Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1893-11-21
A Call to Duty.

Dear sisters ana earnest CO-WOrkerS
in the Mississippi State Union: 1t isa
fact that being q member of the w. G.
T. U. and taking upon ones self the
solemn vow that such membership re-
quires, is no trifing matter. Haveyou
ever quietly asked your own heart the
question, What did promise in be-
coming a member of this organization
and how havo kept that promise? Do
you fully realize the sacred obligation
resting upon you? You said solemn
ly promise, God being my helper, to
abstain from all distilled, fermented
and malt liquors, including wine, beer
and cider as a beverage, and to employ
all proper means to discourage the use
of and traffic in the same. OF course
You do abstain according to this prom
Use. but do you employ all proper means
to discourage the use Of and traffic in
tho same The word employ means
to use, to exercise; do you do it or do
you wait for an opportunity to present
itself? 1t certainly means that we are
to be on the look out for every chance
to use our influence in this matter. 1t
is sometimes the case that w. c. T. U.
woman will sit still and hear her friend,
not member, plan to use wines on
her table for sauces or for the making
of some favorite dessert and never say
l. 1, Is Il Of
such thing. Is it right or is it keep
ing your vow to let thing of this kind
pass unnoticed? Some timid ones will
say l am afraid of wounding a friends
feelings to advise her what she shall
and what she shall not have on her ia
BILE. To such a one would say if you
wear your beautiful white ribbon badge
as you ought always to do, your friend
knows that your every sentiment is
against using intoxicants, and your
pledge is binding and she will admire
you all the more for being true to your
colors and true to your pledge and
speaking out, even though it be at va
IldlCc Will uCl OWu IL folC w
comes offended it is an easy matter to
assure her that no offense is intended,
and at once the way is open for live
temperance woman to explain much to
her friend that she doubtless needs to
learn about our blessed white ribbon
work
Then we are to employ all proper
means, and that means, a great deal of
work. There is the substantial, honest
church member who sees no harm in
keeping cider for sale in his grocery
and often making the children happy
by giving them an "innocent" glass of
cider. That is one of the hardest kind
of things to correct and it can hardly
be done except by presenting the mat
ter to the grocer in such way that he
cannot fail to know that there is alco
hol in the pleasant drink of cider and
it is dangerous. If he can be convinc
ed of this he will give it up, but it takes
wisdom and perseverance. kindness
and tact to do anything with such
man: still there is the pledge and we
have asked Gods help in keeping it;
are we to trifie with the Almighty by
lightly calling on Him to help US do
what our own cowardly hearts would
make us neglect The promise has
been made and must be kept is we ever
gain success.
There are so many means" to be used
and it is so important that all be done
that we can DO to put the enemy to
flight before our homes are left unto
us desolate.
If the w. C. II. US. Of any town or
community will let the people under
stand that they are not indifferent to
anything that will put down the curse
of intemperance; but on the other
hand that everything possible will be
done to accomplish that object, it will
do more than anything else to help the
cause along.
For member of the Woman's Chris
tian Union to say that she forgets the
day of meeting or forgets to wear her
white ribbon is enough to say to all
outsiders that she is not much inter
ested in the work, and to those who are
interested and trying to work it is a
great drawback encouragement and
a disappointment that hurts the whole
work of the local Union.
The times are Frightening; we, as an
organization, have made great headv'ay
in the grand service Of the Master
Many men of noble talent and wise
heads are encouraging us to move on
and many are helping grandly.
Rev. Sam. Jones thank God that
there Is such q MANI il a little talk be-
fore the woman's Council of Memphis
the other day, encouraged woman's
work in organizations and be said that
the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union has dozs more and suffered more