The age-herald., 1898-03-20
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solemn services will be held to commemor- ate the life of and the unspeakable good accomplished by Francis D. Willard. Although called to a higher existence
 at 5s years of age, before the weight of years bore heavily and discouragingly
 upon her, she had accomplished more for
 the benefit and blessing of mankind than
 amy other woman who ever lived
 She was by all odds and against all com
 parisons the most remarkable woman of
 America Estimating her achievements by
 their effect upon the welfare of humanity.
 her life dwarfs all other women's lives into
 small, insignificant proportions.
 Miss Wil1ard's remarkable genius was subordinated to her sublime faith, and together hand in hand the larger and the lesser power-they went forth from a pure, white, childlike soul, to do Christ's work
 among the hopeless, the helpless and the suffering. The details of the life of this wonderful woman have been made familiar, through the columns Of the daily press, but the good she accomplished, the harvest she garnered, cannot be reckoned until
 the sheaves are counted by the Master. It is mete and right that the Womens Christi ian Temperance Union in every part of
 christendom-its spotless, white badge belts
 the globe-should set aside day in mem-
 ory of her. who carried It's gospel of hope and peace across continents and seas. Her virtues, her intellectual endowments,
 her beautiful Christianity, and her courage ous battle for the souls of men and women,
 should be told and retold. The benefcence
 of Miss willard's life will gild the nine-
 teenth century with an undying glory. ike tender benison will her teachings rest upon the world
 The Union Signal issued March 10, Is a memorial number, devoted to a considera- tion of Miss Willard and her achievements;
 her illness and death and funeral services,
 and also contains several admirable pie
 lures of the great temperance leader, and of scenes incident to her career
 The various eloquent tributes published in this issue of the Union Signal, from
 friends and admirers of Miss Willard, tes-
 tify to those dominant characteristics
 which made it possible for her to become so
 successful woman in the various fields of endeayor
 Under all circumstances her absolut,
 fidelity, truthfulness, courage and enthusi
 asm were manifest, while her chid-like simplicity ana CanuOT TeIlQ6feu Ter lTdIlS-
 parent and fascinating.
 Mrs. Katherine Lente Stevenson pays this
 tribute to the exquisite quality of her
 friendship: "We call her the friend of hu-
 mfanity, and she was that in the broadest possible sense, but she was the friend of humanity because she was first, last and always the friend of the individual human unit. She loved humanity in the abstract, but her love for humanity in the abstract was born and nurtured of her love for humanity in the concrete People were her life, friendship was her native air she radiated friendliness; she took all the world by the hand and showed to each one with
 wlsom she came in contcat her throbbing heart-beats of good will To my thought, the first thing noticeable in her friendship. which, after aH Is only another word for character, was its reality. She was the most real person I ever knew. There was absolutely no guile in her. She showed forth her inmost heart with a sweet frank ness which seemed to take the whole hu- man family into confidence There was a rare simplicity about her dealings with her friends and the world at large. Only a great woman could have been as simple as was she. Faith was as truly ruling characteristic of her friendship as of her religious nature. She believed in God. He was the most real fact in the universe to her; but she also be- leved in men and women as sons and daughters of God; and because she believed in them, because she always saw the possl- ble shining through the apparent, she raised them to plain of belief in themselves. This afternoon at o'clock, at the First Baptist church, memorial services will be held commemorative of Miss Willard and her glorious life. Addresses by varous men and women will be made; the songs Miss Willard sung will be sung, and in company with women throughout Christen- dom the local order of the W. c. T. U. will honor the memory and magnificent achievements of their leader.
 The history of such a woman will remain an eternal inspiration to the manhood and womanhood of the world. On the last night of Miss Wilards life, as the weary hours crept toward the fateful dawn, she called her friend, Anna Gordon, to her and sweet ly said: "I want to say that Mary ther sister, and used to say to each other away back in the old days, on the farm, when we were going to sleep. I would say to Mary, ask your pardon, and thank you. and she would reply, I freely forgive you. and thank you,' and then we would go to sleep with the same tender words of for giveness and gratitude. I want now to say that to you, to every white rlbboner, and to everybody"
 Americas grandest woman of this cen- tury of great women fell asleep leaving this farewell to the world that she had blessed and frightened with her presence. T beg
 your pardon, I freely forgive you and l
 thank you"
 In honorng the memory of Miss Willard
 this afternoon. the women of Birmingham
 are honoring themselves, and are giving
 evidence to the community that they appre-
 ciate the matchless example of this mar
 vicious woman. BALL.