People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 October 1895 — LADIES’ INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY. [ARTICLE]

LADIES’ INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY.

Mas. J. R. Vanatta. OmcKBS- Mrs. F. Monnett, Pres., Mrs. Maria Hopkins, Ist V. Pres., Mrs. Lydia Moss, 2d V. Pres., Mrs. E. D. lioades. Sect., Miss L. Walton, Ass. Sect., Mrs. H. W. Porter. Treas. Dikectoks. — Mrs. A. O. Kelly., Mrs. J. R. Vanatta., Mrs. F. J. Sears., Mrs. J. G. Reynolds. After lying dormant some time, the Ladies’ Aid Society was reorganized Feb. 15, 1881, with Mrs. W. De M. Hooper president, and it was decided at that meeting to call the society the “Ladies’ Industrial Society,” which name has not proven a misnomer, for they began w T ork at that time w r ith a will and determination that has characterized them all through these years. The work was tedious in those days, as the society was small and had not worked together long, but. “For the good of our church” as our motto, we struggled on doing what we could to help the cause; perhaps not realizing how much we were being helped ourselves, or how much we were helping others, for it has been said many times that the Industrial Society was one of the strongest arms of support to our church when it was so near dissolution.

Many devices have been made use of by the ladies of this society to raise funds to help the church. The first entertainment given was an old fashioned supper, the ladies being dressed in the oldest gowns they could find, some wearing their mothers’and some their grand mothers’ wedding dresses. The eatables were all old fashioned dishes. In connection with this there was a “curiosity shop,” where all the old and curious things of town and country had been gathered, and one could see these for five cents. None of us felt that our money had been w T asted so great was the display, but we had not visited the world's fair then. We had strawberry festivals in their season, making a little money to help the cause; sometimes a ring cake, or a grab bag, would be introduced, but as some of the members objected to this mode of making money it was discontinued. Many will remember our anese entertainment, and how well some of the ladies represented those natives. The souvenirs were a small cud and saucer.

At another time in the opera house, everything was in order and we were particularly proud of the crystal palace, it was so beautiful with its snowy cotton and glitter; but 10, when the gas was lighted it caught fire and burned the beautiful palace. We had a great fright but no one was hurt and the loss was not very great. Later we had the “Merchants’ Carnival” and the “Milk Maids’Drill,” which were great successes in every respect. The society sustained a great loss in the death of Mrs. Augusta Porter, Dec. 6, 1887. She was a woman of good judgment and more than ordinary ability; her loss was greatly felt in church circles and in church work, but the Master called, and we could only submit with heavy hearts and tearful eyes.

At about this time we found it necessary to change our bylaws, as we desired to take shares in the building and loan association. We became an incorporated society April 25, 1888, and it also compelled the officers to serve one year thereafter, whereas they had only been elected for six months before. Also each member must pay dues, it being fixed at twenty-five cents. After one year it was thought best to change it to ten cents, and it so remains at the present time. One of the bylaws was, that there should be no gossip in society. If a sister forgot at any time she was gently reminded of our law, which is still retained. When the parsonage was built the ladies made a loan covered by their shares in the building and loan association to assist in its erection and have paid about SSO on that loan each year, beside paying SSO on pastor’s salary. The bazaar, which was held in Mr. Eger’s store room last December, will be remembered by all with pleasure. The proceeds of that, with what we made at other entertainments, enabled us to keep up our regular work, and place $215 on interest to help in the erection of our new church. The ladies have already subscribed SSOO toward the new church. This is some of the financial side of its work. The good that has been done in a social way, and the numbers brought through its influence into the church and into the Kingdom cannot be computed by dollars and eents. Ferguson, Wilson & Co. —for fire insurance in the best company on the globe.