The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-03-06
the e~woman.s Movement"

As the ~Woman's Movement Is til,
all absorbing topic of the day, | hops
it will not be deemed Inappropriate tha
! should speak my little piece"
In various towns and cities of on
own and other States, bands of woner
regularly besiege the drug stores, 'sa
looms &e., with prayers, hymns, and ex
horationS, all aiming at the abolition q
the liquor traffic.
PRAYER seems to be the siege-gnn mos
relied on TO dislodge the enemy, and
bring him TO terms. Now the question
here arises: Is prayer only efFectual when
used in presence of the enemy? If pray
eF was offered in the churches, in the
homes, ave and deep down in the low
est depths of devout and trusting hearts
would il not avail as much with the Ru-
Ter of earth, as though offered amid the
dirt and tobacco squirted floors of the
modern grog shop?
Or is the idea to enter the places of
iniquity with hymns and prayers, and
thus compel men, through sheer necessi-
ty, 10 accede to their demands in order
to escape the nuisance?
II so, why not go with Chinese gongs
it, / would like to ask; who stays in the
homes of these female ''prayists" while
they they are out on the "war-path;"
who cook the meals for their husbands
and children; who attends TO all the nu-
merous household duties that belong to
woman alone; who attends TO the wants
of her children? Lei each one ponder
these question. leave them TO Won 10
answer.
Woman's sphere is truly at home, it
is there that we love her most, and oh, if
there be power in prayer, may not wo-
man in the sanctitv of home and amid
her household duties pour cat her soui,
silent bnt fervent, as we'll as amid the
scenes of the temple Of intemperance.-
And it seems strange to me, that the per
sons engaged in this crusade against
whiskey, persons who have repeated
ly said. that the ''rumseller' was
man without conscience. hardened
wretch, without the fear of God. and
given over to all manner of evil, that now
they put such implicit faith in him, as
to accept his simple promise, that he
will change his .vhole nature in few
days, and instead of being black turn
completely white, /. {. throw away his
liquors, and become oew creature In
temperament strong drink is a curse, and
an evil that all good men must deplore,
but let us remo m5er there are other in
temperate things as we'll as indulgence
in strong drink, an immoderatc usa of
tobacco, and over indulgence Of the del
absurd fashions of dress; and let our wo-
men reflect. that the last has been the
cause of thousands descending in the
pride of their youth to premature graves,
the victims of the relentless sway of
fashion, intempeyonce in dress. And in
conclusion, | would say, countrywomen
of mine, why is it that you are so deter
mined to break up the liquor trade
why fight SO desperately the demon of
intemperance, while thousands of your
own sex are going down to a more hor-
rible, a more loathsome death, than the
victims of rum, while you turn from
her, YOUR SISTER in loathing, and draw
your delicate robes aside for fear they
should be contaminated by her touch
Pray for her, pray for all, but do it in
the house Of God or in the privacy of
your own closet, do not make an exhibi-
ton of yourselves in the streets, that is
not zeal for good, it is love Of notoriety,
praying in pHblic places, that men may
see, and speak of you, and do not feel
that am to blame for speaking as have,
you have placed yourselves in the po-
sition to be criticised and have yielded
to my desire to scribble, and random
and struggling though these hasty lines
may be, yet | offer them as food for
thought, believing if properly digested,
they win be prolific of good.
MAXWELL