Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1916-05-11
HOME FROM THE SOUTHLAND.
Mrs. w. l.. Reed Gives Impressions
of Georgia and The WOman's
Council Meeting.


agement of the Message to write a
few notes about my recent visit to
Atlanta, and the Meeting of the Wom-
ans Missionary Council of the South
ern Methodist Church is gratefully
accepted; because l feel that both the
development of the New South, and
the methods of work pursued by the
Society are more characteristic of the
twentieth century spirit than of any
one section of denomination.
The eloquence of the late Henry w.
Grady rendered Georgia, the Empire
State of the South, forever famcua;
but Mr.. Grady did more. He brought
to his own state a realization of it's
hidden wealth, it's unused resources;
and its marble hills, it's pine forests,
and its red clay fields have been
touched by the magic of modern in
dustry. 1t yields it's tribute to the
wealth of the nation Atlanta is a
rushing city with substantial business
houses; and magnificent homes,
which are set in the midst of large
well-kept lawns. Though the season
is backward, the air was full of the
songs of birds, and the breath of the
mountain honeysuckle, the dogwood
bloom, and the violets. The hedges
of Southern smilax separated neigh
boring lawns, the purple wisteria
blossoms made fairy land of arches
and pergolas, and the azalias, in be-
wildering masses of color, were
blooming everywhere.
Among the addresses of welcome
was one from Governor Harris of
Georgia. himself a Methodist, who
7ispoke with knowledge of church
phraseology and a devotion to church
work that was inspiring. With the
chivalry and the flowery eloquence
of the "old South, he said of the
church work of women: at is a
never-fading flower gathered from
the fields of paradise; and again:
'If it were not for the work of the
women, the altar fires would long
since have gone ont"
The meeting of the Council in At
lanta thirty-eight years ago that the
General Conference of the Southern
Methodist Church first gave the
women the authority 70 work for mis-
sions. On the platform were a num-
ber of women who were members of
the first auxiliary organized in Allan
ia, and they spoke of the wonderful
growth. Their struggles to walk in
parliamentary paths were not less
difficult than their attempts to Sc
cure money, One lady, still in health
and strength, was introduced as hold
ing the remarkable record of having
attended every monthly meeting OF
her auxiliary in the thirty-eight years.
1t was with commendable pride that
these pioneer women, who were
reared in the sheltered homes of the
Old South, looked upon the present
Woman's Missionary Council, which
is one of the most severely parlia-
mentary of all women's organizations.
The President. Miss Belle H. Ben
nett, the daughter of a prominent
Kentucky family, is considered one
of the finest presiding officers in the
world, bringing to the position per-
sonal magnetism, culture and wealth.
A large force of secretaries are con-
stantly busy, and the women dictate
to the stenographers with fluency
that is rather remarkable when we
consider that they are mostly mothers
and homemakers. Every report goes
to the calendar, and is never acted
upon until after it receives a third
reading. No officer makes report
until the printed copy has been placed
in the hands of every member. The
Council Daily, issued early each
morning carefully reviews the work
of the preceding day, The body num-
bers something over a hundren mem
bers. being composed of the officers
and two delegates from each OF the