After this service the Bishop [Cheshire] spoke to the women in words of appreciation and gratitude of the work which they are doing for his diocese and for the Church at large. He told how the Church was depending more and more upon the work of its women; and seeing how the sphere of woman’s work had been so greatly widened in business, was training and organizing its own devoted women for more efficient work. He spoke particularly of the importance of the work in our own state and diocese which has sprung up around the great manufacturing centres, and which is the most striking part of our work at present. A great part of this is being done by women who are associated with the missionaries and by contributions from the Woman’s Auxiliary. He felt deeply grateful for our efforts in this direction; for at the Missionary Council held in Montgomery when the subject of work among new communities was brought up, it was found that we were doing more than twice as much as any other southern diocese. We have fourteen Churches and Chapels for people in the manufacturing settlements; five of the best of our young clergymen are devoting themselves especially to them, and many of the parochial clergy are building Chapels for this special purpose. He closed by expressing satisfaction in our efforts in the past and a hope that we might lay out good work for the future.

(Source: Minutes of Business Meeting, 1910 Woman’s Auxiliary Annual Report, p. 11)