Club Minutes: Mutual Improvement Association, 1896-1900

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Memorial of Hadassah J. Moore

In the death of Hadassah J. Moore 4/27 1897, another beloved member of the Association is numbered with the many dear ones who have passed from our midst in the last few years and whose vacant places remind us of the uncertain tenure of life and of our ever present sense of loss.

In 1839 Hadassah J. Moore moved from Baltimore with her delicate husband to live in this neighborhood, at Plainfield, the remainder of her life. Slight and fragile herself and contending for many years with very limited means she was ever the neatest and most methodical of housekeepers. She was full of benevolence towards her needy neighbors, both white and colored, and her sweet nature and interest in all her neighbors near and far continued to the end of consciousness.

After she became too feeble to attend our meetings she never failed to send an acceptable contribution, a few verses of poetry of which she was particularly fond, an apt extract or a valuable receipt, and always messages of love for each and every member.

Her memory was phenomenal and the birthdays of her friends, old and young, were often remembered

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by her with some simple gift or affectionate note.

The sole survivor of twenty three children and fifty first cousins it was but natural she seemed to commune so much with the dead as with the living, and to make nearly every day an anniversary of some event in her long life.

None of us can forget her beautiful old age, her spotless cap and handkerchief, her dainty personality, her fun and guileless character.

Her consecrated life shed its beneficent influence on her home and all who came in contact with her and in her conversation she dwelt on the virtues of others rather that their faults never indulging in censorious or disagreeable comments or harsh judgments. In her was exemplified the birth of scripture "Thou will keep them in the secret of thy presence from the strife of intrigues.

In her last years, surrounded by every comfort, she constantly spoke of her blessings and of the devoted care and attention of children, grand children and great grandchildren, all emotions to show her affection and do her honor. She survived her husband more than a year, gradually failing in strength and then with the assurance to all around her that she had done the best she knew and that all was peace and hope, like a sheaf of wheat fully ripe, she was gathered to her "Heavenly home"

By Sarah E. Stabler and Eliza A. Moore

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64 Plainfield On 12/30 1898 The Association gathered in the cheerful parlor of this new old home which, while filled to overflowing with pleasant memories of three who have passed from works to rewards, is also filled with hope and confidence that their mantle of peace and hospitality has fallen upon a worthy son and a daughter who was such in fact as well as in law. Owing to the absence from Sandy Spring of several members, and to the slippery condition of the roads the company was smaller than usual but we had as guests Caroline S. Bond, Alice Tyson, Pattie J. Farquhar and daughter, Katherine Thomas and daughters and Rebecca J. Miller. The following sentiment was read by the hostess "How many things are explained by this, our double life, the outward and the inward, and the experiences of life teach us that the inward is the real and lasting" Acceptable commiserations from Mary Osborne and Mary G. Colt were received and the desire was generally expressed that absent members should be encouraged to write to us, as a society in future. Ellen Farquhar gave some curious statements with regard to the likes and dislikes of animals, elephants detest horses and rats, horses are fond of dogs but not camels. Rebecca J. Miller supplemented this latter by the tradition that the original horse had suggested to give the propriety of constructing a new horse with a longer neck and legs and a natural saddle. The result was a camel which has ever since

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been a source of terror to his architect. Martha Holland read of a wealthy and eccentric Ohio banker who still lives in a log hut which sheltered Frederic Douglass when he was a slave. Albina O. Stabler gave an excellent extract from " Skipped Stitches". Sarah T. Miller told us of Miss Willards apparent new lease of life and followed it with a selection from her fine address at the recent temperance convention upon the simple theme " We were brought up together". Sarah H. Stone's contribution was an incident in the official career of Andrew D. White, and that of a friend whose name we failed to note contained the good advice " If you are lonesome find something to do and by night you will be so in love with industry you will have married her".

Kate D. Thomas' selection showed the importance of giving ones self with a donation of any kind recalling a line from " The Holy Grail" who giveth himself with his gift feeds three". Mary T. Bond read of the impressive ceremony of the silent worship of a sect in Bombay and Caroline Bond told us interesting things about Biltmore as gleaned from the letters of Charles and Florence Bond who are spending the winter at Asheville.

Eliza N. Moore had an amusing article on the many superstitions connected with the advent of New Year in Europe and Asia, the supposed kneeling of the cattle at midnight being one of great antiquity.

Edna V. Thomas in answer to a question gave several funny stories of school life which

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seemed to prove the office of teacher is by no means a sinecure and that the new doctrine of spoiling the rod and sparing the child", in public schools, requires tact and patience on the part of a Principal when dealing with those who have had no higher discipline than blows at home. Elizabeth G. Thomas had a short poem " Watch your words", containing much wisdom , and an historical sketch of the Friends of Newport Rhode Island, where a Yearly Mtg. has convened for 202 successive years. Elizabeth C. Davis' offering was unique - a poem entitled " A Strangers Wish" given by John G. Whittier to the late Charles Abert believed to have been composed by the gentle poet but never published. Esther T. Moore had a brief extract from Ruskin upon " Imagination" and Sarah E. Stabler verses " The world wants a song". Sarah A. Bond read from a new volume by Ella Wheeler Wilcox " The New Year" which closed with -- "Sing all who will of dead years departed, I shroud them and bid them adieu, And the song I will sing happy hearted Is a song of the glorious new".

The secretary gave a review and extract from the autobiography of Mary A. Livermore also Kiplings beautiful jubilee hymn " Recessional" which we were told is to be set to music by Sir Arthur Sullivan. The sweet face of our late faithful and beloved member, Hadassah J. Moore, smiled on us so naturally from the wall as to call forth many allusions to her during the meeting and tributes

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