Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-10
EARNEST PLEA FOR THE HOME
Review of Thirty-Six Years Of
Woman's Work in Temperance.
ADDRESS OF MRS. LUCY THURMAN
Noted Colored Woman Tells of
Growth of Temperance In the
south-MoraI sunsion W..
Legal suRsion.

Mrs. Lucy Thurman Of Michigan, nationa.
organizer among colored people in m
Christian Temperance union work, was the
principal speaker at a we'll attended meet.
ing at the African Methodist Episcopal
church, Eighteenth ana Webster streets
Sunday evening. Many OF the foremost
Women's Christian Temperance union mem
bers of Omaha were present and partici-
pated in the meeting.
Mrs. Thurman began her address with q
brief history Of the early temperance move
ments in the United States, including the
famous Washington movement of nearly
three-quarters Of a century ago, and of the
Good Templars organization, which latter
she characterized as the first of the tenn
perance organizations and movements in
which women were given an equal part
with men.
There was a time when Christian women
were almost afraid to inaugurate any great
moral movement because Of their awe Of
the ministers of their churches, in that
they might be infringing on the ministerial
prerogative, but that time has passed." said
Mrs. Thurman.
Convention in Londons
1t was my great privilege to be a dele
gate to the great world S. convention Of the
Women's Christian Temperance union held
In Albert hall, London, when that godly
woman, Lady Henry Somerset, and our own
uncrowned queen, Francis willard, were
present. The inspiration of that momentous
event has never left me for a moment.
I'm our own land, the south leads today
in temperance work. The newest OF our
states, Oklahoma, has come into the union
with a prohibition law that is to stand for
twenty-one years. The motherhood of Ok
lahoma is rearing boys and girls who will
see that prohibition shall endure there for
ever. Intemperance had made such lnroads
in the south that when 1 first began in
temperance work there thirty-two years
ago, the annual expenditure for LIQUOR was
$19, O,O0O, and all those poor people only
recently released from bondage got in re-
turn was misery, pauperism and death.
Race riots in the south are attributable
wholly to strong drink and the saloon.
hope the time will come when no person
shall be admitted to the church unless he
or she shall put on the whole armor of
Jesus Christ.
Work Among COIOred People.
Mrs. Thurman concluded her address with
a strong appeal for organization among the
colored people. and received encouraging
assurances that many Of those present last
evening would meet her at this church next
Thursday morning to assist in organizing
a Women's Christian Temperance union
among the colored people of Omaha, with
auxiliary societies.
President Glare Burbank OF the Omaha
Young Women's Temperance union, and
Mrs. Covell, county president of the Wom-
ems Christian Temperance union, also made
short talks on the movement, promising the
cooperation of their respective societies in
the work outlined among the colored people
by Mrs. Thurman.
Following the meeting many of those
present availed themselves of the opportun-
iity of meeting Mrs. Thurman personally
Mrs. Thurman will address the social sci
nee department OF the Omaha Woman's
club this afternoon, and this evening she
will address the Literary club of Zion Bap-
fist church. Meetings will also be arranged
for her at South Omaha and Council Bluffs.