The Brookhaven leader., 1884-12-11

The good people OF Winona have
cause to congratulate themselve:
upon the presence among them o
our distinguished visitors.
My friends, life is a warfare, and
heroism it's highest development
Persons who succeed In the world
without moulding themselves upon
the worlds model are those who
command attention by doing some
particular thing thoroughly well
A crowd of minor achievements pass
for nothing, or only convey the
notion of versatile though erratic
mind; and the whole moral and in.
tellectual character would be much
less forcible and admirable, should
the energies of the mind be in any
degree diverted. The work which
succeeds must be life work; and
the mental, spiritual and physical
forces id one man or woman are not
more than sufficient to overcome
any great and fixed evil.
There never have been any
mighty movements of moral re-
form, that have not been aided to
success by great hearted, self sacri-
ficing women. How much or little
they have counted sacrifice, we can
not tell; for the grand, philanthro-
pic spirit which burns in the souls
of such women as Miss Willard,
Mrs. Chapln, and host of famous
coadjutors of their own sex, counts
not the cost, and renders their work
one of sweetest pleasure. Yet, the
woman who steps from her long
accustomed sphere of domestic
quiet, in pursuance of such an OBJ
ject as that for which they labor
to-day, meets upon all sides, and
from all ranks, bitter assailants.
God has differently endowed His
creatures: and there are women
who differ in their glorious gifts as
zone star differs from another star
in glory"
The sweet spirit of Mary Black
burn Morris, which has just entered
into that reward which awaits all
"who love there fellow men," would
upon the rostrum, perhaps, have
lifted trembling accents for any
cause she might have loved; but
how strong was the sweet voice, to
soothe the dying pillows Of our
Southern boys-how gentle the
tender touch that swept pain from
aching brows-how dear to memory
the words that cheered dropping
hearts and revived dying hopes,
while the long agonies of four years
of fratricidai waretare wore on
Women like this are the lovely
Marthas who wet with sympathetic
tears the check of suffering, or pour
balm in the sore hearts; but women
like these who are with us to-day
are knights Of chivslry, who come
with lances set for the charge!
They come to prevent wrong-to
meet the dread serpent Yydrasdil,
whose fiery tongue and poisoned
fangs, and paralyzing glances dart
ing here and there for victims,
strike horror and terror to the
bravest heart.
They have, too, the "gift of
tongues the silver charms OF
speech, which falling upon our ears
to-day, may set in motion a sublime
harmony which will broaden and
deepen and grow grander still, until
it reaches the skies-reverberate
through tho heavens, and thus from
height to height at last stir Heaven
itself with the great symphony,
which shall swell into the glad
sounds of victory
The woman who clings to the
true and beautiful desires to raise
the fallen, cheer and strengthen the
weak, must indeed have an ardent,
impassioned love of the grand cause
she espouses. Her soul must be
fred with the resolution Of hero or q
maryland where such women
exist, a country cannot be dead, nor
caL it die
When one calls to mind the ar.
duous character Of this work, which
seems but a refreshment to the
souls of these earnest women, it is a
marvel how their sensitive and
gentle natures can grapple so sue
cessfully with the terrible evil oi
intemperance; just as it seemed a
marvel, no doubt, when Charlotte
Corday nerved her pnre soul and
slender hand for the stroke with
which she thought to bring freedom
to her beautiful France.
The devotion Of these ladies to
the cause of Temperance and good
morals-temperapce in all things
l would add-in eating as well as
drinking--temperanoe in the use
of all our faculties and our appe-
tites.
Nun-abuse of all the good things
God has created for our delight;
for all intemperance is sinful alike;
differing only IN this-that the re-
suit to others is not so disastrous
nor Its evil effects so common; but
still, to the man who is guilty
equally indurating and fatal.
Such devotion | repeat, is de
served passport to your sympathies