Born: 1862.
Died: 1937.

Miss Lura Viola Thompson, of Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois, National Organizer of the Christian Woman's Board of Missions, spent the first fifteen years of her life on a farm about eleven miles from her present home. Shortly after moving to Carthage, she entered the English Lutheran College of that place, and at the end of five years received the degree of A. B., and carried off the honors of her class. Each summer of her college life she taught a country school. The death of her mother shortly after her graduation left her the oldest in the motherless home, for which she has cared, at the same time teaching in the public schools in Carthage. Having been trained from infancy in a Christian home, she united with the Christian Church soon after her fourteenth birthday. She early began, in a quiet way, to work for the church in its various departments, and also in the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. Gradually she was called out into more active service in holding many local, co unty and district offices, until the summer of 1891, when she was called to be the State organizer of the Illinois Christian Woman's Board of Missions; and a little later was made State secretary also. This combined office she held until the fall of 1896, when she was called by the National Board to serve as General, or National, Organizer, which position she now holds. Miss Thompson has presented the work of the Christian Woman's Board of Missions in a greater number of places than any other woman in our ranks. In the spring of 1890 the trustees of her alma mater conferred upon her the degree of A. M., stating that it was conferred because of what she had done for the church. A beautiful tribute to her work, and coming as it did from a school of another fellowship than her own, it is doubly prized. Sister Thompson is a tireless worker in her much-loved field, and is doing most efficient work. She is the peer of any in our fellowship.

L. C. W.