News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1891-10-22
Annual Convention of the W. c. T. U.


held the prayer and conference meet
ING of officers and superintendent,
executive committee meeting, super
intendents meeting, and meeting OF
plan of work committee. Wednesday
evening in Music Hall was held the
Demorest Gold Medal Contest which
was opened by prayer, and singing
By the Loyal Legion of st. Johns
bury. There were present nine speak
ers from different parts of the state
who had never met before. No. 6,
vivid illustration, spoken by Miss
Jennie Whitney, st. JOhnsbury Cen
tire, won the gold medal. Several
Others are worthy of mention among
which were, The English Sparrow
Must Go, A Plea for the Father Land,
The Martyred Mother The exercises
closed with singing and accompany
inc music on a cornet by very small
boy. At 9 a. m. Thursday the con-
ventiOn gathered at the South Church
| for a devotional meeting led by Miss
Leitch of CeylOn, which was very in
teresting, encouraging and helpful,
after which the convention was or
ganized and for two days every mo-
ment of the time was filled with work.
Ninety five delegates and officers
we're present. Mrs. Matthewson well
coined the convention to their homes
and pleasant village in behalf of st.
Johnsbury Union, the pastor in be-
half the churches, Miss Blukely and
Miss Hall for the Y'sand the children.
Responses were given by Mrs. Smith,
Manchester; Mrs. Wilbur, Burlington;
Mrs. Reed, Shelburn; Miss Fisk, Mont
pelier Responsive song by conven-
ton composed by Mrs. Hastings of
Townshend. The annual address of
the president was full Of loving words
of cheer. She says it is not the much
that many can do but the little that
all can DO that will accomplish the
end Vermont needs to educate her
children, train them for temperance
and thus purify society. They are
eager to learn but there is lack of
women to teach them. Keep this
truth before the people-the need of
total abstinence. Secretary and
treasurer's report, singing and noon
tide prayer. In the afternoon an in
teresting praise meeting led by Mrs.
Wyman. Reports by superintendent
of departments of work-hygiene and
heredity, social purity, temperance,
literature, the press, higher educa-
ton. railroad work, loyal legion
work, Sunday-schooi work, prison,
Jail and almshouse, all of which show
ed some work done and altogether
were favorable reports. Three hun
dred gospel text rolls have been dis
tributed and gospel meetings held in
our penal institutions. Some cOun-
ties have sent boxes of clothing, etc,
to the temperance hospitals. Thdrs-
day evening the reception, musical
and literary programme was conduct
ed by the Young W. c. T. Z. when a
reception was held in the pretty
church parlors for an hour and peO-
pie were presented to Mrs. Housh and
Mrs Nichols of Indianapolis, Ind, af-
ter which all gathered in the church |
where Miss Blakely presided. The
singing by six young men and eight |
young ladies of st. JOhnsbury was
very fine The welcome by Miss Rey-
nolds OF st. Johnsbury and response
by a Newport young lady contained |
worthy thoughts, also the "Forma-
ton better than Reformation" by |
Miss Robbins of Ludlow. The read
ing by Miss Paddock of Craftsbury,
Loving Service, - is especially worthy
of mention Mrs. Nichols spoke in a
pleasing manner to the young ladies
and gentlemen and admonished them
to use their bright eyes and winning
smiles to lead others to a higher life.
Friday a. IN. Mrs. Wilbur led a most |
Interesting conservation meeting. Re |
PORTS of Flower mission and Fair |
work. Mrs. BlOdgett of Derby Line, |
read IN original poem. Mrs. Nichols |
gave an outline of the plan of work |
for the society at the Columbian Fair,
where the SO worlds unions are all
to contribute to the exhibition. Elect
ing officers; noOntide prayer. After
noon, devotional meeting led by Mrs.
PurintOn of South Starksboro. The
mothers meeting, led by Mrs. Ham
mopd of Burlington, was especially
good; and excellent papers were read
by Mrs Waldron, on "Lovely Chill
dren,' and Miss Blakely, on "Boy
Paper on Missions and
by Mrs. Sherburne of
Cabot was good. Question Box Re
ports on Narcotics Scientific Temper
ance Institutions and several other
reports by county secretaries and
county presidents and others. The
feature of the evening was
Mrs. Nichols address. She has travel
ed extensively and spent six months
in Paris at the Worlds Fair, repre-
senting the W. c. T. Z. Has seen the
horrors and evils of liquor in many
countries and in our large cities. Has
compared high liscense states with
those which have prohibitory laws,
and prOnoumes the former full ofevil.
Says the men must vote the saloons
out of the country before they will
ever disappear. The pastors bene-
diction closed the convention; and |
think every one turned homeward
with a feeling of thankfulness toward
the people of st. Johnsbury, a mind
full of nourishing thoughts, and with
broader knowledge of the branches of
work undertaken by the organization
for the uplifting of humanity, and
with a fuller meaning of the letters,
w. c. T. U.-Work, Conservation,
Trust, Union-and with the hope to
meet again together with many new
yUOrlyorc in + bo co,1co Of riorh+