Woman's chronicle. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1888-1???, 1888-11-03
THE FIFTEENTH ANNUAL CONVENTION
Of the National Woman's Christian Tenn
perance Union--NeW York. Oct. 1923.

1t is noteworthy page in history that in 1888
the largest organized society OF women in the world
should be invited to hold its convention in Ameri
cas- largest city, For days. representatives of over
100000 women, from nearly all states and terri
tores-Aaska included-had turned their faces
toward New York. Poetic justice, too, in the
opening of the Metropolitan Opera House to body
of women only, since no less distinguished body
of men lately converting within it's walls felt COM
PEELED to deny admittance to women delegates. A
new definition of chivary, having most kindly
feminine meaning, belongs to the encyclopedia of
this age, as our account will show. 1t was most
successful convention in numbers, 405 delegates
and officers being in attendance, besides hundreds
of visitors from neighboring states. GAS is the
New York press, so is the worlds opinion of the
convention said one, and so, weeks before, Miss
Mary Seymour, of New York, personally won the
leading papers to conception of what the conven-
ton would be, and large force of reporters were
furnished, supplying the city papers and associated
press with full and accurate accounts. The few
criticisms sent out in advance served to awaken
more interest, and even the immense opera house
was many times crowded.
1t is the hour of convention, Friday morning,
October 10. The devotional services have been
conducted by the well-known evangelist, Miss s.
NJ. |. Henry, of Illinois upon the large platform
are seated Miss Willard, the national president and
by her side Mrs. Judge Thompson, ''the mother of
the crusade" Before them, upon the table, the
old leather-covered Bible, from which the Crusade
Psalm was read that memorable morning, Deem
Der 23, 1873, when 'the seventy went out two
by two. The other officers in convenient near
ness to this central table, and upon the platform
also score or more of distinguished leaders of the
W. c. T. U. The five galleries are decorated with
flags, and the lower tiegs.with shields of states,
with here and there a W. c. T. U. banner. Near
200 lights umine the scene, bringing out the gold
of the walls and balconies, the maroon of the up
holstery and the delicate green of the palms ranged
along the platform. An organ occupied the left
side, and cornet band near seems impatient to
test the acoustic properties of the immense build
ing.
Miss Willard and Mrs. Thompson are holding the
old Bible, reading verse by verse with the audience
the Crusade Psalm and ''Give to the Winds Thy
Fears rolls out from the golden comets and hun
dreds OF voices. How different from the trembling
tones of the few Crusaders!
After the usual prelminaries, moment was given
towelcome Neal Dow, ''tlle Father of Prohibition"
He expressed the conviction that the time was not
far distant when the cause of temperance would
triumph, but that ''f we are to have deiverance
from the traffic of intoxicating liquors in this coun-
try, it will be in no other way than through the
ballot box in the hands of women"
Miss Wizards annual address was received with
the closest attention, and frequent and prolonged
applause. We can only quote few sentences:
"Next to God, the greatest organizer is the
mother, She who sends forth from the sanctuary
of her own being little child has organized agreat
spiritual world and set it moving in the orbit of
unchanging law. When | graduated
from college in 1885, there was not on the face of
the earth, venture to say-certainly there wasnot
in my native land, the most progressive land of all
"a national society of women. We worked on in
weakness and secluson, in loneliness and isolation
But we learned at last the gracious secret that has
transformed the world for men and made them