The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-13
Want TO
END ALL
STRIFE.
Women United TO Preach the
Gospel Of Peace Throughout
the World.

Under the auspices OF the Council o
Women OF Rhode Island largely attend
ed peace meeting was held at the Firs
Baptist church last evening. Rev. DR.
King. pastor OF the church, opened th'
meeting and pronounced the benediction
Music was rendered by the choir during
the exercises.
Rev. Anna Garlin Spencer presided. She
outlined briefly the work OF the Interna.
tional Council Of Women, which meets ev.
cry five years. and which attempts TO dc
some work that shall improve the world
| Mrs. Spencer called the attention of the
| audience 10 the gentler forces of life. faith
| in which leads humanity away from war
and lack OF faith in which plunges a, into
strife
Among those present was Francis Gal
lagher. a vice president ol the Universal
list Peace Union; organized in 1866 in this
city, and which has more tnan 35
branches in all parts of the world. The
speakers were Rev. DR.. w. III. A..
Faunce. president Of Brown university:
Prof. Augustine Jones of the Friends
school and Mrs. Spencer. o.he latter
said in part:
These women have united In one
great work that shall unite all OF the
countries OF the world. that is to preach
the Gospel of peace. Although abroad
the councils consist strictly of women,
yet in this country our councils are COM
posed OF both men and women"
CHANGE FOR THE BETTER.
Mr.. Jones was the first speaker. He
said: 1.-THE peace conferences have
brought about a very great change for
the better. There were during the last
century 20l causes OF trouble settled by
arbitration. / do not believe that any
single thing in that century will form
so conspicuous a feature as the peace
conference at The Hague. Twenty-six
nations were represented at this confer
ence. This very last year at the call of
our lamented president Mr.. Mckinley,
a second Pan American Congress was
called at Mexico and there 10 of the
United States were represented.
Now. what has come from this? In
the first place II has called the attention
of the whole world TO this thing; IL has
kept the attention of the whole world.
Yet wars are still going on. Our posi-
tion TO take instruction on this subject
is really greater than ever before.
II have read in the papers that 13
cases have been submitted TO the court
at The Hague. l don't know whether
this is true or not. but. as far as | can
learn. one case at least has been SUBJ
mitted to II. This is the case OF the
United States and Mexico over the
"Pious Fund"
Mr.. Jones referred to the Hague con-
ference as the greatest tribunal ,ne
world had ever seen, and the greatest
and nohlest cause undertaken by the hu-
man race. He was followed by Presi-
dent Faunce, who said, among other
things
SURE OF TRIUMPH.
II must at least say God speed 10
you In this great cause. The cause Of
peace is always unpopular. always great
and always sure OF Ultimate triumph.
IL you should ask me what should be
the basis OF the relations of nations and
states | should reply that such a rela-
ton should be based on peace. Moral
inertia and flabbiness would take the po-
sition that we have no responsibility
outside OF our own nation. We can
not say that. The difference between
arbitration and war Is as the difference
between pagansm and Christianity"
Resolutions were passed recording the
gratitude OF the council OF women of
Rhode Island for the actual opening OF
the international court; affirming ...e be-
lief that the battlefield Is outgrown and
that the court Of justice should take the
place OF IT., and that the council de-
plores all wars now waging. and pledges
itself to use its utmost influence TO end