Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1914-11-25

QOGsy.1nSS <AuuAoA SOksSlASa0Aa
of the National Wolnan's
Christian Temperance
Union.
Twenty-four years ago in the city
of Atlanta, there marched along the
main thorougLfares of that city, a
company of women, led by that
greatest of all women, Frances Will
lard. They carried in their hands
banners bealing the inscription,
Saloons must co. It is said that
as they marched, passing as they
did, hundreds of saloons, that the
bar keepers wearing white aprons
laughed in scorn and derision, and
were convulsed with what they
thought to be the most ludicrous Of
situations. Frances Willard look
ed with prophetic vision towards
the future, knowing that God rules,
but that he could not rule in His
fulness while such dens of iniqu;ty
remained upon the earth. Inspired
with this vision and with the GER
tainty of success, she planned the
most wonderful woman's organiza.
ton of all the world suited to the
conditions Of forty years ago, but
more wonderfully adapted to the
present age. Today every organi-
zation for philanthropy is beginning
to adopt these methods for the more
successful accomplishment cf their
respective undertakings. In Allan
ia from Nov. 1918. there assembled
about one thousand of the most
cultured, brilliant, and consecrated
women on the American continent,
one succeeding the other on the plat
..orm, each seeming to rival their
predecessor in some unexpected and
glorious accomplishment. On the
platform stood Miss Anna Adams
Gordon, acting president of the
National w. G. T. u, most splen-
did example of the New England
type of womanhood, refined, tactful,
with the most charming man ner,
frail and delicate in stature, but
malifesting in every way her pow
er over the large body of women
before her. With her on the plat
form were the other national Off.
GERS, the corresponding secretary,
Mrs. Frances Parks, West Vir-
.ginian; Mrs. Elizabeth Preston An
.derson Of North Dakota, Mrs. Sarah
Hoge of Virginia, and Mrs. Eliza
beth Hutchinson of Kansas. On
the platform were also seated MRS.
Frances W. Graham the national
musical director, who was present
all the time to place upon the pro-
gramme suitable music, and to use
her own sweet voice at intervals to
edify and entrance the loving COM
rades before her. All these were an
inspiration to those who might do
nothing more than look upon their
.sonIrnl faces. TO many of us who
looked upon them for the first time,
just to have sat and looked would
have inspired US 10 eternal loyalty
to this great cause to which they
had committed themselves. These
thousand great women might have
marched down the streets of Allan
ia, and they would have realized
Frances Willard's proclamation
that, Saloons must CO."
There were many of the women
preser: who marched in that pro.
cess:on. They were brought to the
pl..:orm, and introduced to the
convention. most of them with
beautiful gray hair, but the glow of
youth in their faces-and where
were the saloon keepers who laugh.
ed them TO scorn quarter of a. CELL
tury ago?
Broughton's Tabernacle had been
selected as the place for the conven-
tion proceedings. This is a very.
spacious and convenient auditorium,
with alnosl every seat desirable.
At every service the building was
full and at times the galleries pack
ed. Conferences Of the various su-
perintendents were being held at
all hours, executive sessions in the
Hotel Ansley from 1880 in the
morning and at all hours when the
convention was not in session. The
various churches were used for
these conferences of all kinds and
each conference was large enough
for a good sized state convention.
For the convenience of the guests,
dinner and supper were served in
the Sunday school room of the
church, and it is said that about