NBWTA Report 1904-047
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90 DEPARTMENT. Of the six ladies who are helping me as District Superintendents in the Purity Work, I regret to say that only five have sent in reports. Mrs. Bailhache, of the North Metropolitan Union, says :—“ Un- desirable pictures in shops and posters on walls have been watched, and in two cases removed. ‘The restrictions on the music and dancing licence of a large public-house have been maintained. By the help of friends the mutoscopes at the Alexandra Palace have been overhauled, and one very objectionable set removed. I would beg every branch of our Union to hold a Social Purity Meeting once a year, and the literature of this department should be systematically sold on all our stalls.” Mrs. White-Bamford, of the South Metropolitan Union, reports :— “The public Purity Meeting held at our Council last May aroused much interest, and has caused a great increase of work. I have held sixty Purity Meetings during the year, and in some cases branches have started Purity Lending Libraries as a result, and have stocked Purity literature for sale; Anerley, Penge, and Forest Hill are to the front in this work, and the efforts of our White Ribbon Women have been greatly blessed in these districts. Outside the Union visits have been made to Bilston, Croydon, Kingston-on-Thames, Hythe, Leicester, Lyminge, Surbiton, Wimbledon, Woking, Wolverhampton, and Wood Green. A week’s mission was held in a lovely district in Monmouth- shire, where my kind host was both squire and clergyman. Throughout the Midlands, and especially in Wolverhampton, the interest in this work is intense. One of my listeners was so much impressed that she passed on what I said to her own son, who in his turn spoke about it at his young men’s class. ‘““T address meetings for men as well as for women myself, and at the close of each meeting always circulate suitable literature, The last two booklets, ‘Mary Smith’ and ‘Grannie,’ are doing good service. Could good women only know how sorely some of our less favoured sisters suffer from lack of knowledge, they would not fail to help this noble work.” Mrs. Penrose, of the Durham and Northumberland Union, reports: —“ The interest in Purity work is steadily growing, and the constant sale of the books is a sure sign that knowledge is also increasing. I divide my work into two parts: firstly, I try to bring the need of this teaching before as many people as possible ; secondly, I endeavour to help those who see this need, and wish to respond to it, by correspondence, meetings, and the sale of books. I do not restrict myself to B.W.T.A, meetings ; I speak at gatherings of the Mothers’ Union, and spoke last February at a meeting of the Moral Education Society at Manchester. There were about 500 ladies present on that occasion, and they bought 414 worth of books. This Society has published some very useful penny books which ought to be more widely known. We need much variety in the way in which this subject is treated, and can hail with thankfulness help from every quarter. Iam glad to report that a Y member in our Union is now speaking to Girls’ Meetings, leaving me free to devote myself to the older women. During the past year, I have sent a copy of Lady Carlisle’s letter with one from myself and papers concerning our Lending Library to every Branch in the Union. Mrs. Caven, of the Leicestershire County Union, says :— . In March, 1903, at the first General Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Leicestershire Union, the Purity Department was adopted. During the year, I have addressed meetings at Leicester, West End, Hinckley, Loughborough, Market Harborough, and elsewhere, and a fair amount of literature has been sold. The Leicester Central Branch has adopted the Purity Department and appointed a superintendent. In March, Mrs. W. Bamford held a four-days’ Purity Mission in Leicester, and gained a most attentive hearing from women’s gatherings of a considerable size. She did not spare herself, and spoke so beautifully that she won many hearts. She has been a blessing to all. We shall certainly want her again, and for a longer stay. We feel greatly encouraged by the steady progress of the year’s work, but realize more than ever the great need that exists to redouble our efforts.” Mrs. Crompton, my Associate for the counties of Lancashire and Cheshire, reports many meetings with good audiences, and a large number of books and pamphlets sold. Three Branches have bought libraries of their own, and two loan libraries have been started, where a fee of 2s, 6d. a year is charged for the use of the books. Wherever a meeting has been held the greatest interest and gratitude to the speaker has been manifested, and the questions asked have shown a real hunger for help and guidance. Mrs. Crompton spoke also, by special request, at the Council meeting of the Manchester Moral Education Society. Books from her libraries have been sent out to South Africa, and as far north as Perth and Stirling, and south as Swansea and Bath ; she says that Miss Ellice Hopkins’ “Story of Life” has been well bought, and that Dr. Mary Wood Allen’s ‘‘ Marvels of our Bodily Dwelling” has been 32 times borrowed. The National Convention of the W.C.T.U., held at Geneva, was the great feature of the past year’s national work. I was able to be present to represent England, and though the World’s Purity Superin- tendent, Dr. Mary Wood Allen, was unable to be with us, her place was ably taken by Mrs. Helen Bullock, Purity Superintendent for U.S.A., whom she had deputed to fill it. During the Convention, a Purity Meeting was held every morning and was well attended, and speeches were made and questions asked both in English and French. Mde. Adolf Hoffman, of Geneva, the wife of the Lutheran pastor, spoke most ably and movingly in both languages, and English ladies who had feared that our French-speaking sisters might be prejudiced against this work, found they were more ready for it than many in our own country. The French translations of ‘‘ Bob’s Mother” and ‘ Lottie’s Question ” were eagerly bought, as well as the English and American literature. One result of the Convention was a request to visit Scotland, and in September I held a series of meetings in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and York. At one of these the chair was taken by Mrs. Maclagan, the Sar PURITY 91 |