Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-10-17
A WOMAN'S LEAGUE
Against the World, the Flesh and the
Devil-FOr Decent Homes, Respect
able Lives and Records,
For Husbands without Muddled Rrains
and Sons Who are Above Vice, and
for Blessings for All.
To the Editors of the Appeal +:

To the Editors of the Appeal:
Fresh from meeting the "Women's Chris-
tian Temperance Union" ! send you few
impressions, chief among which is tia con-
yiction that the ladies who have it 10 ciarge
are earnest unselfsh workers in a csue that
recommends itself for sympathy TO yolr sex
az warmly as TO OURS.
II is a conceded fact that womanas an
organizer is not always a shining slceess
While knowing very we'll what we want to
do, we are not always quite clear as 70 how
to go about it. A certain amount of crude
ness IN our plans OF operation, email ieal-
ousies and large egotisms are too apt to
creep in and mar our best intentions. We
are not always careful to sink our own per-
sonality in the cause we espouse hsr', soul
and body, failure 10 do which viii always
prove fatal TO any undertaking. Another
stumbling-block in the way of success for
women's Organizations is the assured feeling
that her efforts are not likely to be accepted
as such, she will be judged purely by re-
sults, and wherever a wedge of ridrule can
be inserted, she ia comforied by the couvic-
ton that those who would keep women
always in leading strings land their name is
legion) make valiant use OF it.
The antsgonisms 10 a woman undertaking
anything less orthodox than rubbing a gold
lhimble over baby's toothless gums, or
more dangerous thsn building FIRE in the
kitchen stove, are many and varied-cold-
ness, Indifference and ridicule (which are
enough in themselves 10 extinguish the
average woman) ranking high and often
times supplemented by downright, out
spoken disapproval. This being the case,
and let that man among you who can Jay
his hand upon his heart and say it is not,
cast the first denial, when one sees women
calmly, prudently aud gently determined to
win their way in good cause, ignoring
ridicule, stunning alteration and submit
ting ds1lbLy Ia latter-day mIrscle) 20 adverse
criticism for the sake of a cause that ranks
higher with them than the work OF wordv
justification, cause which they regard as
vital 10 the moral welfare of both sexes, one
must need accord to them the need Of
praise which is rightfully theirs or else ac-
knowledge himself a churl.
The cause of temperance is certainly one
that every woman worthy TO be called
woman has very near at heart, and the
women who have formed themselves into as
socialions for the repression OF intemperance
are certainly engaged in a work as truly and
inalienably and sacredly woman's work as
the darning OF socks or the minding of
babies. Individual effort for the reclamation
OF druukard resolves itself into either
an exertion of will by human being whose
will power has been reduced 10 a feeble
minimum by prolonged indulgence in evil
courses that has bluuted that nice sense OF
honor that makes a man finch from incur
ing fresh disgrace, or into expostulations,
more or less querulous, OF sufferer whose
lacerated senslbilities and keen sense of per-
sonal aggravation initiate cruelty against
the choice of words of wisdom, or of such
soothing and encouragement a man, even
at his worst, feels the sorest need of. That in
temperance is the root of tens OF thousands of
the evils under which poor humanity groans,
no one can be found ignorant enough or
hardened enough to deny. That it is an
evil that should be attacked with lofty and
undying determination 10 eradicate it is also
a safe proposition TO advance. Who, then,
are the proper parties TO wage this war
against vice, and carry it into the enemy's
camp, if not the women who are the daily
martyrs to its excesses-the wives, mothers
and daughters, from whose hearts and
lives it is crushing all the warmth
and brightness? 1t is an unfortunate
truth that blame and ridicule of the
manner they go about the great work OF
reformation have been facilitated by women
themselves. There are those, the most blat-
ant among feminine reformers, who, ranking
their own reputation as such before the good
of the cause, render themselves obnoxious by
reason of their much and inconsequent talk
ing. If the Women's Christian Temperance
Union OF Memphis are conscious of any such,
let them pluck them out and cast them from
them, as they are hidden to do by their own
eyes if they offend, for more harm Thu an good
must follow upon all egotisiic displays. The
cause.-The redemption OF those already gone
astray; the holding up of the hands of those
whose spirits are willing but whose flesh is
weak; the arming oil the young to prepare them
for the assaults of the enemy they are sure
to encounter. These are the legitimate OBJ
iects of the association; this is the work cut
out for all who would labor in this tangled
vineyard OF the Lord. The association re-
pudiates indignantly the charge of being in
any Objectionable sense OF the term
woman's rights association; or rather, more
correctly speaking, woman's suffrage asso-
citation. 1t is most emphstically woman's
rights league; league against the weird,
the flesh aud the devil. We are banded to-
gether to proclaim aud maintain our rights
in the matter of respectable homes, decent
lives, honorable records, husbands upon
whom we can lean with confding trust in
their superior strength, sons in whose future
we hope TO reap an aftermath of peace and
prosperity that shall shed roseate sunset
glow upon US as we travel onward toward the
shadow OF the valley of death. But derision is
ready, criticism is sharp, and sympathy lax,
because those who but partially understand
our intentions or our plans OF operations see tit
to make us the target for the excessively
blunt arrows of their wit and seek occasion
to sneer at all women's associations az rem
dezvous for gossip, or places where treason
is Matched against husbands and strategies
against the peace of all mankind is a petted
nursing. The question of woman's suffrage
is one that we are content to leave in the
womb OF time, confident that IN its own APP
pointed season it will work its way into
light, recognition and acceptance. There
are more fateful and mere pressing issues
closer al hand-issues upon which depend
the daily portion of peace and happiness
for tens OF thousands of women. To these
issues this association is consecrated, and the
work it has found to do it proposes 10 do
with ils might. proposing to do with its
might" does not mean that it proposes to
raise and equip salvation armies or start
troup of licensed fanatics TO pray in public
saloons or coerce men into measures, bring
ing ridieule upon themselves and discredit
upon the cause they advocate with such cha
otic zeal. The babbling brook is not the
stream tn at is freighted with the richest ar
gosies. 1t is our desire to inaugurate a Ia
Dor of love that must tell against intemper-
ance by its own unassailable integrity and
our God given resolution. 1t is offensive,
noisy crusade against saloon or whisky dis
tllers that we are engaged in, but quiet
battle against the spirit of intemperance.
A deathless determination that our fathers,
husbands and sons shall be lords of them
selves. We do not wish to be regarded as
banded against the other sex for its own COM
pulsory benefit. We ask aid ard assistance
and advice from them. We are not wagine
feeble spite against any supposilitious
wrongs imposed by masculine ministers of
feminine martyrs. We ask for the privilege
of working hand-in-hapd with our dear
ones of the other sex for a great and COM
mon good. The lime mas gene by when
woman's work was regarded az exclusively
a matter of Dorcas societies forthe distribu
ton of flannel pettieoats and wooden socks,
or when church fairs considered the
only legitimate outlet for Ter energies. As
a rule, m mankind is willingeuough on hear
ing OF any new and starting catastrophe, |
10 ask: "Who was the woman~ Il re-
mains with her to do her larger work in |
such a manner that m ankim will be equally |
ready to rise up and call hr.blessed.
doTHER GOOSE |
F1Oyd's CaIdies.
One hundred varieties, ougn make. Also |
Just received nice line of dHcy baskets, SUIT |
able for candies.