The record-union., 1893-03-23
FRANCES NILLARD'S WORK.
Remarkable Enthusiasm Awak-
ened All Over England.
Unprecedented Greeting to Americas
Distinguished Reformer-Something
About the Early Lie and Later
Work of Wonderful Woman.

The following letter has been received
by the RECoRD-U UNION from Lady Henry
Somerset:
Remarkable as has been the power of
our transatlantic friends to attract i'm
mense audiences and awaken British en-
thusiasm, none, perhaps-John Cough
ami Dwight l.. Moody not excepted
have evoked more universal interest, or
received a greater ovation, than has Miss
Frances T.. Willard during her three
months stay in England. In this age of
great convenings 1t is not often that
single meeting marks an epoch, even
though it be in The interest of reform
that has now forged its way TO the front
IN the politics OF England's regnant party,
and, nlirdbtte dictu, finds a place in the
Queens speech to Parliament. This is a
statement noteworthy indeed, but it is
true Of the national welcome, for 1t was
nothing less, accorded to Americas
White Ribbon leader at the recent great
meeting in Exeter Hall.
There Is, perhaps, no better guage OF
the state OF public sentiment towards
cause or an individual than the attitude of
an Exeter Hall audience. This famous
auditorium has been SO long the battle
ground of all religious movements and
reforms, that. to the accustomed eyes of
its habitues, the unprecedented character
of that assembly was marvel.s Even in
the city of London it is not difficult to
rally the adherents OF a single reform,
but to convene fifty distinct lines of re-
llgious, philanthropic and reformatory
work is something which, so far as L
know, has never before occurred in the
greatest metropolis of the world.
On the huge platform were seated men
and women whose names are household
words throughout the English-speaking
race; members of Parliament, dignitaries
Of h. nl,,r 1a.lin - .,nt,- 81 10
by side with the leaders of the labor
movement, and the Salvation Army. A
delegation appointed from the Methodist
Church, the Baptist, the Congregational,
the Society of Friends, elbowed Canons
of the Established Church, and temper
ance leaders of the Catholic hierarch,
while the chief Jewish Rabbi sent a con-
gratulatory letter and signed the address
OF welcome which was also attested by
three hundred local Unions of the British
Women's Temperance Association.
Among the societies represented on the
platform were: The Worlds Women's
Christian Temperance Union, British
Women's Temperance Association, United
Kingdom Alliance, Young Abstainers
Union, Independent Order of Good Tenn
plars, Independent Order OF the Recha-
bites, Anti-Opium League, Women's
Anti-Opium Emergency League, Church
OF England Temperance Society, Total
Is
Christian Association, Young Mems
Christian Association, Band OF Mercy,
Salvation Army, international Christian
Police Association, Church Army, West
London Wesleyan Mission, Woman's
Suffrage Society, Peace Society, Nege-
tartan Society, the Rev. Armstrong Ben
netts, B. A, and six ministers, deputa-
ton from the Wesleyan Church, Tower
Harnlets Mission, Baptist Total Absti-
nence Society, Congregational Total Alb
sIinence Society, Women's Liberal Fed
Grafton, National Union of Women
Workers, National Vigilance Society,
Prison Gate Mission, Friends Temper
ance Union, Presbyterian Temperance
Union, Students Total Abstinence Asso-
citation, New Church Temperance So
ciety, Catholic Total Abstinence League
OF the Cross, National Temperance Fed
Grafton, Phoenix Orders, London Tenn
perance Hospital Board, Railway Tenn
perance Union, Templar and Temper
ance Orphanage Board, English Sunday
Closing Association, East London Mis-
sion Institute, Working Women's Tee
total League, Butchers Total Abstinence
Society, General Postoffice Total Absti-
nence Society, Bakers Total Abstinence
Society, Women's Trades Union Asso-
citation.
The speakers, twelve in number, were
each one equal to filling Exeter Hall in
the strength of individual reputation. but
they gladly limited their speeches to five
minutes each, rejoicing 10 be among those
who did honor to the distinguished guest
whom the crowds had assembled to greet.
in numbers SO large, that the tickets could
have been sold twice over, and some for
tunate poSseSsorS, more Sordid than en-
thusiastlc, were disposing OF them at three
times their original value at the entrance.
where they were eagerly purchased, even
Tor the overflow meeting which had
fn a
the crowds demanding entrance.
Nothing could exceed the enthusiasm
with which the speaker of the evening
was greeted. The vast audience rose
with a cheer on their lips, and waving
white handkerchief in hand, and for sew
eral minutes the expression OF their ad-
miration seemed as though it would
never subside. \ thrill of pleasure comes
to our hearts when one is thus recognized
who has toiled 50 long and patiently for
others veal, tor it is good, indeed, to
pour out the fragrance of our welcome,
affection and praise, and place our tribute
in the warm clasp of living hands rather
than lay it on the cold marble OF a
tomb.
After such a greeting as has been de-
scribed it was not an easy task to organ
iZe a demonstration worthy to be COM
pared with that of Exeter Hall; but the
United Kingdom Alliance, the strongest
temperance society in Great Britain.
proved equal to the undertaking. Five
thousand persons assembled on consecu-
tive evenings in the great Free Trade
Hall in Misunderstanding second city in
England-and the headquarters of the
Alliance. Canon Wilberforce and Sir
Welfred Lawson were the Chairmen.
Testimonials were presented by the All:-
ance, and other temperance societies, and
the entire audience rose TO receive Miss
Willard-a greeting which was, perhaps,
excelled only by the enthusiasm which
brought them to their feet again and
caused q hearty British cheer to echo
through the historic hall that had wit
messed the triumphs of Golden, Bright
anu Gladstone, as she closed her speech
"A wonderful address, said a veteran
leader who had guaged every speaker on
the temperance platform for the last forty
years, Il have never heard it excelled
and, perhaps, not equaled.''
Similar demonstrations have been held
in Charringron's great hall, in the heart
of the East End of London; in Liverpool,
where Miss Willard was welcomed by
the Women's Liberal Federation: in Bir-
mingham and Leeds; Nottingham and
Sunderland. and in st. James Hall. LON
don, by invitation OF the interchangeable
Rev. Hugh Price Hughes ON Temperance
Sunday.
The Methodist Churches of London.
not to be outdone, have already given a
social reception to the most prominent
figure among Methodist women of Amer
ica, and on the 9th of February they are
TO accord her formal public greeting in
John Wesley's famous City Road Chapel.
Scotland has added her quota to the
universal enthusiasm, and, indeed, in the
Judgment OF some of our temperance
workers has exceeded, perhaps, in DEM
onstrating a more expressive sympathy
in harmony with their well-known ma
hnGraffal1fx- nd Io1l