Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-04-18
Cough and the WOman's Movement.

Cough and the WOman's Movement.
The following private letter con-
corning the "Womans Movements"
from the great apostle of Temper
ance, John B. Cough, appeared in a
recent issue of the Boston NeUS:
COLUMBUS. Ohio, March % 1874.
| am intensely Interested in
the WOman's Temperance movement I'm this
state, and although IL adds to my work, can.
not keep out Of their meetings. At Xcnia |
first saw the prayer movement in full force.
They had closed thirtY-cight saloons, and they
have three that still hold out. As we came
into the town. walking up from The station,
saw In front of u saloon. two hHe looking
ladies. seated, one with Bible I'm her hand,
the other with paper. a little further on,
| saw venerable looking Quaker lacy and a
young lady by her side. seated in front of a
saloon. They were the pickuts watching
those grog shops, and rendering it very diff
ficult for them To sell Mt all. After dinner |
went on the street, and three PRAYING bands
were out at the three places. visited them
all. 1 expected the thing would seem Oittre.
odd, and in bad taste. But il was quite the
reverse. Some thirty ladies were i'm each
band. They stand by the curbStunes, not
hindering the passing lDoticel some lifted
their hats respectfully a. they passed them.
They would sing. aud they would sing so
SWetIlN. Inen IntN womb feltt a DOrtlOA OF
Scripture, and all kneel while one prayed.
| heard one old lady, who must have been
seventy years and was in deep mourning,
offer in "A tender, trembling voice, such
prayer as [ think never heard-So earnest
She told the saviour, "He knew how their
hearts We're sco:ched and Scared by this
terrible curse, ana how they had come amt
edty TO Him, etc" The singing, meanwhile,
from various points, was most sweet; and the
profound respect paid to these ladies was
very touching. One gentlemen told me, there
is 10 rowdy so rough that he would dare to
modest them, all the best public sentiment Is
with them, and the best ladies in point of
character and position are the leaders in the
movement
At half.past four went over to thcirprayer
meeting, when these bands came in to report.
After singing. zone more days work for
Jesus" "One days less life for me-" prayer
was tfered. The reports were given so quiet
ly, and they seemed so hulnblC and full of
the Naster's spirit, 1t was very solemn. The
president then asked me to speak to them
which did for five minutes. But | could
hardly'speak at all my heart was so full
The president, a noble looking woman of
sixty, considered one OF the first in the city,
for intellect, moral worth and Christian char.
acter, said to me: Mr.. Cough, we believe we
are engaged IN the Masters service, But oh
sir, the crucihxion of the flesh You can
hardly imagine the struggle we went through
before we could go to places we had always
stunned as so vile. But we mean now to con.
tinue this work if necessary as long as we
live"
Yesterday afternoon. here at Columbus |
went on the street and saw Il praying band of
fifty ladies, ana finding that there was AN all
day prayer meeting in one of the churches
could not help going in. | staid an hour, and
WIS wonderfully refreshed. In the evening
they had mass meeting and l could not
keep away, and the calls for speech were SO
loud, that | spoke fora few minutes, l send
you slip from Sunday paper containing
report OF the meeting.
oh, the savage opposition to this work and
~ In