Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-04-27

4
ance work is the destruction Of the
liquor traffic. The world is The chess
board upon which this tremendous
game is being played.
Marshaled upon the one side are
the pieces of the enemy. moved by the
untiripg band OF Satan. He is the
master-spirit who pushes forward,
here pawn, there knight. there q
bishop, often calling "check" to our
endeavors; but meyer, never, we trust,
will he be able to cry "checkmate".
The pieces he puts upon the board
are costly and splendid. He builds
magnificent saloons and drink palaces
and gilded haunts of sin to lure the
innocent to destruction These are
among his strongest pieces in this
awful, tragical game.
On our side are the weak things OF
this world. Our pieces have no gild-
ing. no carving, nothing to excite ad
miration. and we have entered the
game without even q quota of pieces.
Moreover. our crafty opponent occu-
pies much OF our time and subtr acts
our substance by requiring us-driv-
en- per force by the pity of Christian
hearts-to care for, and endeavor to
redeem his victim. Yet, as we face
our awful opponent, We do 80 fully
assured that, if we play thougbtfolly
and prayerfully. just above US, adding
to our knowledge, inspiring our dull.
ness, strengthening our weakness, is
One who will certainly give us the
victory. And when, at last, the IT,
nal move is made, and the brave
heart of Temperance cries "Check.
mate" 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 heav-
en-.
There is Q subtle influence abroad
which retards our progress-public
opinion. The powerful cords of per-
nicious training bind the hands whose
help we need. and we weary in trying
to loose them. But it must be done.
The law which makes compulsory
the education of children 10 the effects
of alcohol, Dsrcotics. and stimuiants
upon the human system is a measure
wonderfully well conceived, beneli-
cent, and wide.reaching. That is
building enlightened sentiment for
the near future. Near, 1 say, for it
wonderful how quickly the children
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 precipice, it
is best not to 60 bindfolded.
But let us never forget or overlook
the fact that there is colossal tenn
perance sentiment in our midst that
is powerless of tangible good. The
women OF America are not permitted
to breathe upon the laws that so pow
erfully affect the veal or woe of their
families. Now just the moment that
the sentiment of the women of this
country is permitted to have the po-
litical power it should have, that very
moment we will place upon the board
q piece 30 powerful that not q 6end
in hell nor his minion on earth will
fail to set up cry 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 of drunkenness and debauch-
cry and vice whispers in your ear,
chow unwomanly you are," never
finch. God has planted in the heart
of women the seeds of all pure wom-
anly feeling, and no man can uproot
their growth by sneer.
But, my sisters, let US turn to our
selves. Let US consider if there is
even a shade of truth in this unend.
ing charge of unwomanliness and at
tempting to get out of our sphere.
Let us measure ourselves by the most
orthodox standard of conservati vs
womanhood.
Here l stand to day-the mother
of eight children; my life given up
unreservedly and untiringly to their
rearing. Fourteen years a resident
of this town, my face is scarcely
known upon your streets. A Pbari.
see of the Pharisees touching the law
Of wifely and motherly duty-I can
say in the language of Mrs. Brown
ing:
mo fy-blow gossip ever specked my life;
Ny name is clean and open as this hand.
Whose glove there's not man dare blab
about.
As if he had touched it freely"
And yet am met by hiss and that
word "unwomanly" if I wish to lay
my band upon the machinery which
produces the laws that to so great an
extent make or mar the children |
must rear. Is then this we'll earned
crown of true womanhood SO light
bauble that breath can whirl it from
the brow into the dust? | trow not.
If the men Of the state plant sa-
loon upon every street corner to lure
our children to destruction, are we to |
be counted unwomanly that we desire
to Eaye hand in out-lawing that
hideous traffic which is alive at the
behest of Satan that he may make of
the innocent children that to.day play
about our doors, the murderers, the |
thieves. the prostitutes, the lunatics
and the suicides of tomorrow. That
traffic is Satan's most 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 it
is unwomanly to attempt to avert =?
God forbid. II my little child creeps
into the garden, and / see deadly
serpent coiled to spring upon it, am I
unwomanly if I seize bludgeon and
slay that reptile Would you tell
me that after that rough deed my
hand will never again be gentle to.
caress my child?
But . deadly serpent is far less to
be feared than this other evil. II will