The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-02-26
From Mondays Daily.

Beautiful services In honor of the
memory Of Francis L. willard were
held at the Christian church yester-
day afternoon. under the auspices
OF the Central w. c. T. u, the
church being comfortably filed with
an appreciatlve audience, who held
the memory OF the great temperance
leader in reverence and esteem. The
altar and platform were appropriate.
ly draped I'm white the color of the
White Ribboners." and numerous
flags and graceful palms were In
cluded In the pretty decorations.
The program opened with scrip.
tural reading by Mrs. Leavitt. pres
ident Of the local order. after which
Rev. Clark w. Comstock delivered
prayer. A song founded on the
dying words Of Francis willard.
How Beautiful to BE With God"
was then sung by quartet com
posed of Misses Mildred Parmalee,
Gertrude Clements, and Messrs. d.
NJ. Jones and Sidney Davies.
Her Influence Living.
Rev. II. w. Hobbs. pastor or the
Baptist church, gave a short and
interesting talk on the life of Miss
Willard. Calling attention to the
striking fact of the memorials being
held in her honor seventeen years
after her death, lie showed how her
influence was living after her. and
broadening out I'm ever widening
eddies. One thing which had largely
contributed TO her power had been
her true womanliness upon all &C.
casions. Her strong and yet gentle
qualities had made her Ike some OF
he sreat women of Bible times.
like Deborah. Ruth. Ur even Mary.
he mother OF Chr.5t. Francis vii.
lard had always been true to the
highest conception OF womanhood
md the most powerful agency in
her work for the right had been
.hese pure, sweet, and womanly at.
ributes. Another OF her admirable
Qualities had been her conservatism.
She had been as progressive a woman
rs ever lived. and far in advance
OF her times, yet she had also peen
most conservative. and had formed
Ter plans with clear insight and
with a definite end, not rushing into
hings blindly.
Mind Of Real Genius.
She had possessed the mind OF
real genius, constructive statesman.
md her plans had been world wide
their enterprise. She laid the
irm foundations on which the great
organization OF the present day Is
'uilt. Francis Willard was possessed
great conviction. that Of all the
evils Of the world. the evil OF in
temperance was among the very
;reatest. She realized to the fullest
extent the harm that could come out
)f 1t. The w. e. T. U. OF America
and OF the world today owes much
its development and Importance
o the fact that this noble woman
was its founder. The fact that the
tate OF Illinois had placed her
'tatue in the legislative hall at
Washington shows the strength
which Francis Willard exercised
over thinking men. Rev.. Hobbs
quoted from an address given by
Miss Willard at the very first gath
ring of women in 1874 when the
w. e. T. ". was organized. I'm
which she said that women were or.
aimed to lead the vanguard Of the
great temperance movement until
The world realized that alcohol was
It a food but a poison. and traf.
nc I'm II was a crime. Miss Willard
also said mt later meeting as
women were the greatest suf.
ferers from the crime or In.
temperance which cursed fathers
and sons. and this crime could only
be suppressed by the ballot. she me- ed
that all adults could vote upon the
the question. Rev. Hobbs closed his
eloquent address with reading from
her addresses. the quotations show.
ing the remarkable strength and
farsightedness of this great womaRs
mind.
Very Nice Program.
Following Rev. Hobbs address !
Glen Shoemaker, sang, Jesus. Lover |
OF My Soul" very beautifully. Mrs. |
McChesney nicely interpreted a read.
ing entitled "Who Struck the Blow"
and Mrs. NJ. r. Coulter read an |
account OF the work Of the w. c. T.
U. In caring for the immigrants at |
Ellis Island. which was very in
teresting Miss Gladys Morrison gave
a solo entitled Wear Your White |
Ribbon Wherever You Co." after
which Miss Margaret Hotaling re-
cited The Brave Hunters Child
a tragic little verse story. rendering ,
IL with dramatic effect and appealing |
pathos. Mrs. W. n. Plymat talked
entertainingly OF the work of the w.
c. T. u. and life OF Francis Willard.
She likened the curse of intemper-
ance to a gigantic tree which spread
its roots and branches over the coun-
try but through the work of the w.
:. /. U. founded by Francis Willard.
the branches were fast falling, and
states were becoming prohibition one
by one. Mrs. Plymat told how she
had heard Francis Willard speak in