Document 19: Fujin kyofukai dai-enzetsu kai [Tokyo WCTU's Great Speech Meeting]," Jogaku zasshi 64 (12 November 1887) appendix 3. Translated by Rumi Yasutake.

   In her efforts to persuade her fellow Tokyo WCTU members, as well as male supporters such as Yoshiharu Iwamoto, who accommodated the Tokyo-Yokohama missionary circle, Toyojyu Sasaki inquired about the legitimacy of women's public speaking to the WWCTU. She may have expected support from the WWCTU, because its first "around-the-world" missionary, Mary C. Leavitt, had freely cooperated with and had lectured to both men and women. In response, Sasaki received the article, "Let Women Keep Silence in Churches" (see Document 6). Sasaki read and translated the article into Japanese in October 1887. Presumably, she used the argument in this article to persuade her fellow WCTU members that women could speak to mixed audiences. When the Tokyo WCTU held its third great public meeting on 3 November 1887, it finally permitted its female members to speak in public. Among the five speakers for the meeting were three Tokyo WCTU members and two men supportive of their efforts. The following is the report of the meeting that appeared in Jogaku zasshi.

   Tokyo WCTU's great speech meeting was held from 2 o'clock in the afternoon at Kosei Hall at Kobiki-cho this past November 3. There were speeches made by Mr. Sen Tsuda [Bad Effects of Alcohol], Miss Shige Kushida [Prosperity for the Tokyo WCTU Hoped], Mrs. Hatsu Yuasa [Four Oceans are All Brothers], Mr. Verbeck [Goals of the Tokyo WCTU], and Mrs. Toyo Sasaki [Speak for the Tokyo WCTU]. The meeting ended successfully, gathering more than one thousand people. Everybody was deeply impressed with the speeches kindly made by two brothers and the speeches of indignation made by the sisters.