Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-10-31


a membership of 36,l0 paying mem
bers. Also unions in Australia, Sand
wich Islands and Great Britain.
The question now naturally arises,
why have the women of the land thus
banded themselves together The
preamble to the constitution of the n.
w. c. 7. U. is as follows: The
Christian women of this nation, con-
scious of the increasing evils, and ap-
paled at the tendencies and dangers OF
intemperance, believe it has become
our duty, under the providence OF God,
to unite our efforts for its extinction"
And the belief of the Penn'a w. Z. L.
L. is: THE cause of temperance IS
the cause of God, and as such is one
and indivisible. 1t is truth-sclentlfc,
moral and religious. 1t is not local,
but a general cause. 1t Is above sect;
it is above party. The evil to be rem
edied is a common evil; the object to
be attained is a common good. Our
cause, as antagonistic TO intemperance
and all its hydra headed evils, is moth
ing less than the cause of humanity It.
self" And in their platform" they
say 'In the prosecution OF this work
we RELY upon Divine assistance secured
through fervent, persistent and impor-
tunate prayer to Almighty God, offered
in faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and
with souls filed with love for souls.
But faithful and consistent prayer must,
as an inevitable result, be accompanied
by efficient and organized work"
Then, as a part of this great and
grand organization, we are met here to-
day to review what we have done and
form plans for future work. AS our
county has been but recently organized,
few words will suffice to tell what we
have done. But we have done some
thing-temperance has made some pro-
gress in our midst. Last winter Miss
White lectured and organized unions
at seven places, and in the earl y sum-
mer at Centrevile. Efforts were made
to have observed the Day of Prayer"
for temperance, in the "week OF
prayer.n How far this succeeded we
know not as no reports were sent to
me. But we hope that many prayers
ascended then along with those that
were going up all over our land for
blessings on our beloved cause.
C. 7. A. petitions were circulated
throughout our county aud those for
women were numerousiy signed, show
ing that part of our community is in
favor of prohibition. AS for the voters,
could get no report of the number
that signed. Last spring five saloons
(three at Saxonburg, one at Saxon Sta
tion and one at Delano) were refused
license on account Of circumstances sent
to Court, signatures to which were
mainly procured through the efforts OF
the women Of the Presbyterian church
es of Buffalo and Westminster. Thus
has a little seed be sown, few spots
cultivated, but as we look around we
see many fields growing full of the rank
weeds of ignorance and Indifference and
it is our duty to put our hands to the
plow and go forth, in the strength
which God Will give US, to cultivate
these barren wastes, sowing diligently
the seeds of temperance in every place
And having once put our hands to the
piow, let US not look back, for Jesus has
said that "no man having put his hand
to the plow and looking back, is tit for
the kingdom of God"
The field first in Importance is that
of the children of our county who are
to be trained in temperance ways.
Acco ding to an account | have seen
we have in our public schools over l3,
900 pupils with over 800 teachers.
How many of these teachers do we
suppose are able to teach temperance
as it should be taught in our schools.
Besides we have our Sunday schools
where temperance lesson leaves should
be used and Glands of Hope" organic
ed in both 1.-The Literature Depar-
mcnt is one whose Importance can
scarcely be over-estimated. The publi-
cations are suited to all classes and
conditions of society.-Thus briefly
have we alluded to the departments OF
works which seem to Us to be those IN
which we should be chiefly engaged.
In some localities there may be need
for work in others rs-Some of the
members of our Unions have seemed
to think that, because there are no sa-
looms in their neighborhood that there
is no need of work or organization.
Surely this is an error. Let them
thank God that they have no saloons
and go to work to train the youth and
tone up the sentiment Of the community
so that there will be no danger of sa-
looms in the future. And to this end
| would urge that they warn their boys
of the danger that turks in the cider
barrel, for undoubtedly many acquire
their taste for alcoholic stlmulants
through the use Of sweet cider. Let
us then, grid US and with God as our
helper and the cooperation of His min
listers, which we have had, conse-
crate ourselves anew to His service,
counting no sacrifice too great tor
Him who has done so much for US,
and when the last great day shall come
may it be said to US, "Inasmuch as ye
have done it unto one of the least OF
these we have done it unto me"
Later accounts give the number of
unions at 5000 and members $4,000.
ELIZABETH II. DAIN.
Buffalo twp, Oct. |, 1888.
The Devil or Ben Butler.