Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-12-28
Items to be Read by All.

The subject of temperance, or intern
perance, rather, should be constantly
kept up before the public mind, and
there is no way that reaches out so far
and wide as the newspapers of the day.
They are the bridges that span the high
ways and by-ways of life. Over these
great arches, knowledge runs to and fro,
and gains admittance into all society.
from the home of elegance to the poor
mans humber home. The tired labor
er finds his papers blessing in many
ways; they freshen up his long winter
evenings. His children, too, are eager
for them, as they catch pleasant
glimpses of the busy, active life out
side their own little home that looks so
enchanting. These papers should then
be full of every day events-events that
60 to make life pleasant, and build up a
large growth of mind, and scatter good
seed thought that will bring to it's read
ers a generous and noble fruitage, and
leave lasting impression for good upon
the minds of the young. Among the
many items of interest now before the
public mind, is that of intemperance, an
evil that has grown to gigantic proper
tons that affect the nation financially
and plunge the people into the deepest
degradation of woe and crime. A few
years ago there was a "Woman's Cru
SADIE" made against the dire evil. The
fire of their affection had spread over
their homes, blackened and burned out
everything they had, and left nothing
but themselves and their starving chill
dren, and in their sore need they cried
to God. He, in His great wisdom, put
it into their hearts to hold prayer-meet-
ings on the streets, and sing their hest
songs. So they went out into the great
Tabernacle of the Lord, and in His name
kneeled down on the hard pavement and
prayed with their sad faces lifted heav-
onward I doubt if ever prayers took
speedier flight upward to the audience
chamber of the Deity than those. And
as those songs foated far and wide,
their pathos and simplicity, no doubt,
touched many heart. 1t seems to me
that | could hear the heavenly gates
open, and the angels, as they listened,
catch the blessed refrain, which was
echoed and re-echoed through all heav-
en- with the sweetest melody. Was
there ever a grander or more heroic
deed recorded of women on history's
long page Of the great and good? Were
women ever more honored of God? For
while they prayed the rough multitude
of desperate rumsellers had gathered
around them ready to drive them away,
but could not, for the invisible hand of
God was holding them back, and no rude
hand was permitted to touch them. 'Tis
said that when God gives women a
work to do He gives them strength to
do it. And these women were work
ing for their own good, and for the good
of all the drunkards' wives and little
ones in the city, and God was their help
err. The good they did for the cause
of temperance cannot be estimated by
finite minds. 1t was like throwing a
stone in the water, disturbing the sur
face at first, then sending out the little
circles that spread, and increased, and
enlarged till they were lost in the dis
lance or reached the distant shore. The
voice of the press says that the circles
have crossed the Atlantic and received
a hearty welcome, giving new impulse
to the cause there. All through the
States those voices of prayer have
aroused, not only the voice of prayer in
others, but the earnest action Of good
men and women, and they went to work
with a will that told fearfully on the
rum traffic, for in six weeks time three
hundred saloons were closed, and the
enemy has received a wound that l
trust will rankle and corrode till they
repent of their iniquity and become
good citizens, and engage in some lauda-
bic work that will restore them their
long lost selfrespect. Many in all
parts Of the States and across the water
have reached out their hands to these
women, filled with blessing and prayers
for the good they have done. When
they are gone from earth, their memory
will be embalmed in the hearts of good
men and women-the Nations best
monument. f. w.