Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-10-27

-Dtate MpItV. Il 4ff igG ee. 4f Il
The convention is now among the
pleasant memories of past annual
Threshold of new year, we hope
with fresh Inspiration, and strength
ened purposes, for the work of its un-
tried days, Perhaps none in our ranks
except the president, goes to the an
nual meeting with feeling of greater
responsibility than the State superin-
tendents. And the preparation for 1t |
in the writing of reports, to avoid |
repetitions, to say something worth |
the time Of those who hear and to do |
so without the coloring Of incidents,
requires an effort unknown by those |
who have not.made it for the eighth or
ninth time.
Some OF us considered the wisdom Of |
resigning our superintendencies, but
the work ,of the Woman's Christian |
Temperance Union had such hold |
upon us that he felt nothing less than
activity somewhere in the ranks would
be satisfactory--not from desire for
prominence 8but from the desire for
usefulness in the. organization, which
in our affections is next to Christ's
church.
So, mans, Of us stand in the same
places, fielding as always that the ac-
ceptance Of trustgis an obligation to
faithfully perform its duties.
The president of New Castle
county, Mrs. Martha S. Cranston, and
the president of Kent county, Mrs.
Kate e. Smithers, were very helpful
during the convention to the acting
president, Mrs. T.. Elan Pyle, whom
we are glad to recognize as our leader
for the year and to pledge to her our
loyal support.
At the close of the convention the
Sussex county delegation held meet
ing and elected Miss Lillian Cade OF
Milton to serve as president until the
annual county meeting in April.
The Camden Union, with its enter
prising- president, Mrs. Lena Hare
grove, with membership OF only l6,
manifested courage under difficulties
in the, entertainment of the conven-
ton.
All the arrangements were well
planned and executed among them the
systematic registering of delegates by
Mrs. Emma E. Caulk and her daughter,
Miss Mary. I.attys5e
The house in which luncheon and tea
were served was the homestead of Mrs.
Ruth Jenkins, years ago a prominent
| member of the Society of Friends and
! highly esteemed by the people of Cam
den. The property is now in possess
sion of DR.. Ridgley of Dover, who
kindly allowed the ladies of the Cam
den Union the use of it during the
| convention.
Theyaddress of Hon. w. T. Smithers
| the first evening of the convention was
fine.
Mrs. Clara o. Hoffman delighted,
and we believe impressed, her audi
ence the second public meeting by the
depth Of thought under the quaint
humur which Is her striking gift as a
speaker. 9
We have selected. the following mes
sage to -ribboners, from recent
editorial Of The Union Signal:
when the Woman's Christian Tenn
perance Union meets in national con-
yention, it meets, not only under the
shadow Of tho heaviest bereavement
which has ever fallen upon it, the
death of our best beloved but must
also face the problems which her death
has laid upon us. 1t is trite saying
that God buries the workers, but. car
ries on His work. 1t is blessed
truth but, like every other truth, is
capable OF being wrested to the griev-
Gus injury Of His work. :.
| "God indeed carries ON His work,
but always and only through human
instrumentality. II is when we forget
that and expect Him TO carry it on
without ourhelp that His work suffers
untold loss. It is idle to expect that
He will carry on the work, by raising
up another like unto her, our dead
chieftain.. The great leaders OF the
race appear only at rare intervals, In
! some emergency they are called to the
service OF mankind, do their work, that
which no other can do. then lay il
down for. other hands to carry to com
: pletiop,
, eve have many. women of excep
tional gifts, Of devotion and consecra
] tion, who will carry forward our stand
ard nobly. If tho work which hei
J hands SO nobly begunis carried on sue
! cessfully, it will be because the whole
/; army Of white-ribbon. women rallies t.
; the support OF its leaders. 1t would
have been very easy for the w. @. T.
u. to have confined itself to one lin'
of work. There are those, now whc
criticise it bitterly because it did not
In that case its members would hav'
dwindled into little band of fanatic
! who had lost all sense Of proportion.
t Our great leaders, 'do-everything
2 policy saved us from that. For 2
9 years her clear gaze took in the worlt
with all the multiplied allied evil
; which woman's ministry might relieve
: For 20 years her active, fertile brail
Q has devised ways and means by which
: the army OF women marshalled unde
n her standard might reach those evils
Z Who will now survey the field as sh
t did, failing never to seize upon ever
i strategic pointY
. "Who will now plan Us she planne'
for the broadening and strengthenin
of the work? No one alone, but ever
= white-ribhon woman the, world owe
J, must contribute her eyes and brain 7
Z carry on the work which Frances VII
II lard has laid down. The chief powe
y Of the VIC. T.. U. is spiritual, largel
If because in the life and character of il
:, supreme. How insignificant petit
\, jealousies and personal ambitions sue
IA denly became in the presence of he
great unselish purposes. How cor
tempible angry resentment toward thos
lwho had Injured us seemed when sh
10 spread over it the mantle of her swee
e charity. Who now will smooth ava
Ut with gentle sympathy and droll hume
N the little frictions which like 18Th
,e little foxes spoil our vines Who hol
n stendily before us, in all the fullnes
70 Of it's meaning, our motto, For &c
is and Home and Native Land n
one alone But every member I
the vhite-ribban army must take o