Evening star., 1898-04-30

Mothers in Israeli have been numerous
in history, but it was left to the closing
years of the nineteenth century to see these
Deborahs convene in a congress- to dis
cuss ways and means of educating and
caring for the young Samuels and Judahs,
the Rachels, Rebeccas, Hannahs and Hi
rams. so that they shall grow up in the
fear and admonition of the Lord, with re-
spect for parents and desire to become use
full citizens.
The first congress of mothers convened
last May. The idea of a great national
mothers meeting had it's birth in 1895, in
the brain of a gentle. low-voiced, dainty
little mother, whose three small children
mad hiled her heart and life so full of the
milk Of human kindness that refreshing
orops. overfowed and reached other moth
Of Washington, D. c., who originated the
idea. but she had thought that such
grand results would grow out of her cher
ished hopes.
The fairy godmother of Mrs Birney's
dreams was Mrs. Phoebe Hearst The
plans interested her. and she gave lavishly
OF her wealth, to make the congress sue
cess. Day by day the plans widened out.
tlll at last the whole nation was talking
about the new woman's fad" Some ridi-
culed it. many thought it an ephemeral
thing, but by far the largest number grasp
ed at the idea, believing that it held the
germ OF grand work for God and hui
manity.
Unexpected Results.
The week of the congress came. The
banquet rooms of a big hotel were supposed
to be large enough for the audience that
would attend. The people who came filled
all the available room the lower floor
of the Arlington and blockaded the pave
ment in front. Adjournment was taken to
one of the largest churches in the city
En1f to fIAl
ed the pavements. "Overfow meetings
We're held in the basement of the church,
IN the class rooms. and at the hotel Little
slde talks with mothers were organized for
each day. The interest grew and grew
and the women who had worked so faith
fully to make the first congress a success
found themselves famous
There were delegates from the golden
states on the Pacific, from the Rockies
from the great Pacific regions. from among
the pine tree states of the north and the
gun states OF the south. New England
FURNISHED a big delegation. These earnest
thoughtful women carried back to their
homes glowing reports of the inspired
congress, and the tiny seeds thus sowu
nave taken root from one end of the cOnti-
nent to another, and indeed in other lands.
The seco nd congress will convene Mon
day morning at 10 o'clock at the Grand
Opera Hou:e, and promises to be even a
grandcr success than the first one The
sessions are open and free to ALL There
will be present eminent men and women
who have spent their lives in the study
of how best tc advance the mental moral
and ply steal being, and lead the human
race to higher plane of civilization
In the coming congress there will be
speakers from all over the world. All Eu-
rope has been talking about the mothers
congress-, and from far-aWay India comes
Pundita Ramabai, who will tell first how
she herself became emancipated from the
barbal Gus practices of her own country
and then how she started to help others
out of the depths. In all, there will be
sixty-five speakers many of whom are
platform orators and specialists in their
particulars lines. There will be kindergart-
ners, preachers, patriotic speakers, talk
ers on domestic science, doctors. lawyers
teachers, professors of music, newspaper