The Portland daily press., 1883-12-21
The Temperance Work.
The Motive and Service of the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union.


Mrs. Frances e. Willard, President Of the
National W. G. T. q makes in the Century
the following statement concerning that organ
ization:
The woman's Christian Temperance Union
is the lineal descendant of the woman'z
crusade of 1874, whose first ''pTaying band"
| was led from the Presbyterian church OF Hills
| boro, Ohio, by Mrs. Thomson, daughter Of
Gov Trimble. 1t is, in fact, "the sober second
Thought" OF ia u marvellous uprising by meaue
of which woman uttered her protest against
the forgetfulness and tho neglect as the result
of which home has lacked protection from the
dram shop The "praying bands" earnest,
impetuous, inspired have become the wossan's
Christian temperance unions, firm, ia lent and
DerseveriDg. Thirty States are already organ
lied ,and three thousand local auxili aries dot
ting the continent fulfill the Bible iojunction
Make chain, for the cities are full Of blood
and the land of violeuce." Our methods OF
work are quiet, practical and systematic. We
have learned by the argument OF defeat aud
the logic of events what net to do, as well ~
some tn ngs to attempt The evolution OF our
activities has been from tho individual Co the
home, thence to society, and finally to the
government itself.
The w. @. T. q. stands AS the exponent not
alone OF that return TO physical sanitv which
VIII follow the downfall of the drink habit,
but also of the reign of religion of the body,
which shall correate with Christ's wholesome,
practical, yet blessedy spiritual religion OF the
soul. "rhe kingdom of Heaven is within
| you" shall have new significance to the clear
| eyed, ste ady-limted Chrisians Of the future,
| from whose brain, blood and Drawn the taInt
| OF alcohol and nicotine has been eliminated by
| sges of pare habit and noble heredity. "Ths
| body is the temple OF the Holy Ghost will
not then seem SO mystical a statement, bor one
| Indicative of temple 50 insaubrious as now.
The women Of this land have never had such
training our "Topieal Studies furnish, in
| the laws by which childhood shall set out upon
its endless journey with priceless heritage Of
powers laid up in store by the tender sacred
foresight OF those by whom the yoang immor-
| tabs being was worked The laws of health
were never studied by so many mothers, or
with such immediate results for good on their
own lives and those OF their children. Tho
deformed waist and foot OF the
average fashionable woman never
nor the cumbrous dress of the period 80 unen-
durable, as now when from studying one "poi
! sou habit our minds by the inevitable laws Of
| thought, reach out to wider researches and more
varied deductions than we had dreamed Of vt
first. The economies of simpler sty le OF Hv-
ing never looked so feasible as 10 home-nak.
ers who have learned something about the
priceless value OF time and money for the pur-
poses OF Christ like benevolence. The value
Of a trained intellect never had such signif-
cance as since we have learned what incalcula-
BILE advantage results from a direct style; what
value resides in the power tc classify facts
The puerility of mere talk for talks sake,
the unworthiness of "ide words and vscuous,
purposeless gossip; the waste OF long and aim
less letter writing never looked SO egregious 81
to our workers, who find each day too short
for the glorious and gracious deeds waiting
for them on every hand.