LETTER FROM THE WORLD'S SUPERINTENDENT of “Y'S'

White Ribbon, Volume 18, Issue 208, 18 October 1912, Page 12

LETTER FROM THE WORLD'S SUPERINTENDENT of “Y'S'

Mv Rear “ \ s ” of New Zealand, — I have been wishing to send von a word of greeting through your oflicial “ White Ribbon ” magazine, and now, b\ the kind courtesy of vour editor, 1 am able to do so. I specially appreciate tile privilege, because I have received from time to time sin li encouraging reports from vour New Zealand “ Y leader, and my urea test des re as General Secretary of the “ Y’s ” <>l tin \\ odd • W C I U is to get into touch with those “ Y's,” wherever they max be found. I am convinced the “ Y ” work is quite the most important of all in our great organisation—lor as the Ns aft t<> <!.i\ the M \N s will l>e to-morrow ! I need hardly say 1 am greatly interested in Vour plans and doings which come to mv knowledge, and that 1 re oice in aU vour progriss and increase, but what I am socially anxious for is that the N oting White Ribboners of every land should realise to the full their privilege in belonging to this great Union, whose standard is planted in every civilised country on the globe, so that they may wish to stretch out hands of help and comradeship to the "Ns North, Sooth Boat. and West of them who also wear the White Ribbon. Is it not an inthought that th s great army of women is certainly helping to bind the Nations, and that whether from the Orient or the Veldt, the Rush *>r the Snowtields, our little badge is at once an introduction and a passport ? One of the most interesting pieces of work that falls to mv 10. i.i to “ join up ” voung women, passing from one side of the world, it mav be, to another —going to begin life

afresh in strange seems where, hut for o»»r White Ribbon bond, no friendly hand would be extended in welcome. Oltcii do liieinbers going out t«» New Zealand or Australia ask for letters of intrudin'tioii, <»r names uinl addfcsscs ol White Ribbon officers and workers, so that they can get into touch with those who they know are comrades and friends, though on the other side of the world ! I wonder if ativ of vour dear New Zealand “\ s have e'er attended a World’s Convention? If you have, von will, I know, have been filled with a gre it and wide on thusiastn as vou listened to the reports of dilliculties and of accomplishments from distant lands, and have realised that the work is the same and the spirit which inspivs it is the same, no matter in what corner of the earth it may be found. I earnestly ho|ie that at least one or two of you will ti\ and plan to journey to the next Convention to be held in WiJ. I hope most of you know the history of the White Ribbon Society, and how the World’s Vnion came into being—how the first pioneer Missionar\ started out on a journey of faith which lasted eight years, going from country to country dropping in the seed of the idea, and presenting the ideal which had come to Frances Willard of building a great society of women for “ the peace and purity, the protection and exaltation of the homes of the world ; of how r the first World’s Convention met in iKm with a mere handful ol fifty delegates, and how at the l.»st C<»nvention there were over live hundred. You will, howe'er, like to know .1 little of what IS being done now. In some countries the young women work in with the senior Vnioiis, thev not It.t'ing yet discovered the untold advantages of having their own societies, where the gir's mav train and educate themselves independently, and put their own beautiful fresh ideas into experimental action, s-» that in the future our W hite Kihbon work may be even finer and more powerful for good than it has been in the past. Rut in all the countries where the work is most fully de'eloped it has l>eeii felt that the “ V ” Vnion is th 1 . verv 1 est exponent of that development, and the girls work in their Vnion* side bv side with the seniors, Teadv to h lp and stiopleimnt whenever tlnv ,iie needed.

In the Vnitcd States, South Africa, Canada, Australia, (»erniany, Japan, England, Scotland — and I hope 1 may add, New Zealand —tin- *• Y ” work is strong. In France, Spain, Denmark, Mexican and China it is established and growing. In South America, Norway, Sweden, and Finland there are many girls wearing the White Ribbon badge, but the best results of their work are yet in the future, when they shall ha'e formed themselves into “Y ” l nions. In countries like India and Burma, Madagascar, Egypt, Russia, Bulgaria, Italy, and Palestine, it is easy to understgnd that ti e dilliculties of the White Ribbon work are so great that the senior l’nions ha'e all the' can do to grow, and they ha'e not vet felt strong enough to organise “ Y ” Vnions separately. It is fine to think of the “ Y Vnion at Chimig Kiang, that has stood firm through all the years since it was formed, and of the young Chinese woman no" being trained as a White Ribbon Missionary to go among her own people. 1 am glad to laid that in Australia, South Africa, and A,merica, as well as all over Scotland and England, World’s “ Y Demonstrations ire being found of great assistance to the work in bring the imagination and broadening the point oi view’. I hope before long to hear that \ou are giving some they are so good for d.awinu the members togethei, and for attracting and interesting outsiders. In all Countries they give ol their best of the work among the children, L.l.L.’s, l.ittle White Rihboners, etc*., and, lastly and chiellv, the* try to educate md prepare themselves in various wavs to pass int > the senior 1 nions, and so carry oa to still grander results the blessed work of the World's Women’s Christian Temperance Vnioti. 1 ho|K* Vou have all read the pamphlets which I ha'e so far published lor the World s “ Y’s,' and that they will help you to realise vour lieaiitiful world-wide bond. In case you have not all heard of them, I give below the titles : “ A Brief Sketch of the Life oi Frances Willard.’’ “Frances Willard’s Words to ‘ Y’s.’ ” “ A Word to the ‘ Y’s ' of the World.” “ W here E ist and W est mav meet.”

“ The White Rihlmn in Japan.” “ Notes for World’s Deinonstrat ions.” They may be had by applying to Mrs Moodv, 15 Henderson st., Blutl Harbour, Southland, and I "ill gladly send any amount that she ma' order lor vour use. May all the girls and young women who wear the White Ribbon 111 Australia be bred to greater en tin siasm 111 their local eflor s and to a ftiller realisation of what it means to belong to this worldwide Vnion of women ! Your sincere comrade, AMY A SW ANKIE C AMERON. C»etuTal Secretary ol Young WOniaii s Branch of the Worlds W.C.T.V. Jh Ouetn s Mansions, Westminster, London, Eng. Aug., 1912.