Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-15
MOTHERS. MEETINGS.
Close of the Series for This season-Ths
Good Work Accomplished.

Close of the Series for This season-Ths
Good Work Accomplished.
Last night tho last Of u series Of mothers
meetings" that have been inaugursted by two
charitable citizens Of Washington during the
past winter WINS held In the chapel of St. Luke
Church, on the corner of 18th and Madison
streets. These meetings were started as a sort
OF home missionary work by Mr.. and Mrs.
Henry f Peliew, through whose generosity the
chapel Of this church was built and presented
to its congregation Of colored people. The
meetings have been held every Monday night
| in the chapel and have attracted upward Of
thirty women from all sections Of the north
west, most Of whom work during the day in
| service in other folks houses and whose homes
are to be found in the lanes and by-ways and
alleys of the city. They have been induced to
| come by the offering Of small premiums for
punctuality and constant attendance, and have
been furnished with cloth and other means for
the manufacture Of garments such as they
need in their daily lives At the close of each
meeting this work Is collected and contribu-
| tons are received from each one present, rang
ing from penny. perhaps. to 20 or 80 cents.
REWARD FOR REGULARITY AND FIDELITY.
An accurate account Of this fund is kept and
at the close Of the season each attendant who
has been regular and faithful in her presence
is given back all that she put into the bank.
with third more as interest, together with all
the garments that she has made during the
winter. Thus her frugslity and industry have
been encouraged, and at the same time there
have been readings by Mrs. Pellew on general
topics of the smaller morals, tending to make
the homes Of these women better and more
wholesome. The gatherings have been called
mothers meetings because they are ordi-
narily attended by women of from twenty years
upward, who are married and whose walks in
life are such that they know little of what
elements should enter into the government of
households The little sermons that are read
to them are simple in their construction and
appeal in their nature to the less active intel
lecIs Of the working class. Such topics are
touched upon as keeping the temper, manage
ment OF children, economy, frugality, industry,
temperance, neatness home life, &c. The pro-
jectors OF this work. who, with the aid of the
pastor Of the church, Rev. DIR. Cromwell, have
labored zealously throughout the winter. feel
that the experiment has been a success and are
determined to continue it on o larger scale
next winter. These mothers meetings are
common in England, Mr.. Pellew's native coun-
try, and are also held in some of the larger
cities of the north and east, but are quite new
IN this section OF the country.
LAST EVENINGS ENTERTAINMENT.
The meeting last night was the wind-up Of
the series and consisted in o small entertain
ment for the attendants upon the meeting and
their husbands and little ones. There was
quite gathering of colored people in the
church when o'clock came. all eager for the
music and other forms of amusement that had
been provided for them. There was singing
and piano music, some talking from the pro-
jectOrs Of the meetings about the work of the
year, and a well adapted little address by Arch
deacon Moran of Annapolis, who happened to
be in the city and who is interested in such
work. Then came the great attraction of the
evening, an exhibition of some stereopticon
views on a screen, which held the small audi
ence in breathless suspense. After this there
was more music and ice cream and cake was
served out.
This work that is being conducted at st.
Luke's Is entirely non-sectarian, and the
women that have been brought into the meet
ings belong to all denominations, usually at
tending church but seldom in reality. There
Is a strong undercurrent in all the talks to them
of religious matters, but not at all on the lines
Of any one doctrine, but based altogether on
wholesome general grounds of morality.