The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-04-13
TEMPERANCE LADIES
Semi-Annua1 Convention of
the w. C. T. U. in ses-
sion in Bayonne.
REPORTS OF SOCIETIES.
Young Ladies Who Have Agreed
Never to Marry Young Men
Who Drink Alcohol.

County WomanS CHRISTIAN temperance
Union is being held to day at the Bayonne
Methodist Church, Thirty-first street and
Avenue G, Bayonne. The opening session
this morning was well attended, the Presi-
dent of the County Union, Mrs II. Cairns,
saying that the attendance was the
largest she had ever seen at county
convention. The following unions were
represented :-Bayonne, Hoboken, Young
Women's of West Hoboken, Jersey City,
Jersey City Heights, Lafayette, Union Hill,
West Side Avenue and West Hoboken. The
church was prettily decorated with flowers.
Large potted plants were arranged in row
on the altar rail and the choir rail at the
American flag. The red silk banner of the
County Union occupied prominent pl ce
alongside the American flag.
The convention was opened with devo-
tional exercises, which were conducted by
Mrs Cumming, the President of the Lafay-
to order by Mrs. Fl. Cairns who introduced
Mrs Ellsworth of the Bayonne Union, to
whom was resigned the address of welcome.
DELEGATES WELCOMED.
Mrs. Ellsworth said:-" am delighted that
the greeting has been assigned to me. / have
been looking forward with much pleasure
and anticipation to this convention. We
assumed such large proportions. On be-
half of the Bayonne Union
greet you and extend to
you the right hand of fellowship. We are
loyal here in Bayonne. in all reforms and
especially in temperance work. We love our
city because we live here. 1t is washed on
the east and west by magnificent bays but it
is not clean. A dark cloud hangs over us.
1t is the saloon In our little city we have
ITO saloons These dens of vice are open day
and night including Sunday. They are
bringing sorrow and darkness to our homes,
and our sons are being ruined by them. But
we. as a W. C. T. u have come to fight the
saloon. We know we will succeed because
God is with us. We are glad you are here
because we need your encouragement in our
Herculean task. | hope that all formality
will be thrown aside, and that we will meet
as sisters working for one grand cause, that
of temperance"
The response to the greeting was made by
Mrs. Page, who said,-
SIN behalf of the unions here assembled /
thank you for your kind greeting know
we all looked forward to this with joy and
pleasure. 1t does us good to come together
and look into each others faces, for we are a
band of sisters, bound together by cords of
love and the white ribbon / trust that you
all feel toward your Union as do toward
mins / trust that you all have been scat
tering seeds along Gods highway. The tenn
perance cause has been marching on. In
reading of that grand old man, Neal Dow, I
was much pleased with the honor paid to
him all over this land We all know how
many obstacles he had to overcome, and
hope God will spare his life for many years
to come. As we leave this convention let us
all go forward and do our share of the work
for temperance"
The secretary, Miss L. jackson, then called
the roll of members, after which she read
the minutes of the Executive Committee
meetings for the past three months. The
which should have followed, was not given
as that lady was unable to be present or pre-
pare a report on account of illness.
REPORTS OF LOCAL UNIONS.
Reports were then received from all the
local unions as follows
Lafavette-Wide awake and prospering.
Meeting place changed to Bergen Mission in
hope that new recruits might be secured.
Very earnest in temperance work, and will
make no compromise with the enemy. Mem
bers are strict Prohibitionists. Three new
members added during the past year.
Young Women's Branch of West Hobo
ken-Doing good work among the young
men. The members have taken pledge not
to marry any young man who uses alcoholic
Union Hill, Young Women's Branch
Membership increased to thirty-fve, a gain
of five during the past year.
Jersey City Union-A total membership
of thirty-six. Propose renting large hall
so that public meetings can. be held and a
temperance school organized. The members
are all workers and are doing much to pro-
mote the temperance cause
West Side Union-Has organized Loyal
Temperance Legion, with membership of
thirty The young men of the West Side M.
E. Church and Sunday school are all inter
ested and the Legion is gaining ground.
Jersey City Heights-The temperance
women of the First Presbyterian Church
have organized Union, which is prospering
and which is enlisting the young people Of
the church under the banner Of temperance.
Young Women's Union of Bayonne.-An
active membership Has provided flowers
on several occasions for the Bayonne City
Hospital.
The morning session was closed with
prayer. after which the delegates adjourned
to the Sunday School room, where lunch