E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Marcia, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net) Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 20811-h.htm or 20811-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/8/1/20811/20811-h/20811-h.htm) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/8/1/20811/20811-h.zip) 1874-1894. TWO DECADES: A History of the First Twenty Years' Work of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union of the State of New York. by FRANCES W. GRAHAM, LOCKPORT. and GEORGEANNA M. GARDENIER, OSWEGO. Written by Request of the Twentieth Annual Convention of the State Woman's Christian Temperance Union, Held at Syracuse in October, 1893 [Illustration: BAPTIST CHURCH AT FREDONIA, N.Y. "In which the first Crusade meeting was held."] PREFACE BY MARY TOWNE BURT. GREETING. This little volume now starts upon its way to visit the homes of those who, with us, desire above all things the overthrow of the liquor traffic. When it knocks at your door, kindly admit it and treat it as a welcome guest--a loved friend; remain blind to its faults, and see only the good intended. We send it forth, not for its literary merit, not for any honor to ourselves, but as a faithful record of the work accomplished by the Woman's Christian Temperance Union of the State of New York during the two decades just closed. It was written at your request, and it is yours, not ours. That it may be of benefit to the work and a pleasure to the workers is all we ask. We commend it to you with earnest prayers and best wishes. FRANCES W. GRAHAM. GEORGEANNA M. GARDENIER. [Illustration: Mary T. Burt] TO OUR CONSECRATED LEADER, MARY TOWNE BURT, AND TO THE TWENTY-TWO THOUSAND WHITE RIBBONERS OF THE EMPIRE STATE, THIS BOOK is AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED BY THE AUTHORS OFFICERS, 1894. PRESIDENT: MRS. MARY TOWNE BURT, 217 W. 134th St., _New York City_. FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT: MRS. ELLA A. BOOLE, A.M., _West New Brighton, S. I_. CORRESPONDING SECRETARY: MRS. FRANCES W. GRAHAM, 274 Church St., _Lockport_. RECORDING SECRETARY: MRS. GEORGEANNA M. GARDENIER, 64 E. Cayuga St., _Oswego_. TREASURER MRS. ELLEN L. TENNEY, 484 Madison Ave., _Albany_. STATE HEADQUARTERS: No. 30 WEST 230 STREET, NEW YORK CITY. COUNTY STANDARD BEARERS, 1894