The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-03-19
MRS. LILLIAN M. N. STEVENS.
To the Editor of the Press

10 the Editor OF the Press:
The office of vice president in the
Woman's Christian Temperance Union
was suggested by Miss Willard, National
president four years ago, and as soon as
created, she appointed Mrs. Stevens to
the position and has renamed her for it
every succeeding year. For this reason
there is a wonderful unanimity around
the National headquarters in these days,
and the organization which loved.
reverenced and believed in Miss Willard
rally as one woman around Mrs. Stevens
as the president of her choice. However.
lest there should be any misunderstand-
ing, It is we'll to add that Mrs. Stevens is
president Of the Union, under the con-
stitution, which provides that the officers
shall be president, vice president at large;
and where in an article in the by. laws
| under heading of the duties of president,
it is enacted that ''she may also nominate
one of the vice presidents to be known as
vice president at large. Said nomination
to be acted upon by the convention.
"In case of the presidents inability to
act, the duties shall fall upon the vice
president at large"
| Mrs. Stevens is too we'll known in this
city, vicinity and throughout the state to
give any detailed description of her per-
sonality, but some particulars Of her carly
experience cannot fail to be Of interest.
| She was born in Dover, in this state, of
scholarly and religious parents. At very
tender age there came to her the arrest OF
| thought on the problems OF life and
destiny.
The words:S ''He died like Christian
and philosopher, (" uttered by the minister
at the funeral services of her only brother
| left an indelible impression, the thought
of religious life ever after intermingled
with her secular studies. The love of
| Christ came to be to her child S heart tn G
most beautiful Of gospel truths, and when
in matured years she felt the need of q
church home, she sought it where the
creed to which she must subscribe did
! not limit His love and power, but asserted
Him to be able sometime and somewhere
to restore all souls to holiness and happi-
| ness
After her school days she became a
| teacher, and was teaching at the date OF
her early marriage in 1865.
In the many years of her philanthropic
and evangelistio efforts, now nearing a
quarter OF century, often unpopular,
misunderstood, and misrepresented her
courage mas never failed, and, through it
all, her safe refuge has been in her home,
/ Where her husband and their only child
"a daughter, have been her most efficient
and affectionate helpers.
| For eighteen years she has been presi-
dent of the state union, loved and trusted
| by her constituency and 1t will be sor-
rowful duty If the necessity calls us to
| give her up to the National work.
| No record of what she has accomplished
in organized effort would be just with
out mention of her personal work.
| Into her daily life came heart breaking
histories of actual misery more thrilling
than the society novelist imagines or can
depict; betrayer and betrayed sometimes
accept her wise and gentle arbitration
| friendless children Of all ages, boys and
girls from country homes owe to her the
open door to safe and better life, while
the drunkard oonsecrates himself to
| Christ through her earnest persuasions.
sistant recording secretary thirteen years,
until appointed to the position OF Vice
president at large four years ago.
| In 1899 she was appointed one of the
managers of the Worlds Fair, having
the entire charge of preparing Maine's ex-
hibit of charities and corrections, homes,
hospitals, asylums, etc., who appeared in
the anthropological building Of the ex-
position. For three years was treasurer OF
! the National Council of Women, and on
| voluntarily retiring from that office was
placed in the cabinet of the council and
given the portfolio of moral reform.
The foregoing is an imperfect sketch,
revised from a western journal of the
woman living In our midst. Her life an
open hook on whom for time at least
rests the leadership of the Woman'f
| Christian Temperance Union.
| Honors have come to her unsought, and
her constituency feels that. lin honorina
Mrs. Stevens they are honoring the
deliberate choice of her lamented prede.
cessor.