Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-06-09
This column is edited by the Press Commit
tee of the w. G. T. U. of Austin.) ~.
The Mission OF the White Ribbon.


lifted up my eyes, and 10! in all coun-
tries and lands. a host of women were
gathered together in large and small
places in upper rooms and crowded
churches. Women with sweet home faces
and gentle womanly ways; women with
hearts earnest and true, and eyes full of
the light of a steadfast purpose. They
wore a simple badge of white ribbon, and
wherever they met they knew each other,
and Joined hands in good work. Whence
are they? Io what army do they be-
long? What is their mission?
And the world came before me, as /
waited for the answer; the world as it
lieth in sorrow and sin. In the busy
street, close by the business house where
the money is made that provides the
homes of the nation, the hydra head of
the distillery was lifted, the dlstlllery
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-hOuses and lay in the
fowery yards of the homes, and hung
like 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. IN
seen hands held mortgage over every
cradle, deed written in hearts blood
over every home. And the air was full
of Lamentations; Rachel weeping for her
children, and would not be comforted,
because they were not" And mighty
prayer was borne up to heaven. "Oh!
Lord how long!" 'Who shall deliver me
from the body of this death?'
And voices sweet as the home lullaby
were answering: Here am I, send me. :"
''Where though leadest, will follow"
And great Joy came into my heart. for
the voices were from the white ribbon
women. They came out from the homes.
They held counsel together. 1t was for
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 to save that which
is lost. "And the Lord went before them
by day in pillar of cloud, to lead them
the way; and by night in pillar of fire to
give them light" Around them, above
them, a host of invisible helpers, and
| about them golden circle wherein was
written: mot by might, or by power,
but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of
Hosts
And l saw again, as If far away and
vet near, that which seemed to me a
divinity, a Priestess, whose command
had gone forth, Build me an altar
Let the wood thereof be the labor of
willing hands; the light thereof the love
of willing hearts" And the Prlestess
was the National Woman's Christian
Temperance Union, and the number Of
her affairs was ten thousand in that beauti-
full country they call America, and 200,-
600 women of that happy land had on
the white ribbons, and were helping
build the affairs. In Canada, IN all the
cities and towns, the white twined with
| blue was upon the bosom Of the women.
| and they were all building affairs in all
| the Queens domains. Over the ocean,
| in the old world, the same white light
like signal glow, and l wondered if
they were not lit by Goals from the Cru
| SADIE fire that blazed up in Hillsboro,
Ohio, Dec %, 1873
| Out from the Golden Gate sped ship
across the seas, and a White-ribbon w0
man waved farewell to friendly faces
and dear white ribbon women of her own
land, as she carried their message to the
! Sandwich Isles and New Zealand
Even now the incense of the new affairs
she has builded is ascending up to heaven,
and the links of the hearth stone fires,
where the mothers and children knee]
| in prayer, are fast weaving themselves
into a chain that shall encircle the world.
Frem continent to continent. from shore
to shore, the light of the altar fires glow,
and the helpless, the tempted, the weary
| and sad, are looking with eagar eyes
toward the women with the mother-leve
in their hearts, the sister-help in their
| hands.
And I unused over Cthis wonderful
| Priestess, the w. G. T. u. Benefcent,
wise, powerful! Walking through the
earth, and scattering blessings every
where. Searching among the laws that
govern our country. and pleading for
protection for the helpless children.
Without money, without influence of
position and power establishing her
claims upon the heart Of the nation. She
compels us to do good, and brings US the
| poor but she can enter therein; no prison
SO dark but she brings light: no heart
80 lonely but she brings cheer. She is
no respector of persons. She lays an
embargo on the rich woman's time and
purse, both are given to her service. She
says to the poor woman, "Come to me-
and will make you rich in good deeds.
| She has walked over church fences and
| leveled them down, and taken the bar
| posts away. She has folded up the pages
of musty creeds and written thereon:
"Love thy neighbor as thYself," Love
! w0rketh no Ill, therefore love is the
| fulfilling of 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
| desired2 Might not angels covet the
| work given to woman's hands to-day!
| ESTHER T. HOUsH,
National Supt. Press Dept. W. G. T. U