Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 July 1885 — The Temperance Basket Meeting. [ARTICLE]

The Temperance Basket Meeting.

Mr. Editor: —Willi a large and appreciative audience, it was the writer’s happy experience to attend the ‘"Gospel Temperance Basket meeting”, at Whitson's Grove, last Sunday, and it was a most enjoyable affair. After prayer by Rev. Hutchins, and -a bible lesson bv Miss Mollie Babcock. Mrs. Mattie \\ as.son gave us a most Charming welcome, .in a short but pointed address, Mrs. Henry responded, in words of truth .that made the wo ids reverberate. The .chief featuie of the morning was Mrs. JDwiggitfs’ address, touching upon a variety of points concerning W. C. T. JJ. work; aud giving a clearer insight into the ways and means by which local prohibition is obtained so extensively .throughout the south. By tins time the “Ever Faithful” Mr. and Mrs. Frank 'Warren, Mrs. Medicus, Mr. Farden, .Miss Medieus and Mrs W. W. Watson had arrived, and the programme was enlivened by the spirited music this Company always render. Mr. Hutchins gave us a strong Homeopathy remedy for drinking—recipe obtainable upon .application. Mrs. Alfred Thompson followed in a lovely poem, “Prohibition.” Words of praise fall far too short, when we remember that this lady, though no longer young,, and far from robust, left a pleasant home and took a five mile's ride, through the sun. to recite this poem for the sacred cause ■of temperance. The vim and energy she throws into it may well be imitated by her younger sisters. A song closed the morning’s exercises. Whereupon everybody on the ground who had no ‘ basket, was hunted up and offered an interest in somebody pise’s,. The voices of the singers called the people together. Then came Mrs. Carrie Clark: still smarting under the defeat qf her pet Scientific Instruction Bill, which has made her a womans’ rights woman, and she let the people know it—that is she would, if her voice had been strong enough. It ha» been suggested that this lady cultivate her voice for the sake of the temperance cause. We hope she wilt Then followed Mrs. Deming in, what we believe to be, almost an original poem. Surely the words and sentiment must have found birth in her own heart, or she could not have given them such pathetic earnestness. Last, but far from least, came Father Havens; here the woods rang with his denunciations of the liquor traffic, perfectly at home under the trees, God’s first temples, this dear old .gentleman seems’to gain new voice and strength with every effort in the open air.

“C.”