Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-11
WORKING FOR TEMPERANCE.
w. G. T. U. Meeting ut metropolitan
A. NJ. E. Church.

A. NJ. E. Church.
The Womans Christian Temperance
Union Of Metropolitan A. NJ. E. Church. M
street between 18th and 10th streets north
west, whose efforts to extend it's usefulness,
it was stated, has been allowed to lag dur
ing the last few months, was revived yes
terday afternoon, and Mrs. M. B. Plat,
president of the District w. C. T. u, at a
meeting held in the church, welcomed it
into the District Union, and predicted that
it would be very successful in the future.
The principal address of the meeting was
by Mrs. Lucy Thurman of Jackson, Mich,
national superintendent of W. c. T. u.
work Among Colored People," and was
really an excellent effort, and she was re-
warded by having the attention Of the audi
erce from the beginning to the close of her
remarks. There were some passages in her
speech which wrought her hearers up to
such a high state of excitement that they
gave vent to their feelings in long-contin-
ued applause.
Mrs. Thurman enjoys the distinction of
having been the guest of Lady Henry So
merset during the great worlds Christian
temperance convention in London last year
and her remarks in reference to the scenes
she witnessed in Albert Hall, where the
convention held its sessions were intensely
interesting Never until them" said Mrs
Thurman, did 1 realize the beauty of the
stars and stripes in all their glory. There
the gathering, and the flags of all nations
were used in the decorations of the build
ing, but the stars and stripes were the
most beautiful of ALL"
Mrs. Thurman spoke eloquently of the
different movements in favor of temperance
that have taken place in this country dur
Ing the last 1o0 years, but it has been"
she said, during the last twenty-five years
that the best results have been attained
and the great moving power in the work
mas been the Woman's Christian Temper
ance Union"
Mrs Thurman spoke touchinsly of Mrs
IieVeland position in reference to liquor.
Mrs. Cleveland had" she said, been ask
ca many times why she would not touch
liquor Of any kind. and she had always re-
pred that she could not do so when she
knew that there was 50 much distress
caused throughout the country because of
its use.
The colored people of the United States
spend annually S19,oO0OOO for liquor We,
as a race, hold in our hands our destiny
and II we could prevent this great sum
from going into the tills of the rumsellers
we would make the greatest progress ever
experienced in history
Mrs. Thurman closed with an eloquent
appeal to her hearers to unite in their eff
forts to make this country what God in
tended il to be-
Speeches were also made by Mr. John r.
Lynch and DR.. c. b. Purvis. The former
said he knew of a preacher who said he
could not preach well unless he had a
couple of drinks of liquor in him when he
went into the pulpit, but he (Mr. LYNCH
thought this was ONLY imarination on tho
part of the minister
Dr. Purvls made an eloquent appeal He
spoke at considerable length in reference 70
the murder of Miss Elsie kreglo by Ford,
and said that while Ford ought to suffer
the extreme penalty of the law yet he be-
lleVed that it was liquor that was RESPONSE
BILE for the crime.
DR.. Purvis made the startling assertion
han -,
Christianity religious people are wort h
nothing. You cannot" he said, "get the
Christian people of this District to make
an honest political protest against the
liquor traffic"
Announcement was made that Mrs s. D.
La Fetra, who was present. has been ap-
pointed worlds superintendent of the VI.
L. L. L. for the department of Christian
citizenship