The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-06-06
". [. I. J. OF COUNTY
 IN CONVENTION HERE Serni-Annual Affair at Grace M. E. Church Yes
 terday. THE DAYS EXERCISES Address of Welcome by Rev. W. w. w. Wilson at Opening Session.
THE DAYS EXERCISES

 union of New Haven county assembled to the number of over seventy in the Grace Methodist Episcopal church on Howard avenue, at Portsea street yes terday for the semi-annual convention of the organization. Mrs. Alta B. Downes, president of the association, presided. The morning session opened with devotions at 9:S0. led by Mrs. Clara M. Leete. The convention was called to order by the president at ID o'clock. Roll call, responses, commit tee appointments, minutes of the coun- ty executive, and reports of the secre- tary and treasurer followed
 The address of welcome delivered by the Rev. W. w. W. Wilson of Gracs church followed He said:
 It affords me very great pleasure to welcome to our beautiful city and to Grace Methodist Episcopal church the Womens Christian Temperance Union in convention assembled. I remember distinctly in the early seventies of reading with unusual interest the cru sades the women were making aaginst the saloon in the middle states and how out of that heroic effort was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1874, the Wo- mems Christian Temperance Union. I have also watched with interest it's spread over every state and territory of our loved land, with over 10000 To- cal unions and a total membership of over 500,000. I remember the election of Miss Frances E. Willard to the head of the organization and how that under her splendid leadership the in ternational organization in 1883 was formed, having established auxiliaries in forty countries and provinces of the world.
 It is to me a remarkable coincidence and yet no more than can be reason ably expected that with Frances E. Willard at It's head that the headquar- ters of your splendid organization should be at Evanston, H., where one of the best theological schools of her loved church exists
 As there are different colors entering
  not surprised that the white ribbon should represent more than one de- apartment of Christian work. It ex- ceeds, however, the number of colors entering into the sunbeam for you have upward of fifty distinct depart nents of work, presided over by wo- men experts along those various lines. All the states except one, we are told, have laws requiring the study of scientific temperance in the public schools and all of those laws have been secured by the w. c. T. U. We re- member the days of your struggle to accomplish this result in states where we have lived and your effort against great odds to keep the laws once en- acted on our statute books Prof. Att waters discovery that alcohol was food value being used as an argument against the scientific teaching you in- troduced and loudly in some places have they called for a reform of text books.
 But what can take the place of this teaching? I know how in my own home my children have called my att tention to the valuable lessons they have learned and nothing has safe- guarded them as the teaching you have introduced. You have also secured Jaws against selling liquor to minors which has proved disastrous to the un- iiquttores growler, so prevalent In these parts.
 Also laws forbidding the sale of to- bacco to minors.
 The first police matrons and most in dustrial homes for girls and refuges for erring women have been secured through the activity of your society
 Your department of social purity has raised the ages of consent in marriage and has thus protected girls from pre- mature wedlock.
 You have introduced temperance liter. alure and sown it broadcast over the land. You have established public foun. tains for man and beast on our crowded fhoroughfares. You have even address. ed yourself to the mischievous microbe that parasite of the pit, feeding on weak tissues and creating centers of disease which undermine and destroy human life until expectoration on our streets or public conveyances have ceased, anf individual communion cups in oul churches have become a necessity. Yot have done more to abolish the canteer from the army than all other agencies combined You have fought Utah's eff fort to seat polygamous apostle mort than all other agencies; you have stood for Sabbath observance of laws, ant time would fail me to tell of what elst you have done. You are a felt powe in the land, and could taken pleasur, tn welcoming no body to our churcl mere than do you. Its organ, piano pulpit, chancel, aisles, pews, parlors lecture room, class rooms, dining room Kitchen, in fact every nook and corne of it is yours, and we are yours. Yo, are Gods.
 A department hour followed ant Sunday school and evangelistie worl were then discussed. Other topics o general interest followed.
 Bible reading by Mrs. C. M, Leet and noontide prayer closer the mornin, session. Lunch was served by tn, members of the Ladies Aid society 0 Grace church.
 The afternoon session was opene with the singing of the County Rallyin song by the members. Miss France Beach then offered prayer. An addres by Mrs. L. K Fuller followed.
 Mrs c. E. Buell., the state president made the leading address of the after noon session.
 Besides Rev. Mir, Wilson there wer present representatives of the ministry