"At the regular monthly meeting of the Women's Auxiliary Conference
of Cincinnati, Jan. 12, 1886, the programme for this meeting was
omitted, and the afternoon devoted to tender recollection of the
dear friend and valued secretary so recently taken from us, to the
reading of many letters from East and West containing loving
tribute to her worth and sympathy for our loss, and to devising
such plans for continuing our work in future as should be our
friend's best commemoration, the tribute she would chiefly have
desired. Mrs. George A. Thayer offered the following expression of
the feeling of our Society, for entry on our records:--
"'It is fitting that we should place upon the records of this
Association some words of grateful remembrance of our late
fellow-worker and Secretary, Sallie Ellis, who went up higher on
Sunday, Dec. 27, 1885.
"'She was called to her office four years and a half ago, and took
up its work from the beginning as one who felt its consecration,
and saw the opportunity it offered of being a ministry of the
highest things to many souls yearning for a word of religion both
reasonable and spiritual.
"'Her long and loving study of Unitarian principles gave her a rare
fitness for teaching others the _thought_ of our church. Her
personal faith in the deep things of God enabled her to speak ever
the needed word to inquirers of the _religion_ of our church. And
her sacred sense of duty, not only illustrated in every act of her
life, but shining always through her written words, made her an
admirable exemplar of the _moral quality_ of our church. So she was
all that we could ask as our missionary leader, for she not only
taught the stranger from afar of the surpassing beauty and
greatness of our Liberal Christianity, but she quickened in us at
home new love for its truths, and a deeper sense of our privilege
and obligations in being of its disciples.
"'In her life she guided and inspired us, and being dead she abides
with us, ever a constant presence, to make us humble that we do so
little for our great work, and to stir in us desire to be more
faithful to our task in the Master's vineyard.'
"The following extract from a letter of directions left by Miss Ellis in
the event of her death was then read:--
"'All the books in the loan library I bequeath to the use of the
church, and when not so used, my family shall have the disposal of
them.'
"This library comprises over one hundred and thirty religious books,
chiefly by Unitarian authors. It was voted that this library 'shall
always be known as The Sallie Ellis Loan Library.'
"Mrs. M. E. Hunert, 177 Betts Street, Cincinnati, was appointed
Corresponding Secretary. All communications may hereafter be
addressed to her. She will continue the free distribution of
Unitarian papers, tracts, and sermons, to any names furnished her of
persons desiring them. She will also receive subscriptions for
Unitarian publications and sell books, when desired, and will loan
the books of the Sallie Ellis Loan Library, the borrower paying the
postage only. It is earnestly wished to continue Miss Ellis's work
in her spirit, and it is hoped correspondents and friends will
co-operate with us in this effort.
"Though saddened and greatly bereft, the Cincinnati Auxiliary would
still strive to 'look forward and not back,' working on in the
spirit of Whittier's poem,