The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-05-31
WORK OF DIOCESE IS
REVIEWED IN LETTER
Mrs. louie Taylor Letcher, Presi-
dent of Woman's Auxiliary, Writes
to Bishop Randolph.


Norfolk. May 30--Mrs. rouiie
Taylor Letcher, president of the NO.
mans auxiliary OF the Episcopal d.
Geese of Southern Virginia, mas re-
Gently written an interesting letter
to Bishop A NJ. Randolph, in which
she reviews the work OF the diocese
and the contributory part played by
the woman's auxiliary in the advance
of the church during the past quar-
ter century. Mrs. Fletcher notes that
the parish branches have grown from
seventeen to ninety-three during that
time and the contributions from s4,-
$50 to $4,000 Mrs Letcher's lets
ter also makes an excellent review
of the general growth Of the wo-
mans auxiliary work ana notes the
healthy condition of the church at
this time.
Her letter is as follows:
Rt. Rev A. NJ. Randolph. D, D., d.
c. L., Ill. D.. Bisnop of Southern
Virginia;
Ny Dear Bishop.-Twenty- five
years ago this June. the Diocesan
Branch of the. Woman's Auxiliary. in
the then undivided Diocese of Viz
ginia. was organized in st. Paul's
Church. Norfolk. The meeting was
called by the Norfolk branches and
delegates were present from Alexan-
dria. Richmond, Winchester, Ports
mouth, Hampton and Norfoik-nine
in all-at that time the only branches
within the bounds of the present Di-
Geese of Southern Virginia, were
those in Norfolk. Portsmouth and
Hampton
Short views of great work are
always discouraging, so when each
year we sent in our report the re-
sumo of work done, the advance
seemed so smalf--so little changed
it almost seemed as If no progress
had been made at all-but today
| looking back to this early beginning
| twenty-five years ago. to this little
circle of nine delegates and then to
| our first annual meeting when we
/ found in the whole undivided Do
cese of Virginia, only seventeen Par
| ish Branches organized and at work
and the entire amount given. in
money and boxes, to he only s4,330
/ and now realize that in the Diocese
/ of Southern Virginia alone we have
at this time ninalg-three branches
who. this year. gave in money and
boxes about s14000, with about an
I equal number ow branches giving
babout an equal amount in the other
| half Of the old diocese--over 1870
| branches, giving about S2s,00o-we
/ feel that we have good reason 10
thank God and take courage.
! During these years, our grand tri-
| ennial united offerings has been sue
cessfully launched. missionary STUDY
/ classes have been ,sanizej-and
missionary work of various kinds has
been undertaken and accomplished
/ but in reviewing it all. we fail to re-
I cognize the influence of those saint
! ed ones who have passed on before
and whose inspiration was the Gre
alive force of this Diocesan Branch
/ of the Womans Auxiliary during the
days of its earliest beginnings.
! During the year that has passed
! our interest in the work and In the
. workers of our Mountain Mission has
! not tagged nor have our foreign mis-
sionaries been Forgotten. The
branches have done we'll ana whilst
more could have been snne, we trust
our growth in the near future may
more nearly fulfil the promise OF
t our early years, and that the spir-
! itual life of the branches may be
ieepened and strengthened, as well
as their efforts towards material pro-
gress, he increased.
I The Junior Auxiliary. bereft of its
/ devoted president-Mfs. John j
Lloyd. who, for twent- years. has
been fortunate" in securing for their
/ leader Mrs. Frank Darling. of Hamp-
| ton whose reorganized missionery en-
/ thusiasm and executive ability. emil
nently at her for the position. The
! Little Helpers tbaby's branch) still
under the loving guidance of Miss
Mary Garrett of Williamsburg sue
ceasfnilv continues its beautiful work
Trusting that our growth in the next
quarter of century may he many
| times greater than in the one just
closing, I am dear bishop, sincerely
! and
| Respectfully yours,
I LOULIE TAYLOR LETCHER,
Diocesan President