Evening star., 1898-10-20
REVIEW OF WoMAN's WORK
Twenty-Fourth Annual Convention of Dis
triot W, IT.. o.
Reports of Officers and Superfptend-
1FL
ents-Address byf Rev. Leslie
MoOre-The- Y Branch,

The twenty-fourth annual convention of
| the w. C. T. U. of the District of Column
bia was opened this morning at 10 o'clock
| in the Church Of Our Father, corner of
! 18th and L streets northwest. Devotional
| exercises were conducted by Mrs s. M
Hartsock before the convention was called
| to order by Mrs. M. B. Platt, Mrs. Emma
F. Shelton acted as secretary and Miss
Clayton E. Emfg as assistant secretary
| The attendance was not large. there being
about thirty-five ladies and two or thre.
gentlemen present when the meeting was
| opsned. The church was simply decorated
with flags, which were draped about the
galleries, and plants placed on the pulpit,
| the reading desk being ornamented with a
bunch Of cut flowers
| Mrs. Hartsock opened the devotions by
| having the congregation sing Rock of
Ages" Mrs. T. A. Williams acting as or
| ganist. After the first stanza had been
| sung Mrs. Hartsock remarked that the con-
| gregation didn't sing as If they had any
| faith, and asked them to start over again
Sing it with jingle" she remarked,
| "and you will feel batter"
The hymn was started again and sung
| throughout, after which a delegate offered
| prayer.
| The service was continued by Mrs Hart
| sock reading the second chapter of Luke
| The lesson she drew from the text was that
| people should lose themselves in their work
| There should be less of the Individual, she
| said, and more Of purpose in the efforts of
| Christian people.
| Mrs. Platt offered prayer and after an
| other hymn had been sung called the con-
| rention to order. By this time the body of
| the church was quite well filled and the
| business meeting was begun by the reading
| OF the minutes of the last meeting of tie
| executive committee by Mrs. Martha Ham
| lin.
| Welcomed by Rev. Moore.
! Rev. Leslie Moore pastor of the Church
of Our Father, delivered an address of
| welcome to the convention. He referred
| during his remarks to the leading position
! that had been taken by the Universalist
| Church in temperance work. and said there
was but one place for all temperance work.
| ers to stand, that being beneath a common
| banner.
| The address of welcome was responded
| to by Mrs. Grace L. Chaplin of the Capitol
Hill Union. who said the time was not far
passed when a great many churches hesi-
| tated in opening their doors for meetings
| of the W. c. +. T.. but she thought at
| present there vas hardly an evangelical
| church that was rot glad of the privilege
| of doing so.
Mrs. NJ B. Plat, president of the union
| delivered her annual address, in which she
| reviewed events in temperance work dur
ing the past year. She made an appeal for
| ql arters for the District association in a
! building to be owned by the association
| She also referred to the loyal support that
| had been given her during the past year
| from all members of the association. She
| deprecated the practice of having canteens
| in the army, and said their existence there
| to sap the health of the soldiers and to
| make them liable to disease simply
| votes with which they were enabled to
| maintain these institutions. She hoped the
| time would soon come When the canteen in
| the army could no longer exist.
AT the conclusion of her address a vote
| OF thanks was extended to the president.
Loss in Membership.
The report of the corresponding secretary
Was read by Miss L, S, Weightman. The
report showed a lessening in the total MEM
| bership of the union in the District to
about 800. loss Of over hundred members
since the last annual meeting. Miss
| Weightman appealed to the members to
| work vigorously to prevent any falling of
| in the membership in the future, and to re-
| gain those who have been lost.
| The treaSurer'S report was made by Mrs.
| T. A. Williams. The report was not com
| piete for the reason that all collections by
| LEGAL unions had not been made. 1t showed
| that $3S7.9S had been received from dues,
| will be made later. The total receipts
| amounted to 81, 500 40, which amount will
| be increased when all reports have been re-
| Ce.ved by the treasurer.
A collection for the benefit of the associa-
| ton was taken up, and Mrs. Plat, the
| president, made an appeal for immediate
| work to increase the membership of the
| association. The failure of members to pay
| their dues had resulted in 'he decrease in
| membership as reported, as no member is
| counted as such unless their dues are paid.
| Mrs. Clinton Smith made a report on Y
work. which showed favorable conditions.
| At 1890 the association adjourned and
luncheon was served in the adjoining par
| lors.
| Afternoon Session.
| Mrs. Platt called the convention to order
at 1870 o'clock, and prayer was offered by
| Mrs Catherine l.. Case after which the
| minutes of the proceedings of the morning
| were read.
| Reports of superintendents of local work
were read, as follows: Loyal Temperance
| Legion, Mrs. ALA Foster, scientific tenn
| perance Instruction. Mrs. Grace Spencer:
| flower mission, Mrs. Harry Johnston; leg
| islative and petition work, Mrs. Clinton
| Smith: work among colored people, Mrs.
| r. f. lawson Young Wage Earners Club,
| Mrs Nellie H. Bradley.
| Other reports were read also.
| The convention will meet at 10 O'Clock
| tomorrow morning, ard, after devotional
| place. In the afternoon session there will
| special temperance work.