Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-13
w. &. T. IT.
BY JULIA A. GARRISON
THE STORY OF THE FLOWER
MISSION DEPARTMENT

The flower mission department of the
Womans Christian Temperance union
is one of it's most beautiful and sacred
benefactions. 1t is the department
which enlists the sympathetic CO.
operation of every member, and to
which is set apart June 9, the birthday
of Jennie Casseday, for its annual OBJ
seryance. The work, however, is
daily one, without times or seasons.
The story of the flower mission
beginning as such is one dealing with
the expression of the most tender and
divine qualities of the human soul, a
great, oVermastering love and sympa-
thy for the helpless, the distressed,
the neglected the imprisoned.
A young school teacher living In Rox-
bury noticed the prodigal waste or
flowers as she Travelled to and from
her school in Boston and thought how
much Of Joy and happiness few or
the bright blossoms would bring to the
poor, defrauded little ones who had
never had a glimpse Of the green 1lelds.
beautiful trees and flower gardens OF
the country. So each day this great
hearted girl carried a basket OF flowers
from her home and scattered them
among the ragged children OF the street
as she passed. Someone noticed the
loving deed and sent an account OF II
to a newspaper, and away down IN
Kentucky the story was read by MISS
Jennie Casseday as she lay on her
couch of pain, from which there was
no release until deaths angel called
her. The finely attuned spirit OF the
sufferer caught the inspiration or a
noble example and 1t brought Coo s
sunshine into her own sad life and
through her efforts sent it shining and
cleaning down the years to bless and
comfort countless thousands. . From
that hour her work began. Frlends
rallied to her call for helpers, ana
from that little room went forth m
spireL workers on their mission or love-
and the Louisville flower mission De-
came a blessed realization, greater than
the fond heart which planned IL hau
ever anticipated
When on a visit to Louisville Miss
Frances Willard heard the story of the
sanity woman's wonderful achleVe-
ments and obtained an interview with
her. OF that visit Miss Willard wrote
as follows: "With an earnest prayer
for guidance I sought her sacred pres
ence, Never shall 1 forget the kind
lv smile. the soft and tender hand
clasp. the, Bible on the snowy counter
name. the fresh flowers on the pretty
shelf between the bed and window
We talked of these winsome heralds
of good WILL with the beautiful mis-
sion of which Miss Casseday was al
ready connected, and asked II she
would accept the SUPPLEMENTARY OF
such department should it be es-
tablished by the convention. To this
she consented, although already hav--
ing much Christian work on hand, and
from that day until her death ten
years later she was our faithful and
beloved leader in the most lovely line
Of Christian endeaVor among all our
forty-six different departments"
The great work then inaugurated
has grown into a mighty power for
good in every community where an or
ganization of the w. c. 7. U. exists.
It's scope and influence is not limited
I to the distribution of flowers and text
cards, but is a beautiful form of phi
lanthropy as well. 1t embraces all
forms of charity and helpfulness within
the means and reach of its workers,