West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1881-05-18
TEMPERANCE REVOLUTION
IN THE SOUTH.
A Rapid Transit Letter.
BY FRANCES F. WILLARD.

After three weeks of Southern
experience | am glad and grateful
to send you word it is the most re-
warding work of my whole life.
Not financially, Of course, for we
charge nothing, take no collections,
and the subject of money is not to
be "named among ye" But the
hospitality is boundless. Invita-
lions to breakfast dinner and tea
calls, carriage-rides, dainty dishes,
and kind words by the dictionary
full.
When we get to the railroad sta
ton some gentleman insists upon
buying our tickets and then sud
denly disappears, after placing
them in the hands of our major
don,o, Mrs. Mcleod. Nay more, by
the efforts of Mrs. DR.. Thomas and
Mr.. e. S. Young, assistant general
passenger agent of Baltimore and
Potomac, and Mr. John B. Peck, At
lanta, whose wife is very earnest in
our work, we have secured some
passes and several reduced rates, so
that expenses have been very much
diminished. 1t is anew experience
to go ascot free" in strange land.
We are spending a good deal in lit
erature, for which the demand is
strong, and by this means shall be
able to spread the knowledge of our
work and methods, far and wide.
Three weeks of blessed work for the
homes and loved ones of most gen
ial, intelligent, and heartily respon-
sive people, have made me quite in
love with the South. To think
they should have received me as
asister beloved, yet with full knowl-
edge that / was that novel and un-
palatable combination Gas Rich
mond gentleman said) "a aooman )
a Northern woman; a Northern
Temperance womanW l had been
told that to speak in public
in the South was "not to be thought
of"-that call would be lost" if at
tempted anything beyond "parlor
meetings" But instead of this
their iberality of sentiment has
been abundantly equal to the
Strain )" their largest churches fill
ed with the best, most influential
and thoughtful people; their min
listers more united and earnest in
the temperance cause than ours
in the North their editors without
the slightest ''subsidizing," as
kind and helpful as my own broth
er could have been. Nay, the only
grief have is to be spoken of so
much better in every way than my
own consciousness bears me witness
that l merit.
Let me give you an idea of our
msodus operandi. Dear Mrs. Mcleod,
"Southron of the Southrons,"
sends letters to leading ladies and
pastors, secures their interest, goes
on before and speaks, perhaps in
some church prayer-meeting, Civ
ing accounts of our work, arranging
for afternoon meetings of ladies
and evening engagements in some
church. Arriving, a committee is
at the depot, and from that hour
everything is done to express the
welcome of generous and honest
hearts. In the evening, after an
address, often with all the leading
pastors of the city present, papers
are circulated through the audience
asking the ladies to put down their
names for membership in the w.
C. T. U.
The Huguenot pastor of Charles
ton, Rev. DR.. Vedder, says that
means ave come to uaite," and We
come to upset." The conditions of
membership are signing the total
abstinence pledge and agreeing to
pay penny a week into the treas
ury. Gentlemen become honorary
members on the same terms, |
have seldom or never had responses
80 hearty at the North as we find
here. Every day we hold a ladies'
meeting, the pastors assisting, and
elect officers, agree upon practical
methods of work, as: organizing
temperance cadets with the militia
ry drill; circulating temperance
literature by means of tin boxes
put up on markets, depots, shops,
etc, securing a "Loan Library" to
he nlaced in the hands of those we