The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-10-08

! lifted up my eyes, and 10! in all
countries and lands, u host of women
were gathered together i'm large and
small places, i'm upper rooms and crowd
ell churches. Women with sweet home
faces and gentle woman.y ways; women
with hearts earnest and true, and eyes
full of the light ola steadfast purpose.
They wore simple badge of white rib
bion, and wherever they met they knew
each other, and joined hands in good
work. Whence are they? To what army
do they belong? What is their missionP
And the world became before me, as
] waited for the answer; the world as it
beth i'm sorrOw and sin. In the busy
street, close by the business house where
the money il made that provides the
homes of the nation, the hydra head of
the distillery was lifted, the dlstillery
that ruins the homes. The light of the
churches that bless the world, was cross
ed by the shadow of the saloons that
curse the world. The same shadow fell
across the school-houscs and lay in the
tlowery yards of the homes, and hung
| like II pail over the door posts. Every
| where there were pitfalls for the tender
feet starting out on life's journey. The
mothers kiss warm upon the cheek; the
serpent's hiss cold upon the ear. Unseen
hands held mortgage over every cradle,
Il deed written i'm hearts blood over
every home. And the air was full of lam
entation; Rachel weeping for her child
rem, and would not be comforted because
they are not"
And mighty prayer was borne up to
heaven, "Oh! Lord, how lOng!" "WhO
shall deliver Inc from the body of this
DEATH"
And voices sweet az the lullaby were
answering: Here am |, send me-
"Where Thou leadest, ] will follow
And great joy came into my heart, fOI
the voices were from the white ribbon
women. They came out from the homes
Theyheld council together. 1t was fol
the children, and the world grown gray
in sin, that they gathered in large and
small places. They are the mothers
and sisters and daughters, seeking tC
save that which is lost "And the Lord
went before them by day i'm pillar o.
II cl0nd, 10 lead them the way. and by
light" Around them, above them, {
host ofinvisible helpers, and about then
Il golden ciIcle wherein was written
mot by might, nor by power, but by my
Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts"
And ! saw again, as if far away ant
vet near, that which seemed To me {
divinity, Il Priestess, whose command
had gone forth. "Bnld me an altar
Let the wood thereof he the labor o
willing hands: the light thereof the love
Of willing hearts," And the Priestes
was the National Woman's Christian
Temperance Union, and the number o
her affairs was ten thousand i'm tina
beautiful country they call America, an,
2Hl. 900 women of that happy land hat
on the white ribbons, and were helpin;
build the affairs. In Canada, i'm all tn,
cities and towns, the white twined will
blue was upon the bosoms oft women
and they were all building affairs i'm al
the Queens domains. Over the ocean
IN the cold world, the same white ligh
which is love To God and man-slln,
like signal glow, and | wondered
they were not lit of Goals from the Cru
SADIE fire that bazed up in llillsbOro
Ohio, Dec. 23, 1878.
Ont from the Golden Gate sped shiI
across the seas, and Il white-ribbOn wO
man waved farewell to friendly faces an,
dear white-rlbbon women of her owl
land, as she carried their message TO tn,
Sandwich Isles and New Zealand. Ever
now tie incense Of the new affairs sh,
and the links OF the hearth-stone fire.
where the mothers and children knee
i'm prayer, are fast weaving Themselves
into Il chain that shall encircle thu
world. From continent To continent
from shore to shore, the light of the alta
fires glow, and the helpless, the tempt
ed, the weary and sad are looking will
eager eyes toward the women with the
mother-love i'm their hearts, the sister
help i'm their hands.
And | unused over this wonderful
Priestess, the w. G. T. u. Beneficent
wise, powerful Walking through the
earth, and scattering blessing every
where. Searching among the laws tina
govern our country, and pleading fOl
protection for the helpless children
Without money, without influence o
position and power, establishing hel
claims upon the heart ofthe nation. She
compels us to do good, and brings us
the larger good of the doing. No home
so poor but he can enter therein; NJ
prison so dark but she brings light
no heart SO lonely but she brings cheer
She is no respecter of persons. She
laws an embargo on the rich wOman's
time and purse, and both are given t.
her service. She says to the poor wO
man, "COme to me, and | will make yOr
rich in good deeds" She has walked
over church fences and ieveled then
down, and taken the bar posts away
She has folded up the pages of musty
creeds and written thereon: Glove thy
neighbor as myself" Glove wOrketl
no i'll, therefore love is the fulfilling O
the law" She Is answering the PRAYER
of Christ himself, "That we may all be
one" Such is the mission of the white
ribbon. Is it not one to be desired
Might not angels covet the work giver
to woman's hands to-day?
ESTHER II. HOUsII.