Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-04-27
WORK HAS Been
VERY FRUITFUL
MRS. MUIRHEAD HAS ORGANIZED
FIRST Y. w. c. A. IN SPRING.
FIELD, CITY OF $4,000
SPOKE HERE SUNDAY
Large Audience Hears Eloquent Dis
course On Misunderstanding
Girls of Spokane Are Ma
terlally Aided.

The organization of Young Won
ans Christian Association in Spring
field, ILL.,, and the promoting of a
movement in Spokane, Wash, where
by the Y. w. G. A. of that city will
own it's own building in the near flu
ture are two of the most important
achievements accomplished by Mrs.
Rae Muirhead since her departure
from this city in December.
Mrs. Muirhead, who Is an assistant
to Evangelist w. A. Sunday, gained
prominence and hundreds of friends in
this city through her work with the
famous evangelist's party here in No
vember and December and her return
to address the Y. w. G. A. women and
girls meeting yesterday was heralded
with delight. She was accorded a
large and interested audience at the
First M. E. church Sunday afternoon,
where she delivered stirring mes
sage on Daniel, choosing Daniel pur-
posed in his heart that he would not
defile himself" for her text She fol
lowed the Biblical character through
out his life, showing how he was be-
sieged with temptations and threats
but stayed true to his purpose of liv-
ing clean through all difficulties. For
modern applications of the principles
practiced by Daniel Mrs. Muirhead re-
ferred to the hardships that the wom-
en- especially have to contend with to-
day with leading Christian lives. She
said that girls were too prone to do
as the Romans do" and were back
ward about breaking away from an old
crowd for fear of being considered
"odd" or eccentric"
In closing the speaker reminded her
hearers Of the fact that Daniel was up
held by the Lord throughout his life,
even being protected by Him when
cast in the lions den. Mrs. Muirhead
was the only person with the late Rev
c. P. Pledger at his death bed, and as
final incident, the speaker recited the
passing of Mr.. Pledger as evidence
that a righteous life robbed death of
,, all it's terrors.
Establishes Y. w. C. A.
Although Springfield Is modern
city of 5000 population, the women
and girls had never had the opportun-
tiles that Y. w. G. A: presents until
the Sunday party made it's advent
there Mrs. Muirhead's work Is pre-
eminently among the working girls
and her long experience has made her
! well qualified to sum up condition
| rapidly and concisely. Within very
| few days after Mrs .Muirhead went to
work in Springfield she saw the abso-
lutte necessity Of Y. w. G. A. and
started agitating the matter.
when you take away the dancing
| hol ct, i,,rr oth
ments of the working girl you must
furnish her something to take the
place Of that" said Mrs. Muirhead last
evening. When the working girls of
| Springfield began taking up the
Christian work In earnest, knew that
a Y. w. c.. A. was necessary and pre-
sented the matter to them. 1t met
with their favor and We set to work
at once. 'phoned to Chicago and had
| Miss Hattie Broad, state secretary Of
Illinois, come down to Springfield
and Miss Helen Barnes of New York
the national secretary, happened to be
in Chicago and she came too. In less
than ten days after We went to work
we organized one evening with mem
bership Of 1,400 and had over $4,000 In
the treasury Two.thirds of the mem
bers were among the working girls
They are the strong supporters of the
institution and the Y w. G. A. would
have been organized long before If ths
matter had ever been presented t.
them in the right way. AT present the
girls have rented six rooms and hat
them fitted UP for association head
quarters, but they are going to. built
before long"
Mrs. Muirhead said that Springfield
as whole was very slow about TAX
ing up the evangelistic work until tn,
last week, when great results were &C
complished. She freely gave unstint
f ed credit to both Governor Deneel
r and his wife for the support they CAV
a the work in breaking down the initia
barriers and aiding consistantl