WORLD’S W.C.T.U.

White Ribbon, Volume 22, Issue 261, 19 March 1917, Page 5

WORLD’S W.C.T.U.

Rest.. Cottage, Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A., December 7, 1916. My Dear Comrade and Friend, — At the opening of the new year of 1917 members of the World’s W.C.T.U. feel the thrill of a high and holy purpose. Earnestly do we desire to fill its golden hours with sacrificial service for our blessed cause. We are appalled at the continuance of the European war. Never has our white ribbon tie seemed so sacrefl or so tender. Sore bereavements have stricken many of our sisters in the countries affected by the war. To each of these our hearts go out in affectionate sympathy, and we bless God that in the W.C.T.U. we are united by a bond so strong that it cannot be severed by the awful strain of war. We had all looked forward with happy anticipation to the joy of our triennial World’s W.C.T.U. Convention in 1910. 1 sincerely hope that when we meet it the close of the war, the place selected may be the city or adjacent to the city where the World's Peace Conference will assemble. Out of war’s awful gloom shines the temperance uplift it has brought about. This glowing flame of total abstinence and prohibition must be kept at white heat until every nation is freed from the iniquitous traffic in strong drink. The past year records many marvellous victories. We glory in the agitation for prohibition now in progress in Great Britain. Canada has driven the traffic in brain poison out of nine of her ten provinces. Newfoundland’s battle for freedom was victorious. Eighty per cent, of the territory of the United States is under prohibition. Big business is teaching the efficiency, the safety, and the dignity of sobriety. Boards of Health in cities still cursed by the legalised liquor traffic are giving out thousands of circulars to the masses of the l>eople with sentiments like the following:—“Think before you drink; after a beer or a highball you cannot think so well.” “You don’t need alcohol for health, you don’t need it for strength, you don’t need it for food, you don’t need it for drink ; it never does you any good; it always does you harm. Eet it alone. Get on the water wagon.” Railroad corporations and the industrial world

have discovered that total abstinence must safeguard the soldier, the sailor, the aviator, the crew of the submarine, the engineer, the autoist. When beer rises to explain that it is a sober drink and a liquid food, the great scientists of England, Europe, and America hit it the sledge-hammer blow of the scientific fad that beer is intoxicating. The church and the temperance societies to day have a host of influe' ‘ al allies, and the time has come when we may safely predict the sjreedy corning of nation-wide prohibition for America. Already we see the bright dawn of a sober world. In the beloved and honoured Pres - dent of our world-wide organisation wt have a brilliant and sagacious leader. Lady Carlisle’s generous gifts to the missionary fund of the World's W.C.T.U., with those of Mrs Caroline McDowell, of the United States, have made possible the extension of our organisation in many lands

Recently we have lost from our Executive Committee membership a valued comrade, I)r. Louise C. Purington, superintendent of the department of co-operation w ith missionary so< ieties. Dr. Purington has lifted to a higher level the temperance and missionary thought of the world. We shall sadly miss her from our ranks. One of her associates, Mrs Caroline McDowell (Baum and- Rebecca Streets, Pittsburgh, Mass.), has accepted this superintendency, now known as “Temperance and Missions” in the National W.C.T.U., and will • gladly reply to any letters concerning methods of work .ha' World’s W.C.T.U. women may desire to write her. Mrs Ella A. Boole, 1429 Avenue IF, Brooklyn, N.Y., is also an associate in this department. Eagerly may we grasp the inspiring opportunities for service in the year to come. The memory of our W hite Ribbon pioneers and leaders will ever be lovingly cherished. Loyal to them and to the sacred heritage they have left us, may we triumphantly go forth into the new year, remembering that we are engirdled with God’s power, and that in Him are to be found the needed inspiration, steadfastness, zeal, measureless comfort, and sustaining confidence. May your special work be prospered, dear comra ie, and may we together help hi inanity’s chorus catch the keynote of total abstinence, now

vibrating the world around, until we shall hear in the psalm of each life the glad harmonies of hope and happiness. Wishing for you the blessings of peace and of health, with the ability to push forward the mighty programme of the World's .C.T.U.— Affectionately, ANNA A. GORDON.