Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-08-07
THE CRUSADE.
History OF she washington WOmen's
war On Whisky

War on whisky.
The demand for the history of the Cru
SADIE at Washington c. H. has not ceased,
and nearly every copy of the original
publication is extinct; either lost or sent
abroad: hence we offer to those interested
a second copy.
This republication is rendered the more
imperative by the fact that our history, as
published in the book known as F'The
History of the Womeh's Temperance Cru
sade,'' now being extensively sold over
the land, is so garbled, in both the first
and second editions, as TO give entirely
false ideas to those who have no other
opportunity of reading it; thus we find
a necessity in again offering an authentic
account of our work to all interested in
perpetuating the memory of the early
crusade days:
THE CRUSADE.
On the evening of December 24th, 1873,
the Lecture Association of Washington
G., III. had in its course a lecture on ''Our
Girls" " by DiO Lewis. During the even
ing he dwelt somewhat largely upon the
havoc being made by tobacco and ardent
spirits. and offered to suggest new plan
for fighting the liquor traffic, which, he
asserted, if carefully adhered to, would
close every saloon in the place in one
weeks time.
Accordingly, on Christmas morning, at
nine O'Clock, in the Presbyterian Church,
were assembled quite large congregation
of men and women, filled with curiosity
concerning a plan which promised so
much. In most elegant address, the
DR.. proceeded to fulfill his promise of the
preceding evening, during which he
aroused the interest, sympathy and en-
thusiasm of his entire audience; and
there was organized one of the grandest
reformatory movements of the age,-the
movement now so well and fitly known
as the sEWoman's Crusade
Temperance was the all-absorbing
theme on that day, around every Christ
mas board and upon all the street cor
ners. In the evening a prayer-meeting
was held in the NJ. E. Church, at which
time the Chairman of Committee on APP
peal, which consisted of Mrs. NJ. G. Car
penter, Mrs. A. G. Hirst, Mrs. w. Mack
Pine and Bethiah Ogle, reported the fol-
lowing APPEAL:
'EKnOwing, as you do, the fearful effects
| of intoxicating drinks, we, the women of
Washington, after earnest prayer, and
deliberation, have decided to appeal to
you to desist from this ruinous traffic,
| that our husbands, brothers, and especi-
| ally our sons, be no longer exposed to
| this terrible temptation, and that we may
no longer see them led into those paths
which go down to sin, and bring both
body and soul to destruction. We appeal
to the better instincts of your own hearts,
| in the name of desolated homes, blasted
homes, ruined lives, widowed hearts, for
the honor of our community, for our
| happiness: for our good name, as a town
| in the name of the God who will Judge
YOU, as well as ourselves; for the sake OF
| your own souls, which are to be saved or
| lost, we beg-we implore you, to cleanse
yourselves from this heinOus sin, and
place yourselves in the ranks of those
who are striving to elevate and ennoble
themselves and their felloW-men; and to
this we ask you to pledge yourselves"
Which appeal was adopted, and has
since been used very generallV-nOt only
in Ohio-but in several other States.
On Friday morning, December 26, 1873.
| after an hour of prayer IN the M. r.
Church, forty-foHr women filed slowly
and sOlemnly down the ailse and started
| forth upon their strange mission, with
fear and trembling, while the male por-
| ton of the audience remained at the
| Church, to pray for the success of this
new undertaking. The tOlling of the
| Church bell, keeping time to the solemn
|
| their way to the first Drugstore on the
| list. (The number of places within the
city limits where Intoxicating drinks
were sold was fOurteen-eleven saloons
| and three drug-stores). Here, as in every
place, they entered singing, every woman
taking up the sacred strain as the crossed
the threshold. This was followed by the
| reading of the appeal, and prayer; ther
earnest pleading to desist from their soul
destroying traffic, and to sign the deal
er's pledge.
Thus, all the day long, going from place
to place, without stopping even for din
| ner or lunch, till five o'clock, meeting
with no marked success; but invariablt
courtesy was extended them; not ever
their reiterated promise, 'We will cal
again. seeming to offend.
No woman who has ever entered one O
these dens of iniquity on such an errand
needs to be told of the heart-sickness tina
almost overcame them as they, for tn
first time, saw behind those painted win
dows or green blinds, and entered tn
little stifling 'Fback-room," " or found thei
WaV down winding steps into the damp
dark cellars, and realized that into sucl
: places those they loved best were bein
landed through the allurements of tn
brilliantly-lighted drugstore, the fasci
mating billiard-table; or the enticing beeI
8 gardens, with their syren attractions.
A crowded house at night to hear tn
report of the days work, betrayed tn
rapidly increasing interest in this mission
, Saturday morning, December 9th
after an hour of prayer, an Increase
: number of women went forth again, leaN
ing number of men in the church, VIII
i continued in prayer all day long; ever
| few moments the tolling bell Cheered tn
hearts Of the Crusaders, by pealing fort
r. the knowledge that another supplicatio
:. had ascended for their success; meal
while notes of progress being sent by tt
Secretary to the Church, from every plaC
visited.
]: On this day the contest really begal
ii and, at the first place, the doors we
found locked. With hearts full of cor
passion, the women knelt in the snO
upon the pavement, to plead for the D
~ vine influence upon the heart of ii
liquor dealer, and there held their fir
: street prayer-meeting.
ST At night, the weary, but Jealous wor
4 ers, reported at mass meeting, of the V
: rious rebuffs, and the success, in haviI
NJ y; two druggists sign the pledge not to Sc
81 except upon the written prescription of
l2 physician.
40 The Sabbath was devoted to union ma
* meeting, with direct reference to the wo
29 in hand; and on Monday the number
"a ladies had increased to near one hundre
''V That day, December 9th, is one long
= be remembered in Washington, as t
day upon which occurred the first 81
IN, render ever made by liquor-dealer,
re his stock of liquors of every kind and \
: riety, to the women, in answer to the
prayers and entreaties, and by the
= poured into the street. Nearly the
sand men, women and children witne
ed the mingling of beer, ale, wine a
= whisky, as they filled the cutters a
were drank up by the earth, while be
were ringing, men and boys shouting, "a
women singing and praying to God, W
had given the victory.
But, on the fourth day, the campai
reached its height; the town being fill
with visitors from all parts of the cou
try, and adjoining villages. Anotl
nnhlic surrander and annther nnnri