A LETTER From one of the World’s W.C.T.U Secretaries.

White Ribbon, Volume 18, Issue 210, 18 December 1912, Page 9

A LETTER From one of the World’s W.C.T.U Secretaries.

Mv Dear Comrade. — The World's Women’s Christian Temperance Union is Sorelv stricken in tin* loss of our World's White Ribbon Missionary, Klma Grace Gowen, who passed away at Callao, Deru, on July 6th, a little o'er two months after her arrival in South America. Miss Gowen was 111 perfect health on leaving Boston for the joutney southward, and her death is a sad and overwhelming surprise to Home friends and White Ribbon comrades. Miss Gowen was admirably equipped for our work by experience as a teadnr, by rare i|iialities of heart and mind, and by a glad consecration to W.C.T.U. service. Her complete knowledge and fluent use of the Spanish language fitted her to ablv represent us in Spanish speaking countries. Our honoured Dresident, the Countess of Carlisle, recti]*rating

on the Continent, has our tender sympathy in the great, personal sorrows of the past year. Miss Agnes h. Slack hopes in the autumn to visit Bulgaria and other Kuropean points. Miss Lochhead is hard at work in India ; Miss Flora K. Strout is forking toward a National Convention for Burma before the close ot iqi2; Miss Ruth Frances Davis wisely guides our great work ir Japan.; Miss Anderson Hughes will soon 1* on her way to the United States, and will be one of our speakers at the coining National Convention in Portland, Oregon ; Mrs. Lee-Cow ie and Miss Juhannsdottjr, in Australasia and Norway respectively, are winning many friends for our principles and plans. India and Japan appeal to the World’s W.C.T.U. for aid in building National W.C T.U head-quar-ters. Such head-quarters we consider essential to the permanence and prosperity of our work in these countries. And China, with its vast millions ot population, must be helped. After a home furlough in the United States and careful studv ol W.C.T.U. methods, Mrs. Chaunce\ Goodrich returns to China in August. Her work as our representative in China will be reinforced by that of her daughter, Miss Grace, a graduate of Oberli:. College (Ohio), who accompanies her mother under commission from th. World’s I C T.U After a pleasure trip round the world, Mrs. Klla Hoover Thaeher, i'i New 1 1 raej, IT.S.A Uacid's Superintendent of the Department of Work among Soldiers and Sai lors, has just reached home. We are greatly indebted to Mrs. That her for many addresses made under the auspices of the W.C T.U. at various points, also for local societies organised, and for chil dren's work she has encouraged and inaugurated. Many of our faithful Temperance workers have I*en cheered by Mrs Thaeher s generous linanci«il gifts in aid of their work. Never were the opportunities for extending our work in Europe, Asia, Africa, yes, and the “ Islands of the Sea,” so vast and hojieful as to-day. With funds and with workers at our command, we could take advantage of many vitally important openings and of the grow ing spirit of co-opt ration w ith missionaries of many denominations. In the face of the liquor and tobacco monopolies of Great

Britain and America, that seek to possess the Hast tor their trade, our splendid leaders in the Orient, with heroic faith, courage, and self-sacrifice, continue their cam paign of education. A set of valuable charts, eight in number, have just been brought out by the National W.C.T.U. at Kvanston, Illinois. They were prepared by Dr. Louise C. Purington and Miss Klla G. Ives, of Boston, who reproduced them from charts exhibited by the W .C.T.U. at “The World in Boston.” We beg von to do all in your power to extend the circulation of these charts. Lady Henry Somerset, for many years President of the World’s W.C T.l ~ is making a well-nigh miraculous recovery from two critical operations. After many weeks of intense suturing in a private hospital iu London, Ladv Ilenrv will, it is hoped, soon return! to Diixluirst and resume direction of the Farm Colon\ for Inebriate Women. We learn through a letter from Lady Henry’s sister, the Duchess of Bedford, that it is proposed to raise a Thank (tilering as a welcome and surprise to Ladv Henry, whose birthday, August .trd, will, we trust, be spent in her cosy cottage home at Puxhurst. I believe all our countries will wish, by contributing to the Thank Ottering Fund, to show their deep sense of gratitude that Ladv Ilenrv has been spared to continue this wonderful enterprise. Our Vice - President, Mrs. Stevens, with her usual devotion, wisdom, and activity, keeps our work humming in state and nation, as well as constantly aiding the World’s W.C.T.U. She unites with me in a message ot loving grateful remembrance to all White RibUmers who may read this letter, and especially to those who bear heavy responsibilities. One of the latest signs of progress for the temperance reform in the United States is the fact that our inventor, Thomas A. Kdison (a total abstainer, by the way), is investing several millions of dollars in the preparation of moving picture films for public school use, and the Imest experts in our country .ire at work preparing the films to lie used in connection with the study of physiology to show the effects of alcohol and other narcotics oti the human system The might v force of electricity is thus to be harnessed to the chariot of temperance reform

—■"— ■ - - to carrv the rising generation on toward our final victory. The next World’s Convention is to be held in Brooklyn, New* York, November, 1913. Yours, in the bonds of loving friendship, ANNA A. GORDON.