The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-02-18
MISS ANNA GORDON SPEAKER
Leader of National w. G. T. u. Gives
Interesting Address on the Life of
Famous Leader of Women Of Ameri-
can Before 200 Kenosha Women.

The Woman s Christian Temperance
Union of Kenosha received decided
impetus forward in it's work of agita-
ton and education against the liquor
business when o representative gather
ing of two hunded women met at the
Park Ave. M. e. Church Tuesday after
noon to hear Miss Anna Gordon, the
national president of the W. G. I. y.
The occasion was the anniversary of the
birth of Frances Willard, the great
leader of the temperance movement for
forty years of her life and one Of
America IS greatest women. Miss Cor
don was intimately associated with
Miss Willard for many years as her
private secretary. In her address she
spoke particularly of personal traits of
Miss Willard, that do not find their
way into books and are not generally
spoken of in public addresses. The
large audience was deeply interested in
the address and charmed by the fine
presence and grace of the speaker. She
said among other things:
"To live in hearts we leave behind
us, is not to die. Miss Willard wanted
to be thought. of as ever living and la
boring for others. She had a passion
for humanity, in its sin and sorrow
and suffering. We must thank God for
the leaders of the w. G. T. IT,, who, in
this passion for humanity kept close to
the cross of Christ
Miss Willard had happy childhood,
spent near GAINESVILLE, Wis She had
one of the most aspiring spirits that
ever blessed child. She was found
one day by her mother amidst the
growing corn, with her little hand up
lifted toward the sky. Asked the rea-
son for this attitude she said she was
hoping God would touch her hand.
This is indicative of a mysticism
which was the secret of much of her
remarkable power, for she lived to
bless the world because God not only
touched her hand, but her head and
her heart,
"The motto of the Willard family
was, patience delights in the hard
ships 1t was the spirit of this motto
that sustained her in the trying days
Of her wonderful career as an organi-
ger of the w. c. T. U. We do not like
to speak in superlatives, but it is my
sober judgment that Frances Willard
was the greatest organizer in the nine
teenth century. She not only perfect
ed the organization of the work in
America, visiting in one year every
state and territory and speaking in
every state capitol save one, but she
also organized the world 3 w. G. T. u,
uniting the temperance women of every
civilized country on the globe in the
great White Ribbon sisterhood
Edward Everett said of Solomon
Willard, the architect of the Bunker
Hill monument, He wanted to do
everything for everybody and do it for
nothing This was the genius of his
illustrious grand-daugh She saw
the angel in every human heart. She
wanted everybody to share her happi-
ness with her.
"The significance of this memorial
day for the w, G. Il. U. is that we show
our devotion to the cause which Frances
Willard loved. We may pay our tri-
butte to her by giving our support to
the cause of the prohibition of the
liquor traffic.
Miss Gordon held aloft a map of the
United States showing the wet and dry
territory and declared that one could
travel from the east to the west clear
across this great continent entirely
through territory from which the liquor
traffic has been outlawed.
After the death of Robert Louis
Stevenson the natives of Samoa, who
had learned to love him for his inter
est in them, built public highway of
pure white stone as a memorial to their
friend and gave it name which trans
lated means The Road of the Loving
Heart. Frances Willard spent her life
in building The Road of the Loving
Heart for afflicted humanity, high
way free from stumbling blocks and
pitfalls, leading up to national consti-
tutional prohibition. -
The meeting closed with a reception
in honor of Miss Gordon. Twelve new
members were added to the roll of the
local w. G. t. u, and it is expected
that the ladies will count this memorial
day as a red letter day in their history.