Page:Women of distinction.djvu/176

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WOMEN OF DISTINCTION.

ulty, students, board of managers of the Baptist Women's Educational Convention of Kentucky, the Union District Sunday-school Convention and the State Street Baptist Church, Bowling Green, Ky., of which she is a member, sent to the New England Societies testimonials bearing upon her worth as a Christian and cultured woman. These appeared in the American Baptist, Louisville, September 6, 1889. She was away four months and spoke in all the important cities and towns of Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. She was everywhere well received and every comfort and pleasure they could give were hers. Newspaper encomiums were profuse as to her ability. One clipping' we give from the Journal, Augusta, Maine, September 24th:

In accordance with a notice on Saturday a large audience on Sabbath evening in the First Baptist lecture-room greeted Miss Mary V. Cook, Principal of the State University, of Louisville, Ky. Possessing a clear, musical voice, and with modest, refined manners, the speaker was well calculated to hold the close attention of her listeners for the hour occupied by her address. She spoke of her gratitude in being permitted to visit Maine and to look into the faces of the many friends of her people. She spoke of the colored people generally and of their schools. She told how rapidly the race is increasing and said the only remedy for the fear that power in the hands of an ignorant people would prove disastrous to the country was a Christian education that would include the head, heart and hands. She pleaded for this and for an educated ministry, and for better homes that better citizens might be given to the country. She was glad to note the Christianity here that recognized its brother though he be clothed in black. She spoke of her agreeable surprise in finding, as she entered the previous meeting of Christian Endeavor, that a colored brother led that meeting, and the eagerness that was depicted on each face as he spoke to them. She prayed that God would speed the time when men all over this broad land