The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1888-06-09
OUR BOSTON LETTER.
Society Events at the Hub
BosroN. May 81. 1888.

BOSTON, May 81, 1905.
There has stood over US the past few
weeks that inexorable Nemesis of the
New England housekeeper, with broom
and brush, and paint and whitewash, the
annual Spring cleaning, which turns ey-
cry household into chaos, that order may
come, and makes the Spring time of
dirt and confusion that the Summer may
be clean and peaceful.
Well all that is over now, and we have
found ourselves the past week plunged
into the May anniversaries. The pro-
gramme for the week has given an i'm
mense number of meetings, of several
religious denominations, and of all kinds
of moral and educational societies.
Selecting from the many those most
characteristic of this period, we went last
Sunday morning to the Church of the
Unity, Rev. Mr.. Savage's, to hear MrE.
Laura Ormistow Chant of London. Mr.
Savage represents the advanced wing of
the Unitarians, and his pul pit is the only
one which Mrs. Chant has been invited
to occupy at regular Sunday service.
Mr. Savage conducted the prelim-
ernary service OF prayer and singing as
usual; then Mrs. Chant came forward and
gave the address. She is medium sized
lady, with clear colorless complexion.
dark hair thrown back from broad
brow. and great luminous eyes. She was
dressed in neatly fitting gray gown of
soft wool, and her voice which is of
wonderful sweetness, could be heard dis.
tinctly in all parts OF this large church.
Her subject was the progress of Reli-
gioas Thought in England" and she held
the audience perfectly for more than
forty minutes;-but we thought she re-
presented only small number of Eng
lish thinkers, as Unitarianism represents
only small number in this country.
Tuesday afternoon came the meeting of
the Unitarian Woman's Auxiliary. The
Church of the Disciples, Rev. Mr..
Clark's, was packed with ladies', and a
few gentleman.
Mrs. Andrews, a white haired woman,
of grave and stately manners, presided.
Papers were read by two bright little
ladies from BROOKLYN and New York,
who said it was new thing for them to
appear in public. These papers were
followed by and address from Mrs.
Wilhes of Dakota, missionary who
travels from point to point in that State,
selecting the best localities for mission
ary work, and starting services in school
houses and halls, as far as possible. Mrs.
Wi'hes has a remarkably sweet voice,
and winning manner, and she appealed
strongly to the luxurious daughters of
the East, "To come over to Macedonia
and help them," closing this appeal with
q solemn invocation for aid and guidance.
Miss Leggett of Wisconsin then spoke,
saying she was the first ordained woman
minister beyond the Mississippi She
asked for money for her little church,
and lady suggested that while their
hearts were warm, collection should
be taken;-this resulted in three hundred
dollars, being Immediately contributed.
Then came the address which gave the
greatest delight to all, that of Pundila
Ramabai, it was her farewell address be-
fore this society, as she soon will leave
the. United States, carrying to India
thirteen thousand dollars, raised to
establish school for women in that
country. In this work the Episcopalians,
Ladies OF Trinity, were the pioneers, but
the Unitarian ladies and those of other
denominations have Civ generous help.
Tie Pundila is. lovely "a person, with
dark creamy complexioH and soft eyee,
and moves gracefully in her flowing
robes of pure white.
Wed'sday afternoon came the Woman's
Suffrage Convention; and we heard a
grand old lady, mother of the author of
that wonderful book Ben Hur, plead for
women. Mrs. Chant spoke again; also
the Baroness Gripenberg from Finland,
and Miss ALI Frigg also from Finland;
the latter young teacher and newspaper
correspondent, who is said to be the
Mark Twain of her own country. She is
a rollicking jolly girl, whose witticisms
in imperfect English convulsed the house
with laughter She read a paper on
Manual Training in Schools, which
tossing aside when finished, she said
''now shall ST eak English, oogfttl, but 1
must tell you some more" and closed
saying, 81 go home. [ learn more English,
1 shall come again, and you will see;''-a
most fascinating little woman. and thor
oughly in earnest.
The meeting of the Moral Education
Society on Thursday morning was one of
great significance, beginning at the very
root of reform.
To crowded house of gentlemen and
ladies, Mrs. Maria Upham Drake presep
ted the claims of the family; spoke of the
misery caused by our lax divorce laws,
and the evils of our luxurious civiliza-
ton. Mrs. Chant followed with her
farewell speech before leaving America.
She commended our Kindergartens,
especially that for the blind; our efforts
for co education and for advanced edu.
cation for women; pleaded for the aboli
ton of child-labor in factories, and the
training of girls for ballet dancing
begged we would admit more sunlight
into our dwellings, for health and morals,
aad Danish nude statuary from drawing
rooms and public halls, and most earnest
ly asked for modesty in dress In point
she said, Il was invited short time
since by set of fashionable ladies, to
address them on working women, in
London drawing-roon On entering
found them in full evening dress. said
ladies 1 cannot speak to you, till you
cover yourselves. Two of them left the
room in anger; the others sent for their
wraps and 1 gave them lesson they
will never forget"
Mrs. Chant was followed by DR..
Zaknewka, the we'll known hSad of the
Women's Hospital She read a cleai
logical paper on the work of the society.
Mr.. Brooks an eloquent Unitarian
minister and writer on Economics, made
the point that there was an end to
Individual and society work, and LaW
must come in; for examples in the regula-
ton of fchiid-labor;-andF Father Osborne,
~ Hiph Church Enisponalian atandino