The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-13
MEETING OF w. II. C.
Women Of the Order Crowd the First
MethOdist Church.

tAAA Vi TIC AOG1A gil
annual convention of the Woman's Relief
Corps the First NJ. e.. Church was the
center of an animated scene. The rapidly
arriving delegates soon filled the church
and the murmur of happy voices as friend
met friend and exchanged greeting lent
added charm to the scene. The church was
tastefully decorated with flags, banners and
growing plants, the beauty Of which was
greatly enhanced by the mellow light which
sifted through the handsome stained glass
windows. Soon after the sound of the
gavel the delegates were in the places as
signed to the members of the several dis
tricts. A patriotic thrill passed through the
assembly when America" was sung by the
entire convention. A short prayer was Of
fered by department chaplain, Mrs. Mar
garet Eddy, and the fourteenth annual
convention was then ready for business.
A number of prominent member of the
order from this and other departments were
introduced, among them National President
Agnes Hit, National Secretary Ida j. Nc
Bride, Chief of Staff Melissa Caylor, Mrs.
Cressinger, department president of Ohio;
Mrs. Mary Lyons, past department presi-
dent, and Mrs. Shields, past department in
spector of Ohio.
The national aids from Indiana were
presented-thirteen of whom were present
and the department officers were intro
duced, as follows: President, Mary A.
Sims, of Frankfort; senior vice, Mollie e.
Kelley. of South Bend; junior vice, Anna
E. Kidder, of Goshen; secretary, Mary E.
Brumbaugh, of Frankfort; treasurer, Kate
=. Campbell, of Frankfort; chaplain, Mar
Rose Pickering, of Middletown; counselor,
Mary d. Travis, of Charlottesville l.. and
L. officer, Martha Eherwine, of Evansville.
The past department presidents were pre-
scented, those present being Alice h. Griffin,
Bend: Agnes Hit, of Indianapolis; Jennie
M yprhOft Of EVANSVILLE. Melissa. CaVlOr. OF
Noblesville; Laura Hess, of Indianapolis;
Ida S: Mcbride, Of Indianapolis; julia s
Conklin, of WeStfield; Nettie Ransford, OF
Indianapolis; Eliza j. Crisler, of Green's
burg.
An address was given by Mrs. Nancy
Hazelton, of Richmond, who cordially wei
coined the visitors to Richmond in a breezy
and original manner; her opening words
were:
"Hurrah! Boys, hurrah! The banners are
The cannons are firing away;
The voice of the Nation goes up IN a shout'
For Richmond is taken to-day
Mrs. Hazelton spoke feelingly of the old
soldiers and called attention to the fact
that every President of the United States
S Snmead [ne sb M'r referred erred to the work of the
W.. r. c. along the line of patriotic teach
ing and expressed the belief that by. train
ing the children in good citizenship our
country need fear no foe within nor without
her borders. Mrs. Marguerite Edwards, of
Shelbyville, ably responded to the welcome
Reports were read by the senior vice
president, junior vice president, chaplain,
Inspector, councillor and instituting otiicer
and all show the order to be in good con-
dition in this department., and the work
beneficial and widespread in its results.
The main portions of the presidents address
are as follows:
PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
After acknowledging her shortcomings
and expressing a purpose to have kept the
faith Mrs. Sims, president, speaks of the
condition Of the department as follows:
In the early part of the year it was nee
| essary to do some pruning, and, with the
exception of some two or three almost me
less limbs, the department is in a fairly
healthy condition., and 1t is with PRIDE that
[ report peace and harmon throughout
our borders. TIL silver lining of the man
cial cloud that has overshadoWed us 50
long we have faith can be seen In the
distance, but when we see so much good
that might be accomplished for our order,
were the means but at our disposal, we are
impatient and never knew before now ut
terly one could long for a big bank account;
Very early in the year | learned my zeal
turned over to me $S77.1 but after paying
freight, drayage, ETC., incident upon cnalS-
ing the department the s{e1ograPmer
convention, the salary for overtime OF the
retiring department secretary ana treas
urer, the payment of per capita tax for
two quarters, aside from other necessary
expenses that must be met, l must confess
the outlook was very. very dlscouraglng,
dlu OIOlSAAl ny AHho NAJ
remark of different ones, who, after eX-
| tending congratulations, said: L really do
not know what you are going to carry on
this work with this year l have said we
paid the per capita tax for two quarters in
one. Possibly a word of explanation is nee
essary. Recall to mind the decision of the
thirteenth national convention, that de
partments must pay per capita tax semi
annually My administration began May
IA, but it became necessary for us to pay
tax from the first of January, 1896, and eX-
tending through to July ]. This one consol-
dated report was an experience that called
forth such a wrestling, struggling and
groaning of spirit as never was heard be-
fore throughout the land, and | am happy
to say it died Il timely death at the four
teentlI national convention. However, this
decision necessitated us paying per capita
tax on five quarters, amounting TO g$9l4.59,
more than double that of 1894 and 1895, and
$220.S9 in excess of last year. BY a study
OF the treasurer's report you discover with
but little brain work that the amount on
hands is no inducement TO play the part of
an absconding cashier. Retrench has been
the order and economy practlced, and we
are here, at the end of the year, TO turn
over to our successors d small bank ac-
count, but every bill we owe met and paid.
even the expenses of this convention. 1t is
Il matter of regret to me that cannot re-
port to you many, many corps organized
this year, yet there have been fewer than
felt so keenly the strlngency OF tire
times. | have put forth every effort in
my power to extend our lines. [ have sent
to the commander of every post III the
State one circular letter from the j. and /.
officer, one of my own. and to many | have
written from one to four letters urging the
claims of the w K. c., and in almost every
instance the reply was, We would love to
have a corps and hope to some day, but it
is not possible now | have faith to be-
lieve that seed has been soWn that will
bear fruit to be gathered by the next adj
miniStration. Seven corps have been dis
banded. In the first one the charter was
revoked because of discussions involving
the post; one was twice burned out, and
became so disheartened they felt they
could not rally their forces again; one owed
its downfall to another order; from two
came the wall, we are growing old and
live so scattered we cannot hold our or
ganization any longer They each had
seven members Many such corps could be
saved to the order by a little timely at
just at the critical time. A department
president is in a position to see and realize
more fully than any one else how much this
aid given to these corps Just at this period
means TO the department, yet because of
the state of our finances is utterly power
| less. The remedy is in the hands of this
convention. A sum should be placed at the
disposal of a department president to be
used according to her best judgment for
the good of the order Legislate thought
fully, carefully, economically.
1T was my pleasure to attend seven of
our district conventions. / realize they are
a power for good, and in the preliminaries,
in welcoming the guests, the responses, etc.
Many ladies can remain but for the day.
Possibly their train goes early in the after
noon, and they are blige to leave with a
feeling of disappointment that they have
spent their money and got nothing in re-
turn. l m that the order of bust
ness be changed to bring the real business
of the convention earlier in the day. a large
per cent. of our women seldom have an