The Press., 1893-10-26
w. C. T. U. DEPARTMENT.
Why Should Belong to the w. c. T. U. :?
BY ESTHER T. HoUsH.

BY ESTHER T. HOUSE..
 It is a question busy women ask each other, and ask themselves.
 "We have all the duties there is time and strength to perform. Shall we neg lect our homes and children for the w. 0. T. UP" say some of our best women when they are asked to become members of the union. There are two distinct reasons why every intelligent christian woman should, because of her relation to the home, belong to the w. c. T. U. 1st. Home is the center and source of life, and woman is the home keeper. Whatever concerns the home, therefore, is of vital importance to her.
 I 2d. The enemies of home are her ene- mics, and she is called upon to defend both it and herself against them. Intem- perance is acknowledged to be the great | est enemy of the home, the leader of vices in whose wake many deadly foes follow. "But why is woman called to combat the evil? Why cannot men regulate the affairs of the world and leave us to the management of the homes?"
 Partly because they cannot; partly be- cause they will not. The world is simply a collection of homes. Possibly for every ten happy and well-ordered households, | where man is industrious and temperate, there are five where man is improvident | and incorporate. The woman of these homes are helpless, the children grow up in tainted atmospheres, and so go out to curse the world by their own sinful lives, and by their influence counteract much of the good otherwise existing. It is very plain. The mother-love that shields her own child must also shield her neighbor's child. She is prompted to do this by her own self-preservation and that of her home, and by that love Christ-like- which, for the sake of the lost, seeks to save them.
 "But intemperance has always been | combated by good men and women. Why is the W. c. T. U. better organization than any other? ?''
 Because it is organized mother-love, and 'in union there is strength; ;" in or ganization there is power. Nearly two hundred thousand christian women in the United States have banded together and say: "We are the home-keepers; the | children are ours; the saloon is our ene- my, and the saloon must go!" "How has all this been brought about ?'' The crusade was the first personal work of women for temperance. True, socie- ties existed, and much work was done in retaining drinking men. The crusade women virtually said: "The drunkard must not be made. We will pray the sa. loon-keeper not to sell intoxicating drinks l We will save our husbands and sons anG brothers" The spirit of the Lord wal upon them and great good was accom- plished. Into the temperance work 6 strong spiritual element was introduced and women were shown the power of or ganized effort. The w. c. T. U. was the outgrowth of the crusade. So ready were women for the work that twelve states responded to the call for the first national convention, held at Cleveland in 1874 The blessing of the Lord has been con. stant, and the earnestness and devotion of the women without parallel.
 The national w. c. T. U, is now orga nized in every state and territory, with nearly 10000 local unions. Much of this success is due the untiring labors of the national president, Miss Frances E. Will lard, but much also to the faithful women who make up the rank and file of the army.
 | By means of these unions the homes oi the women themselves are directly infiu. enced, children are better taught, public opinion is educated, large amount oi temperance literature is circulated, anG the power of the liquor traffic is being undermined.
 What the home-keepers of the country decide must be done, will be done. They have said temperance is part of religion and it's blessed truths are being taught ir Sunday y-schools, and children are early learning to take and keep the pledge they have said temperance is part of education, and numerous states have made it's teaching compulsory; they have said temperance is the foundation of the true home, and health and the training ot children are emphasized as primal duties
 All true work for humanity is fol Christ. The mothers of Judea brought their children for his blessing, and it fel upon them also. When the mothers o to-day bring the home to Christ, his bless ing shall abide within it, and the "heel ot the serpent"-the serpent of the saloon so long bruising the heart of woman shall itself be bruised and banished iron our beloved land.
 Pledge we then our faith and love, pledge
 it still anew,
 To our country, to our home, to our God be true!
 Not till victory comes lay our armor down Bear the burden till the cross shall be { | crown!