Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-26
DR. K'KIM'S FORCIBLE UFTERANCES.
Retirement of the President. Mrs.
a Fetra.
HER PROBABLE SUCCESSOR.

SoluInD1a Inc opening session was peguu
this morning at the Congregational Church,
10th and G streets There was a session
also in the afternoon, and sessions will be
held tomorrow morning and afternoon. 1t
was rather a gloomy light that came through
the windows Of the church this morning
when the ladies assembled, but the effective
grouping Of palms and golden rods and the
American flag with the motto Loyal Unto
DEATH" extended above. gave a touch of
color and frightened the scene.
Ties to he Severed.
In spite Of the prosperity which has
marked the history of the past year the
delegates felt somewhat depressed as they
looked upon the smiling, genial face Of their
president. Mrs. La Fetra- 1t was generally
known that Mrs. La Fetra, after a contin-
uous service Of more than eight years in
this office. desired to be relieved Of the
burdens and responsibilities 1t is under
stood that her successor, who Is to be chosen
tomorrow, will be Mrs. Mary E. Griffith.
who for the past five years has been national
organizer Of the Woman's Home Missionary
Society of the NJ. E. Church. She is men,
Der of the Foundry M. E. Church Of this
city.
The session Of the convention was opened
promptly at half-past 9. Devotional exer-
clses were conducted by Mrs. Annie c.
Mcdowell and then the roll was called by
the secretary, Mrs. Emma F. Shelton, and
the minutes of the executive session were
read.
The Review of the Year.
Miss L. 8. Weightman. the corresponding
secretary, read her report, which was an
admirable review Of the work Of the year.
In 1t it was stated that during the past
year two new auxiliaries had been organ
lied, making a total Of thirteen auxiliaries
with a membership of over 600. The con-
of IN a address
Mr.. Souder, young man who Is the clerk
Of the Anti-saloon League Of this city.
He explained the purposes of the league and
said that 1t believed In agitation and he
thought that the methods adopted were
proving effective. At the conclusion of his
address a motion was made that the union
would join with the league In arranging
for a public meeting which would soon be
held.
Mrs williams, the District organizer.
then made a brief verbal report, In which
she spoke of the organization OF two auxil-
iaries. The report OF the work OF the Hope
and Help Mission was read which stated
that owing to the passage of the bill for
establishing the girls reform school Con-
gress had withheld the appropriation for
this work and a plan was being devised to
carry 1t on without involving the union
too much financially. The report stated
that since the opening Of the house In the
year 1857 1.10S persons had been admitted.
An interesting hour was devoted to hear
ing words of encouragement and counsel
from the pastors Of the city. A number
Of them came from the audience upon the
invitation of Mrs. La Fetra and occupied
seats upon the platform. They were in
troduced, one after the other and made
short speeches. Rev. DIR. Hamlin. the pas
tor Of the Church of the Covenant In speak
ing of the influence Of the work carried on
by such organizations as the union, said
that during the seven years of his resi-
dence In this city he had seen In a parlor
only one man under the influence of liquor.
He did not believe that this could be said
of any previous period. The next speaker.
Rev. DR.. Mckim the rector of the Epiph-
ty speech in the course of which he said
that he made a distinction between tenn
perance and total abstinence. The one is
law. the other is the officer OF the law.
For himself, personally, he was a total alb
stainer and wished that all men were, but
he could not make total abstinence a test
of character or Christianity an honest
interest in the work Of temperance re-
form.
Presentation to Mrs. LnFetra.
Rev. DR.. Power. the pastor Of the Yer
mont Avenue Christian Church. spoke, and
at the lose Of his remarks in the name
Of the ladies Of his church. he presented
Mrs. La Fetra with a handsome basket of
flowers. Short addresses were made by
Rev. DR.. Green, Calvary Baptist Church:
Rev. DIR. Todd. Hamline M E. Church:
Kev. Hugh Johnston. Metropolitan NJ E.
Baptist Church; Rev. Mr.. Rice of the
Fourth Street NJ. K. Church, and Rev. DR..
Davis of the Fifteenth Street NJ. E. Church.
The noon hour having been reached a
prayer meeting was held and then a re-
cess was taken until 80 this afternoon
The Presidents Address.
The main feature of the afternoon ses-
sion was the annual address of The pred-
dent, Mrs La Fetra.
Mrs. La Fetra referred to the fact that
this was their nineteenth anniversary and
said in their early years they had bullded
better than they knew. She quoted the
tribute paid to the organization by Mrs
Mary Lowe Dickinson at the great ex-
position meeting, In which she sad It was
the Christ in the union, the Christ in the
temperance and the Christ In the woman
that has been, in all this movement the
secret and source OF its success and power
She spoke OF the sacrifice Of the plea sures
of home that the women of the orgariiza-
ton had willingly suffered to carry on their
work.
Closely allied to the drink habit Mrs.
La Fetra said. land inseparably connected
with it, is the great blight of impurity
which rests like a vast shadow upon our
nation. and, alas, too densely 1t hovers
over our national capital as well. 1t turks
in dark places. hiding it's hideous form be-
hind official position, behind wealth, be-
hind business interests. behind that false
modesty which can bear the knowledge of
mentioned In polite society, in the domain
Of religion or morals, nor in any place
where knowledge Of its existence you'd
enforce it's determination. The religion CT
Jesus is first pure, then peaceabe, AMI the
brave and loyal Christian should not be
peaceable nor speeches. in the face of sin
OF impurity. Our city, our nation, needs
pure men, and 1t is our pride, our glory,
that We have many SUCH Hundreds of
unsuspecting girls come to this city from
homes in the states to try to earn an hon
est living, not only for themselves, but
often for loved ones at home. and shall
they be. are they now, protected? Some
protest, reaching unto heaven, mus. be
made against all impurity, and l believe
the Womans Christian Temperance Unicn,
with it's 100000 motheriy-hearted women,
living in every state and territory yea in
every congressional district. as we'll. should
make that protest now. Oh women Of the
southland, let US clasp hands with the
women of the north and west and east
across the awful chasm made oy woman-
hood betrayed, seduced, dishonored! Let
us appeal to our white ribboners through
out the nation to consider well the home
life of candidates for national honors. ard,
If possible, prevent the nomination of any
man. of whatsoever political party, who has
not pure home record, and whose integ-
rity does not justify the belief that he will
treat all womanhoOd with respect Where
well-grounded doubt exists it is insult
to the home, to the United States Congress
and to the beautiful and pure in our Amer
positions Of trust and responsibility; for