There were nine chiklren, seven living to
attain their majority, yet the mother could
always find time to help a neighbor or friend
in illness or distress, and her house was at all
times a place of refuge for the troubled and
weary. She finished her work here, as her
well-rounded life, patterned after that of Him
who "went about doing good," came to an
earthly close late in the year of 1893; but
its influence can never be calculated, nor will
it ever cease to be.
Of such parentage was born Mary Clara Ware in Dorchester, Mass. As the eldest of four sisters, she was always ready to give assistance to the younger, and at school the unfortunate found in her a friend quick to sympathize, with a judgment far beyond her years. The timid little ones sought lier hand for protection, the slow ones brought the prob- lems they could not solve, and the friend- less looked toward her, sure of a smile. So even and true was she, and still is, that some one who has known Mrs. Kirby all her life said recently: "Oh, well! It is no effort for her to be afTable and kind. She never seemed to want to be any other way." But, since no life is free from its trials, and as every heart knoweth its own bitterness, some credit is surely due this woman who never seemed to want to be anything but agreeable.
The spirit of humauitarianism grew with her growth, fostered by the home training, and kept with her when she entered more actively into the joys antl cares of life. Ambition ruled strongly, and the pride of self-respect prompted her to do everything well. Possessed of more than ordinary business ability, she has used that masculine quality most success- fully, planning with the "brain of a man and the intuition of a woman." From the gratifi- cation of self in the enjoyments of social life, which claimed her attention, she grailually turned to the higher pleasure of giving her time and energies for the good of others.
With a thirst for wisdom, desirous of learning the reason of things and finding a more excel- lent way of life, she has devoted nmch time and thought to psychic and mystic studies, anil through such research .she feels confident that she has come nearer to the needs of human beings. Her eyes have been opened to see God's children as they are, and yet to feel that it is possil)le for them to become in truth His image and likeness. It has taught her to see tiie "good in everything save sin" and to love the sinner while condemning and rebuking the transgression. The pure and literal interpre- tation of the Christ principle has become her simple but comprehensive creed, and the com- mandment, "Bear ye one another's burdens," a daily precept.
On August 2, 1886, she was married to Daniel Henry Kirby, of Boston. Mr. Kirby, until his death (May 4, 1901) was a reatly sym- pathizer and a helper in all her work for others. His only solicitude was lest enthusiasm should be in excess of bodily endurance, the willing spirit make too serious demand upon the flesh, and cut .short a life useful to others and dear to him.
In the fall of 1894, on her return home, after a summer, spent rather idly for her, in the coun- try, where the daily changes were an object lesson of God in nature and a continual proof of a divine hand that brought in turn seed- time and harvest, Mrs. Kirby with others helped to organize and form the Procojieia Club. As is the meaning of the name, the object of the club was to provide for the needy of all classes and conditions just the mental, moral, physical, and spiritual help each might need — a tremendous undertaking, and not en- tered into lightly nor with any sjMrit of rivalry toward the already established charities, either ]iul)lic or private, but to reach by the personal aid of a loving haml and ilevoted attention those who were repelled by the idea of alms- taking.
The society's rooms were on St. Botolph Street, Boston, and there every day in the week from eleven ..m. until three p.m. Mrs. Kirby might be found, giving a willing ear and thoughtful attention to all sorts of people asking all sorts of aid. All this time and thought were given freely on her part, but with what a cost to her .sympathies and nerve tissue, to say nothing of the whole body physical! None were ever turned away unhelped, though many were not given exactly what they asked for; for the plan of the society was to study the
