The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-07-20
Personal RecoIlections OF the 6reat
Convention in London.
Interesting Letters From The News
Correspondent With the Pilgrims.
To THE EDITOR OF THE NEWS:


every eye looked eagerly in the direction
where we were assured 1t was to get our
first glimpse of the Scilly Islands, ana
the English coast
We spent the day with glass in hand,
watching the ever-varying coast, the
great variety of vessels, being especlaily
attracted to the red sails OF the Cornish
fishing boats.
We hoped to reach southampton in
season TO get to London that evening,
but IL was after midnight before the
Berlin reached the wharf.
There was little sleep that night, Tor
every woman had been so sure OF getting
on land twas difficult TO resign oneself
TO circumstances, and then London was
before us-the city OF promised Joys
and TO US of surprises, TO which our
longing eyes had been turned all the
years of our life.
About five O'Clock in the morning the
gong sounded the call TO the dining
saloon, and there we were happy TO meet
DIR. Lunn, editor of The Review OF the
Churches; Hon. Perselle Smith and Miss
Jessie Ackerman, the round-the-Worlo
missionary of the Women's Christian
Temperance Union, who had come from
London this early to receive the Amer
lean delegation in behalf of Lady Henry
Somerset and Miss Frances Il. Willard.
Surely the speeches OF welcome VIII never
be forgotten and each one was made TO
realize a great host of kindly hearts re-
joicing in her coming who would do all
they possibly could to make their visit
enjoyable.
Very soon all were speeding to London
and delighting themselves in the charm
ing scenery as well as wondering why
the season was so much more in advance
of our own New England.
IN LONDON.
At London another party was waiting
TO greet us and give assistance in getting
us to the six hotels where rooms had been
secured for our accommodation and In
which we soon were settled. The rest
of the day was devoted To letter writing,
reading the many invitations awaiting
us, and sightseeing.
The first meeting of the w. c. Il. u.
clans took place in City Temple, Sunday
afternoon. The crowd was far greater
than the capacity of the building even
though every inch OF standing place was
utilized. Miss Il. +. Willard presided, and
seated on the platform with her were
delegations from Germany, United States,
Canada, India, New Zealand, South
Africa, France, Finland, Norway and
other parts of the continent. The
Crusade Psalm, 146, was read by Mrs. f..
TODD OF Canada from the very Bible that
was "the great implement OF attack In
that whiskey war;"
"Mother Stewart" of Ohio, one of the
leaders i'm the crusade, gave an earnest,
vivid picture of that movement which
has resulted in an organization that belts
the world with the white ribbon. Her
snow-white hair, dressed with puhs on
each side of her face and coiled over the
top OF her head gave her peculiarly ven-
erable appearance, though her voice and
mental vigor would not indicate her four
score years. Others followed her in short
addresses, introduced by Miss Willard In
her peculiarly apt way as Miss Belle
Kearney, daughter of Democratic poll
tician way down in Mississippi" Miss
Kearney's earnest words and attractive
personality brought from the great throng
repeated applause.
LADY Henry Somerset, as it was "Hos-
pital Sunday, " asked for collection for
the Home for Inebriates at Duxhurst,
which resulted in an offering OF ESQ, Id.
Madame Antoinette Sterling was then
presented to the audience and prefaced
her beautiful solo by a little impromptu
speech which greatly delighted every one,
as was evinced by the persistent encores.
Madame Sterling is a great favorite in
England and her rich voice, winsome
manner and apt speeches will ever be re-
membered as one of the happy features Of
these meetings. She calls herself "a
Britisher," but she was born in America
and the larger part of her life as pro-
fessional singer has been spent in Lon
don ana on the cOulluent. one mas De-
come an ardent enthusiast of the W. {.
II. u. and Is ready by her sweet voice to
help on its interests.
Others followed in short speeches and
none were more heartily appreciated than
those OF Lady Somerset and Miss Willard,
who cordially welcomed the great host
OF foreign delegates to English shores
and hospitality.
WOMEN IN THE PULPITs.
Over 200 pulpits were opened to women
i'm London ON this first Sunday of our
gathering, and a leading daily said: "The
number might moreover been doubled IL
more time for making arrangements had
been available. - 1t was little remark
akble that John Wesley's pulpit, the
Cathedral of Methodsm, City Road
Chanel. was occupied the first time i'm its
history by woman, Miss Agnes Il. Slack
OF w. Derby, England, communicate of
that denomination who has forceful
delivery, speaks with no uncertain sound,
hits hard at evil of every kind and in
such n logical way as TO convince the
most sceptical. Miss Slack is quite prom
inent in political life, was one OF the
first Poor Law Guardians of England,
and she with her sister, Mrs. Bamford
SLACK are members of the Womens Lib
eral Fcderatio Executive Committee, the
most powerful woman's political organi-
zation I'm England, Lady Aberdeen being
its president before leaving for Canada,
and the Countess of Carlisle is her sue
cessor.
Miss Slack is thoroughly English in APP
pearance and speech, but won all the
hearts OF her American sisters by her
sweet. generous and just spirit, and her
hearty desire TO make them feel "at
homen on English soil. Miss Slack has
been invited TO visit Canada and the
United states and will undoubtedly do so
at an early date, giving series of lee
lures on philanthropic subjects.
INTERESTING PRocEEDINGs
On Monday morning when the deie-
gates assembled in City Temple, placed
nj their disposal by its pastor, DIR.
Parker. the handsome building had
assumed n remarkably festive air. Ban
ners and bannerots adorned the front of
! the gallery and the pulpit was massed in
white flowers and streamers of " hite rib
bon. Distinguished foreign delegates
and visitors occupied the rostrum and
the National Executive Committee Of the
British woman's Temperance Association
| occupied a spacious platform erected for
~ a