The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-07-20

a Paper Written by Mrs. l.. ID. Burne
Cowan, and read at Regular Meetin
OF the Wallace Union, April IL, 1900.
The women's crusade against tn
saloon was undoubtedly in answe
to the prayers and tears Of those OF
pressed by suffering caused by tn
drink habit Of those enslaved by tn
use of alcoholic drink.
The iullness Of time having com
for the manifestation of the powe
of the Holy Spirit, the women 0
the land were called Of God to d.
this work, and willingly responded
"Here am |, send me-" and wen
forth to conquer in His Lame.
Years before, about the time OF
the Washingtonian movement, TIT
mother of DR.. Dio Lewis inaugura
ted, in the town where she resided
{ Auburn New York, crusade
against those who sold liquor, re-
sulting in the abandonment OF the
trafilc IN that town, ana Tor years
no liquor was sold there.
This so impressed DR.. Lewis that
he often mentioned this experience
in towns where he lectured, and To-
cal crusades were carried on with
good resulting therefrom.
The first enc recorded, and the
most notable previous to 1873, was
in Dixon, H., in 1883, where the
women of the town went out in as
genuine warfare against the saloon
as in later years; but not until thir-
teen years afterward, December,
1878, when At the suggestion Of DR..
Lewis that organized effort be made
Dy the women the crusade fire broke
)ut simultaneously at Hillsboro and
Washington Courthouse, Ohio, was
here any wide spread work done.
While Mother Thompson is ac-
corded the place of leadership, and
Hillsboro conceded to be the CEN
.er from which the crusade fire
spread, Mother Stewart and Wash
ngton Court House have the next
place Of honor in connection with
this new departure from ordinary
methods OF temperance work.
One noted characteristic of the
workers was that SO many Of them
had previously been timid, retiring
women, whose voices had never
been heard even in prayer in pub
lie.
These were as certainly made
bold by the power Of the Holy
Spirit as were Peter and John by
pentecostal filling Of the Holy
Ghost.
Mrs. Thompson the daughter Of
an ex-governor, the wife Of Judge,
a prominent member Of the
Presbyterian church, decided
homekeeper, was the one whom the
women of Hillsboro called upon to
cad their forces upon that noted
when the world was startI-
I'd by so strange procedure on the
part OF hitherto quiet, reticent wo-
men. There was demurrer on the
part of Judge and Mrs. Thompson
when informed by their son that his
mother had been appointed to lead a
Meeting at the Presbyterian church
n the following morning, and to 60
roM there to the saloons to pray
or and expostulate with the saloon
and to ask them to aban-
lon their wicked business.
But the following morning fouLd
lrs. Thompson with the approval
+ her husband enquiring Of the
ord his will in the matter. Before
he had made a decision, her young
laughter came into the room with
n open Bible in her hand saying,
Mamma, | opened to this Psalm,
nd l think it is for you"
1t was Psalm 146, and Gods
ne sage to Mrs. Thompson to go
onward.
She went to the meeting and read
he Psalm there, and from that time
has been known as the Crusade
'salm.
After fervent prayer at the church,
hey went out to sing and pray in
he saloons, or where denied an en-
rance to kneel upon the icy curb
tone in front, singing hymns, and
'raying that the Lord would so work
Ipon the minds Of these men by the
'ower Of the Holy Spirit that they
would willingly give up their bust
less and promise to abandon it al
ogether.
During the weeks Of prayer service
hat followed many saloon keepers
vere led to forsake this kind OF life,
nd were truly converted.
Other towns caught the inspira-
ion, through their example, i'm