Ladies' Christian Union

At the annual mocting of the Ladies' Christian Union of this city, held on the 13th, of March, 1873, the following officers were eloctod for the ensuing year : President- M.rs. D. S. Wood. Vice-President - Mrs. B. F. Cocker. Secretar; - Mrs. B. Tarrant. Treamircr - Mrs. E. M. Morwick. The Board of Managers, consisting of ladios frora the four churuhes represented in the Union, is as follows : ilelkodit-Mn. It. A. Beal, Mrs. B. F. Cocker, Mrs. C. T. Wiluiot, and Mrs. E. Steele. Preshyterian - Mrs. C. G. Clark, Mrs. M. E. Jennings, Mrs. H. Kemp, and Mrs. K. Tarrant. Conrrerat'onal-M.rs. D. S. Wood, Mrs. M. E. Morwick, Mrs. H. L. Hubbell, and Mrs. J. D. Irish. Baptüt-t&ts. W. Hilton, Mrs. Farnsworth, Mrs. V. Chapín, Jr., and Miss C. A. Wilkinson. The Secretary and Treasurer read their mnual report, which were adopted. On motion, the Secretary was iustructed to furnúh a list of the officers and managers, and a copy of the reporta to ach of the city papers for publication. THEASCitFJl'S itEI'ORT. To the Ladies' Christian Union : Your Treasurer would make the following annual report for the flscal yoar beginning March lst, 1872: KECEIPT3. Amount from last Treasurer, .... $102 10 Membership Feos, Y 31 36 Individual Donat.ions 43 78 Chicago Relief Fund 505 (9 Thanksgiving Collection, ... 34 15 Interest on Bond, 20 00 Tutal Keceipts S03Í 92 Total 5737 00 EXP35NDITUBES. Ara't paid Visiting Committees, $381 00 For Treasurer's Bookr t . 40 Total ExpendiUres, . . . Í381 40 Ilscess. of rtíceijjís o-ver expend's, $2o3 52 Am't in Treas. beïinning of year, 102 10 Total am't in Treasury at date, $3öó 62 Total, $737 02 All of which is respectfully submitfed. Mes. M. Ë. MORWICK, Treasurer. Ann Ariior, March lst, 1873. SECRETARY'S REPORT. To the Oflicors and Members of the Ladiea' Uliriatian Union : The swift charict of time, in its tireless course, has brought us again to our anniversary day, when we instinctively turn toward the past to seo what record it has made for eternity. It is a time when we may review for a moment the woik of the past, and by noting osr snecesseï aad failures gain kuowledge and strength for the duties of tho coming ygpr, with the hope of accomplishing more for the good of those who are less favored than we aro. As we have the peor aud afflicted ülways -vrith us, we can never expect to finish the work to be done. With eaeh new day comes new duties, new labors and new responsibilities - -new cases needing material aid, afflicted ones needing comfort, erring ones needing counsel and symp&thy,, aick ones needing care, and dying &ncs nced'frrg tfe cOnsoïation3 t'&ab can only be found ia the religión of Jesus Chrlst, who went about doing good. The more we follow His example the better we shall accomplish the true object of our orsranization. It is well on this our fifth anndTersary to ask ourselves whether we have made any advancement in our work, anc whethcr we are accompKshing more as year after year adds its weight of experionce. Our committees, in visiting their respective wards, have found many very sad oases of destitution and suiïering, As in past ycars, intemperance, that worst curse of our fair city,has been the main cause of a large proportion of the suffering we h-ave endttrrored to alleviate. We have known the sick wife to be turned out of doors in . mid-winter by her brutal, drunken husband. Sbe has been beaten until she could bear no more, and has beírged,UB to'save her from his power. We have fonnd the mother sick in. bed, with but half a loaf of bread, and tht concealed in the bed covering, so that she could distribute it pioce by piece her children as they needed, and herhosbönd drurik. It has been no unusual occurrence for us to find some heavt-broken wife and mother surrounded by hungry eold and sick children, with no food, no firey no medicine, and, in some instances, gome líwed o&e sick unto death, while the husbaitd and father is no help or comfort to tbem, rooötfo after month earning nothing but what was spenfc for the gratification of his thirst for liquor, artd for that purpose selling everything in the house, even to the dishes and the pillo ws from their only bed. These are but few of the many similar caaes that might be mentioned. Oh ! the sorrow and suffering we have seen because of this evil. If there is any law that can be made effective in the suppression of this curse, shall it not be enforced ? Will the people awake to this fearfulresponsibilityi' If our city au thoritios have the power to restrain this groat evil and do not restrain it, are they not accessories to the crime of the transgiessors 'i And do not the people who suffer the law to be violatod without rebnke, share the guilt ? Qaite in contrast with tho cases spoken of above have boen several widows with families of little ones around them, who have done all they could for their children, in order to bring them up respectfully. There have also been other casos, where the husband and father has been disabled by sickness or accident, in some instances prolonge'l for several months. One sueh Christian man, after months of suffering, has passed awsy to tho better land whero the weary are at rest, rejoicing in tho hope of a blessed immortality, thankful for the little wn conld do for him, and receiving all assistance as coming from his Heavnly Father. Four others for whom wo hare Iabored, and whom wo have endeavored to malte fortable in their last dayg, havo rtied during tho past few months. We trust our efforts for their spiritual as well as temporal good havo not besn in vain. These families only needed teroporary aid, which was so joyfully received and gratefully lemembered, that their thanks, as well as those of the weary, sad wives whose burdon we have helped to lighten, and who but for aid niust have sunk beneath the load whioh was too heavy for thein to carry alono, rest upon us Hke a Messing. We have also been callod to aid those who were shiftless and improviilent, and havo endoavored to teaoh them to help themselves, and by words of eonnsel and encouragement have tried to elévate thcru to a higher piano of living, so that ;boy miglit respect theinselvea and thercay gain the respect of others. Iu prosocutinsr our work wc bare made 342 calis, distributed 179 yards of cloth, over 315 garments valued at $137.50, besides bedding and shoes of considerable valué. We have also been able, fur the Srat time, to givo all the poor families under our care at t.be timo, a plain Thanksgiving dinner. Our sick ones were especially remembered with ome delicacy. If those who placed at our disposal the funds which enabled us to do this pleasant work could have seen the eager, thankful faces that groeted us at that time, they would have been well repaid for all t.hey gave. On Christmas morning we also had the pleasure of distributing meat and bread, through the kindness of our friends. And here we would express our most hjartfolt thanks to all who have contributed for our aid - and may the blossing of the poor be upon theui, and may they truly fhid that " it is moro blessed to give than to receive." We havo perhaps failed in doing ai much as wo ought to have done trom lack of help on our viaiting committees. It has been impossiblo for the few ladies who have been actively engaged to keep the city as thoroughly canvasedas it should havo been. The poor we have always with us, and Christian men and women are God's alnioners, and as we have received may wo give of His bounty. But, Christian sisters, a new year is beforo us, and today we write the first pago of its history, and may wc not, as Christian women, have recorded on each page sorae deed of kindness done in the Master's name, Much suffering yet remains to be relieved, much ignoran ce to benlightened, many souls to be sa vod. When we coiisirïer the ralue of a single soul, and tv hen 'we remember the many who will grow up in ignorance anc viee, unless saved by outside influences and assisted to help themselves, with how much earnestness should we labor. The cLildren especially of the ignoran' and degraded need constant watch-care and instruction, for it has been truly said, "We must save the children of to day, if we would savo tbe men and women of to-morrow." May we enter upon the work of the year bcfore us with renewcd aetivity reinembering that this is no time to withhold our money or influence, bu may we give with discretion, labor faitbfully in visiting the sick, feeding the hungry, holping the weary, encouraging the tempted and trieá to strioe for a better life,. kaowing that our work will no be vain. May our appeals in their behalf find responsivo hearts and willing hands. Mrs.. C. G. Clark, Sec'y..