St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-04
A Brief Sketch of the So
ciety Of the Kings
Daughters.
The Order Founded by a New
York Society Woman
in 1885.
It Has Had a Marvelously
Rapid Increase in Men,
bership.
Some of the Work Which This
Estimable Organization
Performs.

a iittlo MALTESE cross OI silver, DtaT-
ing the letters l. II. n, will find the
wearer friends all over the earth. and
the number of those united by the
bond, of which the cross is the symbol,
reaches into the millions, and is grow
ing so rapidly that it is difficult to keep
track of them. The cross is the badge
of the Kings Daughters, a society or
gained by Mrs. Margaret Bottom. a
well known New York society women,
Oh Jan. Is, 1856.
Perhaps a quotation from a pamphlet
issued by the daughters will give the
best idea of the spirit by which they are
animated: Like the wind that bloweth
where it listeth, a new spirit of unity
and fellowship in faith, hope and love
has been moving for a long time past
upon the hearts Of Christians every
where. Many listening souls In many
places have been hearing the sound
thereof, and recognizing the heavenly
Fathers voice. In answer to that in
ward call. Christian hearts drew nearer
to each other, until a little company of
ten m united TO form an outward
union to embOdy the union OF spirit
already born Of God. After considera-
tlOl VI lllC sOOu " NC EdllCu. anu tIlC
good to be done by binding themselves
together by a triple cord, whose strands
were faith, hope and charity. they de-
cided to organize themselves into an
order or sisterhoOd of service, hoping by
this closer union to increase their USE
fulneSs many fold"
Mrs. BOttOme was elected president.
and she still holds that position. A
circle which spreads around the earth
has grown from the little band organ
lied six years ago. According to the
constitution of the Kings Daug hters
the object of the society is Ito develop
spiritual life II stimulate Christian
activity" Nunberless poor families
have been aided. Christmas trees have
been laden with delights for hundreds
of little waits, and perhaps. better than
all, the pleasures OF thoughtfulness, OF
sympathy and good will have been
given to many good young wOmen more
in need of them than of charity.
Through the influence of the kings
daughters working girls have been led
to help one another, aud the daughters
of the rich have been brought into con-
tact with the daughters of the poor. a
richly dressed woman, rolling through
the crowded streets in her carriage not
long ago, lost her Kings Daughters
badge. 1t was a little newsgirl who
picked it up and came running after.
you've lost your Kings Daughter
badge" said the GREATNESS urchin.
"Whv, child, how did you know that
vas a Kings Daughter badger" asked
the occupant of the carriage.
"Oh, l am II myself" and the girl
pulled forth from her ragged little dress
her own badge and displayed it with
pride. Unfortunately for the dramatic
completeness of this incident the sequel
is not known, but it is safe to say that
the neWSgirl afterward found life better
worth the living.
A shopper at Macy's. III New York,
was somewhat surprised to hear the re-
proof administered by one of the little
cash girls to Il small sister who had
given ven to angry feelings with
naughty words. You mustn't talk that
way any mere, No. 81, cause you're a
Kings Daughter now" Sure enough,
each Of the little girls h d the Maltese
cross pinned TO her dress.
The International Order of Kings
Daughters is not much given to re
tape, and each chapter is left to do good
Sin His Nance IN any way it sees fit.
Some of them devote their efforts mainly
to improvement among themselves. For
instance, n chapter has for its motto
the laudable sentiment Birdie the
Tongue" and it does its best to live up
to its principles, and with excellent re-
suits. Another calls itself the Non Ego
circle. and does battle nobly against
i. Sc lfshness. Others have taken upon
themselves the support Of waits. One
must nOt understand from this that the
beneficiaries of the excellent institution
are forwarded in sections; only that the
chapters sometimes club together to
support one little waif.
The whole organization is knit to-
gether chiefly by the spirit which DOM
mates its members. The various chap
tiers report to the city secretary, and
she in return reports to the state secre-
tary, but there are no rules or no re-
strictions. ANY person may become a
member of this order whose purposes
ana aims are in accord with Its objects,
ana who holds herself responsible to the
King, our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ" Thas is all that the constitu-
ton says about eligibility. Some time
ago there was a little disagreement
about whether UnitariaDs might be ad-
mitted TO membership. but the central
council of the order wisely decided that
creed and dogma had nothing to do
with the objects of the King'sDaughters.
The only financial connection between
the circles and the general organization
is the membership fee of ten cents an
nually. For the rest, the circles dispose
of their money for any charitable objects
they choose.