The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1896-11-19
THE w. G. r. u. PLEA.

THE w. G. T. q. PLEA.
Ask for Aid In Behalf Of the
Armenians.
4 Message Sent to President Cleveland
Urge Cooperation OF America In
Ending tho Reign Of
Bloodshed.
st. Louis, Nov. 16.-Women of the Ma
tional Christian Temperance union
have voiced determination to aid Ar
menians. They offered their lives and
prayers, they gave some money, and
promised more, and then they told
President Grover Cleveland all about
it in the following message, which was
sent to Washington before the meeting
closed:
est. Louis. Nov. Is. ls96.-Grover Cleve-
land, President Of the United States. WASH
ington, D. C.-Sir: The Woman's Chris
tian Temperance union, In national con-
vention assembled, and representing $780,
600 American women. Is INDIGNANT at the
outrages committed by the Turkish SOL
diers and mob on IS of our honored Ameri-
can fellow-citizens at Harpoot, whose
homes and property to the extent Of $780,
900 have been plundered and destroyed.
We protest against the delay which has
allowed more than year to pass without
securing any indemnity for this outrage,
nor the punishment Of any OF the guilty
parties. and We respectfully urge that i'm
mediate and effective steps be taken to
vindicate the rights of American citizens
In Turkey. We further urge the coopera-
To- 9th In
way with the powers of Europe in bringing
an end to the reign Of bloodshed and out
rage in Turkey, which Is disgrace and
menace to our common civilization.
FRANCES E. WILLARD.
CLARA c. HOFFMAN. President.
Secretary"
But they were not alone in this Chris
tan uprising; 1000 citizens of St. Louis,
by rising vote, sanctioned the act of
the convention, and moved to have their
support manifested in the message to
the president. This was brought about
at the Armenian mass meeting, held at
Exposition hall Sunday afternoon, and
was the outgrowth of President Fran
ces Wizards untiring efforts in behalf
of the Armenians. Everything tended
to create realization of her hopes and
longings. Earnest Armenian mission
aries pleaded for their adopted people,
native Armenians, in the picturesque
robes of their country, reached out their
hands, and urged the audience not to
deny the fatherhood of God and the
brotherhood of man. The Armenian
flag draped in black was suspended
from the presidents table. It is of blue,
yellow and red. with Christ's head over
q red cross on white handkerchief;
to the left and to the right couchant
lion on a sheet of white.
With her hand resting on the flag,
Frances Willard. in her gentle, persua-
sive way. spoke of the things which lie
deepest in her heart. She said, among
other things:
IAN ancient nation Is being slowly slaugh-
tered at the foot of Mount Ararat FIFTY
thousand victims stretched out under Gods
sky in the slow circle Of year: women.
pure, devout and comedy, suffering two
deaths-a living and dying death; little
children poised on the bayonets of Mos
lem soldiers: villages burned, and starva-
ton the common lot On the other hand.
Christian Europe, with 100000 soldiers.
who take their rations and their sacra-
ment regularly: statesmen who kneel on
velvet cushions in beautiful cathedrals and
pray, We beseech Thee to hear us, God
our Lord diplomats who can shape the
whisper Of a throne and shade the mean
ing of an ultimatum: but neither states
man, diplomat nor soldier has wit, wis
dom nor will to save single life, shelter
single tortured babe or supply single
loaf of bread to the starving Christians on
the Armenian hillsides.
Invested interests are against It, the
balance of power does not permit it. The
will of the sultan is the only will in the
empire of Turkey. and all the wills of all
the Christian nations cannot move 1t one
hair. The Turk is a savage, while the
statesmen are over-civilized; he is ty-
rant, while they are craven towards
Meanwhile a star moves toward the east;
it caught it's light from the star of Bethle-
hem One Clara Barton, woman we'll
hands and moved forward to the rescue.
She went to bind up wounds. to give out
bread, to light the fires on the blackened
hearthstones, to put hope into broken
hearts. She Is a greater power to-day
for God and brotherhood than all the
statesmen, diplomatists and soldiers. The
worlds eyes followed her with love; they
could not see her plainly for tears. Did
our Heavenly Father wish to put before
humanity an object lesson on the broadest
scale Of the futility Of force and the ON
impotence of love?"
A cablegram was read from Constan-
tinople, in which it was stated that at
Harpoot 10000 persons were destitute;
that 100000 was needed for food and
e $1,000 for bedding. Eighty thousand
persons were fed last year and e 10O,-
900 would be'necessary for the winters
needs.
Miss Margaret Leitch, of Ceylon, and
Miss Rebecca Krekorian, Aintab, Ar
mcnia, made stronger the things al
ready said, and urged compassion, not
condemnation for the misguided Turks.
The sultan was roundly scored. and
neither woman acted as though she
fancied the acts were characteristic of
the Turkish ruler. 1t is believed that IN
industrial colony in Cyprus will be the
result of the meeting.
The pulpits of Gs churches in this
city were occupied Sunday by delegates
to the w. C. T. U. convention. In some
! of them both morning and evening
services were conducted by the ladies.
fy1ll attendance was broupht out. and