The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-08-06
WORK OF THE w. c. It. u.
BY MRS. n. II. BoARDMAN, NEVADA.

by MRS. n. IL. BoARDMAN, NEVADA.
The Women's Christian Temperance
Union il an organization born of PRAYER
and baptized by the dew of Gods bless
ing; an organization which has for its aim
the lettering of humanity-for its salient
point of attack the liquor traffic. The
means ut command when this organiza-
ton first projected itself upon the notice
of the world were so insignificant in
comparison with those of its strengthen
trenched enemy as To waken the derisive
smiles even of those who usually had Il
sort of mild, gentle encouragement for
foolish philanthropists. BUTT has steadily
grown in influence and power till it has
proved itself AT least IL potentiality of be-
longing TO the number of weak things
which shall confound the mighty.
When one is learning II game-chess,
for example-he must first understand
the object of the game; what he is play
ing for, and the exact strength of each
piece at:his own command and at that of
his opponent If without this knowl-
edge he undertakes the game, "a very few
moves checkmates him. Zeal and earn
esiness exercised ignoTntly count not
ut ALL Now the object of temperance
work is the destruction of the liquor
traffic. This is the chessboard upon
which the tremendous game is being
played.
Marshaled upon the one side are the
pieces of the enemy, moved by the UNI
tiring hand of Satan. lie is the master
| spirit who pushes forward, here pawn,
there Il knight, there a bishop, often call
| ing "check" TO our endeavors, but never,
never, we trust, will he be able to cry
"checkmate."
The pieces he puts into the board are
costly and splendid. lie builds magnifi-
cent saloons and drink places and gilded
| haunts of sin to lure the innocent to de-
struction. These are among the strong
est pieces in this awful, tragical game.
On our side are the weak things of this
world. Our pieces have no gliding, no
carving, nothing To excite admiration,
and we have entered the game without
even u full quota of pieces. Moreover,
our crafty opponent occupies much of
our time and subtracts our substance by
requiring us-drlven per force by the
pity of Christian hearts-to care for, and
| endeavor to redeem ms victims. Yet,
as we face our awful opponent, we do so
fully assure that, if we play thoughtfully
and prayerfully, Just above us, adding
| to our knowledge, inspiring our dullness,
| strengthening our weakness, is One who
| will surely give us the victory. And
when, at last, the final move is made,
and the brave heart ofTemperance cries
| "checkmate," the curtain will fall upon
| the most august game of this age, and
the shout that will ring out from the
purified earth will be echoed in heaven.
There Is a subtitle influence abroad
which retards our progresS-public opin-
ion. The powerful cords of pernicious
training bind the hands whose help we
| need, and we weary in trying to loose
them. But il must be done. The law
| which makes compulsory the education
of children i'm the effects of alcohol, mar
cotics, and stimulants upon the human
system is measure wonderfully well
conceived, beneiicent, and wide-reach-
ing. That is building enlightened senti-
ment for the near future. Near, say
for it is wonderful how quickly the chIl-
dren grow up. Though it is not certain
that all who are taught their danger will
avoid it, yet surely if ones path lies
near the verge of n precipice, 1t is best
not to go blindfolded.
But let us never forget or overlook the
fact that there is colossal temperance
sentiment in our midst that is pOwerless
of tangible blood. The women of Amer.
lea are not PERMITTED to breathe upon
the laws that SO powerfully effect the
veal or woe of their families Now just
the moment that the sentiment of the
women of this country is permitted tC
have the political power it should have
that very moment we will place upon
the board Il piece SO powerful that not
| a. nend in hell nor his minor on eartI
will fail to set up crv of terror. That
is the point, my sisters, that we must
never overlook. Aim for the ballot
That is the key to the situation. Never
falter. When friend or an apolOgist o.
drunkenness and debauchery and vice
whispers in your ear, chow unwomanly
you are" never finch. God has plant,
ed in the hearts of women the seeds Of
all pure womenly feeling, and no mar
can uproot their growth by Il sncer.
But, my sisters, let us turn to ourselves
Let us consider if there is even shade
of truth in this amending charge of un'
womenliness and attempting to get ou
of our sphere. Let us measure ourselves
by the most orthodox standard of con
sentative womanhood.
Here stand to-day-the mother oil
eight children; my life given up unre
servedly and untiringly to their rearing
Fourteen years resident of this town
my face is scarcely known upon YOU
streets. A Pharisee of the Pharisees
touching the law of wifely and mother
ly duty-I can say in the language OF
Mrs. Browning:
mo fiy-blow gossip ever specked my life:
My name is clean and open as this hand,
Whose glove there not a man dares blab abou
As IL he had touched it freely
And vet am met by hiss and tina
word "unwomanly" if | wish to lay my
hand upon the machinery which pro
duces the laws that to so great an extent
make or mar the children | must rear
lis then this well-earned crown of true
womanhood so light bauble that 6
breath can whirl it from the brow into
the dust? ] trow not.
If the men of the state plant saloon
upon every street-cOrner to lure our
children to destruction, are we to bt
counted unwomanly that we desire t.
have hand in Outlawing that hideous
traffic which is alive at the behest o
Satan that he may make of the innocent
children that to-day play about our doors
the murderers, the thieves, the prosti
tutes, the lunatlcs, and the suicides o.
Tomorrow. That traffic is Satan's mos
powerful device for taking the pure
CRYSTALLINE souls of the children Of whom
the Master said, "Of such is the kingdom
of heaven" and making them lurid and
OPAQUE and fit only to be hurled into
those realms of Plutonian night and
eternal sorrow. Is that fate that 1t il
womanly to quietly endure for our chill
dren? Is that fate that it Is unwomanly
TO attempt to avert? God forbid. If my
little child creeps into the garden, and
see deadly serpent coiled to spring up
on it, am | unwomanly If L seize 8
bludgeon and STAY that reptile? Would
YOU tell me that after that rough deed
my hand will never again be gentle to
caress my child?
But a deadly serpent is far less to be
feared than this other evil. 81 will fore
warn you whom we shall fear" said the
Blessed Master "Fear him which, after
he hath killed, hath power to cast into
hell; yea / say unto yOu Fear him."
And yet we are told III strait like
this, ooh! go back. Take your needle
and do fancy work-the needle is the
peculiar insignia of woman's true sphere
Don't think leave that for the sternel
sex. Make your home so beautiful that
your boys will stay there in preference
to any other place, and don't, above al
things, try to dabble in the filthy poo
of politics"
Now that sounds nice. Satan was al
ways plausible. Then while you are
embroidering and painting your china
and making wall banners and screens
and fiattering yourself that you are sweet
and womanly, Satan steps around the
corner there and he builds palace, and
fills it with superb hangings and glitter.
ing mirrors and splendid, sensational
pictures and brights, and into flashing
crystal he pours the seductive beverage
that steals away the brain and the prin.
ciple, and fits his victim for deeds OF
shame and pollution.
1t is all right to make your home as
beautiful as You can, but it is right too t.