The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-06
GREAT BRITAIN'S WELCOME TO
MISS WILLARD.
Triumphs of sn Am sricln Woman on
the BnElish Platform.

transatlantic friends to attract immense
audiences and awaken British enthusiasm,
none perhaps, John Cough and Dwight L.
Moody not excepted. have evoked more
universal interest or received a greater ova-
ton than has Miss Frances E. Willard dur
ing her three months stay In England
In this age of great coverings. it is
not often that single meeting
marks an epoch even though it be in the
interest OF a reform that has now forged its
way TO the front IN the politics of Eugland's
regn ant party, and, nlirabiie dictu, finds
q place in the green's speech to parliament.
This is a statement noteworthy indeed, but
it is true OF the national welcome, for
it was nothing less. accorded to Americas
white ribbon leader at the recent great
meeting in Exeter hail.
There is perhaps no better gauge of the
state Of public sentiment toward cause or
au 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 hRbitues the I'M
preceden ted character OF that assembly was
a marvel 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 religious. philanthropic and re-
formatory work is something which, so far
as l know, hos 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 Euglish-speaking
race-members OF parliament. dig0itsries
of the church and ladies of society, side by
side with the leaders OF the labor move
ment and the Salvation Army. A dele
cation appointed from the Methodist
church, the Baptist. the Congregational
81
Established Church, and temperance leaders
OF the Catholic hierarchy; while the chief
Jewish rabbi sent congratulstory letter
aud signed the address of welcome,
which was also attested by 800
locel unions OF the British Women's
Temperance Association. Among the socie-
ties represented on the platform were the
Worlds Womeu's Christian Temperance
Union, British Women's Temperance Asso-
citation. United Kingdom Alliance. Young
Abstainers' Union, Independent Order OF
Good Templars, Independent Order of the
Rechabites. Auti-opium League, Women's
Anti-opium Emergency League, Church Of
England Temperance Society, Total Abb
staining Section of the Young Womens
Christian Association, Young Mems Chris
tian Association, Band of Mercy,
Salvation Army, International Christian
Police Association, Church Army. West
London Wesleyan Mission. Woman's Suf-
frage Society, Peace Society, Vegetarian
Society, the Rev. Armstrong Bennetts, B.
A., and six ministers, a deputation from
the Wesleyan church; Tower Hamlets Mis-
sion, Baptist Total Abstinence Society,
Congregational Total Abstinence Society.
Women's Liberal Federation, National
Union of Women Workers. National Vigil
ance Society, Prison Gate Mission, Friends
Temperance Union, Presbyterian Temper
ance Union, Students Total Abstinence As
ISOLATION, New-Church Temperance So
oiety, Catholic Total Abstinence League
Of the Cross, National Temperance Fed
grafton, Phoenix Orders, London
Temperance Hospital Board, Railway Tenn
perance Union, Templar and Temperance
Orphanage Board, English Sunday Closing
Association, East London Mission Institute.
Working Women's Teetotal League, Butch
ers' Total A bstinence Society Bakers Total
Abstinence Society, General Postttice Total
Abstinence Society, Women's Trades Union
1 Association.
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 TO be among those who did
| honor to the distinguished guest whom the
| crowds had assembled to greet in mum
bers so large that the tickets could
have been sold twice over, and some fort
| innate possessorH,amore sordid than enthusi-
astic, were disposing of them at three times
| their original value at the entrance, where
they were eagerly purchased, even for the
overflow meeting which he'd speedily TO be
organized, so great were the crowds de
manding 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 hand
fo F1y~ ,kaa
the expression of their admiration seemed al
though it would never subside A thrill of
pleasure comes to our hearts when one
is thus recognized who has toiled so long
and patiently for others veal, for 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 q
tomb.
After such greeting as has been de-
scribed, it was not an easy task to organize
q demonstration worthy to be compared
with that Of Exeter hall; but the United
Kingdom Alliance, the strongest temper.
aHce society in Great Britain, proved equal
to the undertaking. Five thousand persons
assembled on consecutive evenings in The
great Free Trade hall in Misunderstanding
second city in EnRlaud-and the head
quarters of the alliance. Canon Wllberforce
men. Testimonials were presented by the
alliance, aud other temperance societies
and the entire audience rose to receive Miss
Willard, a greeting which was perhaps ex-
csled only by the enthusiasm which
brought them to their feet again and caused
a hearty British cheer to echo through the
historic hall that had witnessed the triumphs
of Golden, Bright and Gladstone, as she
closed her speech. "a wonderful adj
dress" sail a veteran leader. who had
gagged every speaker on the temperance
platform for the last forty years: II have
never heard it excelled and perhaps not
equaled."
Similar demonstrations have been held
in Charrington' 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 Birming-
ham and Leeds, Nottingham and Sunder.
land, and in ST. James ball, London, by
invitation of the indefatigabe 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 America, and
on Feb. q they are to accord her a formal
public greeting in John Wesley's famous
City Road chapel.
Scotland has added her quota to the uni
versal enthusiasm, and, indeed. in the judg.
ment Of some Of our temperance workers
has exceeded perhaps in demonstrating q
more expressive sympathy In harmony with
\ q