The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-28
MRS MARY CLEMENT LEAVITT.
The Remarkable Experience of This
Noted Temperance Woman.
Altruistio Review.

f40
Her work in New England began to at
tract wide recognition. She was chosen to
represent the Woman's Christian Temper
a Where U she la eaqsd for fn t aistee IaG mont6 Soaf f6
1854 the national convention, by vote, Sc
lected her TO make a world-tour In the In
tice she left for Honolulu, having but S5 and
her passage TO the islands, which had been
previously sent her by Honolulu people.
what did they give you for your jour-
ney-the national convention-and what pro-
vision was made in a financial way?'
was not a word said about money' 7 had
my passage to Hawaii. My work among
these, people was very successful. They re-
sponded literally with their means, and I
was enabled TO push on to New Zealand.
While the work of organization was graf
flying, the people, not understanding that
contributed only sums for the local ex,,
penses. / wrote Miss Willard then, stating
that 1t would be impossible to go further
without at least a guarantee of expenses.
In the meantime the friends OF the move
ment, learning the true state of affairs,
gave more literally. Promise came later
from Miss Willard that expenses would be
guaranteed, and there was no further delay
on this account"
1t would be absolutely impossible TO at
tempt even the slightest detail regarding
Mrs. Leavitts experiences during the sub
blaze the pathway here and there in such a
manner that it may serve as a guide or an
inspiration to those who wish to know
AhOl obOut tnC llOSl cllld hdUle TOUR Oh the
world. made by one of the most remarkable
women of our day.
Let it be remembered that Mrs. Leavitt
was hfty-four years Of age when she un-
dertook this first world missionary tour.
For thirty years previous she had made her
home in one of our best cities, surrounded
supposed it impossible for her TO sleep in
other than good. comfortable beds, or to
had enjoyed all the advantages of Boston
society. NOW she was 10 go through eX-
periences which would make many a young
of every difficulty. to carry forward duty's
commands unflnchingly. She learned to
in wagons, on the hard ground, and even
to lie down en- the deck Of a japanese
T Tesnecf si E%Tr0 %itS dns 6y men mep' who, out of
a row on either side. She was to travel in
every imaginable sort of a vehicle. and be
thousand miles.
She was ferried across swollen streams in
rickety boats, when others sank beneath
the mao waters. She logged over the wild
roadways of southern Africa in the rude
POSTCARDS, and slept on the mail bags of
her Majesty. the Queen. waking to find her
joints stiff and numb with cramp.
She was the only cabin passenger in a
fifty-hour trip across the Baltic, which was
heightened into five days by a furious storm
every moment threatening to shatter the
vessel In pieces. During three days of this
time amidst the storm no food could be
In South America, at the instigations of
the priesthood. she was stoned, and was
almost miraculously spared. Indeed, the
strong evidence of the divinity in her work.
-Four times she was stricken with fever
in Africa, and brought nigh unto death.
To-day she Is compelled to seek the warmer
pOsrre in China. And She did her work not
freely a laudabie excuse for her existence
Her efforts were not given as Sir Launfal
tossed the beggar a piece of gold in scorn.
Better to me the poor mans crust,
Better the blessings of the poor,
Though 1 turn me empty from his door;
That is no true aims which the land can
hold;
He gives only the worthless gold
Who gives from a sense of duty,
But he who gives but a slender mite,
And gives to that which is out of sight,
That thread of the all-sustaining Beauty
Which runs through all and doth all unite
The hand cannot clasp the whole of his
The heart outstretches its eager palms,
For a God goes with ii, and makes 1t store
o the soul that was starving in darkness
During her journeyings she spoke to au-
diences through $50 interpreters, who trans
lated her words into forty-seven different
languages. She visited almost every ma
tion, organized 14S different societies., trav-
eled over 161, 600 miles, wrote SO, 2SS pages,
mostly for publication. held $3.50 different
interviewed nearly all the rulers and po-
tentates of their countries, rode in almost
every sort or vehicle, and In almost every
fashion that is to-day known.
From New Zealand she went to Australia,
thence to Japan, Corea. China, Siam, Bur-
nah, India, Ceylon. Mauritius, Madagas-
car, South Africa, Great Britain. thence to
the Congo, Sierra Leone, Madeira, Portu-
gal, Greece. Egypt. the Holy Land. thence
TO Rome, Florence, and again TO England.
Finally, in June, 1891, she returned to Bos-
ton, after an absence of eight years. She
had girdled the world with a chain of or
CARNATIONS, made up Of bands Of women.
who began thenceforward 10 put forth
united effort for the purity of home, and for
the Punishment Of a worse curse than our
slavery was.
She had required $1,000, exclusive of local
expenses, paid usually by the local organ
~iZatlon. and not reported to- her. and had
through her own efforts raised $500. or
five-sevenths of of the cost of her tour. For
eight years her contributions 10 the Union
Signal were one of the leading features of
that widely-read paper. Since her return
Mrs. Leavltt has devoted herself TO her lit
erary work, and TO the giving of lectures
on reform and movements for good.