the Recording
Secretary, Miss c. NJ Farewell of Rockland; the
Treasurer, Mrs. H. N. Jones of East Winthrop
Mrs. Hunt of Portland, Mrs. Lucy A. SwitZer and
Miss r. s. Grinstead of Washington Territory
Mrs. Crossman of Bangor, Mrs. S. s. Brooks OF
Augusta, Mrs. Tenney of Houlton, Mrs Dr. Whit
more of Dexter, Mrs. Delano of Bath, Mrs. Nor
cross of Oldtown, Miss Vose of Denneysville Mrs
Stickney of Brownfield, and Mrs. L. W. Weston
of Skowhegan.
About half past eight Mrs. Stevens called the
meeting to order and after pleasant reference to
the social pleasures they had been enjoying intro
duced Mrs. Hunt to deliver the address of vel
come. Mrs. Hunt responded in the following
graceful language:
MRS. HUNTS ADDRESS.
Dear Friends and Associates:
About three months ago our citizens We'd will
each other IN endeayors to extt nd a fitting wei
come TO the Grand Army of the Republic. Tri
umphal arches were erected, houses decorated
with flags and bunting, and the whole city was
clad IN festival array The air was full of pleas
uraDle excitement and even nature seemed tC
feel the spirit of jubilee. She wore for our vis
tors her freshest robe of green, While through the
cleareSt of blue skies the summer sunshine shed
its benedictiOn upon all. For days the sound of
martial music was heard in our streets; and it re
viyed the thrill in our hearts, we felt it in the
old times when the going or returning regiments
marched with drum and trumpets along the same
ways.
How quietly this other band of soldiers-the
Maine regiments-of the Grand Army of Temper
ance has come into our city! But although nc
gaily decorated streets and no martial music greet
YOU not whit less are you welcome, no less
heartfelt is our pleasure in receiving you as belov
ed comrades and honored guests. And we trust
that it will not pass with you as breach of cour-
tesy If we say to you at meeting, that you have
come to city where Prohibition is not dead
statute, nor would we find you over sensitive five
rely upon your honor to help us keep good order
In this community. Together we can recount the
victories won, and the defeats which have sadden
ed us; aud while we remember these things we
can encourage our each Others hearts to stronger
our plans and tolls, and in His own good time ena
BILE us tofree our country from slavery worse
than that which ended with our civil war. Fol
such purpose you have come; and cordially do
we welcome you to our councils and to our city
1t has been said with pride that Maine never lost
Maine Regiment hold fast to its colors! If some
times the standard seems dim or torn, let us re.
member that this is but the sign and fate of bat
tie! Shoulder | 0 shoulder in the ranks, may the
daughters of Maine be as loyal as its sons!
Never forgetting that in this as in all great con
fllcts Mlton only is STRENGTH may we never lose a
nag. Our gathering this fall is one of special sig
nificance. We celebrate the tenth anniversary Of
our organization, and also the centennial of tenn
Benjamin Rush Of Philadelphia, wrote medical
treatise against the use of alcohol, which marked
the beginning OF the temperance reform in this
country. When we consider the well known and
sad fact that woman has always been the greatest
sufferer from the misery caused by intemperance
does It not seem strange that nearly ninety years
OF sucn suffering were required to reveal to wonl-
en- their duty upon this question? Before our
union was formed there had been bands of women
Good Telnplars and Reform Clubs; and perhaps
we do not always realize how much we owe them
for preparing the way fol the larger work of wOn-
an in the temperance cause In general way
we were acquainted with the vast ruin which in
temperance had caused; and thrill of horror
would seize us when we read about the terrible
~ traced to strong drink as their cause. When
the annual statistics of death from liquor in the
United States were brought before us, we seemed
paralyZed with the same fear which chis our
blood today at the reports of the ravages of the
cholera in Europe. But it all seemed so far away
from our own sphere and work. What could the
women OF the land, carefully guarded as they
were from such experiences, do about it, or why
should they try to do anything. But a little more
women III western city. 1t was cry deep and
loud, and 1t told us that no onger were the vic
TINS OF lntemperance to be found in the foreign or
lower elements of society," but that cultured homes
had been invaded and their husbands and sons
were being drawn into the net. Then the women
OF the country formed themselves into great
home guard, and hand of magnetic sympathy
was extended from the North South and East to
the women OF the West This is why the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union exists; and the two
hundred thousand women who now constitute its
membership have reyerently placed their white
ribbon between the red and the blue of the other
on the national flag their motto, 'sFor God. and
Home and Native Land"
The following words of George Eliot fifty ex-
press the motive of every woman. who has enlisted
for life in this Grand Army The only ardent
hope have for my future life is to have given me
some womans duty, where ! may see daily re-
suit of pure, calm blessedness in the life OF an
other" va
Not seeking publicity, but, if it perchance
seems necessary, accepting it as one of life's hard
duties, we desire in every Womanly way. to make
our organization worthy of its motto. We would
so protect not QHly our own homes, but all homes,
country may indeed be made free from its most
appallinglyicc. If we succeed in this, deeper
significance will be given to the fact, that the re-
presentation of liberty is by the statue of wo-
man. We sometimes feel in reading the record
Of tine Pilgrim Fathers, too little is said of the
Pilgrim Mothers, But there will be little danger
tnat history VIII not give due reverence to the
American mothers of this 10Th century. Pre-
eminently is it our duty so to direct and educate
Oui lIley Snail form q reserve guard
IN our temperance work. Disappointment and
half hearted friends we must expect to meet
Sometimes where we thought to find cooperation
we shall experience the partial defeat of our best
laid plans. 1t is so in this city to-day where the
temperance instruction which we had right to
demand in our schools, is given in text books
couraged, but pray that God may help us to call
up the reserves. They are more than a million Of
cnidren pledged to the principles of total alb
stnence. Ihey will help us to win the day.
There is an impressive legend of that most
beautiful flower the blue fringed gentian of our
New New England fields; An angel flying near the
drop of dew from its azure cup. The flower re-
fused, shutting its selfish petals closely together
In SORROW the angel passed to another flower, to
entrcat the same charity. The second gentian
gave her best, opening wide her flower, and spar
ing no drops Of its heaven filled chalice. SO the
angel gave it in gratitude the ornament of the de-
Hcate blue fringe which is still its sweetest
charm-while to the selfish gentian came the
doom that her petals should remain forever
closed. Cannot we read in this a most instructive
lesson? Do not those who shut their hearts to all
appeals for aid and sympathy, make their own
time, service, and money to help their brothers,
not only bless the objects of their love- but make
thelr own horizon broader, and their homes more
beautiful.
IN othing is easier than to find fault nothing so
dlfncult to do as some real work. If we need
more encouragement than seems to come to us,
may we not ind it in the lesson of this legend,
the result to Higher Power.
OHcS HlOTe Ill DeIidH Oh Lne HOrtldnQ Union,
extend to you, each and all, heartfelt welcome.
Mrs. Stevens then introduced Mrs. c. F. A John
son OF Pressure Isle, prefacing the Introduction
with complimentary allusion to the work the
latter has been doing in the Northern part of the
State in the interest of temperance. Mrs. John
son was applauded on rising and spoke as follows:
MRS. JoHNsoN's RESPONSE.
Mrs President and Sisters of Portland:
On behalf of these visitors and friends of our w.
c. L. U,1 extend to you hearty thanks, for this ex-
preston of welcome to your beautiful city and to
your homes. And yet, it its as might have been
expected-you can scarcely surprise us with your
generous hospitality, for is it not the very thing
we look for, and only the natural outcome of the
training we have all received, in this school of
good fellowship, in the interest of which, we are
here convened? So then, were you indebted to
great heartedness, the lack of it, as members of
this body would be more conspicuous by far and
more extraordinary, that the exhibition of the
finest feeling.
Sacred indeed. and just cause for self-respect,
Is the character for which we stand, in the capa-
city Of Woman's Christian Temperance Union.
Could four words express. more? Their very ut
terance implies exaltation of character. Wewho
have timid1y perhaps joined hands under this
broad hammer n