The herald., 1896-07-20
PAOEBE COUZIN'S BENEFIT.
Large Audience at the Church
of the Unity
REV. ANNA SHAW'S ADDRESS
A Strong Plea for the Right Of Suffrage
by Women
II II Matter Of Plain and Simple Justice
Remarks by Rev. Hr. Wilson
Musical Program

Every seat in the Church Of the Unity
at the corner Of Hill and Third streets
was occupied at the benefit to Miss Phoe-
be Couzins last evening. The enter
tainment was given under the auspices
Of the campaign committee Of the wom-
ans suffrage movement, and the greater
number of those present were women.
Several members of the committee acted
as ushers. and at each side stood a man
and a woman with baskets to gather in
collections. No regular admission fee
was charged, the contributions being
entirely voluntary. The object of the
meeting was to raise funds to assist
Miss Couzins to return to her eastern
home.
At 7:45 o'clock Rev. Anna H. Shaw,
the lecturer of the evening. with Mrs.
Mila Tupper Maynard, who presided.
and Mrs. Alice Pile Ludlam, appeared
on the platform. AS the ladies took
their seats they were greeted with ap-
plause.
Mrs. Maynard announced as the first
number on the program an overture by
an orchestra Of ladies. but finding on
investigation that the orchestra had not
arrived, asked the indulgence OF the
audience. She then stated that letter
had been received from Miss Couzins,
who had found it impossible to be pres
ent. which would be read by Mrs Lud-
lam. The letter is as follows:
To Mrs. Mila T. Maynard. president,
and members of the Los Angeles county
Woman Suffrage Campaign committee.
in Unity Church assembled: Dear
Friends AS hope to start for the east
early in the week, have decided that
it is best not to make the effort to be
with you tonight, as 1t seems best to
conserve all the forces for the Journey;
and. while deeply regret that cannot
say to you in person, "All hail and fare
WELL" yet I am glad to be able to send
you my little words OF greeting in this
message.
1t may be that my active work in life
is accomplished and the future holds
for me only the passive acQuiescence of
a looker-on, or perchance. the nearer
approach of that summons which comes
to each and all. sooner or later, to Join
the tnnumerable throng of those who
have already passed the unknown river
Be that as it may. let US not forget that
principles are eternal; truth never dies.
and though standard bearers fall and
leaders pass out of sight and hearing,
new recruits with fresh inspirations
spring forward to catch the mantle as
1t descends from battle-scarred shoul-
ders, or pick up the guidon that drops
from the staff of the vanguard. and hu-
manity marches ever and onward to-
wards final truth, and justice, and
equity.
Therefore whatsoever may befall me.
be OF good cheer; there is no defeat save
In wrong-doing, or disaster except in
false teaching. Great reforms move
slowly. 1t took forty centuries to divest
the human mind of the belief in witches,
and thousands of innocent women were
from III the At Ibe stake to free tbe warld
and Drawn.
This great republic of modern ages
Travelled almost hundred years in its
onward march, with it's assumption Of
equity and justice, while yet it ingrained
chattel slavery into the warp and woof
of it's fraternal bond, and built its al
tars on the blood and bones of it's lowly
citizens. until the inspired pen of Har-
riet Beecher Stowe awoke the civilized
world into righteous rebellion, and we
advanced the right over the PROSTATE
forms of the best beloved Of the land,
learning the bitter lesson of
truth = that it were better that
a milestone be hanged about the
neck of the offender and he be cast into
the sea- rather than the offense come
against even the smallest of the kingdom
Of God.
Woman. in the order Of nature, comes
last in the full fruition Of freedom: but
she cannot gain the summit until she
proves to watchful eyes and listening
ears that she is worthy of the hilltop,
and that, as mother of the race she has
been tried in the crucible of public opin-
ion and has thrown aside the dross of
centuries of petty cares, frivolous views
and narrow aims, and comes into the
light Of the new dispensation as the
mother of men of whom it shall not be