New-York tribune., 1898-11-17
"AN ORGANIZED PROVIDENCE
TITLE FOR MISS ANNA GORDON. THE
NEW VICE Observation-Disclosures or
THE NATIONAL W. c. r L.
FOR TWENTY YEARS PRIVATE SECRETARY TO
THE GREAT LEADER. FRANCES WILLARD.
SHE is now CHOSEN TO STAND ~
THE SIDE OF THE NEW
PRESIDENT MRS
f/eN
II Z "

STEVENS
figure familiar Miss Willard hcrsel, 10 all
within and many without the white ribbon army Is
that OF Miss Anna Gordon for she has been identi-
fed with the National Woman's Christian Temper
Union rs Mss Wizards private secretary
since 1sT and is superintendent OF the Loyal Tenn
psrance Legions for the Worlds Woman's Chris
tisu Temperance Union well as its assistant Sec
retarv.
1t is not surprising in view OF al hor activities
and her wide knowledge OF the work and its needs
that Miss Gordon should become a prominent factor
in the leadership Of the whitc-rihbon work Ii is
safe TO assert that in all the serried ranks OF
Christian temperance women there whose
record could be fittngly designated "senpcr
fdels." aud none whose industry. worth and tall
have contributed more. directly and Indirect
ly. 10 temperance reform.
Consequently, Miss Gordone appointment A. the
present National Womau's Christian Temperate"
Union Convention. ia 81 Peul. 20 the important
once OF vice -presdent-at- -iarge-an Office vacated
nv Miss Willard's chosen successor. Ms. l.. VI y
Stevens. OF Manc-concs a ncrifed recognition
Of eminent ability And II comes, TOO. rs n fitting
acknowledgements OF the individuality cf who
did hesitate sink self OF sight r thereby
she might the better the great and the
leader 10 whom she dcvotediy attached.
Ii has been well said that Frances Willard was
The genius but Anna Gordon made the environ
ment in which that genius came TO IT. fullest de-
opment. Those vino have come I'm closest con-
with the alert. koon-wttcd. courteous private
secretary are best aware of the tremendous load
she has lightly ava nOnchalanuy borne through
score OF years as tho chosen companion and aide
de-camp Of the phenomenal woman leader 50
quick and tactful have been her attentions. small
wonder Miss Willard dubbed her Little Oppo--
tune" So vise her diplomacy 50 careful he- econ
omH. clear heT judgmcn, SO balanced hor adj
rninstratiye ability that il is not surprising The
late leader loved To nanc hor ~ "OrSanizel Prov
.t.I l1eD her
keen her loving insight. strong her tender sym
psthy. that she also aptly termed MY guide
philosopher end friend" bs hat noble SOIL whose
greatest pleasure was "a she'd the sunshine ot COM
rondation on all around
Mss Gordon'S temperance labOrs I'm fLe capacity
% private secretary TO the late cnicftain would
alone have kept an ordinary worker OF tho qui yiye
II 1. Illustrative Of her power 10 conserve time tht'
dur1nS the two decades Of interrupted life, whether
travelling or AT Miss Wizards home or abroad, she
hss been able To- prosecute successfully varied
Work dstiuctively her own. Her fine musical abiI-
ifv has found play The publication OF half dozen
popular Temperance hymn and song books Her
literary gifts have been exercised in SONG writing
sny In many poercai and prose productions. THO
stes, work OF Miss Gordon has been the herculoan
task necessarily assumed before the FIRST shock oi
E-ief had passcd at the untimolv taking "f Nj
WillardD Of Issuing memorial volume. IN Nhl'H
10 fe and abors OF tho great rcioimei ere sIaI"-
For The Children whom she loves. heT enor's hsye
p
lows out her natural Dcnt ~ I,'VI OF i'.e oi.
visitors al the Worlds Fair VII recall the 7.i
- ne M Gh15ren'< Binding collected under Miss
Gordon's superini' nd'ncy rom , 's ~ on
sn's Chris,an Tcmperance Inion 1rr on.nl%i..s d,.s
have carried weight in luI'h'i'i0' ~ ''' WIN
yhi,e-rbbon work
FUTURE PLANS
,rss Gordon.4 counsel. as regards The future
,roparanda of tine Woman Christian Temperance
I.nIon &c rightly held to be invaluable. Sh" stood
close~t 70 The ono whose unique intellectual and
spiritual virilsty bros-1t thc "rsii~t 'i'" '" '-
present place of nhqcnrg "s rifr,ai, .'c ,n,.rcn
Tafnrauv Mis- Gordon - imbu,i ~''H '.'.-
~ the sam' "ii| tus ii'' ri rirn0scs is am .u-
NeStifure which rais~s her "quaiN N''n, ~ u, ,G,,t
ability and grace. hlgh IN '' 'S''
Nv right OF birth and "lu'ation Mi1S ''' i,.
,i, - co,,o 10 a post ~ Wii' u-"iulp'ss- So
born ~. in boston Her father jam NJ Gotao,
was treasurer for twenty yI&3ir I&3iri, o. Nliss,on- lie
lyas - man Of high culture aud prn'ipI', ,',c Mi'D
passing 1"@, o,,.r ssier is MIR Alice Gordon duc!
vho * yice-presid' mt 81 IN. N."''" ,.t.-,. -,.
Chyistian Temperance Union for spain, %m7fu ,
"a ber husband have been mssonarl'n 20, n'' !t.,.'
years They founded ia" IH''Iha'y''S Sr ,l,,ioits
FOR Ghls ai San Sebastian, removed. 'ol ooD " i
reasons. during the recent month";. P Pnt 'Uy, ncr is
.xuected 20 b. re-esth blsh'n al 'l- ,t,frI.y
G9SncG S1oo Sy the Successful oncomc Of he M"f
Miss Gordons 6rother1r pt2G-s1 Col and Freder
az cnrdon Of columbus. Ga.-ale pro a.l.,,c
educ fional and business tlItI'7 ~. ,,rd,n
bones The o. her sister Miss klzaD'l - .' n
tormerIv state CORE spondine se,i',@,> I-n9n
..obrse,,s Woman's Christian Temp, ,al'"" nLn'
4, .n active whe-ribbOner ana phdu.nl'l l'.n,,e,i,r
a,,b ,be widowed mother, HIh'lpu, a., torn,-
rnr.r 80 snends her summers 81 tl' r"lnE " ,s q,
,.es6 In Auburrdalo, Mass. ana inc N'"'
tn. higher education ~ Mount holH"N. %nTistjan
- s"1,ar ,n the formation Of the stl"iis ~ H.
lnnu'I. -, u,hich tho home training had '.H ~
sure foundations Miss Gordon naH ,du % bent Of
r-a,,-,ia.,nn ~ her studies. 10 fp1o" 'l' i"f A.,
S ,.is,,c and musical talents. Jns' 80 -,
iermin,ng point in her & ear[sE boe ,nrTen, Of her
i,Io n,n-L IL caused her 10 le} "*iu' "ll ~ pi1 -
ambition 10 follow he desp religious '''P''
Ssr nature and the call Of duiN; 1900. Conducting
=, rss in is77 that Miss Willard VA 'u'h ''h Nj
fbs ~onen's meetings IN oonhe'"'" '