The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-12-04
4 CALL TO PRAYER

Oy tN4uCSb va SAC AdIitS % tue w. y.
T. L. OF this city We publish the follow
ing call for the national day OF pray er,
issued by Miss Frances Z. Willard, pres-
ident of that organization in the United
States:
BELOVED S1sTERs OF THE LOCAL.
UNIONS: The Sc are the times that try
women's souls To be tolerant toward
the ihtoleranI Is difficult gao :, and yet
its exercise is inn eriOusly demanded
of US.
A party long accustomed to success Is
IN defeat. Thousands OF leading men
see their hopes bliUh hit d, ambitions oyer
thrown, perhaps their occupation gone
PARTY journals denOunCe the PIohibi-
tionists as having caused all this and
fellows of the baser sort' hang ex-Gov
eTnor st. John in elfigy. The w. c T.
U. is termed "a political party" and
subjected to the sharpest criticism by
men who found no fault with our socie-
ties in Iowa, Kansas and other states,
where they silent their influence" to the
Republicans. Free speech ard "a free
BALLOT have, within q fortnight, cost
many voter dear, in the good will or
busiDS IS patron, ge OF his neighlors,
while obedience to the most profound
convictions hes called down bitter AN
precations on many an earnest Wo-
mans head Our own familiar friends
In whom We trusted, have uttered these
words in public print and private rep
rimand. Not from the ignorant OF. base
| but from cultured scholars and christian
gentlemen have come these words and
| deeds Not IN generation has such d
| crnss-f1re Of Remuneration whIstied
| through the air as that now aimed
at those OF Us who ''lent their l. fluence'
to the prohibition party.
All this you know from the things thai
you have suffered.
But what is our duty in the strife oil
| tongues?
Dear sisters. We ktsnd bt fore the peo
| as followers of Him who when he wa
| revIled, reviled not again, when he sui.
| fered he threatened Mt, but committed
himself TO him that judgt tn righteously >
Let us, therefore, pray nightly to God
that Ne may be replenish.d with hesv.
emily grace according TO cur need, so that
| the Law of kindness still shall dwell In
our hearts and On cur tongues, and
| charity Tor love- which "vauhteth not it.
| self, is not easily provoked, doth not be-
have itself uuseemiY," shall control our
| every action Next TO Gods spirit
dwelling in our own, nothing will so
help US to he considerable and patient. as
! to pray for and speak gently of those
who. in our judgment, have done injus-
tIce to our motives, our record and our
character. Let us he careful not TO do
| them a parallel injustice, but by recall
ing their noble qualities and their kind
ness IN the past, keep them hidden in the
| citad, of our generous regard and con-
fidence until this storm be overpasl.
Let US try also to put ourselves in their
places and to realize that they toe are
| sincere. even as We are. and acting, the
great majority OF them at least, from
patriotic motives. We seek the same
goal. but have chosen different roads.
each one of US believing his way the
best. In time we shall agree to disagree
and g0 on without bitterness "a soft
| answsr turneth aWsv wrath, but grew
GUS words stir up anger" May God
| fill our mouths with soft answers In these
wrathfuI days. If we women cannot
mitigate the ssperiiies OF politics. woe
full will be the day of our influence there
| IN whether that influence be indirect, as
now, or direct. as in some future time.
But if God be with US, we can save our
country, IS surely as Joan of Arc crown
ed her king.
That the infinite spirit Of Christ may
rule and reign in our hearts, making
6uoLu IcuuoTS tIuC anu todCu2Dlcs ocA
you to observe. as day OF fasting and
prayer, the Fourth of December. read
ing on that day those passages of scrip
ture which relate TO Gods power in the
Affairs of government, and also such as
illustrate the tact that she who is
slow tn anger is better than the mighty,
and he who ruleth his spirit than he
fWho taketh a city" Let us exhort you
more earnestly than ever before to OBJ
serve individually the noohtide hour of
prayer. Our prayer for you, beloved
friends, shall also be that "your faith
fail not" but thst you "stand fast in the
liberty wherewith Christ hath made you
Free" and "having done all, stand"
Yours, with firmness in the right as
God gives US TO see the right"
FRANCES E. WILLARD, Pres.
CAROLINE B. BUELL., Cor. Sec.