The times., 1899-02-13
THE WONEN'S COUNCIL
READY TO convene
Evangelical Sessions Held by
the Delegates.
An Expansion Debate at the First
Formal Meeting.
\ List of Those Who VIII Represent
Various Societies at the Tri-
enpiaI Conferences.

tional Council of Women convened in this
city yesterday
Two sessions were held during the aft
ernoon at the Universalist Church at the
corner of Thirteenth and L Streets. and
one session was held in the evening at
Luther Memorial Church.
The officers and delegates assembled at
2:30 o'clock, when an evangelical service
was conducted by Elizabeth b. Grannis.
of New York, who is the president of the
National Christian League for the Promo
tion of Social Purity The Rev. Amanda
Deyo. of Philadelphia, president of the Uni
versal Peace Union, offered a prayer,
and the Rev. Anna Howard Shaw, vice
president of the National Council of Wom-
en-, conducted a communion service. Mrs.
Ella X. Payne, OF New York, led the sing
ing.
Dr. Margaret Stewart. of Philadelphia.
delivered the address of the session. Her
theme was Our Work in Heredity." She
said: The question of heredity is the
deepest the most vital. and therefore the
most important reform which there is for
mankind to work out on this earth. 1t is
a race, wide life-deep. and time-long; a
work before which we must pause and in
deep humility acknowledge an insufficiency
and our dependence upon Almighty God
for the increase of our efforts In this
spirit we may hope to sow some good seed
of truth. which the power of him who
created man and who has watched the
progress of the race hitherto will cause to
spring up and bear fruit one hundred
fold.
The Problem of Heredity.
THE practical problem in heredity is
how to live according to the laws of life
so that every child brought TO life from
this time on shall be the best which can
be produced. All the knowledge and skill
which it is possible for us to acquire should
be brought TO bear for the well-being of
the child
DIR. Stewart maintained that as the lower
animals were improved by scientific breed
ing so. too, could the human race be i'm
proved by love matches made on scientific
principles. She made plea that woman
should be given her true relation to man,
which. the speaker said, was the place Of
perfect and absolute equality with man.
The Second Lesson.
The second session was begun at p.
m. and was conducted by May Wright
SewalI of indianapolis, president, and the
Rev. Anna Howard Shaw, of Philadelphia,
the vice president at large. The Rev.
Anna Garlin Spencer preached brief SER
mon on the relative Importance and in
fluence of women. Sarah J. Farmer, OF
Maine, spoke on the extent of the Green
Acre movement. and Miss Elizabeth C.
Pierce sang and was accompanied on the
organ by Mr.. Beatty.
The evening service was held at Luther
Memorial Church, and brief addresses
were made by the Rev. DR.. Butler, pastor
OF the church; Bishop Satterlee, Mrs. Gran
mis-. Mrs. Virgian Smith of Hartford, Conn;
Mrs. Kate Waller Barrett, and Mrs. May
Wright Sewall.
Bishop Satterlee said that he was cog
infant of the good which was being done
by the Social Purity League. In modern
times there was nothing like the awful sin
that was extant in ancient times. Then
human life could be bought and Sold and
children were esteemed to be OF little value.
Very little was written of these condi-
tions in the New Testament. Christ did
not choose to speak OF impurity. but to
speak of purity. The question of social
impurity could not as well be treated from
the negative as from the positive side. He
urged that all persons should fill their
minds with pure and bright thoughts. On
the subject of divorces. Bishop Satterlee
described it as a growing evil and as
menace TO the state. In some parts of the
Union divorce is spreading with amazing
family and divorce threatens family life.
Mrs. Grannis read a paper telling of the
work done by the Social Purity League.
She alleged that two-thirds Of the children
that are being born are not wanted, and
are not properly provided for by their
parents. The marriage of mentally and
physically unfit persons should be pre-
vented. She enquired what the Christian
Church proposed to do in the case of Rep
Ignt. - oh Dol,
endorsed by the church and the state. les
sens the respect of children for conjugal
ties. she said. An open and avowed polyg
amist should not be permitted to hold
seat in the American Congress. To expel
Mr.. Roberts from Congress would, she
thought, have a wholesome effect on the
morals of the country.
Mrs. Virginia Smith told of the work
which mas been done and is being done in
Connecticut for the benefit of abused neg
lected, and dependent children.
Mrs. Kate Waller Barrett spoke on court
ship. Every warped and ruined life which
she had beheld had been preceded by "A
courtship. She quoted Lord Beaconsfeld
who said that we are born to love The
possibility Of happy marriages. she said
was increased by co-education and by the
better general understanding between the
sexes. With regard TO privileges which
Barrett said that selfd was better
than repentance. Men and women cannot
be bred like animals. Pure love must be
the basis OF human development and prog
ress.
Mrs. May Wright SewalI closed with a
brief address on the accomplishments and
the aims of the National Council.
Officers of the Council.
The general officers of the council are
as follows
May Wright SewalI president indianapolis;
Rev Anna Howard shaw, vice president al large
Philadelphia, Pa, Louise Barnum Robbins cor
responding secretary, Adrian. Mich; Frances
Stewart Mosher, first recording secretary, Hills
dale, Mich; Helen Finlay Bristol. second record
ing secretary. Quincy, H.. Hannah !. Bailey
treasurer, Winthrop Centre, Me.
Members Of the Cabinet MAY Wright Scwall
secretary Of foreign relations. indianapolis: sa-
bella Charles Davis secretary department of social
economics. New York; Lillian VI. y Stevens
secretary department OF moral reform, Stroud
wafer Me; Rachel Foster Avery, secretary de
Iarlment Of the home. Pliadephia Mary New
hury Adams, secretary department Of religion,
Dubuque.
Members in Attendance.
The members of the council present at
this session. and the societies which they