The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-03-08
RELIEF CORPS NEWS.
Gleanings from National Headquar-
terS---NOtes from the Departments.
THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT IN NEW ENGLAND.

teTS---NOlpS lTODl tlt departments.
THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT IN NEW ENGLAND.
Word comes from Massachusetts that Emma
Stark Hampton, National President, w re,
who was in New England for three weeks
making official visits to the Departments Of
Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and
Rhode Island, had a most enjoyable visit. Dur
ing her stay of nearly two weeks in Boston and
vicinity, she was right royalty entertained by
the Department officers of the W.RC. and COM
rades of the GAR, prominent among whom
were Past Department Commander George S.
Evans, Comrades Il. b. Shilling Whose guest
she was, Charles ID. Stiles, and many others
Mrs. Hampton besides being in attendance at
the Department Convention, was enabled to
visit the beautiful Massachusetts Soldiers
Home; the Corps at Cambridgeport, where she
met the representatives of many Corps the
Reunion of the Gettysburg Association in Bos-
ton, and a reception rendered her by Corps 6S,
of Dorchester. AT each of these places the Ma
tiOnal President expressed herself as being very
much pleased with the cordiaity of her recep-
ton by her sisters of the Department of Mas
sachusetts W.R.C., and the comrades of the
Department of Massachusetts, GAR. The re-
| firing President, Mrs. Parker, and the new
Department President Mrs Lowd. did every
| thing possible to make her visit pleasant one.
NO NOVELTY SHOW.
The best initial article for the W.RC col
umns of this issue is the following from the
able and comprehensive address of Sarah G.
Mink, Department President of New York, de-
livered in fifth Department Convention:
The time has come when the novelty of our
ganization has worn away. 1t came to us in yari-
Gus aspects; to some it pleasant episode,
varying the monotony of the home life to others
it came n social feature, but to the many it came
work, reviving in their hearts all the earnest
ness of the days of '6I to '65. To the women who
in those dark days laid their best gifts the altar
| of their country, and from whose lives all the
brightness taken and nothing left to them but
| the memory of their loved ones-to these women
| it came as acousecrated work which they took up
because of the love they still cherished for the boys
who laid on the Southern battlefield in prison pen
| or meath the ocean wave. Many mother whose
! heart cries =" Dead! of them shot by the in
the East, and one of them shot in the West by the
/ seq deadl both my boys" takes up the work for
/ some others boy, and in mnstering lightens her
sorrow and others burdens. Do you ask 10 there
need for our work? Ask the father who, crippled
and diseased is unable to provide for the family
| who needs his care; ask the poor widowed mother
who is struggling TO sustain life ask the children
| if you by all your kindness give them back
| their fathers love; ask the man who dared to
/ love his country and be poor and then answer
the question. Our work lies all about US. Shall
we not work while the day lasts, for soon the
night cometh."
We face daily the wants which made us auxiliary
| to the Grand Army of the Republic. But in our char
| lty work do not let us forget Loyalty-loyalty to
| God to man and TO our dear old flag Talk it, teach
it, live il, and then Americas mothers need never
blush for their For these principles to
work and never grow weary, and we shall find our
reward in the uplifting of our Order and the pro-
motion of its objects To us women if we work in
! the true spirit of motto, will come broader
views of life. higher Christian character and no.
bier womanhood ] believe that through the w.
| re will come higher development of the pow
which exercised through the various offices
of the work
DECISIONS OF THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT.
Can Past President of Corps or Department,
/ W 10 removed Department n
/ other, taking her transfer and becoming member
of another Corps carry her honors with her and be
! entitled to vote IN Convention because OF said
| past rank
Answer: She cannot.
Can Past President of Corps or Department
| who received an honorable discharge, upon becom-
! ing again member of the Order in the same De-
| paTtmeDt or any other retain her honors?
Answer: She cannot. All honors are lost when
she sewers her connection with the Order and she
makes her application any new member.
DEPARTMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA.
DEAR TRIBUNE: The fifth Department Conyen-
| ton of Pennsylvania W.R.C, convened at Allen
| town, Tuesday morning, Feb II, with large and
| enthusiastic gathering of delegates and members
of the Order from all parts of the State. mass
meeting of the delegates who had arrived and
friends in Allentown. was held the evening preyi-
Gus. and many aud cordial were the fraterna and
glad greetings of those loving ones engaged in this
noble work. Al $50 o'clock the next morning the
sound of the gavel, welded by the Department
President, Mrs. Abbie Lynch, announced that the
| work oil the convention had commenced.
After very appropriate prayer by the Chaplain,
Mrs e. NJ. Evans, and the roil-call of Convention,
the reports of the various officers read. all OF
which showed a marked and increasing interest III
the N.RG. by the ladies throughout the State.
The report of the President Mrs. Lynch, indeed
a most able effort, Astounding with wise sugges-
tons for the good of the order, and replete with
words of encouragement and good cheer.
The report of the Secretary, Mrs. Mary G. Ken
nedy. showed an increase of % Corps since last
Convention. making a total of 9S in the Depart
ment. with membership of nearly 1000 The
Treasurer Mrs. Lizzie S. Cook, reported s., 100 As
expended for charity during the year, besides
large amount of clothing and other donations for
relief not estimated. A fine piano for the Soldiers
Home at Erie was also the gift of the Corps of the
Department, and all who contributed towards its
payment will feel amply rewarded if the inmates
Of the Home while listening to the music evolved
from it, forget for time the cruelties of and
the sufferings they endure because Oft.
The report of the Chaplain told how saeredly
Memorial Day was observed by the W.R.C and
how deeply The memory OF our fallen heroes, and
especially those = who sleep where they fell !" is
enshri0cd in the hearts OF the loyal women OF
Pennsylvania
On tuesday evening the members of the Con
vention, by special invitation, attended in body
Campfire held by the Department Encampment Of
the GAR. Our officers were escorted to seats on
the platform, and during the evening Mrs. Wltten
myer, Past Department President gave one of hel
earnest, eloquent addresses, which, as her speeches
always are. most enthusiastically received
On Wednesday large amount of business was
transacted including the election Of officers for the
ensuing year.
The choice for President fell upon Mrs Jennie
NJ. Reavely, of Corps No s, of Erie, who was
unanimously elected to fill that position. Mrs
Reavey is a woman endowed with much executive
ability, combined with intelligence, and is
| widely known throughout the State as earnest
devoted friend OF the soldier, and an interchangeable
worker in the W.R.C., and We are confident that
under her administration this Department will
grow rapidly in strength numbers and perfection
in the work. The Convention closed on Wednes
day evening with Jubilee installation of officers
followed by a Campfire, at which many prominent
comrades made eloquent speeches. Mrs. Wtten
myer, Mrs Hartman, Mrs. Lynch and Mrs. Reavely
spoke earnestly for the Womans Relief Corps, the
recognized auxiliary of the grandest charitable
organization on the earth to-day the Grand Army
of the Republic. And as the veteran ranks decrease
in numbers the Woman's Relief Corps will increase
and the loyal women of the land will not only be-
their helpers in their feebleness but patriotic teach
ers in the communities which share their benefi
cent influence.-Mary A. Wallace, Department
Corresponding Secretary, Bradford, Pa.
Department Gleanings.
DEPARTMENT OF ILLINOIS.
| DEAR TRIBUNE: Convention of Illinois assem-
bled at Springfield in the hall of the House of Rep
resentatiyes, Feb. 49, 10 and H. Mrs. Sue A. Saun
ders Department President, presiding. Conyen-