In
1929, Sr. Katherine Baker, a Bible worker for the First S.D.A.
Church of Washington, D.C., organized a group of young, single girls
into a club which she named King's Daughters because she said they
were to be in business for the King of the Universe, in that their
chief aim was to bring comfort and cheer to the sick and shut-in and
to the elderly, and also to form a close association to one another.
Each
Sabbath afternoon they would visit the sick and shut‑in, sing
hymns and read from the Bible or from Sr. Ellen White's writings.
They would also take flowers or a little token with them.
Later, as members married and
established homes and began to have families, they were no Longer
able to go out regularly on Sabbath afternoons to visit as before.
The club now Was no longer specifically for single girls, but they
continued working together as a united Group. To enable them to
become good homemakers and parents, they began to read books
Authored by Arthur Spalding, some of which were Makers of the Home;
Through Early Childhood; Growing Boys and Girls; Through
Adolescence; and The Days of Youth. After The children were reared,
club members continued and spiritual emphasis of the club by
studying The Great Controversy and other writings by Sr. White.
In 1939, Elder A.E. Webb began his
ministry at First S.D.A. Church. His wife, Carolyn, Joined the club
and was a great inspiration to us. Later when he was assigned to
pastor churches in other areas, Carolyn organized clubs in cities
such as New York, St.Louis, and Los Angles. Many clubs were
organized in many sections of the United States. Federations were
then formed for the purpose of uniting clubs and to ensure that
clubs were working for the same common goal of Christian living and
giving of their time and energies to promoting the Lord's work.
Carolyn Webb can be credited with the spread of the King's
Daughters, a club which has acted as a church aid in any emergency
and has served to bind women together in Christian fellowship.
The Federated King's Daughters of
Washington, D.C. has purchased a nursing home, which is something
that has been needed for many years.
Carolyn Webb, who is a charter
member, resides in California, and two charter members in
theWashington Chapter are Esther Smith and Amelia H. Fitzgerald. As
a result of what the ladies started in Washington, many
accomplishments have been made all over the nation by a group of
Christian ladies known as the King's Daughters.
(A note: The King's
Daughters are no longer called Clubs, they are now Chapters.)
