The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-03-20
cod, HOME AND COUNTRY
Mrs. Benjamin Talks on the Objects
,0f the ". {. 7. L.
RAPID SPREAD OF MOVEMENT
In Fifteen Years 1t Has Circle d the Globe
Object Is the Abolition of the Rum
Traffic-Largcst Woman's Organ.
ization in the World,

Mrs. A. s. Benjamin, of Portland, ad-
dressed gathering of ladies at the
lecture room of the Elm Park church
yesterday afternoon, upon questions
affecting the Woman's Christian Tenn
perance Union. The lady lecturer was
introduced in a graceful manner by
Mrs. ID. B. Hand, who referred to the
valuable services rendered by Mrs. Ben
jamin as! state president of the Michi-
gan union, and as holding national
offices for many years.
Mrs. Benjamin, i'm her perfatory re-
marks, urged all members of the union
to wear the emblematical white rib
bon" at all times, in order to show a
visible sign Of the work they were en-
gagged in, and to cheer each other
whenever and wherever they met The
history of their union was n marvellous
one. 1t was organized twenty years
ago by a few women, whose methods
were untrled, and whose plans We're not
formulated and In ten years time every
state and territory was represented
and the work of the union was felt
wherever English was spoken, until 1t
became fifteen years of age, when the
white ribbon belted the globe.
What They Aim to Do.
Their ambition and object was the
abolition Of the awful wicked rum
traffic" yet that work was never
sought, and at the beginning of their
career they did not dream of the magni-
tude of their operations, but they had
gone forward timidy and shrinkingly,
having az motto for their country,
For God, Home and Native Land"
and for the world the motto For God,
Home and Every Land" until forty
nations had Joined with them in the
great crusade to Danish the legaliSed
saloon.
Many people thought that the Wo-
mans Christian Union meeting was a
prayer meeting, and others We're under
the impression that it was an institu-
ton to talk politics, but in all their
departments they had no politics. All
they required was that their members
should be total abstainers and pay their
annual dues. They never inquired as
to their religious opinions and their
membership comprised all churches,
and some Of their members were not
associated with any church. 1t was, in
truth, the largest organization for wO-
men that the world had ever seen. Tn
fortunately, however, people were
ignorant of the work of the union; they
were sometimes called parade
women" but as a matter Of fact they
carried on practical, dead-level work
all the year round. and thus reached
from the baby in the nursery school to
the grey-headed, old grandsire, and
We're in touch with the whole world.
The Home idea Prevails.
If any woman was present who had
not the correct idea with regard to the
objects of the union, she would impress
upon them that the underlying idea was
the happiness the purity and the sane
tity of the home, and to love our neigh
| bors as ourselves. Speaking in detail
of the eXtensiveness of the work Mrs
| Benjamin explained that pamphlets
| were now printed in seventeen different
| languages and scattered broadcast over
| the world and how necessary this worl;
| was could easily be gauged from the
| fact that there were 100000 Polanders
| In the United States, and the union was
| the only organization which spread
| temperance truths among them.
The speaker then described the work
of the union in the lumber camps OF
| North Michigan and North Wisconsin
In the evening Mrs Benjamin ad-
dressed a well-attended meeting at the
| Green Ridge Presbyterian church.