The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-16
LONG LIFE.
The Reform Club
Celebrates
ITS ANNIVE RSARY.
Stiles and Mother .
Clifford Were Speakers.

The Worcester Reform ~Club held
last night the 23d anniversary of its
founding. President Robinson was on
the platform and with him were
Mother Clifford of Princeton, Mrs.
Helen DeCamp, Mrs Ezra Churchill,
Rev. c. H. Covell, Alexander Comrie,
Mr.. Lang and others. The women
mentioned are survivors of the old
Crusaders and were instrumental in
the foundation of the club, Mother
Clifford being known as the mother of
the movement.
The opening prayer was delivered by
the Rev. Mr.. Covell, and after hymn,
several letters from absent members
were read by President Robinson. One
from Rev. George H. Gould, one of the
first promoters of the club, and one
from Dr. Henry A. Reynolds, who is
known as an organizer of such move
ments, received marked attention.
President Robinson then spoke of
the history of the club, saying that it
was familiar to the people of Worcester
and that the club had a record to be
proud of. He was very grateful to the
friends who had been earnest in its
support, and believed that it was to
them that the club owed much of its
c0SSCoos liz lllSll llllIOuuC6u NAL.
Stiles, who is one of the Oldest men,
bers Of the club. Maj. Stiles said in
part:
Il wish to give a hearty welcome to
those of our friends who have come
out tonight to our 23d anniversary and
assure them that we feel honored by
their presence. am not unmindful of
what has been done for us by the COM
munity. Had it not been for the aid
L e.xy1, Nf{ he
ter, we should have never seen this
day of triumph. The club is unique in
it's manner of treating the drunkard.
1t is no respecter of persons, taking In
the stranger as well as he who is well
known, if he is a sufferer from the
drink habit. He is made to feel that he
is one of us. He isetaken to the club
rooms. He signs the pledge and is in
PRODUCED to the members and made to
feel that he is a man again. He is al
lowed the use of a good library full
of all kinds of works and is given the
privileges of the rooms. He is helped
to build up the manhood which he has
lost through the demon drink
Il wish to pay tribute to that band
of praying ladies who tMere the cause
of the formation of the club. No man
who has signed the. hedge and has be-
come temperate man. forgets that he
owes it to them" n 4 m
After duet by Mrs, E. D. Sisson
and Mrs. M. P. Kennedy, A. s. Roe
was introduced, who had few words
to say about the benefits of the club
and the harm of the drink habit. He
said that he had never realized the
flight Of time until he thought of this
being the 23d anniversary Of the Re-
form Club. Men who are voting now
were not born when it was organized.
Tn, he on icfo of ba pI11Ia
there are some who have not proven
faithful, but for the most part those
who are once members of the Worces-
ter Reform Club, are still members
In looking over the faces of those pres
emit, many that were once familiar
some are now absent, some dead, some
detained from being present, and many
new ones take their places"
In conclusion, he said: 81 never I
on license or no-license or legislative
temperance without saying, temper
ance with me means total abstinence Z"
The hymn, Almost persuaded" was
then sung, and after it, the battle song
of the crusaders, Rescue the perish
ing" and then the president introduced
Mother" Clifford, who told Of her work
for the club and of her labors as a
crusader in Worcester. She always
called the members of the Reform Club
Ito be back here again ans to feel the
hand-shake of those I have known so
| long, and it means so much to me to
say that the Worcester Reform Club
| is celebrating it's 23d anniversary"
| Miss Robinson daughter of the presi-
dent then said few words about the
| time her father signed the pledge, 20
years ago, when she was a little girl.
and held his hand as he walked up
| to the table in Old South Church and
put his name to abstain from intoxi-
eating drinks. She has realized since
what it meant, and is thankful that
her father was one of the first to sign.
Chaplain William Covell said in part:
! Il know the value Of the club and what
a help 1t is to the community at large.
! am glad to say that it is not dead.
and that the reports of it's meetings
are to be found in the papers each
week. There have been over IA 900
sisners to the pledge, and it has mem
bership of over $500 active members.
| Today we have the pleasure of saying
that the club was never so prosperous
in finances as it is now. It's infiu-
| ence is felt from Alaska to the South
pole. snd oTer 200 families in Worces-
| ter have it to thank for. the happiness
which is now in them"
| Among the other speakers were Jas
| Mccullough, Mrs. Churchill, Mr.. Lang
Mrs. DeCamp Alexander Comrie and
others.
inc congregation, at the close, sang
| Rock of Ages, and the final prayer
was offered by Mother Clifford.
| Worcester county will be represented
| at the fourth annual poultry show OBJ