Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-05-23
THE COUNTY W. c. T. v.

THE COUNTY W. c. 7. Y.
Z LARGE ATTENDANCE OF EARNEs
WORKERS IN CONVENTION At soUT
PARIs.--MANY INTERESTING PAPER
AND ADDRESSES.
4 There were q good number preseu
, when the twelfth convention Of the Or
, ford County womsn's Christian Temper
: ance Union met at the South Pari
, Methodist church last Tuesday forenoon
, The session opened at 1880 with
> devotional meeting led by Mrs. ). 4. W
I Curtis OF West Paris. The convention
, Was then formally opened by the presl
dent, Mrs. n. B. Chapman Of Bethel
, After roll call and reading Of the minute
: Of the previous session, the delegate
! and visitors were given q cordial vel
come by Mrs. <. w. Morton, presiden
; Of the South Paris union, the youpges
i. Of the county unions. Appropriate re-
sponse to the welcome, on behalf OF tn
; County Union, was made by Mrs. o. II
Mason OF Bethel.
The convention WAS addressed brief
by Mrs. Anna Sargent Hunt OF August
and Miss Cornelis Dow of Portland.
! Committees were appointed as fol
lows.
Credentials: Mnp. II. d. Smith. Norway. Mrs
=. W. Bopney. South Paris.
Courtesics Miss Alice knight, South Paris
Alss Bryant, West Paris.
Emily Emmons, wes Paris, Mrs. I. N. sweti
South Paris.
i The appointment Of the committee,
was followed by the address OF Mrs
Chapman, the county president--a very
able and Interesting paper. The session
closed with noontide prayer.
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
DEAR SISTERS AND COMRADES IN TIL
lW. e. 7. l.. woRK:--It is fitting at thi.
time to take retrospective glance and
encourage ourselves by seeing something
Of what has been accomplished during
the past year. Our hearts have been
gladdened by the reviving of two OF oui
largest and most efficient Unions, and M
added membership OF 12 active and !
honorary members-as one result Of Mrs,
Seamans' iabors among us. ] say one
result, for the influence OF her instruc-
tive public lectures, her helpful talks
and the example Of her consecrated life
cannot be summed up and told in words.
And muca less can the good influence OF
our several Unions be gathered up and
estimated. The reports Of the Supts. OF
the various departments can only indi-
cate the lines along which special effort
has been made, and give brief summary
Of its tangible work.
In looking over the records Of the Con-
vention since the W. G. T. L. work was
organized in this county In 1887, | found
there had been Unions at Denmark,
Rezar Falls, Fryeburg, Oxford, Andover
aud Rumford Falls, which no longer
exist On writing TO these towns to
learn the cause Of this decadence and
see II they could not be encouraged 10
renew their allegiance, / found the same
story repeated In varying forms:-'we
have too many other organizations-,here
is no time for this"
| Now we all know that the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union is the pion-
eer in woman's work, and the forerunner
Of the multitudinous women's clubs OF
to-day. They have sll sprung up within
the last quarter Of century, and are
multiplying every year, so that every
little village and hamlet has its clubs,
| literary, historic, scientific, musical, etc,
and its whist and tennis clubs. And
every church organization finds an efti-
cient co-worker in its denominational
club evolved from the old-time sewing
circle. Setting aside these aids to the
| financial machinery of our churches, all
the other clubs,-however pleasant, in
structive, clevating, refining and enjoy
able-are centercd In their own member
ship. II is for themselves they exist
They reach out no helping hand to those
around them.
There is no other organization which
has so high ideals and aims at so broad
results as the Woman's Christian Tenn
perance Union. Its scope ~ given In
the National statement Of its principles
is 'the educating Of the young. forming
a better public sentiment, reforming the
drinking classes, Transforming by the
power of Divine grace those who are en-
shaved by alcohol, and securing the en-
tire abolition OF the liquor traffic"
Ii has, however, through the clear
vision which has come TO its member
ship OF the basic unity of all reform
forces and the inter-relation OF each evil
with all other evils, widened its scope
until there Is no wrong against which IL
has not lifted up It's voice, no good with
which il is not allied. 1t Is the chief
factor In State campaigns for statutory
prohibition and constitutional amend
ments. II began the movement for
Scientific Temperance Instruction in the
public schools, and has been instrumen-
tai in securing laws to that end in all but
three Of the States; and secured Congress
sional legislation by which all the terri
tories and the District Of Columbia are
brought under the same benchcent stat
utes. We should consider too its work
among the children in Sunday schools,
| Loyal Temperance Legions and Kinder
gartens: its efforts to influence college
students and young women, training and
organizing them for philanthropic life,
and its evangelistic work for non-church
goers, for railroad employees, soldiers,
lumbermen, miners, especially for drink
ing men of all classes; and its efforts to
reach paupers and prisoners. 1t has also
championed the cause Of woman's ballot,
the labor movement and social purity.
In fact, it reaches out helping hands In
forty different directions, and II Is per-
meating public sentiment through innu-
merable channels.
Is there not work enough to satisfy
the ambition and energy of every philan-
thropic woman?
do not wish to be misunderstood as
narrowly condemning women's clubs.
rejoice in everything that tends to edu-
cate and expand a wOman's mind, to
widen her views OF life, broaden her SYM
pathies and refine her mind and heart.
But while she is seeking these things for
| herself, at the same time she has duty
toward others; for We none Of Ms live to
ourselves, and in many ways applies the
warning, 'these things ought ye to have
done and not to have left the other un-
done"
The motherly heart of this organiza-
ton IL proved by the earnestness OF its
efforts for little children to save them
from the evils of the world. And a
knowledge Of parental influences Is be-
ing disseminated which is . priceless
boon to humanity. Every mother should
fully understand the wonderful influence
of her own mind, heart and physical
condition upon her embryo child. The
Importance of this teaching n painfully
lemphasized to some Of us BY the exper.
fences of our own lives. Reforming men
and women, who are given over to evil