The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-04-06
WORK OF CHRISTIAN WOMEN.
nr. Hawthorne's Tribute 10 Them In a
Sermon on temperance.

Rev. DR.. J. B. Hawthorne, in n recent
sermon on "The Black Curse; How Shall
We Extermnate IT," paid high tribute
to the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union. The text was Luke l., 10: " lie
shall be great in the sight Of the Lord.
and shall drink neither wine nor strong
drink, and the sermon wasa strong plea
for total abstinence. DR.. Hawthorne
preached in response to the request OF the
TEMPERANCE women of Richmond. The
minister spoke OF three classes to which
those engaged in temperance work should
address themselyes-the drunkard, the
moderate drinker, and the rising genera
ton. Addressing himself with special
reference To the third class he said.
The third class towards which our
temperance forces should direct their at
tention and activities il the rising genera
tion. II we save thechildren of today we
shall save the nation tomorrOw-the ma
ton that will exist when the children oi
today have reached maturity. The star
of hopeior the temperance reform stands
over the schOOlhOuse Human beings aie
ruled by ideas and sentiments Habits
and customs are the result of these ideas
All history shows that the universal dis
semination of an idea, or class of IDEAS, is
sure to be followed 10y modification oi
customs, habits and political actions
that reflect the idea in question. Any
attempt for the reform of a widespread
evil. like that OF the alcoholic habit to be-
successful must he based on these funda-
mental principles. Forcenturies the ideas
of the people ~ TO the real nature of this
beverage and its effects upon the human
system were radically wrong Many
causes have cOnspired To keep the world
in ignorance of the fact that alcohol is
doing more to promote physical, intel
lectual and moral degeneration than any
other evil. IL has been left to modern
science to discover the facts with which
we may dispel the most mischievOus de-
lusion that has ever possessed the world.
The latest undertaking Of the temper
ance reformers is to get these facts in the
minds Of the people everywhere When
they become n part of public knowledge,
dating from early childhood, the saloon
will cease to exist, and the " Black Curse
which has wrecked millions of human
homes and swept millions Of men into
untimely graves will disappear forever
The first movement to secure universal
intelligence in our country upon this sub
ject was started by the "Women's Christ
ian Temperance Union" In 1880 that
organization of temperance women ere
ated department to work for scientific
temperance instruction in the public
schools and colleges. The story of the
struggles and triumphs OF the women oi
America in pushing this great scheme
will make one OF the most thrilling chap
ters in American history. Sitting in my
study few days ago, read an outline
of this story, and the conviction flashed
through my soul, like n revelation from
the third heaven, that these godly and
heroic women had at last conceived and
put into operation movement in COM
parisOn with which all other schemes OF
temperance reform fade into insigniii
canoe, and one which is destined to de
liver this country from its blackest and
most direful curse.
Their plan is to secure such State and
Federal legislation as will provide for
scientific temperance instruc-
ton in all the schools and colleges of our
country under Government control. Yer
mont was the first State to recognize the
utility of the plan and put it into opera
tion in her public schools. This wasdone
in 1882. The next year New Hampshire
stepped in the line, followed by Michigan.
In 1884 New York and Rhode Island were
added to the list Then came Pennsyl-
vania, Illinois and many States OF the
South. Only three States havenOt acted.
Until recently Virginia and Utah stood
together in opposing the measure. 1t
was deep and painful affection to my
soul to see this old mother of States and
of statesmen in such company. Virginia
and Utahl II makes me sick. know that
it will be a relief to you to be told that a
bill providingfor scientific instruction on
the subject Of temperance in the public
schools of Virginia was passed by your
State Legislature, with n unanimous
from il committees on Pub
lie instruction. - Forty-three States
have adopted the measure, and the re
naming three will soon follow their ex-
ample. Congress had provided for the
same instruction in all the schools of the
country under the control of the Federal
The Senate passed the
measure by a unanimous vote, and in
the House of Representatives only eight
votes were recorded against it.
Consider the fact that $4,000, 1000 Of
American children are now receiving the
best scientific instruction in this impor-
tant branch of human learning. The |
textbooks upon this subject that have
been adopted by the States are carefully
graded to suit every class of pupils, from
the youngest to the oldest. The same
has been done for all the colleges and