Two Decades Part 4

I hereby solemnly promise, G.o.d helping me, to abstain from all distilled, fermented, and malt liquors, including wine and cider, as a beverage, and to employ all proper means to discourage the use of and traffic in the same.

In 1879 the words "as a beverage" were omitted, and the above pledge, with this change, is the one which is recommended to all local unions, and has stood so from 1879 until the present day.

JUVENILE WORK.

"The door of millennial glory has a child's hand on the latch."

MOTTO: "Tremble, King Alcohol! We shall grow up."

At the first meeting of the "State League," in 1874, one of the topics for discussion was, "How can we work most effectually among the children?" showing that in the very beginning they realized the fact that the hope of our final victory rests in the children, and the unions were urged to organize juvenile unions and Bands of Hope. The following year an interesting paper on juvenile work was read by Mrs. Bingham, of Rome, and a resolution adopted, which read:

_Resolved_, That we urge upon our Sabbath-school superintendents the necessity of forming temperance organizations in every Sabbath-school, that the children be early pledged to total abstinence.

A form of const.i.tution and by-laws for juvenile societies was recommended at this time, such society to be auxiliary to the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. A form of pledge was also recommended, as follows:

We, the undersigned children and youth of ----, having been instructed that the continued use of intoxicating liquors injures the body and endangers the soul, believe that it is safest for us never to begin. We do therefore solemnly promise never to use or traffic in any whiskey, brandy, wine, beer, ale, or anything that can intoxicate, as a beverage, nor encourage others to do so; and we will not use it as a medicine, unless prescribed by our parents or our physician. May G.o.d help us to keep our pledge.

The pledge of to-day is the triple pledge against alcohol, tobacco, and profanity, and even as early as 1875 we find a mention of this pledge as the one used by the children's society of Ilion, which then numbered two hundred members. In 1875 Syracuse had a juvenile society called Cold Water Templars, which had two thousand members, and Brooklyn reported a Band of Hope with one thousand children pledged.

Carrying out the spirit of the suggestions and recommendations, children were organized under various names--Band of Hope, Band of Blue, Cold Water Temple, Juvenile Union, etc.,--and the work has been kept to the front during all these years, until now all juvenile societies connected with the Woman's Christian Temperance Union are marching under one name--the Loyal Temperance Legion.

In 1891 the president in her annual address referred to "that splendid child of ours, the Loyal Temperance Legion," and suggested a plan whereby it might become auxiliary to the state, thereby giving to the children a feeling of helpfulness and cooperation, and to the state an inspiration which the representatives of twenty-five thousand children would be sure to give.

In accordance with this suggestion, originally made by Mrs.

Helen Rice, national superintendent, and Mrs. Harriet A. Metcalf, state superintendent, an organization was formed and called State Loyal Temperance Legion. This is composed of three hundred and eighty-eight companies. The year 1893 marks an era in Loyal Temperance Legion work, this being the year in which they began paying dues to the State Woman's Christian Temperance Union, thereby being ent.i.tled to their own delegate to the state convention.

The juvenile work of our state has received the very best thought of those having it in charge. It was taken up as a department first in 1880, with Mrs. Frances D. Hall, of Plattsburg, as superintendent. In 1881 Mrs. Dr. Foster, of Clifton Springs, was appointed, each of these serving one year. In 1882 and 1883 Mrs. H. A. Perrigo, of Brockport, was the superintendent, and she was succeeded by Mrs. Jennie M. Pierson, of Auburn, who held the office for two years. In 1886 Mrs. Perrigo was again appointed, and she has been the superintendent from that time until now, with just a change of name from Perrigo to Metcalf. Two annual meetings have been held since the organization of a State Loyal Temperance Legion--one at Syracuse and one at Cortland. That the children might be rooted and grounded in the total abstinence faith, a thorough course of study in the Lesson Manuals was prepared, and a plan evolved by which members of the legions who pa.s.sed the examinations should receive diplomas. One hundred and forty have graduated and thirty-eight have won seals.

YOUNG WOMAN'S WORK.

"That our daughters may be as corner-stones, polished after the similitude of a palace"--Psalm cxliv., 12.

"The future destiny of this nation must depend largely on the moral platform which young women occupy, and the height to which they elevate the standards of purity, temperance, and Christianity."

As an answer to the question asked at the meeting of 1874, "How can we arouse the young women to _think_ as they never have upon this subject?"

Miss Willard was secured to address the young women at the following convention, held at Ilion, and so marked was the effect upon her hearers that a Young Ladies' Temperance Union was organized that afternoon, with Miss Jessie Remington, of Ilion, as president.

In 1879 a standing committee for "Young Ladies' Societies" was appointed, with Mrs. Frances Barnes as chairman. In 1880 this was changed to a department, and Mrs. S. R. Gray, of Albany, made the superintendent. In 1882 Miss Mary McClees was made superintendent of this line of work. In 1884 kitchen garden work was added, Miss Emilie Underhill having charge of the department. During her years of service we find an addition to her name, that of Burgess having been added, and as Emilie Underhill Burgess she continued as superintendent of the department until the convention of 1887, kitchen garden work being dropped in the meantime.

She was succeeded by Mrs. C. J. A. Jump, of Albany, who holds the position at this time. The work accomplished by this "faithful few" cannot be estimated, for who can measure the influence of the young women who during all these years have been learning the lessons which should fit them for better service in the Master's vineyard, and who during these years have answered for themselves the question which opens this department of organization work?

In 1892 a change was made, taking this from the regular department work and making it the Young Woman's Branch, with Mrs. Jump as secretary, and about fifteen hundred young women in our state march under our white banner and demand "a white life for two."

MRS. MARY TOWNE BURT.

(OUR PRESIDENT)

Mrs. Mary Towne Burt, the third president of the New York State Woman's Christian Temperance Union, has occupied that position now for twelve years. If antecedents and previous faithful service are any indication of desert, then indeed she "came to the kingdom" worthily, and we need not wonder that she holds her place easily, nor that the work flourishes abundantly under her administration. Gifted with a fine presence, a pleasing address, and a well-balanced judgment, she is a fitting leader for the largest state delegation in the national convention. It is equally a pleasure to see her preside over our state convention of capable women, which often outnumbers the national organization, if it does not have so wide-reaching an influence. Her ability as a presiding officer has often been complimented by competent judges, and a quiet confidence in the fairness and impartiality of her rulings pervades the atmosphere of the a.s.semblage and greatly aids the transaction of business, while many a pleasant little episode is graciously received and made to facilitate the progress of the programme.

Born of English parentage in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, she was at the tender age of four years bereft of the care of a cultured father, who had been educated for the clerical ranks of the Church of England.

Her mother, with whom she had a rare sympathy, was spared to an advanced age to encourage every good work by her sympathy and prayers. Her youth was spent in Auburn, New York, where she received rare educational advantages at Brown's Inst.i.tute, and where in 1865 she was married to Edward Burt, of one of the oldest families in the state.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MARY TOWNE BURT.]

When her only child was yet a lad the crusade tocsin found her ready to respond, in accordance with her own convictions and her mother's faithful teachings. She gave a public address in the opera house at Auburn, and served for two years as the first president of the local union in that place, and at the first meeting of the national union, at Cleveland, she was one of the secretaries. In 1875 she was first the publisher and then the managing editor of the national paper, _Our Union_, her home at this time being in Brooklyn. From 1878 to 1880 she was corresponding secretary of the national union, with her office in the Bible House, New York City.

She has been identified with the New York State union since its inception. As its recording secretary for the first seven years of its existence, she had much to do with shaping its aims and its policy.

After serving one year as corresponding secretary, she was elected president in 1882, at the convention in Oswego. At that time the state union had a members.h.i.+p of about three thousand, with but thirteen of the sixty counties organized. During the years of her presidency all the remaining counties but one have been organized, and the members.h.i.+p has gone up to twenty-two thousand. In her first annual address she recommended a change in the form of the executive committee, subst.i.tuting for the three previously elected by ballot, in addition to the general officers, the vice-presidents of the state, who were the presidents of the county unions. This changed the possible numbers of the executive committee from seven to sixty-four. Other measures recommended by her have been the publication of a state paper, the opening of state headquarters in New York City, securing permanent headquarters, putting up a building on the permanent state fair grounds at Syracuse, creating the departments of Non-Alcoholics in Medicine and Rescue Work for Girls, the memorializing of the Democratic and Republican parties in behalf of prohibition and for the enfranchis.e.m.e.nt of woman, and pet.i.tioning the const.i.tutional convention of 1894 for the last two purposes.

For some years she has had charge of the legislative interests. In 1885-87 she was superintendent of the Department of Social Purity, and at once entered upon a vigorous campaign to raise "the age of consent"

for young girls. In 1887 this effort was successful, the legislature raising the age from ten years to sixteen years. In 1891-92 she led in the legislative work that resulted in the closing of the New York State exhibit at the World's Fair on the Sabbath, and in the pa.s.sage of the bill prohibiting the employment of barmaids in saloons. She also led in the protest against the excise bill which resulted in the modification of some of its worst features, and in the protest against the infamous bill to legalize the social evil, preventing its introduction into the legislature.

As an organizer she has been indefatigable. "Heat, cold, and wet and dry" were all equally braved by her in the task of meeting the women of many a locality and explaining the methods of this beneficent work, while her discriminating eye quickly selected those best fitted to lead off to success. On all occasions she has fostered a love for sincere temperance work, which has been of the greatest advantage to the stability and straightforwardness of the organization in all parts of the state. She has presided at the organization of a large proportion of the county unions. The personal acquaintance with the active members thus gained has greatly aided her in the selection of superintendents and committees, so far as it falls to the lot of the president to make such selections.

In other enterprises she has shown similar ability. The erection of a permanent building on the state fair grounds at Syracuse is eminently suitable, in view of the fact that the Woman's Christian Temperance Union had secured the pa.s.sage in the state legislature of a law prohibiting the sale of intoxicating liquors on the state and county fair grounds within its jurisdiction, the carrying out of which policy has totally changed the character and conduct of agricultural fairs in the Empire State. For several years Mrs. Burt has taken an active interest in the Woman's Christian Temperance Union work at the state fair grounds at Syracuse, greatly to the detriment of her health by overtaxing her physical strength. This course certainly gives the workers an inspiration to undertakings they would never think of braving but for the courage of their leader.

Of a similar character were the skill and dash that secured the Metropolitan Opera House for the meeting of the national convention in 1888. It was said that "the women did it," but it was done so quietly and literally by such rising betimes in the morning that very few know that the skillful marshaling of the few available forces would after all have ended in failure had it not been for the quick wit and personal responsibility of the head hostess of the occasion, the president of the New York State Union.

For thirteen years Mrs. Burt served the state without salary, giving to its work the best her life afforded freely and without price. With such leaders, under G.o.d, and with the true end kept steadily in view, Christian women ought not to fail in their great temperance work. It matters comparatively little with what branch of the evangelical church they are a.s.sociated, but we are persuaded that none of us will esteem our president less when knowing that she has grown in trust and devoutness in this work while in the communion of the Protestant Episcopal Church.

CHAPTER IV.

EDUCATIONAL.

"My people perish for lack of knowledge."

The educational work of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union has been one of its prominent sources of usefulness. The trend of so many departments has been along this line, that to enter into the details of each would exceed the limit of this historical record.

"Teach it to thy children."

In a memorial presented to the state legislature in 1877 appeared a clause asking that it be made obligatory by law for all teachers to instruct their pupils in temperance. This was the inception of the Scientific Temperance Instruction Department of the New York State Woman's Christian Temperance Union.

This was made a regular department of work in 1880, with Mrs. Mary T.

Burt as superintendent. Mrs. E. H. Griffith, of Fairport, succeeded her the following year and laid some foundation for the work. Miss Elizabeth W. Greenwood, of Brooklyn, then became superintendent, continuing as such from 1882 to 1886, and to her must be accorded the honor of doing the _hard work_ of the department. Her preliminary work consisted in visiting and presenting the subject before the various normal schools of the state. This aroused public interest and created a sentiment which made the subsequent work comparatively easy. At the convention held at Poughkeepsie in 1883 it was decided to make the securing of a scientific temperance instruction law a leading line of work for the ensuing year, and Mrs. Mary H. Hunt, of Boston, national superintendent, was invited to a.s.sist the state superintendent in the campaign.

This was faithfully done. And what of the result? In spite of opposition and discouragement, after six months of unparalleled labor came the greatest temperance victory the state had ever gained--the pa.s.sage of the scientific temperance education law. The money for carrying on this expensive campaign was secured largely through the personal solicitation of Miss Greenwood and the secretary of the department, Mrs. C. C. Alford, of Brooklyn.