The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-05-08

THE PRAYING CRUSADE BEGUN IN THIS CITY

In the w esq., Inc nall was a bout nal1 Iull. In
front of the balcony, at the rear of the plat
form, was a canvass bearing the legend, "We
| will vote as we pray Considering that the
| movement is essentially women's movement,
| these words are bitter mockery. If the wo-
men could only vote as they pray the success of
| the crusade would be an established fact.
The lecturer began by telling of the initia-
| ton of the movement in the town of Washing
ton, Ohio, village of three thousand inhabi-
tants and thirteen dram shops. On Christmas
night he lectured there. After the lecture he
| proposed for the next morning temperance
meeting of women. The morning came, and
forty women responded to:the call. An appeal
was drawn up and three women chosen to cir
| culate it. Pledges were also put in circulation.
| One total abstinence pledge, one physicians,
one druggists one land holders, one
lawyers The next day the women, led by
Mrs. Carpenter, wife of the Presbyterian cler-
! gymap, and increased to sixty-one in number,
sailed forth, after a brief season spent in
/ prayer, upon their mission of mercy. They
| visited the most prominent saloon in town,
| were courteously received, but utterly failed to
| make an impression. Nothing daunted they
| renewed their visit the next day, and the next
| Using none but the kindest of words, utteriDg
no threats, no censures, no harsh expressions
they at length accomplished their purpose. On
the third day, as they arose from their knees
after singing the grand old hymn of Corona
ton" the saloon keeper succumbed and prom
ised to close his shop. Then the women with
prayers and tears urged him to make their vic
tory complete and to destroy the eighteen bar
rels of liquor which he had in his cellar. Re-
luctanty he consented on condition that the
women would unaided, roll the barrels into
the stree, and consummate the work of destruc-
ton.
In the twinkling of an eye hats were taken
off, shawls and bonnets thrown upon the floor,
rush made for the cellar, and the casks tum-
bled into the street. By previous concert it
was agreed that if any success were won the
bells in every church belfry should be set ring
ing, and that at the first peal the women of
every household should strike up the hymn
''Nearer my God to Thee" The programme
was carried out, an immense crowd soon gath
cred in front of the saloon, the heads of the
barrels were smashed, and the liquor permit
ted to run in the cutters. The first great VIC
terry was won, and the women, animated by
success, and fred by holy enthusiasm, hast
ened to finish the work we'll begun. The thir-
teen saloons were closed. There still remain
ed two saloons outside the corporation limits, a
German lager bier garden kept by Harry Beck,
and whiskey shanty under the hill. The
praying band first essayed the beer garden,
but were driven thence by an injunction OBJ
tanned from corrupt and dissolute Judge
Beck was backed by the Cincinnati Brewers
Association, one of the wealthest associat ions
of the West The outlook was dark indeed.
and the women were near TO despairing. At
this critical moment Judge NJ Clure gave them
permission to occupy his land adjoining the
beer garden, and the now famous tabernacle
was erected. The women camped under the
very guns of the enemy, and began the cam
paign anew. One day they met Harry Beck
face to face, and the honest German soon sue
cumbed to their prayers and entreaties. The
unconditional surrender of the whisky shanty
soon followed, and Washington was freed from
the curse. But one more fight was made by
the enemy. A Cincinnati German was told
that there was in Washington good opening
for a beer saloon, and he made his appearance
with ten kegs of lager.
In an hour after he established himself he
had a call from customers-seventy-on
women who knelt down and began to pray.
The German interrupted them, said he had
looked the ground over, concluded it was not
very good opening after all, and should pack
right up and 60 to Cincinnati, and he did CO.
The flame kindled at Washington spread like
prairie fire over Southern Ohio and eighty
five towns closed every dram shop in their linn
its. The wonderful movement went on, fad
by the tears and prayers of women, by
the renuuciation and sacrifice of men. Doubters
became convinced. Those who came TO scott
emained to pray. Conversions sud
den and wonderful as to eclipse that of Paul,
followed each other in rapid succession. That
evil against which men had been struggling for
thirty years the women swept away in single
hour
The speaker avowed his profound belief in
the permanence of the movement and its re-
suits, and said that no one who had seen it was
free from its infec ton. The Washingtonian
movement of thirty years ago owed its success
| to its acknowledgment that the drunkard was
brother; but it failed in that it cursed the rum
seller. The Washington movement of to
| day recognizes the brotherhood of the rum sell
er, and appeals to his humanity. The success
of the movement is due also to the prayer i'm
pulse The women do not stop to organize or
to reason. With the spirit of God strong upon
them, with minds fresh from the blessed COM
munion of prayer, they go forth to their
mission, conquering and to conquer IT the
movement anywhere fails it is because it has
been ''organized" and resolved to death.
The story of the wonderful campaign was
told in the quietest manner, With no attempt at
outbursts of enthusiasm or lofty flights of rhet-
ORIG. But the audience was deeply moved for
the simple recital, the bare chronicle is blood
stirring and enthusasm-begetting. The lectur-
er undertook 10 show by illustration the West
ern temperance meeting, and the audience were
called upon to rise and join in the singing of
hymns. The calls were responded to, and the
Rev. Mr. Skinner of Watervie, led in prayer
An earnest appeal was made to the men and
women present to inaugurate the reform, which
resulted in the following:
AT eight o'clock this morning there will be a
meeting Of gentlemen at the anti-room of
Fluent Hall for mutual consultation in regard
to special ard immediate effort in the reform.
All citizens are earnestly invited. At 10 o'clock
the ladies will meet in the same room for the
| same purpose. Dio Lewis will be present at
both meetings. There will be mass meeting
at Fluent Hall at p o'clock this evening, free
| to all, to be addressed by Dio Lewis.
The meeting announced at Allen Mission
will be postponed on account of this appoint
ment.
| The women have it in their hands to accom-
plish grand reform But they must cut loose
| from one or two professed reformers who make
themselves disgustingly oficious, and run the
machine on their own hook" 1t is we'll to re-
member that movement engineered by camp
| followers cannot be a success.
| AN EXCITING RUNAwAY.-As Mr.. A. o.
Clark, of the Custom House, was driving in
from Deering yesterday morning he saw large
dog crouching to spring. Fearing lest his
horse, very. spirited animal, might take
fright, Aeo out to drive the dog away,
leaving hitter Annie, girl of fifteen
| years old,ehe carriage. Just as he dis
| mounted the horse became frightened and dash