Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-13
Preliminary Proceedings Of the Ma
tional Council.
THEMES OF ADDRESSES DELIVERED
Appointments Of Standing Commit
tees Announced by President.
LIST OF THE DELEG ATES

Abo0t seventy women DraVed the blizzard
yesterday afternoon to attend the first
meeting of the National Council of Women
at the Universalist Church, corner of 18th
and l. streets, and these lowered close to
the platform. making the remainder of the
audience chamber look absolutely cavern
Gus. Those who were there were enthusi-
astic, however.
business meeting was held Saturday
night, at which matters coming over from
the last annual meeting at Omaha were
considered. There will be three sessions a
day during the week-at 10 o'clock, at 3
O'Clock in the afternoon and at O'Clock
in the evening. The morning sessions will
be mainly devoted to business and will
not be public. The other sessions are open
to the world. Reports will be given in the
afternoon, and the addresses will be deliv-
cred in the evening.
AT the meeting today Miss Helen Varick
Boswell of the Womans National Repub
iican Association gave a talk on Politics
and Prosperity Rev. Anna GarIin Spen-
Ger reported for the state council of Rhode
Island, and MIS-. l.. NJ Beck reported for
the state council of Bloomington, Ind. Both
reports showed q gratifying condition of
the nlzations-membership increasing
and 4 general arousiEg of interest in the
great WOman's movement.
WOman's Aid in Municipal Reform.
There was a general discussion going on
at the close of this report on How Can
Women Aid in Municipal Reform?" The
general opinion seemed to be that women
can do a great deal in this direction, but
the poser was, viii they?" Many women
VINO could aid in this movement shrink
from the publicity and notoriety
Two subjects olygamy' and Pro or
Anti Expansion' will be discussed with
ipb
Will be about Wednesday
Ihere were two meetings yesterday af-
terno0n, the first at 2:3O and the second al
o clock. The first. an EVANGELICAL religions
meeting was conducted by Mrs Elizabeth
u. Grannls of New York city, the invoca-
ton being by Rev. Amanda Deyo of Phila-
deiphia, Pa. Mrs. Grannis spoke briefly
upon The Women of the New Testament
she said that modern conditions were prov
ing tnat there were some things which
could best ne done by men, and some things
winch could best be done by women. but
that in the great majority of fields born
men and women had equaIspiace. Mrs
On annis thought that the conservatism of
the church in regard to women was iniur-
ing the latter more than any attacks from
outside. :
Margarita NJ. Stewart, MD. of New York
city then spoke upon the subject of hered-
lty and its relation to motherhood her adj
dress being entitled The Woman Clothed
With the Sun" She spoke in part as fol-
lows: 80
The practical problem of heredity is how
TO live according to the laws of life. so
that every Child brought into life from
hehcetorth, shall be the best which can be
produced All the knowledge and skill
which 1t is possible for us to acquire should
ne Drought TO bear for its well being For
generations men have studied and planned
ana wrought to improve the domestic ami
ihats, ana with what wonderful achieve
ments. Now has come the time when wo-
man must study and plan and work for at
1east an equal Improvement of the human
dce- les we women must now address
ourselves to mastering the laws and meth
oas Tor the production of the best children
with as much higher aspira ton greater en-
eFBy, keeher insight, wider comprehension
ana more strenuous purpose. as the human
fanny Is OF more worth than the lower
animals.
Sex slavery.
"A race Of perfected human beings is the
final earthly end toward which the trend
ana low OF the human race is set OF all
that man has done or NAV do notbfra, c.,
aVal so much toward this end as to set
woman IN her right place and enable her
IN completest degree to fulfill her highest
junction. Sex slavery has become the re-
hSlous conscience of Womankind and today
she IS spending the years of her married
ne IN seeking 20 Illustrate the maternal
junction. Is this the righteousness Of CD
tell you nay; it is the slavery of sin
which is utterly to be abolished throngb
the power of the life of Christ in woman-
kind" " "'AAoA'
The meeting was brought to a close with
communion service. conducted by REV
Anna Shaw of Philadelphia Pa
ne second meeting of the afternoon was
heia IN the Sunday school room of the
church, because 1t was impossible to heat
the audlence room of the church
mere was solo by Miss Elizabeth G.
i = teice, Whlie Mr. Beatty acted as organist
me sermon was preached by Rev. Anna
Garlin Spencer of Rhode Island The snaak'
er said that the central points of modern
fenSlouS thought Were unity and growth
, Man can take hand in humanity's evo-
luton. said Mrs. Spencer, by improving
the outward conditions of life The social
consciousness, which presents every life as
reIated to all lives, and the whole as related
TO each, is the most important fact in mod
ern life. The minister has now ceased to
De less of priest and more of teacher
and here is where woman's opportunity
comes in. The church's one great specially
VIII always be that of revealing the goal
of human effort
Following Mrs. Spencer, Miss Sarah J.
Farmer of Maine said few words after
which Mrs. May Wright Sewall of Indiana
tile president or the national council, made
d le" announcements. The printed pro-
gram would be departed from very consid-
erably, she said the features to be given
out from day to day. Mrs Rachel Foster
avery OF Philadelphia, Pa, was appointed
Siidii IMAM VI the press committee in the alb
Sence or the regular head.
First Department Meeting,
The first department meeting of the con-
vention took place last night at the Luther
Place Memorial Church, at 18th street and
Thomas Circle, the session being that of
the National Christian League for the Pro-
motion of Social Purity. In addition to the
speakers, Rev. DR.. j. G. Butler, the pastor.
was on the platform, and opened the meet
ing Bishop Satterlee of the Washington
diocese made a few predatory remarks. He
spoke of social purity as the foundation of
the marriage relation, and regretted the
frequency of divorce in the present day.
The family idea, Bishop Satterlee said. was
the basis of our social structure and any
thing directed against its sanctity tended to
undermine civilization itself
Efforts for Social Purity.
Mrs. Elizabeth B. Grannis of New York
city, president of the Social Purity League
read paper in which she discussed some
of the reforms attempted and the legal pro-
ceedinGs instituted by it. There were only
three states now, the speaker said where
there were no statutes against adultery,
New York, Delaware and Louisiana The
ly cfn r.