Chapter XIII

The friends of temperance in this State, after a long and earnest conflict, secured the passage of a Local Option law by a decided majority.

This law provided that on the call of a certain number of voters a special election should be held and a vote of the town be taken, for, or against license. At several points signal victories had been gained; the temperance women of the State giving active aid and sympathy to the cause. Sallie Hart, a young lady of San Francisco, of unusual ability and irreproachable character, was very active and efficient at the temperance meetings and at the polls. Her life was threatened, and she was warned to desist or suffer the consequences. But she was too heroic to quail before the enemies of her country and her race, and in the conflict that followed she came near losing her life. The very same class that has for years committed outrages on the Chinese would have torn her to pieces if it had not been for the courage and untiring efforts of the police, and a brave band of temperance men and order-loving citizens.

The first great victory was at Oakland. This city is one of the most beautiful places in California. It is situated just across the bay from San Francisco, and is embowered in flowers, and shaded with live oaks. These beautiful trees are always fresh and green. It had become a city of elegant residences, but the beer-trade was ruining it, property was depreciating, and the property-owners were almost unanimous in the desire to banish the drinking-saloons.

Oakland was the third city of the State. After doing all they could do preparatory for the contest, the women went to the polls and worked all day. Their methods were novel and taking. They had a large tent, where a free lunch was spread. Tea, coffee, and everything that was elegant and inviting were provided. Barrels of ice-water were at hand, so that no man should have an excuse to go to the drinking-saloon to quench his thirst.

Bushels of bouquets were in readiness, and ballots “Against License” in hand, and all who would accept the ballot got a bouquet and a pleasant “Thank you.”

The liquor men were confident that they would have a large majority, but the ladies turned the tide, and a victory for temperance was gained.

A grand mass-meeting was held in their tent in the evening, and the temperance people and the property-owners of Oakland were jubilant. The Saturday following, the ladies went in force to Brooklyn, a neighboring town, and aided in gaining another victory. The work went on gloriously throughout the State.

Dr. Jewell, of Howard Street M. E. Church, San Francisco, preached a stirring sermon from the text: “Rise up, ye women that are at ease, hear my voice, ye careless daughters; give ear to my speech.” Isa. xxxii. 9; with a view to arouse the women for work in that city.

On the 2d of July, 1874, an election, under the provisions of the Local Option law, was held in the proverbially quiet town of Alameda, California.

I gather the following facts from well-authenticated accounts:

“During the day of the election, the place was invaded by an army of men from San Francisco, organized in the interests of liquor, who, by mob-violence, took possession of the streets and avenues to the polls, and committed the most outrageous insults to American citizenship, both to men and women, that have ever yet been known in all the history of the State.

“From the course pursued by the organized liquor interest in San Francisco, under whose auspices the outrages at Alameda seem to have been committed, it is evident that the liquor interests of our whole country have combined to resist all law, social, moral, and civil, whenever and wherever such law interferes with their degrading business.

“The facts of the Alameda outrages ought to be made known to every citizen of the State and the country. They show, as nothing else has ever shown, the animus and purpose of the ‘whiskey interest.’ Sensible, sober people, want to know the truth.”

The Evening Post dared to publish the facts. It has exposed the falsehoods so widely circulated, and has denounced the outrage and the perpetrators in leading editorials of great force and merit.

THE REIGN OF TERROR INAUGURATED.

The scene as described in the Chronicle and Post next day.

“Not far from the middle of the day, the train from San Francisco arrived and deposited upon the street one hundred and fifty members of the San Francisco German Saloon-Keepers’ Society, headed by the United States Fourth Artillery Band. Instantly it was seen that there was trouble ahead. The delegation was composed mostly of young and irresponsible men.

“They at once formed in line, and being joined by as many more already in the street, they started for the polling-place to the music of the band. When the procession dispersed, a large throng at once crowded on the corner near the polling-place. ‘Down with Sallie Hart!’ they shouted, and at the same time pressed in around her. Fortunately several powerful gentlemen happened to be near her, or she would inevitably have been crushed in the excited mass.

“‘Go home, you little red-head!’ ‘Get out of this, and go home!’ was the cry. The crowd pressed, and swore, and hooted, and yelled, and shrieked. ‘Down with her!’ ‘Drive her off the street!’ ‘Give her a kiss; that’s what she wants!’ ‘Don’t let her speak!’ In vain did the poor girl cry, ‘For shame, gentlemen!’ In vain did her few friends surge, and squeeze, and try to force an opening for retreat. In vain did the police shout and brandish their clubs. The crowd only hooted and howled their insults all the more. Finally, a narrow passage was made, and through it the girl was half-dragged into an adjoining store.”

Thence, after a few moments, she was escorted by a strong cordon of police and temperance men to the ladies’ tent. The crowd caught sight of her as she left the store, and at once surged and pressed around, their yells and gestures increasing each moment in violence. Slowly the young lady and her escorts made their way to the tent, unable to resent or stop the torrent of vile epithets which assailed them. Once inside, Sallie sat down almost exhausted, but the crowd were not satisfied. They yelled fiercely, “Take Sallie Hart home or we’ll tear down the tent!” “She shan’t stay here!” “Say, you old Gibson; take her home, do you mind, or we’ll kill her.” With these remarks, the vast throng shook their fists and swore they wouldn’t quit the spot until Sallie Hart and every other woman had promised that they would not again show their faces. The temperance men, headed by Dr. W. R. Gibbons, Dr. Densmore, Mr. Gibson, Mr. Hurlburt, and others, at once took measures to protect the tent and the ladies in it from violence. A strong force of police was instantly summoned, who drew a rope around the entrance and endeavored to keep the excited crowd outside.

One old lady of at least sixty years, with silver-gray hair, splendid black eyes, and a commanding figure, ventured out in the belief that her age and appearance would command an outward show of respect. She took a bundle of No License tickets and a small bouquet, and got as far as the street, near the polling-place. The hooting crowd made for her and she was surrounded in a twinkling. “Go home, old woman,” they shouted; “go home and mend your husband’s breeches!” Then followed a series of yells and groans and cat-calls, interspersed with cries of “Sour kraut,” “Limberger,” and “Go it, old granny!”

Whenever the old lady would open her lips to speak, she would be instantly set upon, and her voice completely drowned. But she held out bravely. Mounting a piazza, her great black eyes flashing with the rage of a pythoness, she hurled defiance at the jeering crowd and tried to shame it into decency. One man filled his cheeks with tobacco-smoke and blew it into her face. Another spat on her dress; a third trod on her feet, and all pushed and jostled her in a most unmanly way. Finally, when some one in the crowd hurled an atrociously obscene epithet at her, the old lady burst into tears and shrank away in disgust.

About half-past two o’clock a litter was rigged behind a building, a five-gallon demijohn placed on it, and alongside the demijohn was laid an effigy of Sallie Hart, dressed in black. In the mouth of the demijohn was stuck a stick, from which flew a black flag. The litter was lifted to the shoulders of a crowd of men with evergreens in their hats. An immense procession was formed, and preceded by the band playing the “Dead March in Saul,” it marched back and forth in front of the temperance tent, amid the hooting and jeering of the multitude. An effort was made at this time to drown the din by singing the Hallelujah chorus, but the effort was a lamentable failure. The funeral procession marched to a pile of sand near the tent, where, amid the waving of hats and hoarse cheers of the throng, the “body” of Miss Hart was prepared for interment. The litter was lowered to the ground, a hole dug, and then, strict silence being enjoined, Louis Kehlmeyer intoned a burlesque of the Catholic burial “service.”

The Evening Post, on the day after election, contained the following:

The brutal outrages perpetrated by German whiskey men, who went over to Alameda yesterday, and insulted, mobbed, and drove off ladies who had as much right there as themselves, will arouse a feeling of indignation in the heart of every right-thinking American citizen. California has always been noted for her chivalry to women, and every Californian’s face must burn that such an outrage has been perpetrated in a California town. Things have come to a pretty pass when a lot of vile brutes who have no respect for womanhood themselves, can publicly insult ladies in the grossest manner; compel them, under threats of violence, to get out of their way, and openly burlesque the most solemn ceremony of a Christian church.

Our laws, and the American sentiment, which is deeper than all laws, guarantee to every woman who conducts herself in an orderly and decent manner, immunity from insult and outrage. To the American mind there is in womanhood a sacred right and essential privilege, recognized even by the lowest and most brutal, which gives to every woman exemption from insult and outrage. This sentiment the brutal wretches who insulted and drove off the ladies at Alameda, yesterday, appeared to have defied with deliberate intention. How far the general association of liquor-dealers may have been responsible for it we do not know; but the German Liquor-Dealers’ Association, which went to Alameda in a body, and their fellows on the ground seem to have deliberately made up their minds to drive off the ladies by whatever stretch of brutality was necessary. One of the Germans had a double-barrelled gun, with which he marched in the procession, and several of them had pistols. One lady said that a man in the crowd spit upon her, and another that she had liquor thrown in her face. Another lady was seated in a buggy when the whiskey men marched past her with the black flag, which they placed over the grave that held Sallie Hart’s effigy; and one of them shook the flag in her face and said, “Death to temperance!”

Judge J. Russell said he had been in California, and had travelled a good deal in it, having roamed over the coast in early days, from this city to the mouth of the Columbia river, and visited many of the mining camps. He had never seen so rough a crowd as was present at Alameda. Mr. N. A. Hillyer said the obscenity was frightful.

“I took an old lady by force from the crowd, and put her into the barber’s shop for protection. I saw men poke sticks under the old lady’s dress and raise her clothes as she stood on a tea-box before the mob. I also saw the mob bury Sallie Hart in effigy, and the black flag rising above the grave. I heard profanity and obscenity from the mob. I have been in all kinds of society, in Catholic and Protestant lands, but I never heard anything like the profanity used on that occasion. A pistol was drawn on me for remonstrating against license.”

STATEMENT OF REV. O. GIBSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO.

At the Alameda election, from morning till night, the air was filled with profanity, obscenity, and the most outrageous insults to pure American womanhood—not by citizens of Alameda, but by the representatives of the “German Liquor-Dealers’ Association,” of San Francisco.

From twelve o’clock to three P. M. I remained in front of the temperance tent, aiding the friends in efforts to defend the women in the tent from being overrun and outraged by the howling mob which surrounded and threatened them. At three o’clock I passed, quietly and alone, to the office to send a telegram. On coming out of the office, I was at once surrounded by a large crowd, who seemed to be waiting to take the cars. My presence was the signal for howls, curses, and threats, such as: “Gibson, the old rooster, send him home.” “Go home, d—n you.” “You don’t vote right.” “We don’t want you here.” “We Germans be the most intelligence peoples.” “You Yankees be d—d fanatics,” and so on. I did not undertake to discuss the question with such a crowd. But they pressed upon me—one man from behind kicked me, another struck me, and then an effort was made to push me down. At last, the police succeeded in opening the crowd, and I passed out.

The crowd followed, howling, for the distance of one whole block; then the police succeeded in getting me into a store, and I passed through and escaped out of their hands.

On returning to San Francisco, per four o’clock boat from Oakland, attended by five other persons, some of whom had only been to Oakland on business, a party of the Alameda rioters followed us in the streets of this city, up as far as the post-office, with jeers and cat-calls, making such a demonstration as to call many people to the shop doors to see what was going on.

Mr. J. N. Webster, in the Post, of July 9th, says:

Mr. John Gunn, one of our best and most respected citizens, had his coat torn off his back because he dared to advocate the right.

Sallie Hart remained on the field, doing all the good she could, until there were certain signs that they intended to kill her, when she was taken away.

William F. Kellett, in the Post, of July 12th, tells us:

At Alameda, on last Thursday, scenes were enacted which are absolutely unparalleled in the history of our elections, and with which the opinions of the parties therein had nothing whatever to do. Yet in some of the papers not a single word of censure has been uttered, while some have actually justified them. That murder was not committed was because the threatened did not dare to lift a hand, while other things were done which would almost have justified the death of the offender on the spot, and which I cannot name, however remotely.

AFFIDAVIT OF OFFICER KRAUTH.

I told the reporter about the crowd hooting and yelling, and trying to get into the ladies’ tent, and endeavoring to create a disturbance all the time, and trying to pick quarrels with the people and police. I told him that the rope around the tent was cut seven times, and gave him other information of a similar character. From the time the San Francisco crowd arrived, there was one continuous scene of disgraceful riot, until they left, late in the afternoon. I believe there were two trains of cars, with eight cars each, all filled with people, who came from San Francisco and Oakland; and we had but fifteen officers to try and preserve order. It was impossible to arrest anybody, owing to the crowd, and all that we could do was to prevent fighting. I have read the report of the occurrences at Alameda on the day of the local option election, as published in the Post, and it is substantially correct.

F. K. Krauth, Jr.

Subscribed and sworn to before me, this 13th day of July, 1874.

Samuel S. Murfey, Notary Public.

These outrages passed unpunished, and the whole liquor force rallied against the Local Option law. They were not willing that majorities should rule, but determined to force drink, against the express will of the people, upon them, and compel the protesting legal voters and tax-payers to submit to a depreciation of the value of their property, and support the paupers and criminals, the result of their traffic.

They therefore carried a case to the courts, and obtained a decision, that the Local Option law was unconstitutional. A wide-spread opinion prevailed at the time that the court was corrupted; but there was no redress. Nothing was left but to work, and pray, and wait, till the public sentiment was strong enough to master the rowdyism of society, and hurl from power the officials that truckle to the base demands of the liquor oligarchy.

OREGON.

I gather the following thrilling facts from a published account by Mrs. F. F. Victor:

A meeting was called at the Baptist Church, Tuesday, March 10th, to consider the methods used in the Crusade movement. From this time on, meetings were held daily, morning, noon, and night. The subject of temperance was discussed from every possible standpoint, and, after much thoughtfulness and prayer, the ladies decided to visit the saloons. The gentlemen organized a society to assist the ladies.

On the 17th of March, a printed appeal was sent to the liquor-dealers, copies of which, in large type, were posted around the city. The ministers of the town, Revs. Medbury, Baptist, Atkinson and Izer, Methodist, and Eaton, Congregationalist, by frequent and stirring addresses, and in every possible way, assisted the ladies.

The first visit to saloons was made in small companies, two and two, going quietly. In most of the places they were politely treated, Mr. Moffett being the exception. Two elderly ladies, mothers in Israel, called at his door to leave the dealers’ pledge, when the brutalizing influence of the liquor business upon those who sell was conspicuously exhibited. When they entered, Mr. Moffett, on the alert, without giving them time to announce their errand, seized them each rudely by an arm, and thrust them into the street, exclaiming, “Get out of this. I keep a respectable house, and don’t want any d—d wh—s here.”

Long and earnest prayers had given these women a preparation which Mr. Moffett had not calculated on. Mrs. Reed, one of the two thus insulted, turned and looked up over the door to ascertain what sort of a place, kept by what sort of a man, this might be, and the name struck her with horror.

“Walter Moffett!” she exclaimed. “Can this be Walter Moffett? Why, Walter Moffett, I used to know you; and I prayed with your wife for your safety, when you were at sea years ago!”

“I don’t want any of your d—d prayers; I want you to get out of this, and stay out. That’s all I want of you. I don’t keep a wh—e house.”

If any suppose it does not require an utter consecration to prepare pure-minded ladies to encounter such base and ruffianly assaults as these, they are in error; for the most patient and persistent laborers in this field are meek and quiet Christian women, who have seldom or never spoken aloud in their own churches; humble women who have never essayed to lead in anything, not even the fashions.

After this quiet canvass, the ladies visited the saloons in force. Often the saloons were closed against them, and they were compelled to hold their services on the street. This only brought them the larger audiences. Often, too, they were assailed by abusive language, and even roughly handled. This, too, opened the eyes of many to the brutalizing effects of drink, and led them to declare, that if that was what whiskey brought men to, they would never drink another drop.

At the Oregon Exchange very often, when a visit from the ladies was anticipated, some ridiculous or scandalous performance was gotten up, to divert them from their purpose; such as a man fantastically dressed, a la negro minstrels, dancing, drinking from a bottle, etc. One of the worst places visited was kept by two women. With these the ladies felt they must succeed. On their second visit, as the ladies approached, one of the women flew in a rage to close the door; the other woman objected, and they were admitted. One of them was penitent, and listened tearfully to their words, and promised to lead a different life.

At one German saloon the proprietor rushed out when he saw the ladies coming, and swinging his arms and shaking his fists in the most excited manner, exclaimed: “Vot you vant here? You shust go vay! Get off mine sidevalk! Vat you come here so mooch, braying and singing, and making my license so pig? You shust go vay! I vill not haf it! Vat you vant? You make a church of mine house! Ruin mine pizness! No, no, you can do dat; you moost come here no more. You shust come here vonce more, you vill see vat I vill do mit you! My Piple says you moost not bray on de street corners, but you moost bray at home. You go home to bray.”

The band commenced singing a hymn, and the irate German retreated into his saloon. As they were passing on, he gazed after them as if horror-stricken:

“Vell if dere is not a burty young girl mit dose vimmen! Vot a shame!” Probably, he thought, a hurdy-gurdy house a better place for a “burty young girl” than “mit dose vimmen.”

At the more respectable houses they were treated with civility, and were allowed to hold services in the saloons and the billiard rooms, and no drinks were sold during their stay. But from the beginning of the Crusade, the opposition of the liquor-dealers, both wholesale and retail, was steady and united. Secret meetings were held from time to time to consider the most effectual means of combating the growing temperance sentiment. The loss of money and the loss of reputation was the burden of their complaint. What transpired in these secret sessions can only be judged by the plans they adopted publicly. It seemed to fall to Mr. Moffett’s share to try the effect of fire, water, and noise, in “abating the nuisance of prayer and singing.” On one occasion, when the ladies visited the Web Foot saloon, Mr. Moffett made such demonstrations as drew about them a great crowd of people and obstructed travel. This was just what he desired, as it gave him an excuse for calling in the police, who were ordered to disperse the crowd, meaning the women. One of the officers, acting on the instructions given him, began not only to order away the women, but laid violent hands on them, and, without respect to the gray hairs of some, pushed them rudely about, bruising the shoulder of one lady against the post of the awning.

As they were compelled to yield to force, without a word of remonstrance they started back toward the church. But one lady put her arm through the officer’s arm, and told him with much firmness, that if she went, he should go too! to which he was constrained to submit. The occasion was improved to the edification of that officer, who was met at the church and confronted, not with Crusaders only, but a goodly number of indignant friends.

The next day they were out as usual, and were arrested before the Web Foot saloon, and taken to the city jail, where they spent a couple of hours in prayer and song, to their own refreshment, and the delight of the other prisoners. Counsel was not lacking who volunteered to defend them. A special session of the court was called, Messrs. C. W. Parish and H. Y. Thompson appearing for the accused. After a hearing of the complaint, Judge Denny decided that there was no ordinance under which they could be held, saying, in substance, that had there been such an ordinance it would have been illegal, as the Constitution of the State of Oregon and of the United States permitted every person to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience.

The arrest of the ladies created, of course, a strong feeling of indignation in the community among their friends, and rejoicing among their enemies.

On the afternoon of the 16th of April, 1874, the Crusaders, sixteen in number, paid another visit to the Web Foot saloon. But no sooner had they appeared in front of his place, and asked permission to pray and sing there, than Mr. Moffett blew his policeman’s whistle, and by means of gongs, drums, hand-organs, etc., collected a large crowd which soon entirely surrounded them; in this situation they maintained their calmness and endeavored to carry on their devotional exercises. The noise of gongs and drums, tin cans and hand-organs, together with the murmurings and shoutings of the mob, was so great that they were not heard even by themselves. But still they sang and knelt in prayer, keeping a serene and joyous trust in God.

The scene which was then and there enacted rivalled pandemonium. Many of the friends of the ladies anxious for their safety hurried to the place, augmenting the crowd already collected, thereby increasing the apparent danger. A large proportion of those present were street idlers, some of them roughs and blackguards; but even the roughest, if not intoxicated, felt the course Mr. Moffett was taking to be uncalled-for and outrageous, and were disposed to fight in behalf of the women.

The ladies, on their part, could not be heard, even in remonstrance. To escape from the crowd would have been nearly impossible, if they had made the effort. But they did not make the effort. Their faith in the protection of God, and His very presence with them, never wavered. Although they could not communicate with each other, because of the roar and clamor of the mob, each one of them felt so firmly impressed with the sense of security in Divine assistance, that not one of them betrayed or felt any fear. Pistols and knives were drawn, furniture thrown about, and windows broken. One lady was struck by a tumbler thrown out of the saloon, and another had a pistol held at her head by Mr. Moffett himself.

This strange scene was prolonged from half-past two o’clock in the afternoon until six in the evening—until the gong-beaters, drummers, and organ-grinders had become exhausted, and the mob was weary of its own riotousness. When the way was cleared, the ladies took their leave, having endured for three and a half hours such things as would commonly have driven them mad with fright, or caused them to faint or go into convulsions. If there are those who do not believe in Divine interposition in certain cases, here is a problem for them to solve.

More than one man that day was convinced of his sins; and quite a number of drinking men declared themselves converted to temperance, simply by witnessing the depths of degradation to which the habit of selling liquor could bring a man.

The wife of an Irish drayman said to a friend of the Crusaders, “My husband is a drinking man, and many is the dollar he has spent at Moffett’s, but he says he will never buy another glass at that place.”

Among the children whom Mr. Moffett was trying to press into his service was a little son of one of the Crusaders. Being told to beat a drum, he took the sticks and threw them among the crowd. On being threatened with punishment if he did not recover them, he ran in among the crowd as if to look for the lost sticks, but instead made his way to his mother, who was kneeling in prayer, and remained by her side until she left the place.

It may be asked, what were the police doing all this time?

On the previous occasion Judge Denny had dismissed the complaint, so it seemed of little use to arrest the ladies, and they allowed Mr. Moffett to conduct his riot in his own fashion.

On the following morning they visited the saloons, and in due time appeared before Mr. Moffett’s; immediately a crowd was attracted to the spot in expectation that the scenes of the day before would be repeated. But they were disappointed. Mrs. Moffett was there with one of her children, and no disturbance was raised. She appealed to the ladies to leave her husband to his own ways; but was met by an eloquent counter-appeal by one of the band, whose father had perished by drink, and whose son, though carefully reared, was on the road to ruin from the same cause.

At half-past eleven, Chief-of-Police Lappens appeared, bearing a warrant, which, upon being shown to the ladies, they obeyed by accompanying him to the jail. An immense crowd followed to the very entrance of the building, to which the Crusaders gave no heed, but entered, singing,

At one o’clock P. M., the court convened. The usual dock was filled with ladies as well as half the usual audience-room outside the bar. The charges against them were made by Mr. Moffett, for “wilfully and unlawfully conducting themselves in a disorderly and violent manner, by making a loud noise, and creating a disturbance whereby the peace and quiet of the said city was disturbed.” Mr. Cronin was Mr. Moffett’s counsel, and Messrs. Parish, Northrop, and Shoup defended the ladies. This, as will be seen, was a charge made by Mr. Moffett himself, who had prepared for and conducted the riot himself, while the ladies stood as silent witnesses of the scene. Mr. Cronin opened the case. Mr. Gibbs responded. He said processions had marched through the town, blockading the streets; the gospel had been preached to listening crowds at the street corners; Chinamen had come out on the public thoroughfares, beating gongs, exploding fire-crackers, and making hideous noises; and for all this there never had been an arrest. It would be shown that if the peace and quiet of the city were disturbed, that they did not do it; that they broke nobody’s window, harmed no man, woman, or child, and that they were not responsible for the beating of gongs, or the sounding of trumpets, and the hooting and howling of disorderly men.

Moffett was the first witness. I can only give a part of his testimony. Being cross-examined, he said:

“There was a great crowd, probably a thousand persons, two or three fights took place, and a man was stabbed. At the time the disturbance was going on, the women sung very loud.”

“But did you see the defendants do anything?”

“They would not move when I asked them.”

“What were you doing?”

“Trying to keep the peace.” (Laughter.)

“Did you have a pistol to keep the peace with?”

“No, sir.”

“Now I ask you if you did not have a pistol in your hand at the time this occurrence took place?”

“Yes.”

“Then when you stated a while ago that you did not have a pistol, you did not state what was true?”

“I did not have it to keep the peace with, but for protection; they were stealing my property.”

This is a sample of Moffett’s testimony.

Allen Griffith testified for the defence, to having seen Moffett’s barkeeper, Good, throw water, by means of a hose, on the sidewalk, at the saloon, while the ladies were present; also saw Good in a row—saw him close to the ladies.

Mr. Shoup.—What was he doing at that time?

Witness.—One of the times when he was particularly near to them he was holding a gong within a few inches of a lady’s ear, and beating it very loudly. I saw him lift her veil at one time.

C. H. Williams spoke of having been attracted to Moffett’s saloon, April 16th, by the noise of gongs and drum-beating.

Mr. Cronin (Moffett’s attorney).—Was your wife among the ladies that day?

Witness.—She was not; I only wish she had been.

Mr. Cronin asked Thomas A. Royal, of the Portland Academy, another witness, if he had counselled the women not to go to Moffett’s saloon.

He answered: “I have not, but I have asked my wife to go.”

This, though a small part of the testimony, will show the drift of the trial, which lasted four days. The testimony was clear as to the pure moral character and good behavior of the women; the speeches for the defence of the women were able. The case was one of the clearest that ever went before an American jury.

Judge Denny briefly charged the jury, reminding them that all they were called upon to decide, from the evidence, was, whether the defendants were guilty, as charged in the complaint, of wilfully and unlawfully making a loud noise, whereby the peace and quiet of the city was disturbed. They were also advised that it would be their duty to give the prisoners the benefit of any reasonable doubt. The jury was out several hours, but returned with a verdict of “guilty,” but recommended to the merciful consideration of the court. Upon the request of Mr. Parrish, the judge consented to stay sentence till the next morning, to give defendants time to file a motion to arrest judgment. The motion to arrest judgment being overruled, the ladies presented the following protest:

“Your Honor: We do protest against any sentence being passed upon us, for the following reasons:

“1. That the verdict was contrary to the testimony, and to the charge of your honor, in that the testimony clearly shows, by numerous witnesses, that we were quiet and orderly in the midst of disorder and confusion. To such an extent did some of us preserve quiet, that we did not so much as open our mouths, either in song or in prayer, as your honor will observe by referring to the testimony.

“2. We, as temperance women, do earnestly protest against being sentenced on the finding of a jury composed in part of liquor-dealers, who, according to the words of their oath, had already prejudged us.

“If we may be allowed to mention the work in which we are engaged, we should like to do so. The crime being supposed to be in the intent, we would remind your honor that the husbands and fathers of the land are being stricken down on every side by this vile traffic against which we wage war, and that the sons of the land are so beset by temptation that very many of them fall early into a drunkard’s grave, and many more who live on, but live to disappoint the fond hopes which are centred in them, and which, but for this fell destroyer, they might fulfil. These evils, your honor, are not in far-off lands, but at our own doors, as that wife can testify, who a few months since went to a prominent saloon in this city and plead with the proprietor to sell her husband no more liquor, as her life was in danger whenever that husband came home under its influence, and she was coldly told: ‘O, well, if I do not sell him liquor some one else will.’ Of that other wife whose twenty years’ experience has deprived her of everything the heart holds dear, ‘but her trust in God,’ whose husband can go and keep the books at this same saloon, and Saturday night take his pay in this cursed fire-water, and go to his home to make it such a hell upon earth that the children must be sent from the house and the wife remain in terror of her life. Such instances are not rare; and it is in behalf of these suffering sisters that we act. We have not power to amend the laws; but since the day when woman was first at the sepulchre, it has been her conceded right to pray, and this right we claim as inalienably ours.

“The jury have kindly recommended us to mercy; we ask no mercy—we demand JUSTICE.”

THE LOGICAL CONCLUSION.

The judge, with evident embarrassment, replied that the jury had been fairly and “impartially selected in accordance with law.” He also took occasion to advise the ladies not to attempt to overcome the evil they were warring against by such means as they had been using, but to go to the “fountain head.”

The penalty was five dollars fine each, or one day’s imprisonment. The ladies refused to pay the fine or allow the gentlemen present to pay it for them, electing to go to prison. They were shown to their common apartment in the jail, and gave up their only weapon, their Bibles. There was an indignation meeting in one of the churches that night, and between eight and nine o’clock, fearing the people, an officer came to the jail and rudely ordered them to leave. The ladies hesitated about going out into the darkness alone, expressing a preference to remain, to which he replied, “I’m boss here; you leave.” Thus thrust out, they made their way to the church. The first intimation the audience had of the release of the ladies was their presence in the church. Such enthusiastic cheering took place as had never been heard within those walls. When the tumult had subsided, some of the ladies made short addresses, in which they recounted the circumstances of their dismissal and their hesitating flight.

The Crusade work continued without any abatement of zeal. The liquor-dealers held meetings to devise means to protect their rights. Their doors were closed, and the women met with universal coldness and hardness. Mr. Moffett persisted in his open insults, treating the ladies with great personal indignity. At last forbearance gave way, and Mr. Moffett was arraigned for insulting conduct toward Mrs. H. B. Stitzel. The case was tried before Justice Ryan, with a jury of liquor-men. Mr. Moffett was discharged. Another complaint was entered by Mrs. Alice Fain, for assault, by making her ill by burning some poisonous substance in her face. In both these cases Mr. Moffett was defended by E. A. Cronin, who seemed to be inspired by the spirit of his employer, and grossly insulted the ladies by telling them, in his speech, that he believed they were as base and corrupt in heart “as any woman in this town, no matter what her calling or character.” The jury in this case, which was tried before Justice Crich, consisted of four liquor-men and two Germans. Moffett was again discharged.

An enthusiastic meeting of ladies was held, and able speeches were made, and published. The better class of citizens, and the Congregational Church, in council, gave the Crusaders their formal indorsement. In the meantime the usual work of visiting the saloons went on; petitions were circulated; and public sentiment thoroughly aroused.

On the 18th June, the mayor approved an ordinance, which had been secured mainly through their influence, raising the license from $50 to $100 per quarter, and requiring $1,000 bonds to keep orderly houses, with some other restrictions. This aroused the liquor-men to still greater opposition. One gentleman, whose wife was connected with the Crusade, was notified to take his wife off the street or suffer the loss of his business, through the enmity of the liquor association. “Very well,” he replied, “it took a higher power than I to place her on the street, and it will require a higher power to remove her. If you want to ruin my business, you can try it. I will certainly fight yours as long as I live.”

But they had many kind words, and much to encourage them in their difficult work. Mrs. A. C. Gibbs arose in a ladies’ meeting one day, and told the Crusaders, for their encouragement, that during a visit to Puget Sound, from which she had just returned, she had learned, to her surprise, that the temperance movement had produced the best effects over there. In a conversation between the captain of a Sound steamer, and other gentlemen, it was asserted that the liquor traffic had fallen off one-third; that he knew it by the less amount he carried on his boat. Also, that whereas all the men on his vessel used to take their grog, none of them did so now; and that a drinking-stand, kept on one of the wharves for the express convenience of this class of men, which used to make a profit of twenty-seven dollars a day, dwindled in its receipts to three dollars, and finally closed. Such a fact was certainly encouraging, as a result of four months of labor, no matter how arduous.

MURDER IN A SALOON.

On the Saturday evening immediately preceding the city election, at nine o’clock, a certain lady was reciting to the audience at the church an incident that came under her notice four years previous, of a woman’s shooting a man in a Portland saloon because he failed to vote as he was instructed, after having been furnished free drinks for a month at her place.

Almost at that very moment, a murder was being perpetrated in a place of similar character, but under somewhat different circumstances. In this case the woman had only given the murderer drugged liquor enough to make him either stupid or crazy. Unfortunately it had the latter effect, and to save herself from his pistol she had called on the police, and officer Schoppe entering at the moment when the deadly instrument was raised, was instantly shot fatally, and fell.

Here was a pointed example, if such were wanting, of the criminality of the saloon business. It might be made use of to influence the election on Monday. But it was not; because it happened late Saturday evening, and on Sunday, at one o’clock, the man was buried out of sight!

THE ORDINANCE AGAIN.

When the new councilmen came in they found the ordinance increasing liquor licenses signed by the mayor, and ready to go into effect with the commencement of the quarter beginning July 1st. An effort was immediately made to get an ordinance passed reducing licenses to their former rates; but this was prevented by the mayor, two of the old councilmen and one of the new.

Then followed a petition from fifty-six liquor-sellers and eighty-seven others, to have licenses reduced to fifty dollars per quarter, and such pressure brought to bear upon the council that the mayor notified the temperance people that unless they sent in a counter-petition, the council might not be able to withstand it.

Accordingly a counter-petition was circulated, and one hundred and thirty names obtained, of the heaviest tax-payers in the city, who were not liquor-dealers. Both petitions went before the council. That same evening an ordinance was passed and approved by the mayor, reducing licenses to fifty dollars! It contained, it is true, some provision for bonds being given; but how soon may we look to see even that repealed?

What is this power of whiskey that makes men disregard everything else?

An attempt was made to pass a law against singing and praying in the street, but it was not successful. The council did, however, ordain that no drinking-houses should be kept by women. I add the names of the noble women of Portland, who consecrated themselves to this work, and pursued it so successfully, notwithstanding the apathy of the masses, the corruption of the courts, and the ruffianism of the saloon-keepers:

Mrs. M. A. Mitchell; Mrs. Helen Sparrow; Mrs. J. H. Reid; Mrs. Jane Pierpont; Mrs. J. S. Briggs; Mrs. Josephine Ritter; Mrs. A. R. Medbury; Mrs. Catherine Sparks; Mrs. Mary C. Holman; Mrs. M. Quackenbush; Mrs. G. Shindler; Mrs. Maggie Wilson; Mrs. Charlotte Jean; Mrs. S. D. Francis; Mrs. H. V. Stitzel; Mrs. Rachel Clark; Mrs. L. F. Turner; Mrs. M. E. Sutherland; Mrs. E. C. Hall; Mrs. E. Watkins; Mrs. W. B. Fain; Mrs. E. O. Corson; Mrs. N. S. Swafford; Mrs. Dr. Atkinson; Mrs. G. W. Izer; Mrs. J. Smith; Mrs. T. F. Royal; Mrs. Lucy Patton; Mrs. J. F. Jones; Mrs. W. P. Jones; Mrs. E. Richards; Mrs. Kimberline; Mrs. Lillie; Mrs. J. R. Robb; Mrs. M. M. Smith; Mrs. Emma Morgan; Mrs. Murray; Mrs. Connell; Mrs. J. A. Robb; Mrs. L. L. Bond; Mrs. Lizzie Fletcher; Mrs. J. F. DeVore; Mrs. O. B. Gibson; Mrs. Dr. Sawtelle; Mrs. Wm. Roberts; Mrs. Benj. Thomas; Mrs. L. Blackstone; Mrs. A. Allen; Mrs. F. Pierce; Mrs. J. Stitzel; Mrs. A. Hurgren; Mrs. G. W. Traver; Mrs. Morris; Miss J. Pumphrey; Miss L. A. Mitchell; Miss Mary DeVore; Miss Orra Sparks; Miss Sarah Sparks; Miss Olive Padget; Miss Mary Harrington; Miss Mell Cranston; Miss Marion Francis; Miss Ida Francis; Miss Helena Holman; Miss Mary Test; Miss Eliza Richards; Miss Edith Sutherland.

NEW JERSEY.

The work in this State began in the city of Newark, April 16th, 1874.

Newark was the largest town in the State, and a stronghold of the liquor traffic. But the fire kindled there has spread from town to town, till the whole State rings with the watchword of the Woman’s Temperance Union—“New Jersey for Christ and Temperance.”

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

The call that brought the ladies together was anonymous; but though thus unexpectedly called to face the responsibility of the temperance work in a great, wicked city, they were too loyal to God and the cause to hesitate.

They prepared themselves for the work by a special and entire consecration, and waited before God for an open door, and the voice of command.

The work came to them in a most unexpected manner. At the close of one of their meetings, a forlorn, miserable-looking sort of a man came dragging his feet along just within the door, and tumbled into the chair that was near, being then somewhat under the influence of liquor. After sitting a few moments, he arose with some difficulty to his feet, and commenced speaking quite indistinctly, as if rather talking to himself. The first words that could be understood were, “I am a poor, miserable, lost, wretched and drunken engineer, and I am drunk now; do you think that I can be saved?” He then went on to tell of his dreadful life, how for over twenty years he had been drinking, ruining himself and family till he had become a worthless vagabond, and was lost and ruined both soul and body forever. While standing in a half-bent attitude describing himself and his wretched condition, in most piteous tones, the heart of every individual who had remained there was melted in sympathy. He said he did not know why he came into that room, or how he came there, but that a conviction of his guilt and ruin came over him the moment that he entered it, and while thus speaking, he commenced to sob and weep aloud, saying: “Will you pray for me?” Trembling and excited he got on his knees, and in the agony of despair he prayed that God would save him. Those who were there to pray were bowed low in the dust, as never before, conscious of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, all remaining on their knees in prayer, till he yielded his heart to Jesus in penitence and tears, when he, a saved and sober man, testified to the riches of Divine grace which could reach and rescue even a great sinner like himself. And on that morning of the 8th of May, 1874, he left the hall, which he entered in such darkness and misery, with the light and peace in his soul which Jesus only can give. To His dear name be all the glory!

This small band, who continued to wait on the Lord, were enabled on that May morning to erect a signal of praise over this first marked and wonderful display of the marvellous power of God to save, and His readiness to hear and to grant an immediate answer to prayer.

Some of the very worst-looking men would most strangely find their way into that meeting without knowing how or why they came. Almost as soon as they entered and heard the voice of prayer, they would rise and ask to be prayed for as poor lost sinners, and continue in prayer till they found the Saviour. Others were invited or led in, even when intoxicated, and were eventually saved.

As the work progressed, evening meetings, cottage-meetings, and Tuesday afternoon services were established in different places at the houses of inebriates and reformed men, which were well attended, and were successful and blessed in their results.

The number of workers was small, and the difficulties great, but God was with them.

I take the following from a report of the work:

On the second Sunday in January, 1875, Mr. John Garrabrant (who had been an instrument in God’s hand of great assistance to us) invited Mr. William Souter (who was called the drunken tailor) to come to our meeting. He came, forlorn and helpless as if about giving up; he thought and felt himself, that there was no use in trying. He was induced to get on his knees with us, and was told to sign himself to Jesus. The Holy Spirit then and there commenced the work in his heart, and from that moment he began a new life, and broke off entirely from his evil habits, and became a changed man, giving his heart to the Saviour. Oh, what a glorious day for him! Our rejoicing for a good while over him was with trembling; but oh, how we have blessed God for such a triumph of grace, ever since! A new beacon of hope and light was erected, and what an encouragement it was for perseverance in earnest and united prayer for that class of men! New ones found their way into these meetings, which awakened a greater degree of interest and earnestness in the work.

Among the first of these special cases was the coming in of a man, rather small, but with such a black and wicked sort of expression of countenance as one would instinctively shrink from. He seemed in every way strangely repulsive, but my eyes were riveted to him as he took a low seat just back of the door, holding his head down as if to hide himself in his soiled and shabby garments. He came invited by the Bible reader, who met him in the morning. He was cold, and as he said thought he could get warm in there, but thought of nothing more.

Very soon, as I watched him, he became very uneasy, moved about until he arose to his feet and began talking of his miserable life, and of the terribly wicked and abandoned condition that he was in. He said that he had been drinking, and was drunk when he came in there; but said he, I will never drink again, no, never; while I live I’ll never touch another drop. Is there any mercy for such a vile wretch as I am? And then dropping to his knees he began to pray for himself, and cry to God for mercy. He was truly and deeply convicted of his guilt as a sinner, and sought earnestly to know the way to a better course of life, and to give his heart to Jesus. Prayer was offered for him, and the meeting closed; but as he still remained I was unusually impressed to speak to him. But as I approached him, he was so forlorn and disagreeable from being steeped with rum and tobacco, that the first thing I asked him was, if he would give up his tobacco as well as strong drink. Laying my hand on his shoulder, I said, “Will you, my poor brother, give up everything and make a full surrender of yourself to Jesus, and become pure and clean, and not offensive and repugnant as you are now?”

“I will give up the drink, but can’t say I will tobacco, for I don’t think I could.”

I urged the point; he demurred, but finally said he would try.

“No use in trying: you must do it; say you will,” I still urged.

“But it would not do for me to give up all at once when I have been chewing two papers every day, and often a good deal more, besides smoking: it would make me sick to break right off.”

“Not if Jesus helps you,” I said, “and He will. In your own strength you can never do it; in either case in His strength you can. Now promise me you will.”

“If I promise you,” he said, “I shall do it, for bad as I am I never tell a lie.”

“Then promise me, quickly,” I still urged; and never shall I forget the look he gave me, as for a moment he bowed his head, and then, as he raised it in trembling earnestness,

“Give me your hand,” said he, seizing it as with a grasp of desperation. “Now I promise you, God helping me, that never from this time will I touch tobacco or drink again. Now I have promised, I shall keep it.”

Earnest prayer was offered, and from that moment our brother, William N. Clark, became a sober, renewed, and changed man.

What human power could have annihilated in an instant the appetite and all desire for strong drink or tobacco in any form, where it had been almost a life-long habit, indulged in without restraint day and night, obtained at any and every sacrifice? Who can doubt that a will like his was at that time brought into and held in subjection by the will and strength of Omnipotence? He was enabled to surrender himself, soul and body, into the hands of Jesus, and he left the hall, never more to touch, taste, or handle those two accursed things. His former appetite and love for both from that moment was so turned into hatred of the sin and its evil results, that his voice was raised in denunciation wherever he went. His whole life, since that hour, has been given in efforts to bring others from the degradation and wretchedness of sin, and to win them to Jesus.

So many young men were now interested that it was deemed advisable to organize a reform club, to bind them more strongly together. Such an organization, in connection with the Woman’s Temperance Union, was completed on the 4th of March, 1875. This club has now over 600 members.

A Sunday-school was commenced, and is still in progress.

The 4th of July occurring on Sunday, in 1875, there were rumors of preparations already in progress to celebrate it as on any secular day, in parades, processions, martial music, and other public demonstrations. Some of the ladies of the Union resolved, after taking it to God in prayer with great earnestness and humility, to take a bold stand, and go as a committee to the City Hall, and petition the mayor to interpose in behalf of a God-fearing people, and sustain the honor of His law, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” It was said by many, “It will do no good at all; matters have gone too far.” But it did do good. The suggestion was very kindly received, and Mr. Perry’s decided and prompt action not only entirely suppressed the threatened fearful desecration, but gave us one of the most peaceful and quiet Sabbaths that we have had in this city for many years.

On the 8th of September, 1875, at the regular meetings of our Union, we set apart a little season, just at the hour of twelve, for united prayer to God. And this noon-day concert of private prayer has been observed by our Union since that day, when, by the uplifting of the right-hand, as requested, to signalize the sacred compact, it was thus ratified by every member present.

Surely God, the Almighty God himself, has allied Himself to this cause, not only in the treasure of His grace, but in the treasury of His means also, to carry it on with; for it is a marvel how we have been supplied and carried through such heavy expenses as came upon us from time to time, and are able to-day to say joyfully, that we owe no man anything. Not unto us be any of the glory.

An humble service, if the calling to it is of God, is a high, a holy calling. In the death of Judge Stanboro, December 5th, 1875, we lost one of our firmest friends. He was enabled, at the age of seventy-two, to give up entirely the use of tobacco in every form, although it had been a habit freely indulged in for sixty years. He kept quiet on the subject till he could say, after the experience of months, that he was a happier and better man without it.

One of the reformed brothers who had received his special care and attention, and who had never seen a Christian die, watched with him till the hour of his departure, and caught these his last words, as they fell from his lips: “Oh, those blessed women—God bless them!” “Oh, precious Jesus!” and immediately expired.

In the winter of 1876, a Juvenile Society and Bands of Hope were started, and have been well sustained. Several branches also have been formed auxiliary to the Union.

Mrs. Bundage adds the following incidents:

G—— A——, a young man having all the advantages necessary to place him in an honorable position, his friends giving him a liberal education, was a student of law. But rum, that great curse, laid him low many times, and finally he became a confirmed drunkard.

One day a minister of this city brought him into our temperance meeting, suffering with delirium tremens. His blood-shot eye, bloated, purple face, trembling limbs, quivering body, and look of despair, showed that rum had almost finished its work. The hardest heart was moved to pity.

One of the sisters of the Union seated herself by his side and talked with him. At last he said, “My God, cannot you do something for me?” The sweat stood in great drops on his brow. She told him just there to ask Jesus to help him, and He would; how He could cure his disease, and cleanse from all sin. As he became more quiet, he told of his wicked life; how his mother could not keep him any longer, as she kept boarders, and he would do anything to get a drink. Whenever she gave him a new suit of clothes, he would go to New York, exchange them for an old suit, and go home intoxicated. A young lady gave him a glass at a party, and urged him to drink. Till then he had never drank.

Christian friends surrounded him, and pointed him to the Lamb of God. In pity, love, and faith, they bore him to the mercy-seat. They prayed for him as one prays for his own soul. The Mighty to Save heard, and cast out the demon rum, and he was saved from that hour.

Kind friends watched with him that night, and he was restored to his widowed mother, whom he had often found at the midnight hour kneeling at his bedside, pleading with a covenant-keeping God for her only son. He has since shown, by his walk and conversation, that the work is genuine.

Mr. H. had a wife and six children. Like many drunkards, he was often very abusive, and would take the little pittance his wife earned and spend it for rum, leaving the children crying for bread and shivering with cold.

At one time he sent a man to tell his wife he was arrested, and she must get some money some way so he would not have to go to prison. She did so, and he spent it for rum with his accomplice. At times he was very wretched and in despair, and made attempts to hang himself, and was prevented only by the untiring care and watchfulness of his devoted wife. One night, coming home, he made up his mind, as they would not let him hang himself, he would cut his wife’s throat first, then the children’s, and lastly his own. Before going to bed he slipped a razor in his coat-sleeve. His wife saw him do it, and stealthily left the house with her young infant, walking half a mile in the cold wintry night, through the snow and sleet, with only a thin shawl wrapped round herself and babe, to the house of her father-in-law, where she stayed all night. The father-in-law asked her why she did not leave him; if she would do so he would take care of her and the children, and send her husband to an asylum. She answered: “I cannot leave him; he is my husband, and your son, the father of my children.”

He said to her: “I fear you will all be murdered some day by his hand.”

When the husband found all was still, he arose to accomplish the murderous task he had contemplated. He saw the children sleeping quietly together, and searched for the mother. Not finding her he concluded it was not best to kill the children, as she was gone. He says it makes him shudder now when he thinks what might have happened if the enemy had put it into his mind to kill the children first. When his wife came home in the morning he asked her why she did not stay home. She looked up, with tears streaming down her cheeks, and replied: “Father, I have no home any more.” This touched his heart.

When one of his children lay a corpse he borrowed money to bury it, and stopped at a rum-shop to get a drink, and stayed until the money was all gone; and his child was buried by charity.

The Woman’s Christian Temperance Union heard of this man, and one of their number visited his house every week for eighteen months, leaving tracts with the family. After a while he looked for the tracts and the visits. Suitable clothes were promised him if he would go to church. He was deeply convicted of sin, and sought the Saviour, whom he found able to save, even to the uttermost. He has since stood firm and unwavering. For six months he was chaplain of the first Reform Club of Newark, which office he filled very acceptably. He has been called to several places in this State and in New York, to tell of his wonderful deliverance from the appetite and curse of rum.

September 8th, 1877, he buried another child; but what a contrast in the man’s family and home!—the home now pleasant and neatly furnished, the family happy even in their sorrow, and the body of the little one lying in a neat coffin with a wreath of flowers marked “baby;” the man loved and respected—a kind Christian husband and father.

Surely gospel temperance pays well, even in this life.

We might speak of our gospel temperance work in the jail: how the prisoners sought and found the Saviour, the Lord giving us a trophy the first meeting; of our bands of hope and young ladies’ league; cottage prayer-meetings, saloon visiting, etc. But time will not permit, and the half we do not know here. A true record of it is kept on high. It is a blessed work. Unto Him be all the praise and glory forever.

ROSEVILLE, NEW JERSEY.

The society in Roseville is an outgrowth of the Woman’s Crusade work. As the news came to us of the Temperance Crusade in the West, a woman of the Roseville Church heard God calling her to join this army. Then the cry went up to Him, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” The Lord answered, “What thy hands find to do, do with all thy might.” The next Sunday, by the direction of the Holy Spirit, temperance tracts were distributed among my Mission Sunday-school class, with a prayer to heaven that they might send conviction to some hearts in those seven families which this class represented. The next week these homes were visited. Upon entering one house, the mother remarked, “I am so glad you have come, for my husband wants to see you; he read the tract you sent on Sunday, and has been very thoughtful since then; says he would like to be a better man.” “Why,” said she, “he used to own two nice houses, and we all had plenty; but now we are living in these rented rooms. He has no work, and I do not know what is to become of us, for we are using up the last of our hard earnings. He will go with holes in his shoes, and just any way, and spend his last cent for rum; but he is such a good man when he is sober.”

Just then the husband, Mr. Jones, entered the room. He was a fine-looking man, but the mark of the beast was on his brow.

The conversation then commenced about his pretty children, and my desire to know more of them and their parents; he smiled sadly as he remarked, “They have a good mother, but I am not the father I ought to be.” Then we talked of the follies of a drunkard’s life, all of which he knew only too well; but how to break away from the habit that had chained him down with a death-like grip was the problem he could not solve.

He listened with joy to the “good news” of redemption through Jesus’ blood. How Jesus came to seek and save the lost; then he told me of a dear minister brother in heaven: how his last prayer on earth was for him (his wayward brother); then of a praying mother who had gone home to glory; then of an aged praying father and a gentle loving sister whose constant prayers were for him. “Yes,” he said, “I seem to be wading through prayer, knee-deep, to hell.” God was working upon his heart. There was a hushed feeling in all that room. We felt God’s presence there, and when the invitation was given to kneel in prayer, there seemed to be a responsive echo in each heart; even the little two-year-old girl, knelt in a frightened sort of way, by her father’s side, and as the petition went up before the Throne, one could imagine the angels tuning their harps a little higher. Yes, there was rejoicing among the white-robed throng over one poor sinner, who had turned from his evil ways, and was learning the new song, “To Him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.”

We then walked together to our pastor’s study, and there he promised, with God’s help, never to touch intoxicating drinks, but to serve the Lord all the remainder of his life. Two years have rolled away since that memorable 3d day of September, and he is one of our most consistent Christian men, a good citizen, and an earnest temperance worker. Many poor, rum-blinded souls have been brought to the feet of Jesus through his faithful efforts, and in his home you will find peace and plenty.

Mr. Jones’ conversion was soon noised about. Women told their neighbors of the wonderful change that had come over him, and many a sad-hearted wife wished that somebody would talk to her husband; and somebody did carry the wonderful news, “That Jesus is mighty to save,” until ten men had become converted.

They and their wives were banded together into what is now called the “Gospel Total Abstinence Society.” Socials were held at their homes once a week, until they became so large we were forced to hold the meetings in the Mission Chapel. Two years have elapsed since this society was organized and in God’s hands. It is founded on “The Rock of Ages,” and has been greatly prospered. We now number about three hundred and fifty members. Fifty-four have been converted to Christ.

Among our prominent workers are three ex-beer-saloon-keepers; also one who was confined at the prison for drunkenness, while we were holding our usual prayer-meeting at that place. He was a miserable, bloated German, who came, after his release, to the meetings, as he lived in close proximity to our work.

The kind, tender words of the women, and a tract called the “Bird-Charmer,” set him to thinking. How he entreated us, in our little Friday evening meeting, to pray for him; and we surrounded him after the meeting and never gave him up until we saw him standing with us on the “Rock of Ages.”

One year has elapsed since his conversion, and instead of the once wretched home, he is living in quite a large house, all neatly furnished, and his family of eight children are all walking in the narrow way. Through his effort two men, who had been very hard drinkers, were converted. They were won by his consistent life at the work-bench. Now they all sing together all day long, in that Catholic hat shop, the Moody and Sankey hymns. These three men are consistent members of our Roseville church.

Our organization is situated in the upper part of Newark. It is supported entirely by the Roseville Presbyterian Church, and is one of the revolving wheels in the church machinery for saving souls. It has filled a great many otherwise empty pews.

The above facts are reported by Mrs. F. T. Wiggins.

LAMBERTVILLE, NEW JERSEY.

The women arose en masse in this town, and with a petition, signed by a large majority of the citizens of the place, went to the council chamber and urged that the saloons be at once closed. The demand was so well backed up by influential names on the petition, and the presence of prominent citizens, that it was acceded to at once, and rum was banished.

Many of the young men reformed, and some of them were saved and brought into the church.

But the dealers who had been driven out established themselves on the Pennsylvania side of the river, and as there was a connecting bridge, the point was accessible and convenient, and they went on with their deadly work. The people of the little village protested, and held mass indignation meetings; but the intruders, lost to shame, defied public sentiment.

At the next election for city officers there was a hard contest, but the temperance people held their own, and kept rum out. They still watch and pray, and hold the fort.

RAHWAY, NEW JERSEY.

A good work was accomplished in Rahway. Sixty-five women signed the “iron-clad pledge,” which solemnly bound them not to use alcohol in any way, not even as a medicine, and not to patronize any hotel or grocery where it was sold.

The result of this action was that some of the grocers disposed of their liquor at once, and invited the patronage of temperance people.

Six meetings are held weekly, the ministers attending in a body the Thursday evening meetings, to which they have been specially invited.

In the outskirts of the city, at Bloodgood Mills, a branch Union was started, and a reading-room established, with good results. There is also a temperance work among the colored people.

Many have, through the labors of the faithful workers, thus been brought to Christ.

The Reform Club numbers seventy-seven, most of whom are “steadfast, immovable, abounding in the work of the Lord.”

I glean the following facts from the annual report:

JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

Meetings are held in Jersey City, Bergen, Hudson City, and Greenville, all within the city limits.

The grocers have all been visited, and urged to give up the sale of liquors. One man, who is a member of church, was found, who sold liquor by the bottle, in his grocery. When remonstrated with he insisted that he was doing right, and refused to give up that part of his business. One grocer gave up the sale of liquors, and the ladies now have a temperance grocery, which they feel in honor bound to sustain.

MOUNT HOLLY, NEW JERSEY.

Mass-meetings are held every Sabbath afternoon, beside evening meetings during the week.

Appeals have been made, both personally and in writing, to the judges of the court, by whom licenses are issued. By this means one man who applied for license to open a beer saloon was prevented.

There is a growing interest, and an improved public sentiment in this place.

NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY.

The work, which began in this town through the influence of one woman, lacks neither earnestness nor perseverance.

Meetings are held regularly, and from the converts a Reform Club has been started.

HACKETTSTOWN, NEW JERSEY.

The saloons are all closed, but the ladies continue their meetings, and are vigilant lest the enemy should obtain entrance.

At the seminary in that town, ninety young ladies and gentlemen were induced to sign the pledge.

Trenton, Elizabeth, Burlington, Beverly, Washington, Millstone, Madison, Cedarville, Long Branch and a score of other towns are holding the fort against fearful odds, and some of them are gaining substantial victories.

Mrs. M. C. Noble, who has travelled much over the State, and has with Mrs. M. R. Denman, the President of the State Union, been abundant in labors, adds the following:

Early in the fall of 1876, there was a vigorous campaign opened against intemperance in the lower part of the State of New Jersey, and prosecuted through the counties of Atlantic, Salem, Cumberland and Monmouth, with great success, arousing Christian people of all denominations to active labor. God blessed the labor of His servants most wonderfully, and we feel confident that in answer to fervent prayers and persistent effort to rescue the perishing and lift up the fallen this great awakening over our State has come. To God be all the glory.

To show the spirit of this work let me give one or two instances. It was wonderful to see the hearts of Christians so stirred up to work in all ways, and by all means, “so that some might be saved.” One afternoon there came into Temperance Hall at Trenton, during the great revival there early in the winter of 1877, a poor out-cast, a woman, who in consequence of evil ways had been imprisoned, but who now was drawn to the hall by some unknown influence. She came again and again, and finally signed the pledge and said she kept it. I can never forget a scene which occurred at the close of one of our meetings. A pure-spirited girl, one of Trenton’s fairest daughters, whose heart was full of the constraining love of Christ, approached this woman and in low tones began to talk with her in regard to her soul’s salvation. After a few moments we saw the two, one pure as the blood of Christ alone can make, and the other covered with sin and shame, move to a remote corner of the room, and bowing together so their faces nearly touched, we saw the one earnestly pleading with God for His pardon for this poor erring sister. Oh, what a sight! Angels must have stopped in their flight to witness a scene like this. We passed noiselessly away and left them alone with God and the angels.

Another: There was a man who had been a hard drinker most of his life, and was bringing his aged mother to her grave in sorrow. All efforts to save him had failed, and it seemed to all who knew him that he must fill a drunkard’s grave. A Christian lady anxious to work for the blessed Master, and to save this man if possible, thought of this plan. She would write him a letter praying that God would touch his heart. She did so, addressing him as “brother,” and signing herself his friend. She invited him to the Temperance Hall that night. The word “brother” arrested his attention. He said, “Is it possible that there is one who cares enough for me to call me ‘brother,’ and that one, a lady? I will go to the hall.” He did so, signed the pledge and became an earnest worker in the cause of temperance.

Others of similar character were brought into our meetings and were saved; broken down family altars were rebuilt, and many new ones set up, we trust never to be abandoned.

It was blessed to bow with these saved men at their altars of prayer, where in many cases children had fled from their drunken fathers in terror. Now they would sit upon their knee while God’s word was read, and all bow together in humble prayer.

Through the influence of these gospel temperance meetings many saloons have been closed; cider mills abandoned; and thousands of precious souls have been saved, thereby turning aside the streams of death which bear down to ruin so many of our fellow-beings.

God very signally owned and blessed the work at Elizabeth City, N. J., and though not so many signed the pledge as in other places, yet the work was carried into the churches, and pastors and people united in the great work of saving souls, and all felt when the meeting closed that some had been brought to the saving knowledge of Christ.

MARYLAND.

Years ago, when a war-cry rang out in the land, thousands of womanly hearts thrilled responsive to the call for sympathy, for aid, and prayer. And when, not long after, another battle-cry pealed out in thunder-tones, when the voice of the Crusade, as the voice of many waters, came surging from the West, our hearts answered to the call, and everywhere throughout “our Maryland,” woman’s lips caught up the battle-cry, “For God, and home, and native land!”

Fired by the enthusiasm of the noble women of Ohio, touched by the spirit of sacrifice which nerved them to deeds of heroism unsurpassed by any on historic page, we, of Maryland, saw, as never before, our responsibility as Christians, realized that “we were our brothers’ keepers,” and, listening to the Spirit’s call, resolved to do whatever (God blessing our efforts) we might towards helping “the bound-in chains” to be free!

Never before had we seemed to hear as in our very midst, all round about us, the wail from breaking hearts, women weeping over the degradation of their first-born, their poor misguided Absaloms. We saw our own darlings in our sheltered homes, shielded, loved, and blest, and, as never before, felt that it was required of us to seek out in their wretchedness the drunkard’s children—little children who scarcely knew what childhood was, looking out upon life with scared and wondering faces, crouching to earth, or hiding away at footsteps on a stair—uncertain, stumbling footsteps, heralds of night hours of vigil, of abuse and desolation.

Women suffering a living death, in degradation, poverty and woe, struggling, toiling far into the night, to earn their children bread; these seemed to look to us with pitiful, tear-stained faces, for help, for sympathy, for prayer.

Thus moved by the example of our sisters of the West, awakened by the voice of the Holy Spirit, we began to ask, “What is our duty? What can we do? Shall we stand idly looking on, while souls die that we might help to save? Shall we dream away our lives, fold our arms in peace, and give thanks that none of our beloved ones are in that army marching down to death?” The answer came back, “No! a thousand times no, no!”

“What, then, should we do?” Wait for protection from our lawgivers, help that might never come!

Nay, to the mighty Lawgiver, the Judge of all the earth, we resolved to carry our cause; to the mighty in battle we would fly for deliverance; taking courage when we remembered that “Greater is He who is for us, than all they who are against us.”

Day after day we met for solemn consecration, for prayer, seeking wisdom from on high, that, led by the Holy Spirit, we might put into active form our yearning pity for the victims of intemperance, their sorrowing families, and desolated homes.

In the spring of 1874, a band of Christian women under the direction of Mrs. Francis A. Crook, and Mrs. Dr. J. Carey Thomas, of Baltimore, associated themselves together under the name of “The Woman’s Christian Temperance Union.”

During the spring and winter, prayer-meetings were held two and three days in the week in the different churches of the city; for in this work Christian women of all denominations met and worked, wept, and prayed together “one in Christ.”

Cottage meetings were held in the suburbs of the city, in private houses, and even in houses of shame; dens of infamy where our pure women went, as the disciples of old, two and two, in little companies, quietly, lovingly, earnestly bearing the Master’s message of salvation, binding the “whosoevers and the whatsoevers” into a staff to bear up and on the poor sinning, sad, despairing souls, that heard them with new hope. God wonderfully blessed these efforts. Souls were reclaimed, and more than one lifted up by Christian women’s loving hands. These, their fallen sisters, were led to Him who saveth to the uttermost whosoever will come.

Responding to a call issued by the President of the Baltimore Union, the women of the city and State met in convention, November 9th and 10th, 1875, in this city, to plan for the future extension of the work.

The result of this gathering was the organization of “The Woman’s Christian Temperance Union,” of Maryland, auxiliary to “The Woman’s National Christian Temperance Union.”

The following officers were elected, and at each succeeding annual convention, unanimously re-elected:

President, Mrs. Frances A. Crook, Baltimore; Vice-Presidents, Mrs. Simon Parkhurst, Baltimore county; Mrs. Dr. James Carey Thomas, Baltimore, Congressional District; Mrs. L. H. Cochren, Frederick county; Recording Secretary, Mrs. E. B. Murdock, Baltimore; Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. Georgia Hulse McLeod, Baltimore; Treasurer, Mrs. Alice Brooks, Baltimore.

Through the years of 1875-76, the Union has pressed forward, overcoming many obstacles, but quietly and persistently commanding attention and respect, creating a still increasing sentiment in favor of temperance.

We can chronicle no grand victory, rejoice over no signal success, but we are glad to know that from meetings held week after week, month after month, often through great discouragement, good has resulted. In public halls, in churches, in private houses, in cities, towns, and villages, seed has been sown which God has blessed. Some souls have been saved, some fallen ones reclaimed, a few bars and rum shops closed. Into every open door of opportunity our sisters have gone with their sweet message of love. Among the seamen—the old weather-beaten tars, the young just starting out on first voyages—on the deck of a man-of-war they have sung, and talked, and prayed. The memory of a meeting thus held, one Sabbath afternoon, will, by some, be long remembered. The first to sign the pledge, and place his name upon the prayer-roll, was an English boy, whose heart some spoken word of mother-love had touched.

That was his last Sabbath upon earth. A fall from the yard-arm resulted in almost instant death. Held high in esteem by officers and mates, he was buried with naval honors. Tributes of respect, fragrant flowers, were heaped upon his coffin. A record of these tokens of friendship the boy had won, and a lock of soft brown hair were sent to his mother far away, and are all that is left now to comfort her.

His life voyage was early ended, and we believe his ship is safe in port, where the storms never come.

Temperance literature, papers, tracts, books, and leaflets were frequently distributed. Articles bearing on the interests of the cause were, from time to time, inserted in local journals. Letters were written to those who could be reached in no other way.

From our city pulpits each year were read appeals from the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, urging their sisters to banish from Christmas and New Year’s festivals, and social gatherings, wines and other intoxicating drinks. These appeals were not altogether vain. Every Christmas tide the song of the Angel of Peace sounds louder and clearer. Christmas is a joy to some homes, where its gladness had been long unknown, and fewer hearts are saddened by long, weary watches, at that joyous time, for reeling forms, tottering steps, blaspheming tones.

Auxiliary Unions have been formed in Baltimore and Howard counties. In a village in the last-named county, by the earnest, persevering efforts of one true Christian woman, the sale of liquor has been abandoned by the shopkeepers, to whom it had always been a profitable investment.

In Glencoe, Baltimore county, a juvenile auxiliary has been formed, which promises to be a valuable acquisition.

Pledges have been taken to some extent, but in this form of our work we meet with much opposition.

Several hundred signatures have been obtained to petitions ready for the approaching session of our State Legislature.

Delegates were appointed to the National and International Conventions. The latter was attended by the President, Vice-President, and Corresponding Secretary of the State, and by the Treasurer of the Baltimore Woman’s Christian Temperance Union.

A public meeting, with appropriate farewell services, was held in honor of Mrs. Margaret Parker, President of the Woman’s International Temperance Union, and addressed by her on the eve of her departure for Scotland.

In April and May daily meetings for reformed men were presided over by members of the Baltimore Union during the Temperance Revival Meetings, under the direction of Colonel Hoy, and some of the men then rescued from ruin have been encouraged and assisted in their every effort towards a maintenance for themselves and families, to whom they had been almost lost.

This is Maryland’s brief record, far more brief than we could wish, but “We have done what we could.” Still hoping, praying, working, watching for the brighter day we know must come, when four thousand liquor-saloons shall no longer be a blot on the beauty of our city, when not one shall be found in our State from its eastern to its western shores, and when we shall rejoice in the fulfilment of the promise: “The way of the wicked He turneth upside down.”

We have still much to regret, much which grieves and saddens us, but we have much for which to give thanks.

We are still an undivided band. The Angel of Death has spared our ranks; the Angel of the Covenant has led, blessed, and strengthened us. We reconsecrate ourselves to the work, looking forward, not backward; up, not down.

Only the smallest of the polished stones have we to bring, far outshone by sister States, yet may we find in the glad by-and-by, that in the hand of the great Master-Builder, we have found a place, and aided in the completion of the whole, the perfect mosaic formed of millions of gems, trophies won for the Master by those who love His name, and watch for His salvation.

THE TRYST OF MARYLAND.

IN THE TWILIGHT.

Reported by Mrs. Georgia Hulse McLeod, Corresponding Secretary.

CONNECTICUT.

NEW MILFORD, CONNECTICUT.

I gather the following facts from reports and letters sent me by Mrs. M. A. Stone, the efficient President of this local organization, and of the State organization, and Vice-President of the Woman’s National Christian Temperance Union:

The ladies of this place, hearing rumors of the strange work in the West, began to question in their minds whether something ought not to be done here.

We had men here who were selling without license, keeping their houses open on the Sabbath, and selling to minors, contrary to the law regulating liquor traffic. Finally, two of the ladies, after consulting the leading men of the place, decided to call a meeting.

The meeting was held in the Congregational chapel, March 17th, 1874. Other meetings followed, and a petition was prepared and circulated for signatures, requesting the liquor-dealers to give up their business. Over a thousand signatures were obtained. A committee of ladies presented the petition to every saloon-keeper, urging them to give up their vile traffic; but in vain. The petition and signatures were published, and the ministers of the town invited to preach sermons on the subject, the following Sabbath, which some of them did.

The subject was agitated so thoroughly that the liquor-dealers, knowing they were defying the law, called a town-meeting, and asked the town to give them license. The ladies held a prayer-meeting, in a chapel close by the place where they were voting, and with prayers and tears besought God not to permit them to have license. None who were there can ever forget that meeting. While they were still praying and crying to God, a kind brother came, and, opening the door gently, said, “We have a majority of sixty-nine votes against license,” and closing the door left us to ourselves. A thrill of joy ran through every heart. It would be quite impossible to describe the scene—some cried for joy, some thanked God for answered prayer, and all realized, as never before, that God was on their side. The ladies continued their meeting with great enthusiasm.

The liquor-dealers stopped selling for a time, and then called another town-meeting; and the ladies called another special meeting at the same time and place as before. Their meeting resulted in no license again—the ladies meeting in joy and thanksgiving to God, who had again given them the victory.

Some time elapsed before the liquor-dealers rallied for another conflict. This time they applied to the County Commissioners for license. The ladies sent a committee to the County Commissioners, to protest against it, on the ground that they were not fit persons to be intrusted with license, as they had, for more than a year, been selling contrary to law. Petitions from citizens were also sent in, and the liquor-dealers were again defeated.

For some time they kept quiet; but as they continued to sell, the men decided to prosecute them, and in due time they were all convicted but one, who claimed that he had not violated his promise to the ladies, and had only sold for medicine (he kept a drug store). The suit against him was withdrawn, the rest paid their fines. Finding themselves thwarted on every side, they appealed to the Legislature, and by the cunning devices of scheming politicians secured the Local Option law, which was made so strong in their favor that the County Commissioners had no longer power to use their own discretion in granting license to those who might apply, when the petitioner had complied with the terms provided by law. At the next election the town voted license. But the women continued to work, and in 1876 the town again voted no license.

A young people’s meeting was organized: D. W. Ives, President; A. S. Beecher, Secretary. The society increased in numbers rapidly, and there are now more than two hundred members. A Colored People’s Temperance Union was formed, which soon numbered over eighty members; and, last and best, a Temperance Band of Hope, with sixty-two members, twenty-four of whom have signed the triple pledge, to use no tobacco, no intoxicating drinks, and no profane language. A citizens’ club sprung up spontaneously, as it were, without any action on the part of the ladies, and many who were considered almost past reformation joined it. They were assisted by the citizens in procuring a reading-room. Books, papers and pictures were furnished, and $150, to aid in the work.

In 1877, the town voted license again; but public sentiment is improving. All the societies are in active operation, and they are looking forward to the time when God shall give the victory.

EASTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

In the autumn of 1873, a mother was walking with her four children along one of the pleasant roads of Eastford. Much engaged and interested in their conversation, she failed to notice an object by the roadside, of which she would have gladly spared them the sight. Suddenly the boy clutched her dress with one hand, and pointing with the other to the prostrate figure, exclaimed, “Oh, mother, is he dead?” Looking in the direction he pointed, she saw a man, well dressed, about thirty years of age, lying flat upon the ground in the uneasy sleep of intoxication. His hat had fallen from his head, and the hot sun beat mercilessly upon his dusty face. “The man is not dead, but drunk,” she said, in answer to his question. The boy drew nearer to his mother, and in a low voice said, “But he will die, won’t he?” “Yes, some time; and after death is the judgment,” she added.