Sistersville oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1896-1901, 1898-09-21

PRAYERS, and heartfelt thanksgiv
ings, and happy indeed would be
: the pulsation of every heart present
and most satisfactory the retro
spect, were there not disappoint-
ments WEAKNESS, heart.aches, dis
couragements, lack of interest In
those who hold the power OF politi
cal destiny and grave responsibility
weighing so heavily on the Other
side.
It seems but yesterday since we
babe each other goodbye, in the
beautiful little hamlet OF St. Marys
and scattered away to our different
homes, bearing with us the pleas
ant memories of that occasion. We
were impressed with new hopes
broader views, clearer conceptions
of the work before us, and of ou1
individual relations to it. 1t is but
human, at times, to see discourage
ments where more exist. Yet,
doubtless, each worker in the cause
of temperance present today
has in her experience confronted
many discouragements and met
with indifference and perhaps op
position where she least expected
it. I think we should regard and
use many of our disappointment
as means of education in this work.
Our aim should not entirely be
selt-attained-we must leain to
wait. We must have much patience
and perseverance and self abnega-
ton and look upon disappointments
as the chisel which carves the out
lines from the marble of self-hood
and helps us shape the DESTINY OF
this labor of love. We must not be
discouraged at the slow moving OF
events. Let us remember our
smiles, our tears, our prayers, our
hopes, our efforts are all numbered,
not one lost. We live in them, and
they in us-and let us always re-
member. whatever in loves name
is truly done, to free the bound,
and lift the fallen one, is done for
Christ.
The women gathered here today
represent what? They represent a
society, whose mission is nothing
less than the establishment of the
Divine ideals of righteousness in
human life in all its relatlons-it is
surely a holy mission to which we
are called and we need a constant
baptism of the Divine Spirit that
we may carry it forward to
successful issue. And I trust
that in this convention we may all
feel in an especial degree the over
shadowing of the Infinite, and may
we be led in all that we plan and do
for the future. by the spirit of wis
dom and truth. We are earnestly
asking that special wisdom may &c
given those who represent us at the
state and national conventions
which will so soon be in session, for
we realize that in many respects
this will be one OF the most trying
years in our history 1t seems but
Yesterday the telegraph flashed the
news over the world of the death OF
Americas best beloved daughter,
Frances E. Willard Millions Of
people of every and and cline
paused to express their heartfelt
sorrow and tender their sympathy,
but oh, to those of us who knew
her personally, who have felt the
magic of her voice and shared the
greatness of her soul, we shall miss
her so! Her presence with us was
song with a new note, flower
with a new fragrance. She was
never dwarted, limited or bigoted
She respected every form of faith,
even though she realized there was
but one religion. Her heart was OF
universal brotherhood. Like the
sky she had room for all. Where
shall we find another so perfectly
human and exquisitely divine-aye,
verify we shall miss her.
Be pitiful. o Father, to our grief!
See how we sink beneath Thy heavy rod
Bend from the skies and bring us sweet relief,
Be merciful in this dark hour, o God.
Our leader fell upon this sacred field,
No more we'll hear her stirring battle cry;
She lies asleep upon her dinted shield,
| with patient folded hands and close-shut eye.
Re mercifnl dear Father, to our need!
Our staff is shattered, and the shades descend
Bind I'D the bruised hearts that faint and bleed,
Be thou our great physician and our friend.
And now as we close the ledger
of the past year and enter upon the
,,ocrae of the neu LET ne Keen close