Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-08-27

At a recent meeting of our local Union
it was decided to have printed IN this
column the reports of the superinten-
dents of the various departments of the
temperance work. Mrs. j. M. King,
secretary, read the following summary
of these reports at the Mass meeting
held on last Sunday evening in the
Congregational church. Reports not
included hers will be published hero
after:
r KINGS REPORTS.
Before submitting these reports I wish
to say a few words with reference to the
encouraging features OF the temperance
work in general. Never since the Wash.
ingtonian movement, never in the
history OF our country has this question
taken such deep hold upon the people.
Some twenty years ago the church began
to feel the enormity of the sin, ten years
or more ago it became a vital religious
and social question. To-day this ques.
ton enters into every phase of our civil
LIKED life, into the home, the church, the
school, the state. 1t is no more q ques-
tion that is coming to the front, it is in
the front and will stay there until it
prevails. God is in this cause, then how
can it stand still? how do otherwise
than go forward? "And If God be for us
who q be against usw 1t was the
assurance OF the Divine presence that
encouraged Joshua to go in and possess
the land: it has been the snme assurance
"Lo 1 Am with you always" that has
sustained his chosen people in ell ages,
1T is the same that IN this cause has
made them to "wax valient in fight"
and is enabling them as in Iowa, Kansas
and Maine to put to fight the
armies OF the aliens. 1t was this that
gave Rev. Haddock the courage to
perform duty in the face of death.
The veterans in this cause are astonish-
ed at the rapid progress of public senti-
ment in the last twelve months. much of
this sentiment taking tangible form in
the shape Of the ballot, as in Rhode
Island, Georgia and Kentucky. So 10Y
instead of being booted and scoffed at
those who are working for prohibition
are on the popular side. Preparatory to
the statement that for the last six
months the lnterest has grown In the
work almost daily I would say that
the year or two previous the society had
relaxed somewhat from it's arduous
labors, SO much indeed, that some said
1T is Dead" but if dead it never was
buried and must have had some life
principle like that attributed TO the
Joint snake, for its members are to-day
oompactly united, working for God, for
home and native land. The national
organization has forty.two different de-
%partments OF work. These are as SO
many regiments, or brigades if you
please, commanded by one gallant gem
eral, Miss Francis d. Willard, to wage
war upon the enemy of God and man.
OF THESE forty-two departments our
union has appointed superintendent
for sixteen, viz. Sabbath Observance,
Sunday School work, Temperance Lit
erature, Flower Mission, Finance, Coun-
ty Fair, Work among Foreigners,
Scientific Instruction, Enlistlpg new
members, Juvenile Work, Press, Evan
gel;stic. Music, Franchise and County
Organization. There is one more line of
work pressing heavily upon us viz, that
of social purity; it is our united. earnest
prayer that some Christian woman
may 30 distinctly hear the voice of
God calling her to this work that she
dare not refuse. The superintendents
were appointed late 80 there has not
been as much work done as would other
wise. The superintendent of Sabbath
Observance reports having given one
lesson to infant class on the sacredness
OF the day, one Bible reading,presenting
sixty.nine texts on the subject.
She says that the ministers, as q rule.
do not get their mail on Sunday. The
pestoffice Is open one hour. The stores,
30 far as she knows, are closed. An
effort has been made by the Citizens
League to close the saloons on Sunday.
Railroad ira ffio is carried on by one Of
the roads on this day, and one paper
publishes q Sunday edition.
Flower mission work has received
very little attention, owing to the con.
tinued sickness of the superintendent
However, flower mission day was OBJ
served, boquets OF flowers with scripture
texts attached being carried to the sick
in tho insane asylum, and also to the
Jail. At the latter place prayers were
offered, songs sung, and the committee
came away with hearts more tender
toward those for whom Christ died. ALI
the sick in the city were visited and
through the flower mission the gospel
of peace was carried to the suffering.
The treasurer reports having received
$146.4S and expended Sl07.43.
The superintendent OF the county
Fair says the president and secretary OF
the fair association assured her that
there would be no liquors sold on the
Fair grounds.
The Press department is doing good
and efficient work through the column
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