The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-09
THE SILVER CROSS.
An Interesting History of tho Organization
of tho Kings Daughters.

L
written for THE TINES by May Allison Bakery
The questions, why do so many
women wear little silver Maltese
CROSSE" and what is meant by a circle
of temp" or yet again what do the
letters I. Ii. N signify?" are so often
asked that little information for the
enlightenment OF those persons will
erhaps be interesting to others as we'll.
| On tho morning of the 18th OF Janu-
airy, 1856, ten arrest Christian women
met at the residence OF Mrs. Margaret
Bottome,in New York City, for tho pur-
pose of banding themselves together in
an effort to glorify God by lessening
human WOO and advancing His cause.
1t was an effort SO earnest in purpose;
| SO full OF quiet enthusiasm and inspira-
| ton; so devoid of sci fishness or do
sire for any ACKNOWLEDGEMENT that might
follow, that the result has been the on
ward and upward progress Of patience.
forbearance. charity and kindness in
thousands of hearts and homes
They called themselves the "I[ings
Daughters" since each and every act of
theirs was to be done "In His name;"
and for their badge of union they chose
a royal purple ribbon. to be worn with
or without the little silver cross.
The cross bears the year "1SS6" in
scribed on it, also the initials OF their
wauchword, 81. H. NJ"
They were ten in numb ar and thoir
plan of organization was that each
member of the central ten could form as
many circles of tens as she could; then
each mem Der of those tens was privi-
legged to do likewise and so on, but all bus
mess relating TO tho order.,i centered in
Z hn L
l5S west Twenty-third street, New
York.
Even as pebble thrown in lake Of
still water first forms circle that
widens and widens and spreads until the
whole lake is ripping, SO it is with the
central ten, for the circles have widcned
and grown until the whole lake OF hu.
mainly is being gently and quietly, but
effectually stirred by that pebble thrown
on January ID, 1856.
The circle is not confined to ten as
was originally intended, but circle
may now consist OF more or less. and
consists of men and boys, as we'll as
women, for it is now called Tho Inter
national Order OF the Kings Daughters
and Sons.
An annual fee of ten cents is charged,
and q badge costs thirty cents. The
order numb ers earth's poorest, as well
as the richest on its roll, and always
earth's best
The obligation is beautiful and touch.
ing, being short and concise, but earnest
and true, ending by singing the words:
ITO help the weary to Thy rest.
!, To heal and comfort earth's distressed,
o show the world we love Thee best,
VIC wear Thy cross, our LORD and King
Wherever the Kings Daughters are
there we find the moor aided the sic,r
comforted and relieved, the wayward
taught and the distressed consoled.
Hospitals are cared for in so MANY low
ing ays-flowers being sent and deli.
cacies Obtained-that half the panr of
suffering disappears. The almshouses
and prisons know the silver cross better
than any ornament in the world, and
there Is not in Now York city to-day
tenement house too high, woman too
degraded or prison cell 100 dark for
the silver cross and its kind. faced wearer
to approach. They do not seek mum.
bers. but earnestness, sincerity and
charity.
There is no deed done for the ameliora.
ton of mankind too simple and plain,
nor trying and complex to be worthy of
Kings Daughter or Son.
l wish could tell you in this letter
OF the personalities OF some OF that
original ten, but at some future time
will; for the name Of Mrs. Margareu
Bottome, or the face of Mrs. Irving are
known so far and wide, are so reverenced
and honQred that no monument OF
bronze o. stJn0 can do half tho honor to
their names, es that honor felt and ex.
pressed by thousands of hearts to day.