Our Messenger from Topeka, Kansas • 2

2 OUR MESSENGER Iwans, closed the afternoon session, All seemed to enjoy this exercise very much. The evening session was opened with devotional exercises. Lecture by Mrs. Dora A. Evans; subject, "The World a This was a very able lecture, and will long be remembered by many.

A fine audience greeted us in the evening. Three more contest recitals were listened to, and the young ladies reciting deserve much praise. Both sessions were interspersed with music. A nice little collection was taken up and the convention adjourned. Respectfully submitted, Anna M.

Strain, Secretary. That Pledge. Four additional Unions have kept the pledge to stand by Our Messenger and help free it from debt Elmdale, Denison, Tescott and Kinsman. Thanks for received from each. If each Union in the state would be as thoughtful, you might have the pleasure of hearing the editor report the paper free from debt when she meets you in state convention.

Credentials for State Convention. A credentials card has been sent to each local Union in the state. If any have failed to receive them, please apply to state corresponding secretary. Write on this card the names of your delegates and alternates. Be sure and bring it to the convention.

Before the cards are collected there, erase the names of the delegates and alternates not in attendance. Notice that the card says: "No delegates will be seated in convention unless this card is presented by some member of the delegation, properly filled out and signed by the local officers." Land, in this mighty battle against the saloon, what an advance it will be! They need to hear the best arguments. They have not been corrupted with the sophistries and false views of politicians, and so are more open to conviction. They have not been brought into contact with evil customs from foreign countries. To most of our country people patriotism still has a meaning.

The term "Our Country" still calls up thrills of love and devotion, The idea of a pure, clean government is still a possibility, and honesty in politics is more than a joke. Why should we not enlist these people ardently on the side of righteousness? Surely it would be worth the effort. The forces ot the enemy are growing stronger and increasing in power. In the great struggle for human freedom, Kansas, our beloved, sent more men to the war than she had voters. They came from the farms, the hillsides, the valleys, as well as from the towns and cities.

We need the same men and their sons to-day. We need the thousands who have come on to the broad acres since that time- we need the intelligent, thoughtful, conscientious farmers in our battle for our homes. Shall we have them? Sophie F. Grubb, President Kansas W. C.

T. U. State Convention Notice. Will all delegates please send names to Mrs. John Lanning, chairman of entertainment committee.

Noon lunch will be served to all delegates at Tinker's restaurant, on west side of Broadway, between 2nd and 3rd streets. All visitors from Pittsburg or abroad can secure noon lunches at the same place at reduced rates. An effort will be made to secure reduction in price for other meals and lodging for visiting friends. Convention to be held in the new M. E.

church. City reached by the following roads: Santa Ft', FYisco, Missouri Pacific and Gulf. Hope for a large attendance, a blessed convention. Yours in the work, Mrs. 15.

F. Wright, Pres. Pittsburg Union. Labette County. The Labette County W.

C. T. U. held its annual meeting, at Mound Valley Baptist church, August 30 and 31, commencing the evening of the 30th with a public entertainment, consisting of temperance songs, select readings, recitations and speeches, which were well rendered, listened to attentively and highly appreciated by the audience. The morning session convened at 9 o'clock.

After devotional exercises, led by Miss Scott, our president, we listened to the reports of officers, Unions and superintendents of departments. These show that the W. C. T. U.

has not been idle, but is using its influence for the promotion of good and the suppression of evil throughout the county. There is much to be done, yet we are willing to work and wait, fully expecting the complete triumph of the cause we so dearly love. The following officers were chosen for the ensuing year: Miss Mary Scott, of Parsons, president; Mrs. H. A.

Coleman, Mound Valley, secretary; Mrs. Kate E. Hudson, Parsons, treasurer. We appointed superintendents of twenty different departments of work'. The evening of the 31st we had a contest, expecting it to be for the Dcmorest medal, but when we met, one of the contestants failed to come.

The remaining five, however, agreed to recite and accept of some other prize, as the medal could not be given. They did their part nobly, and the exercises were very interesting and listened to with great attention. The prize was awarded to Miss MyraMcDole. Place and time of next meeting was left to the executive committee. II.

A. CoLEMAN, Secretary. COUNTY CONVENTIONS. Wyandotte County. The White Ribbon women of Wyandotte county met in annual convention, at Chelsea Park, August II.

About fifty delegates and visitors were present. All the Unions in the county were represented. The reports of local presidents and county superintendents of department work, while not always encouraging, show much faithful work done. We were much helped by Mrs. Clardy, of Texas, who led the dcvotionals, and during the morning session gave a very interesting lecture on "The Sisterhood of Women," showing us the grand and lasting results of the work accomplished In mothers' meetings, and urging upon us the duty of this work.

Mrs. Saul, state superintendent of railroad work of Georgia, was also with us, and in the afternoon made a most interesting, though brief, address upon the work of her department. Our county officers elected were Mrs. Mary Truax, president, whom the convention greeted with a vigorous Chautauqua salute; Mrs. Ida Stewart, secretary; Mrs.

Way, treasurer. The committee on plan of ork for locals suggested that the first meeting in each month be given to devotional exercises and one to mothers' meetings; also that more attention be given to juvenile work. Miss Rhea, superintendent of flower mission work, made a very interesting report. Her conduct of the funeral services over a littic child, whose father is a drunkard, deserves special mention. So may we all faithfully lead the sin-cursed and downtrodden to the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Ida Stewart, Secretary. In Memoriam. The following resolutions were passed by the Sedgwick county convention: Whereas, In the wisdom of Omnipotence our beloved sister and fellow worker, president of the Cheney W. C. T.

Margaret R. Wakefield, has been removed from our midst; and Whereas, We mourn her loss in home, church and society; therefore, be it Resolved, 1st, That we cherish her name in loving memory. 2nd, That we will strive to emulate her example in duty and christian life. 3rd, That a copy of these resolutions be entered upon the minutes of this convention, also one be sent to Our Messenger, and one proffered the relatives of deceased. Mrs.

E. A. McCleland, Mrs. F. P.

Shafeek, Mrs. Fannie Weaver. Reno County. The first annual meeting of the Reno County W. C.

T. U. convened at the Methodist church in Olcott, August 18 and 19, Mrs. W. A.

Woodrow, district president, presiding, the county president having removed from the state. In addition to the regular membership of the convention, visitors from both Kingman and Reno counties took part in the exercises, making it a very interesting session. Sabbath observance was discussed at length and made a specialty in the plan of work. Delegates all spoke in strong terms against the practice of harvesting on Sunday, and pledged themselves to use their influence against such things by adopting resolutions to that effect. Officers were elected as follows: Mrs.

M. J. Latham, president; Belle Knappenberger, secretary; Mrs. Thunby, of Turon, treasurer. The meeting was a decided success in every particular.

Mrs. Woodrow is an active and efficient worker, never allows the interest to lag, and is tireless in her efforts to enforce parliamentary rules. Belle Knappenberger, Secretary. W. C.

T. U. Work in Country Places. A talented and enthusiastic woman wrote me a short time ago, urging the value and expediency of inaugurating another department of work in the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. She said we have departments for every class in the world except the farmers.

We had left them out in the cold. To this I replied rather indignantly: "Why should we have a separate department for farmers? They are a part of the family a part of us; why should we have a department for them more than for the bankers or merchants or mechanics?" To this that big-hearted, wise woman replied in a fashion that completely converted me by the justice of her argument. She said: "Dear Sister, are there not Unions in our cities? If mechanics and merchant's and bankers and their families are out in the cold, it is their own fault; for the W. C. T.

U. is right in their midst. Not so with the country people. They know of it, think it would be nice to have a Union in the school district or neighborhood, but before an organizer can be available an opportunity has been lost. A county superintendent looks after her towns and cities; -why cannot the W.

C. T. U. reach down one step further and create township organizations? Then we will girdle the tiller of the soil, his wife and little ones. Think of the vast, untouched harvest awaiting the reapers! When our women get out into the country, their talk moves men.

I have seen men go into the church uninterested belonging to other parties and after listening for an hour come out Prohibitionists, and tell me so. I tied the white ribbon on three country pastors one evening, and made them honorary members of the W. C. T. after hearing us plead for the cause.

When God sends consecrated, enthusiastic workers to the country people, they crowd the buildings, drink in every word, are interested, convicted, yes, converted, and go along with us." This strikes me as just the kind of work that ought to be inaugurated. The world has been amazed within the last three years to see the power there is in a class of people hitherto so quiet and patient, that, like a sleeping giant, no one suspected their strength. Hut they were not always to sleep while the enemy sowed tares. Finally they have aroused themselves, and now that their attention is directed to great moral and economic questions, if we can gain them for God and Home and Native Cloud County. The Cloud County W.

C. T. U. met in annual convention August 4, 1892, at 1 o'clock p. in the United Presbyterian church at Jamestown.

Session opened with devotional exercises, conducted by our county president, Nannie Southworth. Most of the afternoon was taken up in reports, those of the secretary and treasurer being followed by the reports of local presidents. Concordia Union, though small in numbers, gives an encouraging report. They have nine local superintendents; have held nineteen regular meetings and one mothers' meeting. Two Dem-orest medal contests have been held here.

Union is in a prosperous condition. Jamestowii president reports twenty-five paying members, ten honorary members and ten pledged workers; hold meetings twice each month. Twelve copies of the Union Signal and twenty-six copies of Our Messenger are taken by the Union. On flower mission day eleven bouquets with Scripture texts attached were sent out to old ladies, and eleven graves in the city of the dead were decorated with flowers. Two Demorcst medal contests were given.

Red letter days observed, lectures given, socials held, etc. twenty-six in all. Amount of money raised by the Union, $60. Next the reports of county superintendents were taken up. We have thirteen county superintendents.

Reports from nearly all were given. Some were very encouraging. County superintendent of young women's work repprts young ladies having held an entertainment called the "Y's Menu," in Jamestown, proceeds amounting to Si 5. These young ladies also gave an ice cream social July 1, in which they made $5, making a total of S20. Much interest was added to the convention by the presence of our district president, Mrs.

Dora A. Evans. Interesting remarks were made by her on Raising Prohibition Cranks," and we only wish there were more such cranks, for it is the crank that turns something. "Keep Pegging Away" was sung by Mrs. Pvans.

Collection of Si. 10 was taken up. Officers elected were as follows: Miss Nannie Southworth, re-elected president; Mrs. Mary Wall, of Jamestown, secretary; Mrs. Healey, of Concordia, treasurer.

Quite a number of visitors were present. The audience was favored with contest recitals by Miss Kva Poole, of Jamestown, and by Misses Flossie Coon and Cora Wilkes, of Clyde. All were good. The Question Box, "conducted by Mrs. Crawford County.

The sixth annual convention of the Crawford County W. C. T. U. was held in the M.

K. church at McCune, August 24 and 25. The first session was held on the evening of the 24th, the program being one of home talent. The music furnished by the M. E.

choir was said to be the best given at our conventions during the past year, and the songs by little-girls appeared to capture the entire audience. Mrs. Singheiser, of McCune, delivered the address of welcome, the response being given by Mrs. M. L.

Potter, of Girard. Our president'searnest address, and a good paper on "Individual Responsibility" by Mrs. J. M. Kemp, Third district president, completed the exercises of the evening.

The morning session of the 25th was opened with a spirited devotional service in charge of Mrs. Has Clark, of Cherokee, after which the usual business of the convention was taken up. Roll call showed but five of our seven local Unions represented. The usual committees were appointed, and vice-presidents' reports presented, the latter showing good work done in the several Unions. The question, "Shall we continue to hold quarterly conventions?" was freely discussed, and, when the vote was taken, carried by one vote.

Last year's officers were all re-elected, the following being the names: President, Mrs. Annie R. Brown, of Pittsburg; Secretary, Miss Ada A. Robinson, of Girard; treasurer, Mrs. Minnie M.

Howard, of Cherokee. Noontide prayer was led by Bro. Smith, of the Presbyterian church. Rev. pAigcnie St.

John led the devotional service at the afternoon session, and also greatly added to the interest in the superintendents' reports by timely remarks on the various lines of work. I would like to give the names of the superintendents appointed for the coming year, and the reports of the resolu-.