West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1885-11-04
OUR VIRGINIA LETTER.
Miss. Harris Coming to Parkers-
burg with Miss j emile Smith.

burg with MISS ennle Sm1Cn.
Earnest Words from this Earnest
Worker.
FRANKLIN, Va, Oct, 20.
MY DEAR FRIEND:
Thy very kind letter was receiv-
ed last evening and hasten to an
swer. I spoke to sister Jennie
about the Parkersburg work, and
will go with her any time she may
appoint in December, if the Lord
permits. 1 do hope the Lord will
open up the way for her, for l be-
lieve it is His will for a great work
to be accomplished in Parkersburg.
Art thou going to the National
Convention ? 1 hope 80. l attended
the Centennial Conference, and it
was grand. 1 enjoyed seeing the
different Denominations and Par
ties represented and hearing their
different views on the Subject of
Temperance. The Jew, Roman
Catholic, and Indians, are uniting
with US in the Temperance Cause.
l received the packages sent one to
Winchester. I divided the Minutes;
took one half home. The others-I
distributed a few and gave the re-
mainder to R. Wilson. She wished
me to do her distributing as she
was very busy. We were very
glad to have the papers to distrib-
ute. l took some of them home.
I have scattered them we'll. Oh
how much I wish the FREEMAN was
in every home in the country,
I have been working in the Tenn
perance Cause ever since 1872. l
have been doing the work of the
w. G. T. U. but knew nothing of
that organization, until met with
Frances Willard four or five years
ago. l have all the while been as
I am now, no one Directing to my
holding meetings in the Bar Rooms
and having Street meetings, Par
lor meetings, &c. and getting up
petitions. This last l did several
years ago, getting several hundred
names, and every Liquor Shop in
this County was closed; but the
dealers appealed to the Supreme
Court and again secured Incense.
But there has been great awaken
ing in this County on this subject.
We have a local Union here of
which I am president and feel l
must go forward in the work. | do
not want to bring reproach upon
the cause; far be it from me, for [
am very Jealous for its honors. But
I do not intend to make any COM
promise with the friends of the
liquor traffic, neither do l expect
to heed their influence in our I'm
ion. | mean to keep an eye singly
fixed upon my God and my ears
open to commands, and whatever
He says do, L shall endeavor to
do it, regardless of opposition.
with His hand to lead me I shall
never fear. Danger cannot affect
me if my Lord is near" l set my
face like flint in this work more
than ten years ago. l have no
mind to retreat and | believe the
time is near when our work will be
crowned with success. Between
two and three Hundred attended
our last meeting of the W. c. T. U.
held at Berea,
Our Union now numbers 46.
Pray that we may increase and
prosper in every good work and
that the Lord may enable our peo-
pie to understand, and that the
Churches may realize their respon-
sibility in this work. We are ruin
ed people unless this tide of Intern
perance can be stayed. But I have
faith to believe that we are going
to be more than conquerors over
this Giant Evil.
Let our watchwords be, Onward
and Victory.
With many prayers that the
Lords richest blessings may rest
upon thee and thy work, 1 am as
ever, thy sincere friend,
SARAH G. HARRIS.
What One Man Can Do.