The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1895-02-11
SARGE PLUNkETT.
THE WOMAN'S CONTENTION AND ST.
TILENTINE'S DAY.
A Rambling Letter on Current Events.
How the secrets of n WOman's
Meeting was Made Public.
For The Constitution.

ouieiy we nave nad enough sensation
for a spell, and it is hard for to decide
which was the most unhealthy.
Drown and 1 went to the woman's con-
ventlon We saw the great women whose
names are ever before the public and
whose pictures are printed in every news
paper
We were disappointed.
They are no smarter, no prettier, and
not near so sweet as the oid-time southern
women. The notoriety of these convention
women had US awed; we We're prepared to
see something greater than we had ever
seen before. And we did see some strong
women, women tit to put on high boots,
stIaddle a horse and be the "overseer' for
the old-time southern women. In COM
i,aiison with o.d-tnne women these CON
vention women impress us as "hog dro-
vers, as that term WAS understood in the
olden times. Knee deep in slusn or w2d-
ing in blood of the slaughter, the conven-
ton women would tread where even the
spatter would cause the Old-time women
TO gather her white skirts and dee upon
tiptoe. This ''coarseness' may suit the
young generation, it GOES not suit the
older We prefer that gentle dignity, that
halo of mellow sweetness that charm OF
modest virtue, unsoiled by impure thought
or dirty touch, so pure, 50 clean, 4 ne
transparent, that it's sweet ways IAN IKE
a benediction on the south and made IL
blessed.
But what can we do about it? l am
afraid that the pendulum has swung too
tar to ever stop it until it has reached us
full length, and l ttembie for the cohse-
quences to women when 1t starts pacA-
as start back ii must. Brown anu nave
been watching the conditions as tney Sio"'
ly changed to make this wonanS conNeh-
ton possible in the south. 1t cou'd nave
never come here in old times. We had TO
sta II
of Christianity We have watched the
.'progress' and scratched our hSauS ana
stuck pins along at different points.
Awhile ago there came along u Ahe-ute'S'.G
and smart preacher. While cur soou oi1
circuit rider was away somewhere or ms
circuit preaching ANA striving as h"Io -
he could to initiate the pattern set py the
searlpon on the mount" thiS trdVeHh5 lci,,
low was holding a meeting Ior men - 49,,
Some few oId foSieS kchcd' anu 4'.
argued tnat nOthlnS ShJulu Dc ~ -,
~ WIS too inuedcdte Tor the women 10
hear but tnCy called MIN " ciaiii' CO
me fellow preached, and ml6hly s"on We
saw That the lans uaSe dliu Sdee - -
were pretty rOuSh 1oI TIC ii'O4i'
." We had had hardly got cooled down over
this sermon fer men OH'S
tore the deacons informed 10
that woman preacAer WAS. W.
10 pay us a visit and preach 70 "oile.
only" The boys who had hetiIu me
mon for men only" Wtnhed at edch OtHSi'
the old men scratched their heauS "iiiie "a
wondered II the same me OF tHou5H1 -
the same calling upon the girls 10 .a'iu , -
ii SO and was the case, as p.,t,, ~.
the meeting Tor men only: ANY now ~
woman preached and she 'dIaWeb. - "tI
a great sensation in our SeItiSiheit' 60
tho women flied the house. There Were
many married fellows and al me youn9
fellows that wanted to peep, pIt mi ~
was no chance. The doors were locked anu
Inc blinds SHUT to, but they made one MIS-
take and the whole thing leaked out
Brown pumped the organ! ,. 49,.
The woman preacher never tIiouSHI "pOe e
IN po1~ Old organ punper, OAt IT "i1S
Brown and you may Just Pdt II do"i ~
he had his ears open ana ms EYES N' -,
Ind every fellow in the settlement hne"
exactly wha- was said ana zone III Sll",
/. letting before the sun went down. Nh'!s
ae women found that NJ iu ~, MIN -
il was tickling. III old women looked Sh'.t-
ish and The young girls Diushed, Whlle the
BOYS were a-winking and blinking az edcn
other and the 'old fOgieS' Were pray Ihs
mar Tho rood Lord would deliver the virtue
of our settlement from the faint o. Such an
other meeting Tor all time 10 come. -
Poor old Brown. the organ pumpcf. tneE
didn't think Of him. but he heard II all he
has told me all and it makes me bluSh III
vet when | think of what the women had
suggested to them in that WGludhS lncetliS.
But that meeting was sanctioned by the
church--our deaCOns opened the clCIcis
doors for the occasion. rms IS par u
modern religion. All such Things clam 70
be in the interest of the Lord. The old
fogy" is made to take back seat the
good preacher is ONerShadOWcu, NNiie lhH
considerations feast upon sensations 50
suggestive of evil that a gentleman In Z
baYToom is safer from corruption by con
tact The Christian ministers ought 10
either open their eyes to the low standard
that is creeping upon US or give the whole
thing I'D to Ingersol "CrankS' and the
salvation army. | Cont thiu!l there is a
preacher in Georgia but what believes IN
his heart that tho Woman'S Christian rem
perance Union and the Young Mems Chris
tian Association is doing more harm than
good. These two are the most powerful
Of the societies. At first they were harm
less-now they are a menace TO the useful
ness of the church. l write this trem-
blngly. for | believe that either of these
societies could crush these letters at once.
1t would take but one flourish Of the hand
one sound of the voice from these societies
TO start such a boycott as neither Piunkett
nor other man could stem. I am wicked and
make no pretcnces to religion. hut feel
the Importance of the church and of good
preachers. Whatever detracts from these
is worse than open enemy
Just after the Woman's convention came
Colonel Bob Iugersou. He "drawed," too.
Here is an open enemy to the cnurch-he
deserves credit for his Cpenness, but the
conditions and state of feeling that makes
Il possible for him to draw" is 10 he
dcplored. We have gradually worked up
to this. too, and no telling how far it IS to
reach; but there is much less danger In