Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-06-12
W. c. r. q. AT TERRY, MISS.

this place. Since our organization last
fall by our State President, Mrs. Erwin
am sorry to say that we have not kept
in line with other Unions organized
about the same time. cannot see that
we have accomplished anything worth
reporting. We are making mighty
struggle for life, and we desire the pray
erS and cooperation of other Unions
more prosperous than ours. "Remem-
Der them that are in bonds, as bound
with them" We are small band, and
we have received comparatively no help
and encouragement from the citizens of
this place. The majority of our Chris
tian brethren and sisters of the different
Churches have held themselves aloof
from our organization until we have
been forced to believe that they do not
favor the Christian womens battle
against the matchless evil.
King Alcohol still reigns here and we
fear from appearances that the general
feeling is in favor of the whisky traffic.
I'VE have no might against this great
company that cometh against us, neither
know we what to do. 1t is hard for
woman to go forward and accomplish
anything without sympathy and encour-
agement from man. But we must not
give up There is too much at stake.
In the history of the nations there
have often arisen great crises in which
women, regardless of public opinion as
to her proper sphere has been compelled
to arise and battle with all her might
for God, and Home and Native Land.
Such:a crisis is upon us now and through
the instrumentality of his weaker yessles
our God may choose to set our nation
free from the grip Of this enemy. Is it
not written that God hath chosen the
weak things of the world to confound
things which are mighty The race is
not to the swift, nor the battle to the
strong, but our strength must come from
God.
The one brother who net with us
three sisters yesterday evening, in speak
ing of our dying condition, said, Per
haps you have not prayed enough" l
believe he struck the keynote of our
lethargy and lack of growth. We can
do nothing without the help from God,
and how can we expect help if We ask
not for it? To ask that we may receive,
to seek that we may find, is as necessary
in this time Of need as when our sin
burdened souls in obedience to Gods
command, and faith in his promise,
sought and obtained pardon and saliva
ton. We feel our helplessness and our
need of deliverance, therefore, letus in
stantly make known our requests unto
God
Let us two or three who gather to-
gether, seeking only the peace of the
people with whom we are sojourning by
the adjustment of this legalized curse
the whisky traffic-from their midst;
remember that God is for us. With
him in our midst, one may chase a
thousand and two may put ten thousand
to flight.
Your correspondent, though not
identified in home interests with this
people, feels it to be a duty wherever
she may sojourn, if only for few days,
to come up in her feeble strength to the
help of the Lord against the mighty
The Son of Man, when on earth had not
where to lay his head, but, wherever
He journeyed or stopped He found work
to do for the Father, and it was His
meat and His drink to perform it with
faithfulness. He has given us an ex-
ample in all things. Wherever we are
we may at least speak one little word for
Jesus. When we speak for Temperance
we speak for Christ. We cannot afford
to be silent on this great question which
so vitally affects the destiny of every
man, woman and child in our country.
Will not the Christian women of this
town awake to a sense of their duty,
and unite with our little band against
the common enemy of our God, our
homes, and our native land? There is
no neutral ground. You must either
help or hinder the cause by your de-
cision. We entreat you to join us,
Terry, Miss, june 5, 1886.
Il am a constant reader of the SWORD
AND SHIELD, and rather than be de-
prived Of it; | would be willing to give
twice the subscription. w. G. 7. u.
women who fail to read it, miss great
deal that would help and encourage
them in their work Mrs. T. A.
Leatheymdn.