The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-07-29
THE KINGS DAUGHTERS
ORlGlN ANu ORGANIZATION OF THF
WELL KNOWN ORDER.


As there is an organization Of the
Kings Daughters in Bloomsburg, the
following article from the Philadel-
phia Times will be read with interest:
Kings Daughters in a democratic
country, where the stars and stripes
wave supreme1 Yes, hundreds of
them, too, in all the States and nearly
every city from the Golden Gate to
Plymouth Rock, from the Peninsular
State to the farthest north. A NAL
tese cross, knot of royal purple rib
bon, perhaps tiny silver ring or the
pretty violet stationery are about the
only outward insignia of the royalty,
for the Kings Daughters are to be all
glorious within, not dwellers in
palaces, but simply a sisterhood Of
service
The name "King's Daughters" has
come to have quite a familiar sound
to it, but large majority Of people,
including many intelligent church
goers are entirely ignorant Of the
origin Of the society and the character
and scope of its work.
ORIGIN OF THE ORDER.
On the back Of the little cross
which is the seal of the order is en-.
grave 1885," which marks the year
Of its organization. Sixteen years
ago, one winter day there met at the
residence of Mrs Margaret Bottome a
little band of earnest Christian women
prompted by the feeling that they
could best glorify God by beneftting
their fellow creatures. Long and
earnest was tn. debate on "What
shall We do?" "How shall it be done?'
"Where shall we begin" "-perplexing
questions answered one by one after
timely consideration. "They bound
themselves together by triple cord,
whose stands were Faith, Hope and
Charity, and decided to organize into
an order or sisterhood of service,
hoping by this closer union to in
crease their usefulness manifold
Such is the simple story of the
origin of the order of Christian ser.
vice, called the Kings Daughters.
From this little circ c Of ten women
who believed that much was to be
gained by taking hold of hands has
grown a society numbering many
thousand.
Little by little around the primary
"circle,' now known as the Central
Council others have formed until
the whole world is encircled. Across
in merry England and sunny France,
in central South America is worn the
Maltese cross. Even in Calcutta 4
Kings Daughter labors from day to
day with 1900 little Hindoo children.
AN UNsEcTARIAN ORDER.
The non.sectarian character of the
order necessarily multiplies its op-
por:unities and enlarges the sphere OF
it's usefulness. 1t does not attempt
to define any creed nor lay down any
denominational tenets. Article III
Of the constitution specifically de-
clares that ''any person may become
member Of this order whose pur-
poses and aims are in accord with its
object0hat she will endeavor to de.
velop spiritual life and Christian
activity in herself and others), and
who holds herself responsible to the
King, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus
Christ.
The largest liberality is allowed in
the choice OF field of labor; and it is
not a Methodist, Presbyterian or
Baptist heart that beats under the
little silver cross, but one 10 nging to
do some good sin His name
FORMED INTO TENS AND CIRCLES.
According TO the original plan, the
various societies as they were formed
came to be known by the name ol
"tens;" but as the work advanced the
formation of bands of items" gave
way to "circles" numbering many
more, and sometimes less then ten.
The membership fee IS ten cents, to
be paid annually to the treasurer of
the order. The badge of member
ship is the purple ribbon, or the NAL
tese cross engraved with the letters /,
H. N. bearing the date 1886 on the
reverse side, but the wearing of the
badge is not obligatory. Indeed there
are daughters Of the King, poor but
precious in His eyes, who cannot
afford to buy cross.
The various notices, "Look Up
and Not Down. look Forward and
Not Back" "Look Out and Not In,'
and since "to look upward is to
trust, to look forward is to hope, and
to look outward is to feel the woes
of Others, forgetting our own, and to
end a hand is only love in action,
suggest the great idea of helpfulness
which is the Inspiration of Kings
daughters work.
This "helpfulncss" has been shown