The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-02-24
Miss Williard's Campaign.

"A very large ana lnteilectunl audience as
sembled last night in the Trinity M. E. church
to welcome Miss Willard, president Of the
National Woman's Christian Temperance
Union. We had intended to have made a
report ofthe address, which con-
tains many things worth reading and consider
alton, but our representative was detained
elsewhere and arrived only in time to hear a
portion of Miss Wizards able address. We
therefore give an extended summary of the
salient portion of the discourse when our re-
porter arrived.
Miss Willard was declaiming forcibly, but in
charitable terms, against the liquor traffic,
pointing out clearly that she was waging war
against the sin and not against the sinner. She
alluded to the formation of the women's I'M
ion and her first entrance into that body,
with which she was associated. She had
heard of good people, the good templers and
others, but having no personal interest she
did not know nor understand much of them
and their work. One of the first lessons she
learned was the great difference IN saying,
hope they may succeed in their cause, and l
hope that we may succeed in our cause.
Standing there as she did alone she did not
feel alone. She knew that there were thou
sands of women who knew of her visit here
tonight and who prayed for her success.
But better than all these she knew
that grey haired mother knelt
before the thrown of grace to call down bless
ingsofheaven upon her child, who was address.
ing them. She had observed the extent of the
liquor traffic here, and found the premises oc-
cupied by it, their duty would be to GUST it out
and to prevent its return. The action of the
temperance cause she likened to in states of
Holland some years ago. The Dutch saw the in
sidious sea creeping upon them slowly and sure
ly, day by day engulfng more of the land and
and threatening them with destruction, draw
ing up even to the borders OF their home
steads. There were then as now two parties,
one proposed to let the sea have its course, the
other to stop its progress of danger and ruin.
hS AottSA PoANy wiz SAOh6SSSS oAo PAS
vailed, dams were erected with care, the ma
terial laid solid, and the progress of the sea
was effectually stayed, but their work does not
end here. Eyes are upon the structure daily
to watch the action of the sea, and if the
slightest breach is made in their protection
hands are there at once to stop to breach and
to prevent further progress. Drink, she said,
was one sea; it came upon us, took away our
land, our people and our hopes; temperance
people must therefore work and act erecting
strong wall of protection and prohibition
and watch closely that no breach was made
in it. She next alluded to the work of the
Women's Christian Temperance Union she
represented there that night. She gave some
interesting details, showing that it had be-
gan in an humble way, but had worked up its
way until there were new twenty thousand
members. The initial w. C. T. U. were
cabalistic, but her friend, DR.. Fodder, had ex-
planned that it meant not only Women's Christ
ian Union, but 1--WE come to upset." and ad-
ded that's just what we intend to do. Abiding
to the force of example she made several per-
sonal "reminiscences at different times, which,
to curtail space we shall bring in one para
graph. One was of a relative who was in the
board of trade. When she spoke to him OF
the subject it was the old excuse. A glass
must be taken to induce or settle bargain,
transact business; but when she pointed out
its evil, he threw the glass out of the
window, and from that hour had taken none
In another case she spoke of southern
senator's wife who came to her and in speak
ing of banquet given to celebrate her hus-
bands return, said 1--WE didn't ask Col. Blank
because we knew his failing, and his resolu-
ton, and would not place temptation in the
way" but by strange inconsistency the &C
cursed temptation was placed before others to
work its own end. In another case she cited
the instance Of banquet at a Chicago hotel.
A few days prior to it she went to an old
friend, and a christian, and asked him to alb
stain from drinking on the banquet night. In
stead of receiving her with pleasure, and lis
tening to the precepts of the gospel he pro-
fessed to love, scowl came over his face and
he said he should certainly drink, which he
did do. She knew that one would be
there who would be influenced by
his conduct, and she, therefore, made the
request, on the morning of the banquet to that
one-a younp man that had nreviOuSlv tailed