“Within the Veil”

White Ribbon, Volume 22, Issue 4, 1 May 1950, Page 3

“Within the Veil”

MRS. BESSIE LEE-COWIE ' A TRIBUTE It was in the year 1923, shortly alter 1 came to New Zealand, that I first met Mrs. Lee-Cowie. I was a representative to the Auckland Sunday School Union from the Sunday School where I taught, and one evening when I W’ent to the usual monthly meeting there was a large gathering to hear, as I learned, Mrs. Lee-Cowie speak on her return from a world tour. I was tremendously impressed by Mrs. LeeCowie. She was the finest woman speaker I had ever heard. I was too bashful to speak to her as many others were doing, but on the way home, 1 asked my Sunday School Superintendent to tell me something al>out the lady who had spoken. Taking a book from under his arm, he handed it to me and said, “Read this, and you will learn something about her.” The hook was her autobiography, “One of Australia’s Daughters.” Always interested in biography, this book interested me tremendously, and when l thought of what she had become, and what she had been enabled to do for God and Home and Humanity, I wrote to her, on the spur of the moment, offering my services to her or the work, in a secretarial or other capacity, after business hours. She wrote me a beautiful letter and an invitation to meet her. The result was my initiation into the “Y” work of the W.C.T.U. I came to know* .Mrs. Lee-Cowie intimately, and my first impression of her as the finest woman speaker I had ever heard was deepened and enriched as I sat at her feet to hear her teach and

preach. Her ability as a Breather is unquestioned. She was a woman of God’s Word, and a great prayer w’arrior. She sought the Holy Spirit’s guidance alone, and all her sermons, her writings and her poetry bear the impress of the Holy Spirit. She walked with God. As a teacher of the “Word" she was unequalled, and mini hers of us who listened to her, realised the grasp of the Truth possessed by her and lived out in a life that testified to the indwelling Holy Spirit. One could not help growing in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ as she imparted to us the Truth as it is in Jesus Christ. Mrs. Lee-Cowie was a soul winner, and very many can testify to that fact, but in addition to that she realised the new converts must he fed (a fact largely lost sight of in our Churches today) and she possessed the ability to a large degree, to instruc* and teach the “Babes in Christ” how to walk in the way of holiness “Being not conformed to this world.” She was uncompromising in her attitude towards evil, especially the Liquor traffic, and feared not the face of man. It was a privilege, a joy and an inspiration to know her, and she being dead, yet speaketh. To live in the hearts of those we lease behind is not to die. “They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever." ANNIE M McLAY. 79 Haupapa Street, Rotorua. MISS MAUD MARGARET RUNCIMAN Ponsonby Union Miss Runciman received the “Home Call” on the 19th March, after a life of service in the W.C.T.U. Miss Runciman joined the Ponsonby Union shortly after it was resuscitated by Mrs. Lee Cowie and was a loyal worker, until illness overcame her last November. As Suj>erintendent of the Scientific Temperence department for manv \ears, she never failed to give her temperence fact at every meeting. She was a loval follower of the Master, whom she dearly loved and served. R. A. Clarke. MRS. M A. RANSOM Levin Union With the recent parsing to Higher Service of Mrs. M A Ransom, in her 98th vear, the Levin Union has lost a devoted member. Deeply interested in the Temperance cause, she used her gracious influence to carry on the fight against the great evil of intemperance. To the end, her interest and prayers were ever with the work so near to her heart. The loving sympathy of the l nion goes to her family. “Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”