LETTER FROM MRS LEE-COWIE.

White Ribbon, Volume 33, Issue 405, 18 April 1929, Page 8

LETTER FROM MRS LEE-COWIE.

G.P.0., Honolulu, March, 1929 Beloved Editor, I am thinking of you all at this Convention time, and praying you may have ‘‘discernment in all things,” that the work of our great Union may go forward. Here it is generally conceded that the W.C.T.U. prayed the prohibition law into America, and prayed Herbert Hoover into victory. Al. Smith. Drink's Champion, and Herbert Hoover, up holder of Prohibition, contested more than the Presidential Chair of the U.S.A. They contested the powers of darkness and light, of good and evil. At first, all the xveight seemed on the side of the brilliant Governor of New York, but gradually the intense and passionate prayers of God’s people brought the serious solid Quaker to the fore, and the vote eventually was the most amazing History has ever recorded for righteousness. Until New Zealand W.C.T.U, members infuse that same spirit of intense and pleading prayer into our churches, we shall never win, but as soon as we ‘‘take hold of God’s strength,” the result is a foregone conclusion. Not money, not men, not political power or parties, can out-match Drink’s deadly might, hut, —*‘Our God is able.” Just a month since I left home. We had a pleasant voyage with “Ocean Colleges” every morning on deck, and a sewing class at night for girls and boys in the Dining Hall. These were very biessed and successful, and the grateful thanks of weary mothers were showered upon us. We had Catholics and Protestants and Nothingarians, of course, but all were treated alike and told of Jesus and His love, and nothing w'ould keep those children away. Indeed, they wanted school all day long, to tlie great jeopardy of correspondence, etc.

We were met at Su*a by Mrs Findlay, W.C.T.U. President, and other officers, and had a delightful meeting with Indian ladies and whites, disposing of 21 bows. I urged them to reach up to Nuie’g height with 600 bows in our order. A flowery welcome at Honolulu; and loving friends to look after everything, completed our journey.

Meeting were assailing me in all directions, and I rejoiced to find our W.C.T.U. had made great progress during the last year. Mrs Broughton, the splendid President, has returned from the Boston Convention with great good news. A gain of over 58,000 new members for America, a progressive prayerful spirit everywhere, and clever up-to-date pageants, etc., to present our cause attractively to the folk outside our ranks. 1 am staying with a Scotch widow lady—a Mrs Macdonald —in a beautiful part of the town, near two tram lines, and close to the churches. I have begun to teach in a Japanese Sunday School, some twenty almondeyed lassies, beautifully dressed, clean as new pins, and tremendously interested in their English-voiced teacher. I asked them what nation they belonged to, as my lesson on Sunday was “Teaching All Nations." Of course, I expected them to say, “the Japanese Nation,” hut everyone calmly answered. “We belong to the American Nation." More and more 1 learn how little our British standards of thought and action apply to this great Nation. In New Zealand, we are 98 per cent. British, and can apply the same rules and laws to all, but here with the polyglot of languages, the distinct and separate classes, colours and creeds, the Buddhist Temples, the Chinese Joss houses, the multifarious crowds, we have to re-adjust our whole trend of thought and learn over again and learn anew —“God so loved the world." If anyone wants a honeymoon trip, come to Honolulu. Many dear wives have been long overdue that trip—come now. The beauty is indescribable, the flowers, the foliage, the fish, the fruit—just com* and see for yourselves. Mrs Macdonald can let you have rooms at reasonable rates, and you can holiday here as cheaply as at Rotorua —Just pack up and come. God bless you all. Very lovingly in Him, BESSIE LEE-COW IE.