The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-12-01

declared that It's sympathIes and pray
ers would be given only 10 that party,
by whatever name called. that would
In its platform give US the best express
sion Of prohibition sentiment, and most
surely protect our homes Before that
convention met az St. Louis only one
church would open its doors to the con-
ventlon, and that church. 10 It's honor.
be IL said. was the First United Pres
byterian. At our last convention, held
two weeks ago, and where the same
political resolution was unanimously
adopted. one hundred and seventeen
churches Of every denomination willing
~ opened their doors. and two Sab
baths ago. from one hundred and sew
enteen pulpits, woman spoke the Cos
pei truth In its relation 70 forty diff
ferent departments OF work Of the W.
.c, T. Z. The convention was held In the
great music hall Of st. Louis. which
VIII seat four thousand people. reserved
seats being sold at one dollar apiece.
And we can estimate the interest Gre
ated by this convention when we know
that every evening every seat in the
building was occupied, while at every
day session two thousand people we're
present. Sunday afternoon was de-
voted to the Armenian cause. and there
was not even standing room left in
the building. 1t is known to most peo-
pie how warmly Miss Willard and Lady
Henry Somerset. the president OF the
English W. C. T. u. has espoused the
cause OF these prosecuted Christians.
Two escaped Armenians were at this
Sunday meeting In st. Louisa man
and woman each dressed in the
tasteful native Armenian costume. Re
becca Korchoran. who is under the care
of the National W. c. T. u. was a ma
tive teacher in Armenia. Her father
is a native preacher. her brother a
professor In one Of the Christian col
leges. Because her father would not
testify to a faIsehood. viz. that the
massacre OF the Christians was the re-
suit Of a rebellion on the part Of the
Armenians themselves. Rev Kirchovian
was imprisoned. Professor Kirchoyan
was imprisoned. Rebecca Kirchovan
barely escaped with her life, being
helped to escape to America by some
american Missionaries. while her young
er sister was taken and placed in a
Turkish harem Yet Rebecca Kircho-
vans whole plea at St Louis was for
the Mohammedans-that Missionaries
might be sent to them, not TO extermi-
nate them, but to save their souls.
And with uplifted hands and wet eyes
she pledged herself that II her life were
Z prolonged it would be devoted TO the
carrying Of Christs Gospel to the
Turks. 1T is their religion that is at
fault" she said. What would you ex-
pect Of the followers OF Mahomet when
each day they pray in their mosques
"oh. Allah. curse the Christian; let
his home be desolate; make his chill
dren orphans; give his wealth as a
spoil to us, thy faithful"
At the conclusion of Miss Kirchovan's
address Miss Willard said: Never be-
fore. under such terrible persecution.
did 1 ever hear one so nearly express
the spirit Of the Master, Father. for
give them. for they know not what
they do"
A collection Of one thousand dollars
was then taken up to be sent by the
National W. C. t. U. to the aid Of this
afflicted people.
1t may be of interest to state that
the State W. c. T. us Of Maine and
Massachusetts not only furnished the
$780, 900 bonds required by our govern
ment before the -.rmenian refugees
sent over by Miss Willard could be
landed, but these unions also provided
clothes and homes for two hundred
of them The Salvation Army took
charge of the rest.
A prominent business man remarked
as he went out of the convention:
We'll, am a thorough convert to the
Woman's Christian Temperance Union.
It's evidently the broadest and most
active and effective Christian organiza-
tion in America today. for it fearlessly
espouses every moral reform
| l tried hard to secure the next Ma
tional Convention for Oregon. pre-
sented an invitation from Governor
Lord, the Portland Chamber of Com
merce, city council, Ministerial Associa-
ton and local W. C. T. u, and the
State w. C. T. u. but several of our
states presented equally strong invi-
tations, and as the triennial conven-
ton of the worlds w. c. T. U. viii be
held in Toronto, Canada, Immediately
preceding our national convention, l
fear the general officers viii decide
on Portland. Maine. for the next gen.
eral convention,
NARCISSA w. KINNEY.
| On account of the storms and ice in
the river. the steamer Telephone laid
I