Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1902-09-04
TO THE WOMEN OF THE
w G. T II.

Please allow me a little space in
your column, in which perhaps there
may be something said which will
give encouragement to continue in
your faithful efforts to keep back sin,
and enthrone justice and righteous
ness in the earth.
In that historic winter Of the
Crusade, there were events which
can never fade from memory.
Women were seen in groups in saloons
engaged in singing or prayer and
sometimes in quiet expOstulation
against the wrongs Of intemperance
and the sin of selling that which
would dethrone reason and incapaci-
tate men and women for filling the
mission in life for which they were
designed.
When they were not allowed to
enter the place where intoxicants
were sold thev would stand in groups
outside and perform the same duties
with true devotion and sincerity
calculated to make the stoutest heart
ed consider whether he might not
after all be sadly in the wrong and
would reap the just judgments
of God if he continued in his
deadly work. And many did take
manly courage and quit the business
and engaged in other occupations in
an honorable and upright way gain
ing the respect and esteem of their
citizens But even then there were
some who Knocked when the faithful
women were kneeling ON the frozen
or snow covered pavements in front
of some door closed against them.
The writer has seen the curled lip
and eye Of scorn sometimes from pass
ers by whose rank and education as
we'll as convictions of truth and duty
would bespeak for them a kneeling
posture beside these earnest workers,
but only a few years passed until in
fluence against the right blighted
their own homes; some of those who
mocked were called to mourn beside
the biers of those whom sudden and
untimely deaths wrought darkest
shadows over many hearts, and we
thought as we stood beside the lifeless
forms of some of these, it is fearful
thing to oppose that work which only
brings peace to the home and to the
nation. There are examples of this
kind in many forms where there has
been opposition to your work, but
only one more will suffice perhaps,
for warning for all
Not many years ago we CHANGED to
be in church when this expression
was made by the minister in the pull
pit, Mothers had better stay at home
with their children than to be going
about to Mothers meetings | looked
about as men are apt to do, to see the
effect this might have upon the fair
sex, whose selfsacrifcing Cffuts La
enabled them to do true gospel service
in this department alluded to. Upon
their faces could only be seen express
sions of pity, which seemed to have
back of it prayer which reached to
the very throne of God. Time very
quickly passes; u few years make
great changes. The opposing minister
lived to see his son expelled from col
lege on account of misconduct, If
care had been taken toward all help
full influences and kind considera-
tion, without criticism, had been
given, there would not have been the
license to wrong doing, which oppo-
sition to right action is sure to bring
have not seen my three score years,
and these things, with many others
have transpired within my knowledge
and they are sufficient proof to me
that it;is better to take the advise of
Gamaliel, LEST be found to fight
aginst God " May God speed the
work. An Observer.