PLANS OF WORK.

White Ribbon, Volume 5, Issue 57, 1 March 1900, Page 7

PLANS OF WORK.

Br Miss Powell.

At the Auckland Convention 1 was asked to give an address on Plans of Work. As the r - quest posted som*' time previously had not reached me the short notice suffice 1 only for the jotting down td a few rough headings and I here reproduce the result. During the coming year wo have to lay the foundation of our work for the next Local Option Poll. We are rejoiced to know that Cbristchuich is pursuiug the enlightened policy of already employing a special agent to work for the vote of llN)2and hope every Union will at once got its own member* to work iu the same direction. A most valuable agency is the systematic CIRCULATION Ok LITIRATURI. The best results are obtained by lending temperance stories (leaflets Wing duly inserted), passing thorn on iroin house to house. The repeated visits establish friendly Eolations between the worker and the residents and a distinct and steady rise in temperance sentiment will be noted as the months roll on. Unions should keep the interest alive by

MEETING FREQUENTLY. Wherever potsible, meetings should be held fortnightly or even weekly. W hen a suggestion of this sort is made is met by the objection, “ Hut our members are too busy to attend monthly—how then can they find time for a weekly gathering ?” Experience teaches however, that women who “ cannot find time ”to go to the monthly meeting can and do find it practicable to ra**et every week. A weekly meeting makes it impossible for any member to make an engagement for that day because she “ forgot this was Union week,” and the short time elapsing prevents the interest from dying down. The first in the month might take the form of a business meeting, second—educational, third —reports of departments and discussion there on, fourth —prayer meeting, and the quarterly fifth might profitably be utilized in intending the young women through an evening meeting of a social character. Consecrated ingenuity will suggest wages of varying the me tings from time to time. Our numbers during the post } ear have receeived a substantial iucroase but, unless we are on our guard, this year will chronicle a falling off. Ltd us be always awake to the necessity of interesting outsiders and getting them to join In addition to this Miss Willard’s birthday might be kept as

MKMHKKSMU’ DAY. At the previous meeting go through the roll, the members present undertaking to call personally upon those absent and interest them in the meet in i. Arrange for one or more ad Iresves upon the aims and objects of the W.C.T.U. Let each member bring a woman who does rot belong to the Union, taking care to avoid giving her the impression that by attending tl-e meeting she commits herself to joining. The roll might !>e called, each member responding by a quotation from Miss Willard’s writings, terms of membership stated and a hearty invitation given to all, who have not already done so, to join. To keep up the membership each Union should secure a THOROUGHLY <K>ol> TREASURER. Some of our Unions this year shew a large increase of member<hip simply becauso the fees have been prompt:* and systematically gathered in. It is a disgrace to a treasurer that any woman should lx* able to say —“ I joined the Union two or three years ago, hut nobody ever conies for any subscription.” As long as a woman will pay up you have a chance of getting her occasionally to n meeting and gradually Awakening her interest but if this is neglect** 1 she is alt get her lost. Ir this connection I may mention the plan pursued by some branches of Electing from any joining during the year only a proportion of the fee. For instance: if a woman joins in June or July the treasurer asks her to contribute Is or Is fid to the local funds, telling her at the same time that in December she will be asked for hei fee of 2h 7 J for the following year. Then at the Annual meeting,or immed 1 itely after, she gathers up the whole of the fee* and sends to the New Zealand Treasurer the ini Now' Zealand ami Id Aorld’s Capitation fees. Of course it is useless for any Union to exp*ct to work efficiently unless all its officers and as many of its members as possible take and carefully read the WHITE RIBBON. I heard of a Secretary saying : —“ I don’t see the White Ribbon.” No wonder she was completely in a fog as to her duties The dimensions to which our work has grown render it absolutely impossible for the New Zealand Corresponding Secretary directly to communicate with each branch and it must be clearly understood that our little paper is the medium and the only medium (unless n xoeptional cases) of communication. Now will every one who reads this constitute herself a committee of one 10 increase its circu'ation? An l surely it is a paper of which we have no cause to he ashamed. It is thoroughly creditable in every respect, well got up, readable and interesting. Will you allow me once more to urge upon district Unions the necessity of thoroughly carrying out the district oroani/.atmn. Uni-ns which in the official list have the name printed in large capitals are district Unions. The officers thereof are district officers and at the annual election due care should be exercised that those elected should !»e able and willing to undertake the duties of the larger office a* well as those of the local Union. The welfare of the little nest of auxiliaries surrounding most district Unions depends largely upon the district otticois, who should feel responsible for them. Mis* Willard used

to Hay that the success of our organization depended largely upon the DEPARTMENTS BEING THOROUGHLY WORKED, and want of organization tends to weak neat. Kich department, when taken up, should be placed inth handsofa Superintendent who, with other hel|**rs, shall work it and shall be responsible to the Union as a whole for it. Among these two may be referred to as specially important. HOME MEETINGS are a most valuable agency. Ah one woman after another throws open In r home, inviting her own personal friends, circle after circle is reaehe 1 of women who have not and would not attend our ordinary meetings. Prejudices are broken down and many, finding they had cherish* d an altogether erroneous idea of our work, join our ranks. Then, too, we need to work up more medal contests. The books of recitatiou supplied for these are highly educ ative a:.d as * ach parent is anxious that his or her child shall he the one to win the result is tint the whole family learn the “piee** ” and imbibe its sentiment. The eventful evening arrived each young c< ntcstant 1 as his own circle of interested relation! and friend.-, quite w illing to pay dd or 01 (children lading admitted at a Ida head) and this entrance money covers all expenses and often le.ixes a balance in hunJ. Pull information as to the workingof both these departments may be obtained from their respective New Zealand Superintendents. In conclusion let us imp>ress upon our minds the condition upon which depends the success of all our “ plans,” that o* a FULL CONSECRATION 0> OURSELVES to God’s service. Not ours to choose when, or how, or where we shall work, but let us so give ourselves up to Him ttiat lie can set us to work anywhere, or anyhow lie please-. As we were reminded in our devotional hour, there is amongst us a vast amount of m ck-huinility. When any work is to he taken up we bear, “ O, I never could do that !”or, “ I’m not fit for such a work.” listers, let us each remember that “ when (rod calls, lie makes what He calls.” He knows a great deal better than you what you are tit for and if He calls all you have to do is simply to obey, leaving the responsibility to Him. True humility sa)B : “ I do not know whether I can do that hut I will try.” And suppose you do fail—whut then? You feel had about it hut 1 don’t know that it matters much to anybody e'se, and you have at least the consolation of knowing that you have done your b st. Perhaps the failure was a pmrt of God’r; I.n forycu. Professor Drummond says sornetl ing like this : —lt seems to be given to some constantly to see results, hut these are not always the greatest in the Kingdom of God. In closing, allow me to say how pleased I shall be to receive letters from any friends who will write me of the progress of the work. Letters addressed to meat “ Brierley, Harrow-on-the-liill, England,” will le forwarded. And if 1 cau he of service to any in making enquiries concerning any special work in the Old Country 1 hopie they will command me. S. S. “ Elingamite,” 22 Feb., 19U0.