For years, it was her thought that she would become a missionary, and when she decided to go into the temperance work one of her friends told her: "Julia, you have then relinquished the old idea of being a missionary?"
whereupon she responded in her quick, bright way, "No, indeed, I am still thinking of it very strongly;" but she speedily found that temperance was really practical missionary work.

Helen Louise Hood first became acquainted with Ames in the summer of 1885 at the Lake Bluff (Illinois) Training School, but their real acquaintance did not begin until the  Women's Christian Temperance Union's(WCTU) National Convention which was held a few months later at Philadelphia.
On their way to the Convention, Ames was made a delegate by the Illinois white-ribboners.
On the way back home, they talked long and earnestly about her future, Hood urging Ames to come and cast in her lot with the "white-ribboners".
 During this homeward ride, Matilda Carse was in the car reading a novel Yolande, by William Black.
Seeing a resemblance in the character of the heroine of this book to Ames, Carse called her, requested to kneel and touched her head, then she kissed her lovingly on the forehead and said: "Arise!
I dub thee, Yolande" - a name by which she was known afterwards by all of her associates.

On her return, Yolande became actively engaged in the work of the Chicago Central Union, one of the oldest and most influential unions in the city.
She instituted the work which would be presented to the papers of that city and featured in weekly items of temperance news, which made her the Press Superintendent for The Union.
Later, she became very much interested in the Bethesda Mission, which was conducted by the Chicago Union, and situated on Clark Street, one of the worst streets of the city.
Here every Sunday, Ames could be found teaching in the Sunday school.
This mission, as well as the one for the homeless and friendless women, which the WCTU cared for, had an active worker in Ames.
The mission for women was named by her "The Anchorage," and for a long time, she kept a white lily on the windows of its reading room, so that the outcast women who passed its windows might see this pure flower, and, being attracted, might come in and learn of a better life.

In the spring of 1886, Ames' family moved from Chicago, her brother, Elmer, having finished law school, has gone west.
As for Ames, she came to live at Rest Cottage.
The first of the Chicago's daily published newspapers was a WCTU department's the Chicago Inter Ocean.
In her first interviews with the editors, Ames' work was often disregarded and not published, cut.
At first, only a few inches of space were provided for her texts.
This space however, was gradually increased as editors learned that she was trustworthy.
However, she began to occupy nearly a column, and editors ceased to cut her manuscript, again.
But soon, more important work got her attention.
When the national superintendent of press-work, Esther Housh, needed an assistant, Ames received the appointment.

Her connection with the central union brought her into intimate contact with other women, among whom, in addition to Hood and Carse, were Elizabeth Wheeler Andrew, and Frances Willard, these women and conversations with them moulded Ames' views.
When Andrew felt that her health was deteriorating, she decided to give up her work on the Union Signal, the question of her successor was earnestly discussed.
The thoughts of the leaders at once turned to Ames, and despite her youth, she justified the choice of those who urged her to succeed Andrew.
Up to 1889, her specialities were the news from the field and children's department.
She founded the department of illustrated biography and the queen's garden.
Her forte was not so much writing, though she was ready with her pen, as it was the ability to choose or reject others' writing, and the winning power to draw from them their best thoughts.
In 1889, she had sole charge of the Union Signal in the absence of the editor.

She visited Europe in 1890, being gone for months,
For years, it was her thought that she would become a missionary, and when she decided to go into the temperance work one of her friends told her: "Julia, you have then relinquished the old idea of being a missionary?" whereupon she responded in her quick, bright way, "No, indeed, I am still thinking of it very strongly;" but she speedily found that temperance was really practical missionary work.
Helen Louise Hood first became acquainted with Ames in the summer of 1885 at the Lake Bluff (Illinois) Training School, but their real acquaintance did not begin until the  Women's Christian Temperance Union's(WCTU) National Convention which was held a few months later at Philadelphia. On their way to the Convention, Ames was made a delegate by the Illinois white-ribboners. On the way back home, they talked long and earnestly about her future, Hood urging Ames to come and cast in her lot with the "white-ribboners".  During this homeward ride, Matilda Carse was in the car reading a novel Yolande, by William Black. Seeing a resemblance in the character of the heroine of this book to Ames, Carse called her, requested to kneel and touched her head, then she kissed her lovingly on the forehead and said: "Arise! I dub thee, Yolande" - a name by which she was known afterwards by all of her associates.
On her return, Yolande became actively engaged in the work of the Chicago Central Union, one of the oldest and most influential unions in the city. She instituted the work which would be presented to the papers of that city and featured in weekly items of temperance news, which made her the Press Superintendent for The Union. Later, she became very much interested in the Bethesda Mission, which was conducted by the Chicago Union, and situated on Clark Street, one of the worst streets of the city. Here every Sunday, Ames could be found teaching in the Sunday school. This mission, as well as the one for the homeless and friendless women, which the WCTU cared for, had an active worker in Ames. The mission for women was named by her "The Anchorage," and for a long time, she kept a white lily on the windows of its reading room, so that the outcast women who passed its windows might see this pure flower, and, being attracted, might come in and learn of a better life.
In the spring of 1886, Ames' family moved from Chicago, her brother, Elmer, having finished law school, has gone west. As for Ames, she came to live at Rest Cottage. The first of the Chicago's daily published newspapers was a WCTU department's the Chicago Inter Ocean. In her first interviews with the editors, Ames' work was often disregarded and not published, cut. At first, only a few inches of space were provided for her texts. This space however, was gradually increased as editors learned that she was trustworthy. However, she began to occupy nearly a column, and editors ceased to cut her manuscript, again. But soon, more important work got her attention. When the national superintendent of press-work, Esther Housh, needed an assistant, Ames received the appointment.
Her connection with the central union brought her into intimate contact with other women, among whom, in addition to Hood and Carse, were Elizabeth Wheeler Andrew, and Frances Willard, these women and conversations with them moulded Ames' views. When Andrew felt that her health was deteriorating, she decided to give up her work on the Union Signal, the question of her successor was earnestly discussed. The thoughts of the leaders at once turned to Ames, and despite her youth, she justified the choice of those who urged her to succeed Andrew. Up to 1889, her specialities were the news from the field and children's department. She founded the department of illustrated biography and the queen's garden. Her forte was not so much writing, though she was ready with her pen, as it was the ability to choose or reject others' writing, and the winning power to draw from them their best thoughts. In 1889, she had sole charge of the Union Signal in the absence of the editor. 
She visited Europe in 1890, being gone for months, 
Julia A. Ames