Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-10-29
Temperance Work for Christian Women.

| nj FRANCES y. WILLARD.
"What work is there for us to do w,
want something practical" Do you then
trulyY Are you ready aud willing, as mem
bers Of the growing army of temperance
women, to put in your sickles anywhere anc
help to harvest the fields already white 2
| For | sometimes think we deceive our
selves when we declare our anxiety to be ac
tive in this branch of Christian service, and
yet do nothing, for II there is one coupet in
all our Gospel hymns more literally true
than another it is this, which we so often
sing
Ifyou want field Of labor
You can find II anywhere.
| But let US see. Any saloons in Blank.
town
"No, we don't have saloons"
Any Social" moderate or immoder.
ate " drinkers
80 yes, plenty of all these kinds. They
get their liquor from Beerville, two miles
away"
Very well, then, is your work far to seek ?''
Resolve sin the strength of grace, with a
glad heart and free" to have womans cru.
sade in your own town.
"What, when we have no saloons, and
never had ?"
Assuredly.
"You'll have to guess your own conuu-
drum, for it's beyond our finding out, al.
though we're Yankees"
Very well. Suppose one dozen, or half
that number of the most earnest Christian
women in your Womens' Christian Temper.
ance Union should unite their faith in pray
ing for Gods Spirit to precede and to at
tend them as they went forth quietly to
plead with the worst drinkers in town to
sign the total abstinence pledge, invok-
ing "the help of Almighty God in
keeping that pledge. Isn't that "practi-
cal ~ Wouldn't there be point aud de-
tiniteness to such prayers and to such
faith Would not living, active conse-
Grafton possess those women's souls, and
going forth upon their mission, tender,
blessed, and sacred as it would be, is there
any doubt but their hearts would gain that
mellowness which is contagious and all con-
quering in its gentle power2
"Well, surely that might be-"
Is there anything chimerical or far-fetched
in such suggestion Does not your ex
perience as Christian women confirm the
prophecy do not fear to make, that if, in
stead of being met to pray" on general
principles for the temperance cause, these
enduement of power for our undertaking, so
in harmony with Christ's own way of work
ing, they would gain the holy boldness I"
which would make it altogether possible and
even delightful for them thus to go forth
At first it might seem too hard and too
herculean task, but as Dean Trench puts
it in his wonderful sonnet on prayer
Lord, what change within us one short hour
Spent in1hy presesce can avail TO nakel
Really, it looks reasonable, aud the sug-
gestion lays burden upon our conscience,
such as we have not felt before. Has it
been tried 2"
Tried, indeed What was the most en-
during feature of the great uprising of wo-
men in the crusade of 1874? 1t was this
tender, prayer-guided appeal to the heart of
tempted manhood. Take single illustra.
tion of more recent date and one will do as
well as many:
Drunken Michael was coming into town
balancing precariously upon a load of hay.
A Christian woman with prayer in her
heart went out on the street and asked him
to stop, as she wished to speak with him.
Then, in low, earnest voice she besought
him to come into her house and take the
pledge of total abstinence.
Faith, ma'am, is it the likes O. you that
minds whether poor Mike goes to the devil
or no ?" said the warm-hearted fellow, and
he went into the lady's pleasant home, took
the pledge, aud from that day-.three years
ago--to this. he has proudly worn the red
ribbon with which her trembling fingers
decorated him. To be sure, she has fol-
lowed him with prayers and sympathy, with
safe example, and gently uttered precepts
from that day to this-but where could she
have Invested these to better purpose than
in winning back this wayward life, and
Frightening the home it had so sadly
darkened ?
Do not, however, confde the work TO those
of the less instructed class, but covenant
together before God to make the work of
visitation general, with specific promises to
God and to each other that you will take
specimen cases to look after. Aud at the
next meeting you will have something to
report, instead Of " coming and going like a
door upon its hinges"
Sisters of the Womens' Christian TEN.
perance Unions, shall we undertake this
work 1t is simple, practical, universal.
May God help us to reply by actions worthy
of our discipleship in Christ
Chicago, September 20, 1879.