Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1906-04-26
SOCIETY HYMN TEAS.
Innovation In Religious Services
Started by Women.
MEETINGS BY INVITATION ONLY.

ana traS in ~ Regis Hotel parIor-
I'm New N"rs-rura to Consultations
OF Christinnity a. onset to bridge
Rad md other Social Evils.
Three hundred Young women. hand
somely clothed IN the height OF fash
Ion. crowded the hanuueting hall OF
the ~. Regis hotel In New York the
other afternoon IN attendance on a re
ligious meeting that was being held
there 10y three earnest young society
women. who wish To lead the women
members Of their own set into a knowl
edge OF the Joys Of Christian life.
says the New York Herald. No men
We're asked or permitted to bc present.
IL was the first religious meeting ever
held In the 81. Regis The performance
Of the marriage rite has up tin recently
been the nearest approach To a religions
ceremony which the hotel has known.
Miss Jeanne II. duncan aud her sis
ter. Miss Amy l.. duncan. of . East
Sixty fourth street and Miss Ethel g.
Thompson. the daughter OF Richard I
Thompson. OF ~ East sixty. seventh
street were the leaders Of the meeting
For more than "A year these young wo-
men have been holding religious meet
ingS at each others homes, and now
the number Interested has grown too
large to be houscd In private resi-
dence. The meeting the other after
noon was the first of series OF meet
lngs to be held ON Thursdays at the st
Regis The meetings are 10y invitation
10. g.,..
to the personal friends Of the organi2
ers
In spite or the mp 90 date setting and
the excellent well dressed appearance
Of the young women Interested the
meeting bore none of the chnracterls.
tics of modern scmlrellgous. semi
reform movements II had every char.
acteristIc OF the old fashioned Mctho
dist experience meeting Every one
Joined In the singing OF the opening
hymns. after which Miss Jcanle Dun
can made an Informal address urging
those present To investigate the prom
ises Of the Bible and enjoy the expert
ence of "A personal religion.
Miss Duncan Is Slight and vIvacIous
She spoke with force aud feeling. Ep
pcalng directly to the need FOR consoln-
! ton In the midst OF unhappiness. which
/ Is felt by all classes of society In New
York city.
1T isn't education or culture that
Will bring relief from sorrow, crime or
! Indebtedness" she said IF II were
we would never hear OF crimes commit
ted uptown among educated and cul.
| tured people. We would never read I'm
the newspapers OF the awful things
| which occur I'm the more favored
] classes OF society Education and cul
ture without the religion of Jesus
Christ VIII breed clever men and wo
men, but not good ones.
1T IN only with the religion OF Jesus
Christ that they become powers to
move the world for good. We women
couldn't live In New York city today n
IL were not for Jesus Christ. Commits
sioner McAdoo himself has said that r.
II were not for religion and the faith
that lies back OF # all the policemen fl.
the country couldn't keep New York
city I'm order"
Miss Duncan then called for testimo
mails or faith In the religion OF Jesus
Christ From all over the room beauti
| full young women who Dor" the STAMP
OF having lived sheltered and luxurious
lives arose to say that in religion they
found the only solacc for sorrow and
discomfort None Of the women in tho
room looked more than thirty. and the
average age was about twenty three
! years.
After nearly fifty persons had test
/ Ned, the meeting concluded with hymns
and prayer Tea was served I'm an adj
| Joining room Some Of the young won
en- expressed their surprise AT the TN
usual nature Of the meeting. but by far
| the larger number were very seriously
! impressed
We're holding the meetings here"
| said Miss Duncan, because We want
them 10 be strictly nonscctaran. and
they couldn't be- that In church ON.
object Is simply to learn to know Jesus
better. We feel that there is need for
some one 10 do something 10 stem the
tide Of bridge and other things 10
which women devote themselves 40
much nowadays"