Chapter III · (continued 3)

“March 6th, Mother Stewart was with us. The following note of the day is in the words of our Secretary at that time:

“Although the day was exceedingly inclement, we decided the trial-moment had come, and we marched upon the street with Mother Stewart at our front. We went with trembling, but God’s grace, which never faileth in the hour of need, strengthened us by the way, and as we knelt upon the muddy pavement, we felt God’s Spirit overshadowing and leading us. Four saloons were visited, but the doors were barred against our entrance. We prayed that the Spirit which can work, and no man hinder, might enter there.

“At a mass-meeting on the evening of March 9th, we were cheered by our first unconditional surrender. A stock guarantee fund of forty thousand ($40,000) dollars, afterwards increased to fifty thousand, was also raised at this time. The object of this fund was, so it was stated, was to prosecute liquor-dealers, and it could only be used for prosecutions, and for defending the women in prosecutions, should any arise; and great as has been our need of funds at different times, not a cent of it has ever passed into our hands.

“As the days and weeks passed by we received other promises from liquor-dealers to stop selling. Six ceased entirely, though some of them have since resumed the traffic. New ones have started up within the past two years, so that we are often met with the taunting question, ‘What good did your Crusade do? The town is worse off than it was before.’ But looking back, we can see good that has been accomplished. Daily the bands visited the saloons, and the voice of prayer and praise was heard from such unaccustomed places, for a brief while each day, though often the sounds of cursing and revelry mingled with the prayers. One such scene the writer remembers distinctly. It was Saturday afternoon, and the village was thronged with people from the surrounding country, full of curiosity to see the ‘praying women.’ One of the bands entered a saloon on the busiest part of Main street. Coarse, rough men, others quiet, observant, and boys eager and interested, thronged the pavement. The rear part of the saloon was full of men, one degree coarser than those without, smoking, drinking, swearing, scoffing. As the band entered, one of our sweet Crusade hymns rose on the air. We were told to ‘be brief. They were very busy, and wanted no interruption.’ A few verses of Scripture were read, and a sister led in prayer, and such a prayer. The wife of the proprietor told her to stop, but she prayed on; finally, she shook her, but the prayer flowed calmly and earnestly on, as if the air carried no sound but her own voice to the listening ear above. A German sister immediately followed, and while she prayed the door was locked. Whatever may have been the intention, the door was opened while we sang at the close of her prayer, and we passed out. Committees of two or three were also sent at times to talk with saloon-keepers.

“We had at this time two hundred and sixty-two women pledged to the work.

“Early in April, pickets were stationed at the principal saloons. This work was kept up more or less closely until the Crusade work ceased.

“April 6th, being our local election day, and the saloons closed by law, was devoted to an all-day prayer-meeting. We began at six o’clock in the morning, and during the hours of the day, earnest prayers went up, that the cause of right and temperance might triumph, and the Lord show His power in controlling the affairs of men. The liquor interest made a desperate fight, but the victory was essentially ours, though much of the good we hoped from it was lost by the mismanagement of men.

“Nothing daunted the ladies prepared and presented to the council a petition, signed by three hundred and sixty-five men and four hundred and sixty-one women, praying that a prohibitory ordinance be added to our municipal code, but though there was a majority of the voters, the council was divided against itself, and our petition was lost.

“May 20th, the chairman of the executive committee of the guarantee fund requested that the ‘ladies should retire from the streets.’ After considerable discussion, it was decided to do so for a time. We never resumed the work in that form.

“July 9th, officers were elected, and constitution adopted for permanent organization. Weekly prayer-meetings have been held ever since.

“The county has been thoroughly canvassed twice; once against the license clause of the new constitution, and once in the endeavor to thoroughly organize it.

“After the formation of the Woman’s National Union, we changed our name of League, to Women’s Christian Temperance Union, of Marion, Ohio.

“We feel that we have done, and can do, oh, so little; but we can pray, and ‘prayer moves the arm that moves the world.’”

WEST UNION, OHIO.

This little village, of only four hundred inhabitants, had four saloons. For years and years they had been doing their deadly work, paralyzing business and wasting the resources and ruining the homes of the people.

The women of this staid old town had never thought it possible to change this order of things. But as soon as the success of Crusaders elsewhere became known, they rallied to the work with such zeal and earnestness that in a very short time the whole town was ablaze with temperance enthusiasm, and every saloon was closed.

FELICITY, OHIO.

Felicity, a quiet little village, a few miles back from the Ohio river, and thirty miles by road from Cincinnati, had one saloon.

The women had watched the desolating work of that saloon, and encouraged by the example of their sisters in other places, they determined, if possible, to close it.

A meeting was called, and the women met and consecrated themselves for any part of the work God might demand of them.

But while they yet prayed, He answered; and when, a few days later, the band visited the saloon, they found that terror had taken hold of the dealer, and that he had shipped his liquors back to Cincinnati, and the room was being cleaned and put in order for other purposes.

LEBANON, OHIO.

Lebanon was noted for its morality.

The town contained about four thousand inhabitants, and had nine churches, and only three saloons.

It had been, from the very beginning of its existence, a temperance town, and a prohibitory ordinance had been passed years before by the town council.

These men, in defiance of law, were selling liquors; but the municipal authorities did not put a stop to the traffic.

A great deal of enthusiasm had been created by the trial of the ladies of Morrow, which took place in this town. Many of the citizens of Morrow had accompanied the ladies to the court, and the Lebanon ladies provided dinner for them, and rejoiced with them when Scheide was defeated. But the ladies were slow to begin the Crusade work.

They believed that the men, who had the law on their side, ought to shut up all three of the saloons without their help. And perhaps the men thought so, too, but it was not easy to get evidence.

Rev. E. B. Burrows, a young Congregational minister, went to Cincinnati, secretly, and employed a detective.

The detective, after lounging about the saloons for a few days, had proof enough to sustain a prosecution, and Brady and Glady were arrested. Brady owned two saloons. The liquor-dealers rallied the roughs and drunkards to bully the court and carry through the case after the usual style. But the temperance element was aroused, and the building was crowded with the best and wealthiest citizens of the town. The two men were convicted, fined, and sent to prison.

Immediately they began to negotiate for a compromise—“If the fines and imprisonment were remitted, and the prisoners allowed to go free, they would leave the town.”

And so a compromise was made, and two of the saloons closed their doors.

The other saloon-keeper, Nate Wood, was arrested, tried, fined, and imprisoned. He paid his fine, served out his time in jail, and went back to his business as though nothing had happened. But he now confined himself to legal sales. Under the law of the State, liquor must not be sold to be drunk on the premises. He filled little bottles for his customers, and they could pass out to a vacant lot or some convenient corner and take their drinks.

The women organized and visited his saloon, and entreated him to stop. At last, after much boasting that he had plenty of money and could stand the siege, he closed his saloon and left the town.

GRANVILLE, OHIO.

There were only four saloons in Granville. One of the dealers being a Jew, would not, on “account of his religion,” allow the ladies to come into his saloon to pray. But he spread carpeting on the sidewalk, and brought out chairs for their accommodation, and they held their prayer-meetings daily in front of his saloon.

One hotel-keeper closed his doors against them, but standing by the closed door they sang: “Behold a stranger at the door.” A lady who was present said: “It seemed as though the words had been prepared for the occasion, and O’Kane had written the music for just such a time and place: it can never sound to me again as it did that day.”

There was a woman who kept a saloon and grocery just outside of the corporation limits. Just before leaving the church to visit her saloon, the women were told that she was a rough and dangerous character, that she had whipped her husband and driven him away, and that the parish priest, for she was a Roman Catholic, could do nothing with her. But trusting in God, the women went forth to visit her. They found her son in charge of the store; she was in the back yard very angry. The ladies went out to her, but she told them she had no time to talk with them.

When they next visited her saloon, the liquors had all been sent away; and she was willing to talk to the ladies in a respectful manner.

The Crusaders then visited the brewery. Mrs. Thomas Adams gives the following graphic account of that visit: “Two ferocious dogs were kept by the brewer, which he let loose upon us, but the dogs would not harm us. The man paced to and fro like an enraged lion in his cage, and raved like a mad man.”

In a short time all the saloons were closed.

LEESBURG, OHIO.

The Crusade, which commenced January 29th, closed out all the saloons in two weeks, and $50,000 was subscribed as a guarantee fund to keep it clear. A correspondent wrote: “The last spike was driven in the coffin of King Alcohol to-day.”

BLANCHESTER, OHIO.

The work commenced in February, and the little village of 600 was soon cleared of the traffic.

GOSHEN, OHIO.

The Crusade was successful in this place, and when the last saloon closed, all the bells in town were rung.

The overjoyed people, who were in their homes at the time, ran bareheaded into the streets, to join the praying band; the children of the public schools were dismissed, which added to the enthusiasm. The only keg of beer found in the saloon was rolled out, and the bung knocked in, and its contents poured into the gutter. The enthusiasm was so great, that many embraced each other and wept for joy.

ZALESKI, OHIO.

All the saloons in this little village were closed by the Crusade.

TROY, OHIO.

On the 18th February, 1874, the Christian women of Troy came together with one accord to pray for the removal of the curse of intemperance. They numbered fifty-three. Their number increased from day to-day, as continued meetings were held. A wonderful degree of the Holy Spirit was manifest.

On the 22d, a Temperance League was formed by the simple election of a President (Mrs. J. B. Riley), and Secretary (Mrs. E. B. Meeks), and the adoption of the solemn agreement to “Make common cause against the common enemy, Intemperance.” To this pledge were signed 737 names. That pledge has been kept until the present date, September 20th, 1877.

Daily meetings were held for two years; since that they are semi-weekly. Many have been reformed. To God be the glory forever.

MANSFIELD, OHIO.

I am indebted to Mrs. Fanny W. Leiter, State Secretary, for the following facts:

The deep interest on the subject of Temperance which had been aroused in the hearts of our citizens by the spirit which was abroad in the land, found relief in action about the 25th of February, when a petition was circulated, receiving 600 signatures, and presented to the mayor, praying for a better enforcement of our Sunday laws.

Immediately following this, a few of our earnest women assembled at the residence of one of their number, and, as a result of this gathering, on Sunday, March 1st, notices were read in all the churches, calling for a meeting of the women, to be held in the basement of the Methodist Church on the following afternoon. Before the meeting was called to order every chair was occupied and standing room was in demand. The faces of that audience would have been a study for an artist. Deep earnestness was the prevailing expression, varied by every shade of emotion, such as curiosity, doubt, fear, credulity, enthusiasm, hopefulness. Young faces took on an unusual gravity; older ones were lighted by new and strong feeling; even women, bowed by three-score years and ten, seemed filled with youthful ardor, and added dignity and animation to the scene.

The petty distinction of wealth and social standing was forgotten, as swayed by one common impulse, all minds were busy with the question: “What can we do to destroy this common evil of intemperance?”

Mrs. McVay stated the reasons that seemed to demand such a gathering of the women of our city.

After the appointment of a temporary chairman, many short and telling speeches were made by women who, perhaps, had never before expressed their minds to an audience, and, as a forward step, a committee of seven ladies was directed to call upon the mayor, and see what he could do to aid us. This committee met on Tuesday, and after prayer, proceeded to visit his honor, the mayor. His signature was obtained to a paper promising to do all in his power to enforce the laws bearing upon the sale and use of intoxicating liquors.

The meeting of April 5th was held in the Methodist Church, filling the audience-room.

After some preliminary discussion the “Women’s Christian Temperance League,” of Mansfield, was organized with the following officers:

President, Mrs. J. H. Reed; Secretary, Mrs. Fannie Leiter; Corresponding Secretary, Miss M. Brinkerhoff; Treasurer, Mrs. G. W. Geddes.

A Vice-President from each of the twelve churches in the city, was also appointed.

A strong personal pledge was passed around, and signed by nearly every one present. Letters were read from several of the ministers of the city, expressing sympathy with the movement, and bidding us “God speed.”

Restrictive pledges, signed by most of the physicians and druggists, were handed in, unsolicited.

Women held morning prayer-meetings, which were largely attended by business men who had agreed to close their places of business during one hour in the forenoon.

The men agreed to raise a fund, if possible, amounting to $100,000, to be assessed, not to exceed more than one per cent. This was a very substantial proof of the interest the men took in the work of reform, and the women were very thankful for the means to carry on the work. Prayer-meetings were held both forenoon and afternoon, and largely attended by men as well as women. Committees appointed to visit saloons, by twos, performed their work faithfully. One of them, the smallest one too, said she had “seen the giants” and was not affrighted. All seemed of one mind that the time had come to visit saloons in bands, and pray for saloon-keepers face to face. The President expressed her willingness to do so if enough were agreed as touching this one thing. After some talk and a few moments spent in silent prayer, the question was put, and over one hundred rose to their feet, though with manifest trembling.

The ladies who went to Ashland returned and made a favorable report of the street work being done there. The desire to undertake a similar work here was acted upon. All of the advisory committee approved, and on taking a vote of the League, all rose to their feet. Feeling had intensified and conviction deepened until many who, at the outset of the work, shuddered at the thought, were willing to take the course so strongly pointed out to them by Providence. The weather was very inclement, and physical as well as moral courage was in demand. A feeling of great solemnity prevailed as the procession, headed by the president and secretary, moved out upon the street. The band was formidable in point of numbers, nearly five hundred, many who were not members of the League, joining in, to express their approbation of the movement. All the saloons on each side of Main, down to Fourth street, were visited.

The first three compelled us to hold our services upon the pavement, all kneeling during the prayers. The proprietor of a fourth was willing to admit the ladies, but the room, an underground apartment, was already so packed with men and boys, who had congregated for the purpose of witnessing, and thwarting the effort, that it was impossible for more than twelve or fifteen to gain access; and the uproar of the multitude proclaiming for their idol, seemed to defeat, for a little time, our purpose. Finally, one of the band, pressed in spirit, stepped upon a chair,—in the very presence of that rebellious crowd. They were hushed in a moment to profound stillness, as she poured forth her soul in behalf of the perishing people.

The ladies, as many as could get in, were admitted in several other places, and treated with respect.

The convictions that followed the experiences of this day proved the turning-point with many women, who, previous to this, were undecided as to their duty in this matter.

March 13th.—The ladies went in two columns and visited all the drinking establishments from Fourth street to the railroad. Exercises were conducted mostly on the pavement, large crowds of people standing around; some listened reverently and others talking angrily; the angry tones were mostly in a foreign tongue. Some declared that if this thing was to go on long, they would go back to Faderland, where they could drink their lager in peace, with no vimmen to “molest or make them afraid.”

March 14th.—We divided our forces into smaller bands—organizing six, with the more active ones as leaders. Three bands met together in the morning, spent an hour in prayer, and then an hour or two in singing, praying, and talking temperance, either in saloons, or on the pavement, or gutter in front of them. This programme was repeated with little variation in the afternoon. They were warned against concentration, and threatened with the contents of beer barrels; nevertheless they continued to concentrate, and “bearded the lion in his den” so long as seemed unto them good.

The McConnelsville Ordinance, somewhat modified, was passed March 17th, to the great joy of many friends of temperance and the sorrow of others, who believed that prayer was the only weapon to be used in this warfare, and that the rum-sellers themselves were quite as open to its influence as the executors of the law. Election day, April 5th, was observed by the members of the League as a day of fasting and prayer. There was undivided joy over the result of the election, which gave a majority, considered in favor of temperance, and left the council as before—three against and five for the ordinance.

April 1st, the day when the ordinance should have gone into force, saw every saloon closed, at least in appearance, and silence reigned in our streets for the space of half a month, save an occasional meeting in one of the wholesale liquor-houses. Several saloonists had agreed, previous to this, to quit the business—two of them women. Eighteen less licenses for selling liquors were taken out on May 1st, 1874, than on May 1st, 1873. Official returns showed a great decrease In the amount of liquors of all kinds sold in the month of February, March and April, of 1874. A property-holders’ pledge was circulated and generally signed. Druggists’ and physicians’ pledges were pressed earnestly and signed, with but a very few exceptions, by the men of influence. A petition against license received nearly 1,000 signatures. Personal pledges were made by many, the turning-point to a better life. Our all-day sessions of the League, the four mass-meetings a week at the Opera House, the Sunday afternoon prayer and conference meetings, were all attended and participated in by a very large number of the better class of our citizens.

In a word, a strong tide of temperance sentiment prevailed, which, taken at the flood, by those who should, for the sake of humanity, have ruled our city in the fear of God, would have led on to the entire overthrow of the liquor traffic and its consequent evils. This fortunate end was not reached.

Nevertheless, in the language of one of our beloved co-workers, Mrs. Wilson, “God honors the smallest particle of faith in Him.” We hesitate not to claim the undeniable good wrought in our midst as answers vouchsafed to the many believing prayers offered by earnest and untiring workers in the cause of temperance. We heard more than one ex-saloonist say that he was glad he had quit a business which did harm to himself and customers. Our hearts were gladdened every Sabbath by seeing those seated among us, clothed and in their right minds, who, one year before, were estranged from church, family and friends by that destroyer of all the better faculties of the soul—intemperance. Many of our faithful and devout sisters gave it as their experience at the close of the year, that it had been the richest and noblest of their lives. “Good measure, pressed down and running over,” was given them by the rewarder of the faithful.

The daily meetings of the League, the visiting of saloons in bands, or as committees, the circulation of the various pledges and petitions, the distributing of tracts, the visiting of those sick, and in prison, and a large amount of private temperance work, took a great deal of time and strength. This work was done, mostly, by women whose domestic cares had, heretofore, occupied their time and thoughts. It was a work added to the more important, and done in place of the less important duties of wives, mothers and sisters, but it was done promptly and cheerfully, and not one of them all died from the overwork or exposure.

We have yet to learn that any member of the house-holds represented, were materially injured by the reduced fare of their tables, or the depleted state of their wardrobes. Still, after so long a time as eight weeks, the fact was recognized that the Crusaders were not blessed as the wandering Israelites, “whose garments waxed not old upon them, whose shoes waxed not old upon their feet, and whose bread dropped from heaven!” Working-time was at first reduced one-half; then three meetings a week were held, and this continued until the 1st of August. The work upon the street changed its form several times, to suit the change in the impressions of the workers, as to the better mode of conducting such services. The last direct appeals to the saloonists, were made on the 27th of May—nearly three months from the beginning of the work. The dealers in liquors, both wholesale and retail, who, at first, were at least polite, and often apologetic, in their talks with the ladies, offering to quit the business if any other employment could be found, or to sell out at half or one-fourth the value, again revived their courage, under the failure to enforce the ordinance, and evident cooling off of some advocates of the movement, and closed their doors and ears to all appeals. Outdoor meetings were held in various parts of the city, in the daytime conducted by the women, and on Friday evening in the Park, mostly addressed by our ministers and lawyers, who were not yet afraid to speak their minds on the subject of temperance. Meetings of this kind were kept up as long as the weather permitted. Then prayer-meetings in private houses were undertaken, under the auspices of the League, which have been fruitful of much good.

Mrs. Leiter, an active member of the League, was chosen as Secretary of the State Temperance organization. A convention, held in the interest of the cause, made up of delegates from the several townships of Richland county, convened in the Opera House, June 13th, 1874. A permanent county organization was effected, with Mrs. McVay, President; Mrs. Patterson, Secretary; Mrs. Mercer, Treasurer, and one Vice-President from each township.

This was the beginning of a good work for this county; men and women going miles into the country to talk temperance up, and license down. The majority against license was largely increased by the vote of Richland county. A temperance picnic, held on the 4th of July, and addressed by “Mother Stewart,” was a success in every way. On July 25th the trial of Wm. Etz, for breaking the Ale and Beer Ordinance, was begun, and occupied the attention of the people for five days, being held in the court-room. The temperance women attended, both as witnesses and spectators, and were compelled to hear more unkind remarks, and to receive more discourteous treatment, than during the entire campaign, up to that time. The water showered on them, from a down-town saloon, was (to speak in a figure) but a drop to the buckets full dashed at their devoted heads by these vigorous defenders of the beer-keg. To have their own favorite weapons, the words of holy writ, arrayed against them by their enemies, was both a surprise and a grief. The verdict rendered in the case was a death-blow to any hope of the ordinance being of use under the existing administration. Nothing was really lost but much gained by the trial; among other things a better knowledge of the foes of our cause, who stand as well behind the bar of justice, as the bar of the saloon.

At the beginning of the second quarter a constitution and by-laws were adopted. Previous to this a simple pledge served to bind us together. At this time, also, a reporter was appointed, who gave to the public, in a series of articles, such work of the League as seemed of general interest.

Several temperance meetings were held on Sunday afternoon, especially for children; but this important branch did not receive the attention it merited until after the close of the first year. In the latter part of August the League meetings were reduced to one each week, and these have since been held regularly upon Wednesday afternoon. At least one general temperance meeting was held each month during the year.

During the winter a permanent place of organization came into effect. Committees were appointed to canvass the city for members, presenting at the same time two petitions for signatures—one to be sent to the Ohio Legislature, praying against the repeal of the Adair law; the other a memorial to Congress, asking for restrictive laws in the manufacture of alcoholic drinks in the District of Columbia, and the Territories.

Three assessments were collected in part, on the $30,000 of stock actually taken by the temperance men of Mansfield, for the use of the League. At the time of permanent organization the stockholders were released from further assessment.

However much the work fell short of the desired end during the months usually denominated the existence of the Crusade proper—whatever weakness was manifested in plan or performance, we are sure of one thing: it was done in the fear of God and for love of humanity.

The great mistake committed by some, was in considering the Crusade ended when the street work ceased. That was a striking feature of the work, but a feature only, not the soul or body, as the following months have demonstrated.

Of the enthusiastic 500 who went forth upon that eventful day in March, 1874, the majority are not with us in active work at this time, having either from necessity returned to imperative home interests—though their hearts are still in the work; or, with the ebbing tide of popular sentiment, drifted to the open sea of indifference, but continuing in readiness to help swell the next oncoming wave.

A score and more of earnest laborers have continued faithful, through some opposition and many discouragements, during the past three years, guarding with a jealous care, the true interests of this great reform; and to-day ask no greater reward, than the consciousness that they have been following the path of duty.

RIPLEY, OHIO.

This beautiful town is situated on the Ohio river, and contains about 3,500 inhabitants.

The place became prominent during anti-slavery times, because of its “underground railway.”

If a fugitive slave once set foot on the streets of that town, he was safe, no matter if his pursuers were at his heels. Somehow or other he was spirited away, and though every house was searched with a lighted candle, he could not be found.

My first recollections of Ripley were in this connection. I lived in Maysville, Ky., a neighboring town, which was an important slave market, and often whole families would escape from their masters and find a refuge there; and though so hotly pursued that they were in sight when they entered the town, nothing more would be heard of them.

But while fighting human slavery so heroically and successfully, that all southern Kentucky was in a measure stripped of her slaves, the other slavery—the worse slavery of the drink habit, was carried on without restraint in their midst.

But early in the Crusade movement, the women rallied to this work, and carried it on heroically.

The Crusade began in Ripley, February 5th, and in nine days seventeen saloons were closed. Some of the German dealers were so frightened and disgusted, that they returned to the “Faderland.” The German minister who tried to rally them for the conflict, was soon prayed out of town.

A correspondent writing from there while the contest was going on, gives the following graphic account of one day’s work:

“Saturday we went to Sprenger’s with an advance guard; for we had heard most bitter threats that he had made. Imagine our delight when he met us in the most cordial way, and, after singing and prayer, gave us his name to the dealers’ pledge. Mr. Hauser, the German druggist, who first declined to sign the pledge, sent for the ladies and gave his name most willingly. Mr. Scholter promised, by his country, his God, and his wife, never to sell another drop of intoxicating liquor, and we know he has kept it in the face of strong entreaty to the contrary. Mr. Reinert received the ladies the first day, but the second closed his door. Down on their knees the ladies fell upon the pavement, in snow and sleet, with a most pitiless wind blowing. Men stood with uncovered heads, and the crowd wept. A commander of our navy, who has faced death and danger, said he could not endure this sight, and tears coursed over his face. Close against the pane a mother bowed in prayer, and a moment later the door was opened, and Mr. Reinert said, ‘Ladies, I will quit the business; send a committee of your business men to me.’ They went, and he arranged to dispose of his stock.”

Rev. Granville Moody, a Methodist minister, who had been a colonel in the Union army during the war—a man of wonderful courage and possessing great wit and power, was stationed there at the time, and backed up the work by his influence. His wife, a talented leader, was prominent and efficient in the work.

The ladies entered every open door.

The steamer Wildwood, which plied daily between Maysville and Cincinnati, received a share of their attention, because of the bar on board.

One day, as she came in from Maysville, a large crowd of Crusaders were awaiting. When she blew her whistle they responded with sacred song: “Shall we gather at the river.”

Captain Powers, a born gentleman, received the ladies politely, and conducted them on board the boat, where they held a prayer-meeting. Captain Powers signed the personal pledge, as did many others, and “the barkeeper promised not to sell to citizens of Ripley.”

All the meetings in this town were remarkable for spiritual power, and the prayerful efforts of the women in their work were crowned with a good degree of success.

TIFFIN, OHIO.

This town, with a population of nine thousand, had, at the beginning of the Crusade, sixty-five saloons.

After visiting the saloons for some time, in bands, the ladies changed their tactics, on the 31st of March, and placed pickets at nearly all the saloons in the city. At some they were admitted, at others locked out. Several of the saloons closed on account of the pickets, and the proprietors went to the country.

The city marshal, at several places where the guards were denied admittance, opened the doors, and told the ladies to enter and stay as long as they pleased. The traffic dropped off wonderfully. Christian Mueller, the principal brewer, said that if the Crusade continued thirty days longer he would be compelled to shut down.

The second saloon surrender took place April 7th. It was kept by D. Bartell, and was one of the worst saloons in the city. The proprietor signed the pledge, and the ladies emptied the stock of liquors in his cellar, into the gutter.

Wagner & Brickner, proprietors of the distillery, were driven almost to desperation. They were compelled to redeem from the bonded warehouse $5,000 worth of whiskey per week until the 1st of May, and their sales were too slim to aid them in the task.

A public meeting was called, April 8th, in the city hall, to take measures to get the mayor, to issue a proclamation forbidding the women the right to carry on the Crusade any longer. The meeting was a failure; only about one hundred and fifty saloon-keepers and bummers congregated, while the temperance mass-meeting at National Hall was overcrowded.

The ladies, besides going to the saloons in bands, resorted to the picket system, and smaller bands remained at the saloons, from eight A. M. till ten P. M., the pickets being changed every hour.

This proved, during the Crusade, to be the most effectual way to break down the traffic. None but men lost to shame will go into a saloon in the presence of Christian women, and over their remonstrances and prayers, to drink.

BELLEFONTAINE, OHIO.

Mrs. I. S. Gardner, April 6th, 1874, wrote the following in regard to the work:

The first surrender of special consequence was that of J—— J——. Mr. J—— is of Irish descent, and has been used to liquor-selling all his life. He was one among the first that was visited, and while he treated the band with respect, he was very loud in his denunciations against this interference in his business. His place was considered one of the worst, as a general resort, for those not only long addicted to drink, but also for those just commencing. The ladies had reason to suppose it would take a long siege to convince him of the wrong, much less induce him to quit the business.

On Monday the first visit was made. On Wednesday he began, under the influence of Mother Stewart’s talking, to show signs of weakening. He had prepared himself for a vigorous biblical controversy, having his Bible in hand and passages selected which seemed to him to support his position. But she speedily knocked the props from under him, and left him without the support he had counted on. At the morning meeting on Thursday he made his appearance, and announced his readiness to surrender, and at the suggestion of those in whom he had confidence, made it complete by signing the pledge not only to cease selling, but also to abstain from drinking. The scene was impressive. Every heart that sympathized in the movement was full, and the ladies of the League, and others, filed by where he was standing, and taking him by the hand bid him “God speed.” Since then he has made some very telling speeches, and given evidence of a contrite heart.

The other case is that of Mr. T. L. M——. Even before any visits were made to him, it had been reported that powder and lead would be used in case of interference with his trade, and a band went there with considerable doubt, but with brave hearts. For about a week, visits were made under various conditions; sometimes noisy demonstrations were made, as well as rudeness offered, and again a better show of respect. There were many interesting incidents connected with this case, which would take too much time and space to relate. Finally, one afternoon, he hung out a white flag, and it was supposed to be a token of surrender, but on being visited by a band, he refused to sign the pledge, nor would he let the ladies stand near the door. On the next day a similar scene was enacted. At his request a committee of gentlemen visited him, and settled the matter, so that, on Wednesday evening of the week following the first visit, he made his appearance at a mass-meeting and signed the pledge. On the following Sabbath he attended church for the first time, it is said, in five years. It is believed by every one that he will remain true to his pledge. Mr. M. was a wholesale and retail dealer.

Mr. R—— is the only one who holds out, under, it is believed, the support of dealers in Cleveland and Cincinnati, but the women are as determined as the dealers, and have the advantage, in being at no expense. The dealers may as well succumb, as the women say they have started out on this Crusade for life, if necessary, to stop the traffic, and will instruct their daughters to keep it up. The only work performed here is picketing Mr. R——’s establishment, which is done more to redeem the hard drinkers, who are about the only ones that visit the place, than with the expectation of closing it up. This latter is merely a matter of time.

Mrs. I. S. Gardner, President Ladies’ League, Bellefontaine, Ohio.

I glean the following from the Cincinnati Gazette: April 4th.—“Roades declares that only law can prevail against him. Monday’s election will be an exciting one. Ladies are calling on voters and urging them to do their duty on Monday.”

April 9th.—“The election passed off quietly, although some of the offices were hotly contested. Mayor Walker was re-elected. The women are untiring in their work against whiskey. Judge West addressed a large audience on Tuesday evening, and Judge Cole will speak to-night.”

“The women of this town have settled down to solid, earnest, persistent work.”

SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

The following facts are gleaned from the Springfield Republic, the special correspondence of the Cincinnati Gazette, and from Mother Stewart’s statement:

“The first mass-meeting mentioned occurred January 23d, 1872. Allen Hall was well filled, on Monday evening, on the occasion of an address on the liquor traffic, by Mrs. E. D. Stewart. The speaker gave an interesting and able address.” Springfield Republic.

The editor of this paper, Mr. C. M. Nichols, a member of the Congregational Church, was a staunch friend of temperance, and in every way, before and during the Crusade, gave aid to the cause.

Several suits, brought by the wives of drunkards to recover damages, under the Adair law, from liquor-dealers, added to the general interest.

Mother Stewart hearing accidentally that a woman had such a suit pending in court, in company with Mrs. John Foos, went to the court-room, and the attorney for the plaintiff induced her to make the opening plea to the jury.

The case was won, and the wife was awarded one hundred dollars damages.

In October, 1873, another case was brought to her notice. A woman in deep distress, with streaming eyes, told her a sad story of suffering and want. Her husband was a drunkard.

This woman belonged to a worthy family, was the sister of a distinguished minister in the South, who at that time was president of a college; she had always been accustomed to plenty, till robbed of all by the liquor-dealers. Knowing Mother Stewart’s connection with the case above mentioned, she appealed to her.

To fight this matter through the courts was not a pleasant task, and she was about to turn away from the woman; the lines of wretchedness on that sad, tearful face, arrested her. “No, I dare not do that; she will haunt me in my dying hour,” was the thought that brought her to a decision. So she not only accompanied her to the law office of Mower & Rawlins, and secured the aid of one of the firm, but she stirred up the ladies of Springfield in behalf of this woman, so cruelly wronged and robbed by liquor-dealers.

The trial was fixed for the 16th of October, and many ladies were in the court-room, but the defence secured a postponement till the 21st. The papers took up the matter, general interest was excited, and, when the day of trial came, the court-room was crowded with the best men and women of the city. The excitement was intense. Mother Stewart made a plea, and charged the jury. The suit was gained, and $300 awarded to the wronged wife as damages.

In the meantime a petition to the city council was circulated, and the names of six hundred ladies and sixty men were secured, asking the council to enforce the laws for the suppression of intemperance. This petition was presented by the ladies, and Mother Stewart and Mrs. J. A. S. Guy addressed the council in its behalf. The committee, to whom this petition was referred by the council, made the following report, which shows that they were “men of words, if not of deeds:”

“We also give it as our deliberate judgment, that the matters to which this petition refers is one of such transcendent importance as to demand of this council the exhausting of every means within its power to divest it of its capacity for making misery and crime within our midst.

“The universal sense of the Christian world condemns drunkenness as a crime.... And if this be so on recognized principles, measures are demanded to prevent it and punish it.

“The temperance movement throughout the land has suffered more from the indiscretion of its friends than from the open opposition of its enemies.

“We are therefore not in favor of recommending council to grant what is asked for by the petitioners.”

The city council formally adopted the following:

“Resolved, That the indulgence in intoxicating drinks, whereby neglect and want are brought home to the family, is a crime against nature, and it is expedient to exercise any authority, or impose any punishment, necessary to prevent it.

“Resolved, That it is an apparent and acknowledged fact that there is an indulgence in intoxicating drinks in this city, which deprive families of peace, comfort, and a proper support, and there are those who take, in exchange for their drinks, the money known to be needed for family support, contrary to law.”

These bombastic resolutions did not frighten the rum-sellers. They went on with their illegal sales without fear. They had learned long before, that these official utterances were to quiet the public conscience, and shield law-makers from well-deserved contempt.

The Bible in the pulpit of one of the Methodist churches was stolen and sold for drink in a saloon. In the meantime, Mrs. Guy, after a night of watching and prayer, wrote a resolution, and presented it to the City Benevolent Association.

The result was, a committee was appointed to confer with the ministers, and secure their co-operation in holding mass-meetings. The ministers were called upon in their weekly meeting, and a union mass-meeting arranged for in the Lutheran Church. This first meeting took place December 2d, 1873. The second mass-meeting occurred December 17th, and was addressed by Revs. J. W. Spring and Allen, Mr. Jackson, and Mother Stewart. Every seat in the body of the Central M. E. Church was filled, and the aisles were seated, and every foot of standing room taken.

The speeches were strong and spirited, and there was a great deal of enthusiasm.

When Mr. Nichols was called on to speak, he asked that the audience might be addressed by Mother Stewart instead. When she came forward, carrying a glass tumbler full of liquor, and told where and how she got it, the interest was intense. It was against the law to sell liquors on the Sabbath day; but everybody knew, and the city authorities knew well, that this law was being broken every week. On Sunday morning, December 16th, she had disguised herself with an old circular cloak and sun-bonnet, and gone into a saloon through the back door. She found a number of young men and old buying liquors. Approaching the counter, she asked for a drink. And when asked what she would have, she said, “Sherry wine.”

The barkeeper poured it out; she questioned him before the men as to what it was, etc., and then laying a ten-cent piece on the counter she took the glass and rushed from the room with all possible speed.

She appealed to the men as to whether they would prosecute this case, and several hands went up.

Weekly meetings were decided upon, and the next mass-meeting was held December 24th, in the Presbyterian Church.

On January 7th, 1874, a Woman’s League was formed, with the following officers:

Mother Stewart, President; Vice-Presidents, 1st ward, Mrs. Wm. Barnett; 2d ward, Mrs. Dr. Tee-garden; 3d ward, Mrs. Thomas I. Finch; 4th ward, Mrs. John Foos; 5th ward, Mrs. James Kinney; Secretary, Mrs. J. A. S. Guy; Treasurer, Mrs. James Cathcart.

Springfield was a large town, larger than any of the towns where the Crusade had been made successful, and there was a general feeling that the plan of saloon visiting, introduced elsewhere, could not be carried out in cities.

But the women, who were following the pillar and the cloud, on Tuesday, January 11th, commenced street work. The first day there were only thirty or forty ladies in the band, but the second day the number was doubled. The first visit was to the Lagonda House Saloon. Admission being refused, the ladies held their services before the door, Mrs. Cosler making the first prayer, and Mother Stewart addressing the crowds of people gathered to see the strange sight. The next day they were in the street again. They were admitted at the Lagonda House, but the crowd was locked out. The prayer-meeting was held in the billiard-room.

At the next saloon they were not admitted, and when Mother Stewart attempted to talk to the crowd, the saloon-keeper came out and shrieked, “Get away: get away, every one of you; I don’t want any trespassers on my premises; you shan’t stand on my steps!” But the people cried, “Go on! go on!” and a policeman took the irate saloonist in charge and restored order.

That evening Dio Lewis spoke in Springfield. The Opera House was packed, and the meeting, which was addressed by Van Pelt, Dio Lewis, and Mother Stewart, ended in a blaze of enthusiasm.

The next morning, at nine o’clock, the Central Methodist Church was crowded with ladies. Dio Lewis and Van Pelt were present, and a still larger number of ladies were enlisted for the work. Not long afterwards Mrs. James Kinney was chosen as leader of the band. Hundreds of women engaged in the work, and labored hard and long. Among the prominent workers were Mrs. Kinney, Guy, Foos, Cathcart, Banes, and many other noble women whose names cannot be mentioned, but whose record is on high.

Mother Stewart was called out much into the general work, and did efficient service during the canvass against the “License Clause,” in the new Constitution, which was defeated by the efforts of the women of the Crusade, and the zeal they inspired among temperance men.

The State was thoroughly canvassed, and the victory won.

A State Temperance Convention was held in Springfield, February 24th. About one thousand delegates were present. Dio Lewis acted as temporary chairman and organized the meeting.

Mrs. H. C. McCabe, of Delaware, was elected permanent president, a position she was well calculated to fill, and which she has held ever since.

There was great enthusiasm in the convention, and many of the heroic workers, who met each other for the first time in this, the first State convention of women, have, in the years that have followed, worked and planned for the extension of the cause like sisters, with loving trust and confidence.

April 3d, a county organization was formed in Clarke county.

The convention was held at Springfield, in Black’s Opera House. Four hundred and fifty women marched from head-quarters in procession to the hall. Mother Stewart was elected President; Vice-Presidents, Mrs. Bennett and Mrs. Cathcart for the city, and one for each township outside of the city; Secretary, Mrs. J. A. S. Guy; Treasurer, Capt. Penny Stewart.

This is said to have been the first county organization in the State.

On April 6th the spring election for municipal officers took place. The claims of temperance had been pressed, and the ballot-box, it had been urged, was the most effectual way to curtail the power of alcohol. The election was one of the most exciting the city had ever known. On Saturday evening previous, large mass-meetings of workingmen were addressed by Mrs. M. W. Banes and Mother Stewart; and on election day an all-day prayer-meeting was held.

The temperance ticket was carried by a fine majority.

The plan of work soon after changed, the picket system being resorted to. The guards were relieved every two hours. But as there were, at the beginning of the Crusade, about one hundred and thirty saloons scattered over a town of fifteen thousand inhabitants, to station such an army over the town demanded a heavy force and great sacrifices. The traffic fell off wonderfully. Some saloons were closed, a better public sentiment prevailed, and a more faithful execution of the laws against beer and tippling houses was secured.

The men in this town stood gallantly by the women in their work. Special mention should be made of the faithful labors of C. M. Nichols, editor of the Springfield Republic—a fearless advocate of temperance and anti-license; Dr. Cloakey, of the U. P. Church, who was always ready to help the women with prayer or counsel, or a speech, and who brought forth treasures, new and old, from his rich storehouse of scripture knowledge, with marvellous aptness and effect. Though very aged and feeble, he seemed as enthusiastic as in the prime and fire of youth. He has two sons in the ministry; both follow in his footsteps, and are ardent temperance workers. Rev. J. W. Spring, of the Methodist Church, was an earnest, capable worker, and a competent adviser; and Rev. M. W. Hamma, of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, a most enthusiastic worker and eloquent speaker. Many of the laymen did effective service, and contributed largely to the success of the women’s work in Springfield.

These pages are not devoted to the workers, but to the work; and yet, when the names of heroic workers are known, they are recorded.

It seems eminently proper in this connection to refer to the services, abroad, of Mother Stewart, which resulted in great good, and, with the co-operation of Mrs. Parker, the organization of a “British Woman’s Temperance Union.”

She was met and welcomed at Liverpool; and at almost every town she visited in England, Ireland and Scotland, grand receptions were given her, at which the dignitaries of the towns presided and made speeches. The greatest enthusiasm prevailed, and large audiences greeted her everywhere. In London an audience rose to their feet and waved their handkerchiefs and cheered enthusiastically when she was introduced as “A Crusader.”

Perhaps the most magnificent reception given her was in Glasgow, Scotland, in the Queen’s room, which had been most elegantly draped with white flounced lace curtains and American flags, and flags of various nationalities, looped up with roses and ivy; while the rarest exotics ladened the air with perfume. Six hundred of Glasgow’s most prominent and respected citizens were there, as a select company, to give addresses of welcome, and partake with her the sumptuous feast provided. Mrs. Margarete E. Parker was very active in securing for her a favorable hearing.

Every American woman has reason to be proud and thankful, for the marked attention shown to one of her countrywomen, but especially the women who worked in the Crusade; as the respect and attention shown to Mother Stewart was very largely due to her connection with that wonderful movement, which at the time won a world-wide fame, and which future generations will commend, and embalm in song and story, as the Woman’s Crusade.

NEWARK, OHIO.

This town contains about 3,000 inhabitants, and is situated at the intersection of the Baltimore and Ohio, and Pittsburgh, Chicago and St. Louis railroads.

At the beginning of the Crusade there were in this little town fifty saloons, or one for every sixty of its inhabitants.

The writer of these pages has occasion to remember the miserable tumble-down old building where unfortunate passengers were forced to wait to make connection, and the whiskey saloon, called a “Restaurant,” near by. One night detained at this place till midnight, the drunkenness and revelry and profanity were positively alarming.

The yelling, hooting, wrangling and fighting were kept up with little intermission till the midnight train, that bore us away, came in. The fumes of tobacco and whiskey as that crowd of men gathered at the depot were almost stifling.

Fifty or sixty men, in all stages of intoxication, reeled out from their midnight orgies to see the train come in and block the passage-ways.

But early in March the Crusade began. At first there was a strong feeling against the movement. Men were afraid their business would be injured. Some went so far as to forbid their wives having anything to do with it. But it was not long till all this opposition broke down, except on the part of dealers.

The women went to the church, and there consecrated themselves to God, and marched out right past their homes, right past their husbands’ stores, and banks, and offices; and as the solemn procession filed into the saloons, singing gospel songs, irate husbands, melted to tears, all anger, all opposition gone, stood reverently, with uncovered heads. It was not long till the railroad saloons were closed by the companies, and those horrid dens of iniquity broken up.

A correspondent gives the following:

“Yesterday was the Ides of March in whiskey in Newark. It is as assuredly inaugurated there as the rebellion when the first red-hot ball leaped from Sumter’s wall, and upon its panoply is already written, ‘Mene, tekel upharsin.’ The Fort Sumter of the whiskey war was the first prayer proclaimed from woman’s lips at Washington Court-House for the Great Father above, who presides over our destinies, to assist them to abolish that which has enervated the mightiest minds, and brought ruin and desolation to many a happy and prosperous family. Never shall I forget the touching and imposing spectacle that burst upon my view as I beheld, walking calmly, solemnly, and deliberately, over two hundred ladies, representing our best society, enshrined with silence and beautified by tears. The streets were crowded by thousands as they moved, and many a head was uncovered as the ladies passed, as if they had a special power from God.

“Soon they stopped before one of our saloons, and the ladies were received there, as at other places, with politeness and consideration. Failing to get the signature of the proprietor to a petition, they knelt in fervent prayer, and, with eyes raised to heaven, asked the God of love to help them. There was in the attitude of those women, with eyes raised to heaven, something far more powerful and touching than speech; for even if God had turned a deaf ear to their earnest entreaties, yet in that attitude they would have been dignified. Men stood there, not in ridicule, that probably never heard a fervent prayer, with uncovered heads and tearful eyes, as if impressed that the angels of heaven were hovering above them. On several occasions, as our ladies took some of our saloonists by the hands, tears could be seen streaming down the cheeks of both men and women, and as eyes met eyes, they dropped in reverence, as if to conceal their thoughts. Even a laugh at such a time seemed to jar discordantly on such enchanting silence, for they seemed, in that touching immobility, as if in communion with God. Laugh, as I have, ye that may read my letter, at its magic power; but when one reflects that it is our mothers, our sisters, our wives, that are praying, weeping, beseeching, and asking in the name of humanity, in the name of God, to overcome an evil that has ruined millions of the human race, and filled our jails and prisons, unless one be destitute of feeling, they cannot look upon such scenes unmoved. As the ladies passed a house yesterday, the husband stormed, and the wife laughed; but no sooner had that multitude of solemn women commenced to sing,

than the husband burst into tears, and, throwing his arms around his wife, he said, ‘My dear wife, I cannot resist that song. I am now convinced that it is the power of God that moves that column. Go and join them, and may God bless you.’ Bulwer says, ‘The pen is mightier than the sword.’ I declare that prayer uttered from woman’s lips is mightier than the law. I hope that moderation and consistency may ever accompany these movements, and nothing transpire to mar their dignity or true nobility. The epoch that crowned this movement will never be forgotten. It is just in its infancy; it will not only sweep over the republic, but knock at all the doors of Europe for admission, and women will at last, by this movement, have an epitaph written upon that which is less perishable than marble—upon the hearts of untold millions—by the touching pencil of gratitude. Our women, as I close, are again on the march. They have divided into squads, and their songs and prayers constantly fall upon the ear, thence to be borne aloft upon the invisible chords, and rehearsed to the courts of God by the heavenly harpists.”

The enthusiasm became so great that the church was crowded every morning long before the hour for meeting had arrived. Business houses were closed, and a solemn silence pervaded the streets.

A friend of mine visiting Newark during the Crusade, reached there on the nine o’clock train. The streets were empty, the doors of the business houses nearly all closed.

She hastened to the church, which she found crowded to its utmost capacity. Pushing through the group about the door, she obtained a view of the audience. A deep solemnity pervaded the place. The very air seemed surcharged with spiritual influences. Many were weeping.

She kept her position by the door till the band arose to move out on the street. A passage-way was cleared by a motion of a hand, and the ladies marched out two and two, like a funeral procession. She fell into the procession, and went with them to the saloons, and saw what she had never seen before, a hand-to-hand fight with the powers of darkness, led on by Christian women. The struggle was too intense to last long; but victory turned on Israel’s side, and many saloons were closed.

Visiting the town the following autumn, it seemed transformed.

No saloons about the depot; no drunken men reeling through the streets; but a degree of thrift and good order was visible on every side.

The week before there had been a county fair, and liquor had flowed freely there, and many of the weak had fallen into the snare.

But the town authorities, if they were not diligent in punishing the men who had sold to minors, and drunkards, contrary to law, were very prompt in arresting the victims, and thrusting them into the jail.

In company with other ladies, I visited the jail. It was a cold, frosty morning.

The massive iron door closed behind us with a heavy clank, and was locked. But there was still another wall of iron lattice-work between us and the prisoners, which was opened, and we were ushered into the presence of the inmates, and the iron gate locked behind us. The atmosphere was stifling. Groups of men and boys were sitting on the stone floor, for there were no chairs. They arose when we entered. It was a pitiful sight. Most of them were ragged and filthy and unkept. There was no chance for personal cleanliness, and little for fresh air. No books, papers, or anything to encourage thoughts of a better life, or give comfort. With a hearty “Good-morning, brother,” we shook hands with each. We told them that we were the friends of Jesus, and came in His name to tell them that He loved them, and wanted to be their Friend in this the time of their need. As we talked, many were moved to tears.

We sang “Rock of Ages, cleft for me,” and knelt on the cold, hard, stone floor to pray. Some knelt, others crouched down on the floor, and hid their faces in their ragged sleeves, and sobbed aloud as we told God all about their need of Him as a Friend and Helper.

“What can you sing?” inquired one of the ladies. “Shall we gather at the river?” several responded, and most of them joined in the singing. They had learned it in the Sunday-school. Looking around, we saw curious iron cages across the entire end of the room, and eyes glaring at us like the eyes of animals, and fingers thrust through the iron lattice like claws. Human beings thrust into these dark cells, with stone walls on seven sides of the room, and only the iron grating on one side for light, and heat, and air. And for what crime? Drunkenness. Every man and boy in that jail, and there were about fifteen, was there for drunkenness, but one. He was there for forgery, and he too confessed that he drank freely. Going to one after another of these cages, unfit for animals, and pressing my face against the iron bars, I could see that the rooms were about seven by four or five feet. More than half of the prisoners were under age. Where were the saloon-keepers who sold them liquor in violation of law? Why were they not behind these bars instead of these boys? Perhaps at that hour they were hob-nobbing with some politician as to how they would carry the next election, and break down the Crusade and all law. I could only thrust two of my fingers through the grating in an attempt to shake hands, as I said, “Good-morning, brother.”

Immediately the fingers were clasped by the hand of the inmate, and the sad eyes lighted up with a look of welcome.

“You are very young to be here,” I said to one, a mere boy, who held on to my finger tips, while his eyes filled with tears. “Have you a mother?”

“No. She died when I was a baby.”

Oh, what a story of neglect and heart hunger and temptation that little sentence told.

“Have you a father?”

“No. Leastwise I dun no’ if he’s alive. He never paid no attention to me. He never cared for nothing but whiskey.”

“I hope you don’t drink.”

“I take a spree sometimes. I took too much at the fair, that’s the reason I am caged.”

I talked to him kindly and lovingly; the tears ran down my face, till the iron bars were wet, while he sobbed as though his heart would break, and the dear women about me were all in tears, and many of the men were weeping, when we knelt there to pray in his behalf, that the All-pitiful Father would look on this orphan boy with compassion, and pleaded for His mercy upon them all.

When we bade him farewell he sobbed out, “I’ll never drink any more.”

Oh, that God would hasten the time when liquor-dealers will be put behind iron bars for selling intoxicating liquors, instead of boys for drinking them.

URBANA, OHIO.

The facts that make up this report are gleaned mainly from a Temperance extra published daily, furnished me by the Society.

The Crusade wave reached this place March 9th, and found the Christian women ready to obey the Master’s word, “Go ye also into my vineyard and labor.” They too had, with feelings of grief and terror, seen the ominous cloud of intemperance settling down over the fair cities and happy homes of our land, and had called aloud upon the Lord for deliverance, and he had heard them.

In response to notices given in the different churches of the city, a large meeting of the women was held in the Presbyterian Church, at three o’clock P. M., March 9th, 1874. After singing and prayer, they organized with the following officers: President, Mrs. G. W. Hitt; Vice-President, Mrs. M. G. Williams; Secretary, Mrs. T. D. Crow; Treasurer, Mrs. James Anderson. They felt that the time for work had come, and from mansion and cottage alike, they went forth, with faith and courage, strong to accomplish the work assigned them in that part of the Lord’s heritage, and in His name to “rescue the perishing.” Their hearts were aflame with the love of Jesus, and they were yearning for the opportunity to “tell to sinners round, what a dear Saviour they had found.” And for more than three months they labored daily, from four and five o’clock in the morning until nine o’clock at night.

Thursday, March 12th, was the first day that saw the Crusaders upon the streets of Urbana. A day long to be remembered by those who went forth, the willing instruments in the hands of the Lord, for the accomplishment of His work; and there were not wanting those who, in fear and trembling, bid them “God speed.”

The ladies met, that morning, in the First M. E. Church. Mrs. Jennings read the Scriptures; and after singing that grand old hymn, “All hail the power of Jesus’ name,” Mrs. Patrick prayed a short, earnest prayer. After the singing of another hymn, Mrs. Hitt gave the word to go forth. It was a solemn moment; and as they followed Mrs. Kimber and Mrs. Shyrigh, ladies who led them that day, their hearts were lifted up to God for guidance and wisdom.

Out into the bitter blasts of a strong east wind they went, their hearts warm with the love of the sinner’s Friend. Old women, with bent forms and silvery hair, walked with feeble steps. Young women, radiant with beauty, purified by Christian faith and love, moved along with light and eager step.

The first place visited was the Weaver House saloon. The saloon-keeper had been warned of their approach, so the ladies found themselves barred out. But they went on with their singing and prayers; kneeling down upon the cold hard stones of the pavement, determined to do their duty, notwithstanding the winter blasts and hard hearts of the men. As the sweet notes of “I need Thee every hour,” floated out upon the wintry winds, a crowd began to gather to witness this strange sight; men who believed their work was God-given, gathered close around, trying to shield them from the wind.

The next place visited was Henry Fulwiler’s beer saloon, on South Main street. This place was also closed against them. From his warm quarters this man heard all the loving, tender petitions, that went up to God for him, but was unmoved. Miss Saddie Thompson, Miss Belle Stayman, and Miss Emma Long stood in the doorway and sang, “Jesus, Lover of my soul;” after which Mrs. Jennings read the sixth chapter of Ephesians, and Mrs. Hitt prayed. A crowd had followed them, which grew larger every moment, until the streets were filled; and from every window, and from the house-tops, the people gazed upon this earnest band of godly women, praying for the souls of men who had never prayed for themselves. While they were praying, three men, who were in the saloon, raised their glasses of poison and drank confusion to the souls of the ladies. No violence was offered them by the crowd.

From this place the Crusaders proceeded to Samuel Wheritt’s saloon. This place was closed, also. A man named Joe Pence came along, and made a disturbance, and demanded that the pavement be cleared. He was so disrespectful towards the ladies that he was marched off to the calaboose. The ladies, to avoid any more trouble on this account, divided into two lines, one close up to the house, the other on the curbstone, and so continued their meeting. This was the last place visited that day. The ladies returned to the church, where a large company was waiting for them, and received their account of their work with joy.

The ladies concluded to divide up into several small bands, and follow each other. Band No. 1 was led by Mrs. J. M. Boul; No. 2 by Mrs. Dr. Goddard; No. 3 by Mrs. West; No. 4 by Mrs. J. G. Hedges. These bands numbered about thirty each, and were led by elderly ladies, and each numbering among its members some of the younger ladies to lead in the singing. The bands left the church about twenty minutes apart, and followed each other, so that about the time one band was leaving a saloon another would be in sight. And so they kept the enemy within his stronghold, in rather bad humor, it is feared.

A laughable incident occurred one day, at Owen Coughlin’s. This man has a saloon and a bakery adjoining. He did not understand their management of forces, and one day he watched the first and second bands come and depart, and looked upon the arrival of the third band. In the meantime, band number four had come up and joined its head on to the rear of number three. As the third moved off, Coughlin came to his door, and, looking up and down and seeing no more advancing, thought he would now have a respite, and stepped out, with an air of relief, upon the pavement. But when the head of column four reached his door, it halted and began a hymn. A look of mingled astonishment and despair came over his countenance, as he turned and entered his door again. We should think he would conclude that baking was his best chance for a living.

The saloon of Mrs. Breslin was visited, and when the band entered they beheld the whole family standing in the background, dumb with amazement and terror. Mrs. B. informed the ladies that if there was any legitimate business by which she could earn a living for herself and twelve children, she would quit liquor-selling. She stated that she had worked out; but, one day, upon coming home, she found that the children had set fire to the house. So she began business in her own house.

After the work had been in progress some two weeks, Mrs. Hitt called for volunteers to go on picket duty at the doors of the saloons. Women, young and old, willingly offered themselves for this very trying duty. Promptly each day these soldiers of the cross took up their positions, and held them in spite of wind and weather. Groups of citizens would gather round the pickets when they were on duty. Men brought chairs and seated the ladies who were shut out of the saloons. Robes were provided to throw over them while they quietly noted down the names of those who had the hardihood to enter in their presence. One night, when it was extremely disagreeable, and the picket outside of Murphy’s had remained to a late hour, that gallant Irishman could not stand against such devotion any longer, and coming out said: “Now, ladies, if you will go home, I will lock-up, and will not open again to-night.” And so, believing him sincere, the guard departed.

Mass-meetings were held every week, which were well attended, and full of interest; and such an enthusiasm was aroused in the cause of temperance as never was known in the history of Urbana. As evidence of interest awakened, an ordinance, prohibiting ale, beer, and porter-houses, was passed by the city council, and a public sentiment was aroused which sustained the enforcement of the ordinance in several notable instances.

When the warm weather came, it was thought best to have the bands go out in the morning at five o’clock, and in the evening at seven, remaining out for one hour each time, and visiting as many saloons as possible in that time.

The ladies of the League addressed political meetings all over the country, which doubtless contributed largely to the defeat of the license clause in the county.

There were twenty-seven liquor-dealers in Urbana when the Crusade began. At the time for renewing their license only five presented themselves. Some who promised to quit selling are faithful to their promises.

DAYTON, OHIO.

Dayton is a beautiful, well-built town, in central Ohio. Its streets and avenues are broad and well-paved. It has handsome residences, fine churches, substantial public buildings, and massive business houses. But many of its palaces are red with the blood of murdered innocence, and many of its massive edifices have been built with the price of souls. For liquor-making and liquor-selling has been no inconsiderable part of the business of the place. At the beginning of the Crusade there were not only the usual array of saloons, and gambling-dens, and brothels, where liquors were sold and drank, but there were massive breweries, and great wholesale houses, that by their influence and money sustained the traffic; and the business was largely in the hands of a rough class of foreigners, mainly Germans. This class, in the towns already reached by the Crusade, had been insulting and riotous.

Against all this array of evil—this wickedness in high places—a few women were praying and crying to God. Encouraged by the success of the Crusade work at Hillsboro’ and Washington Court-House, and other towns, they set themselves to walk carefully before the Lord, and to know His will.

Dayton had a population of about forty thousand. At the beginning of the Crusade there were in this town over five hundred saloons, or one to every sixty of its inhabitants; or, divided into families of five each, one saloon to every twelve families.

Large and enthusiastic mass-meetings were held; but it required more than ordinary courage to go out into the saloons, and face liquor-dealers in their own dens, and meet the class that congregated in these places, many of them speaking a strange tongue. But there were not wanting women in Dayton, pure, consecrated, Christian women, who were ready to take their lives in their hands, and go forth in God’s name, and speak and pray in the saloons, and on the streets.

A permanent organization was effected February 20th, and a private canvass of the saloons made by small companies of ladies, but no results followed. Mass-meetings were held daily; two hundred women were enlisted for active aggressive work, and on the morning of the 6th of March, two companies, led by Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. Weakley, filed slowly and solemnly out of the church, to visit the saloons. The rain was falling steadily, but the women were sheltered under water-proofs and umbrellas. The saloon doors were closed against them.

T. A. H. Brown, correspondent of the Cincinnati Gazette, in “Fifty Years’ History of the Temperance Cause,” gives the following:

“Saloon after saloon was visited, services generally being held before the doors; and at last one man, who had a light stock of liquors, offered to surrender if they would pay him first cost. The vile compounds were then emptied into the gutter, amid much rejoicing. In the afternoon the two bands exchanged territory, so that the same saloons received two visits.

“The excitement now began to increase. The bands increased in numbers, and more favorable weather brought out great crowds of people to witness the strange spectacle of women actually praying on the streets. The rabble began to grow turbulent and threatening; saloon-keepers saw the matter was putting on a serious aspect, and fought every inch of ground by the most unscrupulous means. It soon came to be known that the visit of the ladies to a saloon meant free beer and whiskey at that place, and there ‘the boys’ rallied in force like vultures over a dead carcass. The result was, more drunken men on the streets than had been seen since the 4th of July; and as if this round about warfare was not sufficient, direct insults were heaped upon the ladies. The voice of prayer and song were drowned by those of ribaldry and blasphemy. Bits of bologna and crackers were thrown at the kneeling women, who bore these indignities meekly, with no word of reproof. One of the worst elements in the noisy mobs was women, mostly of foreign nationalities, who joined their screaming to the shouting and swearing of their male relatives.

“The result of this unseemly mocking and jeering was to inflame the public mind, and bring thousands out to the evening mass-meetings, where the reports of the day’s proceedings were read, and commented upon.

“Under such dire persecutions, the band steadily increased in size, and grew more determined.”

Another correspondent says:

“The women form for action near the curbstone, and are speedily encompassed by the crowd, who watch with varying manifestations and emotions. Lines of men file into the bars to quench real or affected thirst, and the clink of foaming glasses chimes in with the soft, pathetic notes of the worshipping women. But the plaintive voice of prayer, when the women on bended knees supplicate the mercy of God, produces an instant and indescribable hush even in the bar-rooms; and as the eloquent pleadings ascend, the influence quickly strikes the nearest rank of spectators, and penetrates to the outermost rim of the ragged semicircle formed about them. There are moments, when the women weep and pray, that their influence is thrillingly impressive, and men even, who do not approve of the saloon devotions, are unconsciously but irresistibly affected. Excepting among the depraved, there is not the remotest suggestion of levity in the scene. It is touchingly solemn.”

Becker, one of the saloon-keepers, admitted the ladies; but insisted that none should pray in his saloon unless they were without sin.

On the 6th of April, the municipal election was held, and by the help of the dealers, and bummers, Butz, the whiskey candidate, was elected over Houk, the temperance candidate; and a majority of councilmen elected were in favor of whiskey. This was taken by the saloon-keepers as a verdict for free whiskey.

Undeterred by the results of the election, the women met at Grace M. E. Church, determined to go on with their work. But they were met with the following proclamation from the Board of Police Commissioners:

Whereas, It has become apparent to this board, that the visits of the recently organized bands of ladies to the various saloons in the city, and the occupation by them of the sidewalks and streets for religious exercises, have, on several occasions, attracted large crowds of riotous and disorderly persons, who assembled in the vicinity in such numbers as seriously to threaten the peace and good order of the city, and materially to obstruct the free and proper use of both the sidewalks and the streets; and,

Whereas, It is, by the laws of this State, unlawful for any person or persons, by agent or otherwise,

1. To sell, in any quantity, intoxicating liquors (except wine manufactured of the pure juice of the grape, cultivated in this State, beer, ale, or cider), to be drank in or upon the premises where sold, or in or upon any adjoining premises connected therewith;

2. To sell any intoxicating liquors whatever, without exception, to minors, unless upon the written order of their parents, guardians, or family physician;

3. To sell intoxicating liquors, of any kind whatever, to persons intoxicated, or in the habit of getting intoxicated; and,

Whereas, All places where liquors are sold in violation of these laws are declared public nuisances, and upon conviction of the keeper thereof, are required to be shut up and abated as such; therefore,

Be it known, that orders have been issued to the police force of this city to prevent the use and occupation of the streets and sidewalks as aforesaid, and to give special and careful attention to the enforcement of the said laws, and make prompt arrest of any and all persons violating the same.

By order of the Police Board. Wm. H. Sigman, Mayor and ex-officio President Police Board.

After consultation it was decided best not to go into saloons in large bands, and thereafter saloon visiting was carried on by bands of three or four. Wherever they were admitted, they conversed with the proprietors and their guests. The saloon-keepers were generally averse to these visits, and insisted that the election had settled the question, and the people had indorsed their business at the polls. But the ladies were not deterred, but pushed their work in every possible direction. Women’s meetings were held daily for prayer and consultation, followed by mass-meetings at night. Enthusiastic meetings for children were held, and the better class of people were thoroughly aroused. The men began to bestir themselves, and a guarantee fund was raised for the enforcement of the law.

And so the women go on with their work against fearful odds, assured that victory in due time will crown their efforts.

PIQUA, OHIO.

The work at Piqua commenced early in the Crusade, and was carried on with great enthusiasm and determination. As the women knelt in front of saloons on the sidewalk, the mighty power of the Spirit was displayed.

Mrs. Stephenson was chosen as the leader. The ladies held a meeting, and by ten o’clock of the same day they were out on the streets. They seemed to be urged on by an invisible power to the work for which they had consecrated themselves.

The first day three of the druggists signed the pledge. There was much to contend with in Piqua; a large German population; heavy wholesale liquor-houses, and wealthy men who rented their property to liquor-dealers. The opposition was violent, the crowds in the saloons disorderly; men mocked, while women prayed. But insult and opposition tended to increase their zeal, and greatly augmented their numbers.

Their way of conducting these visitations was to go to the door of a saloon, and ask if they could come in. If they were answered in the affirmative, they went in and held a prayer-meeting. If they were refused admittance, they held their meeting on the sidewalk in front of the saloon. The ladies found that, although the saloons were closed against them, their prayers could penetrate the doors. Many saloon-keepers gave up the business, others became violent and insulting, and offered indignities to the ladies. In one saloon a mock prayer-meeting was held and the Lord’s Supper celebrated with beer and crackers by saloon-keepers and their drunken customers.

It may be proper in this connection to state, that the men who were engaged in this mock service have nearly all died violent and awful deaths.

The ladies were arrested, and held to trial for praying on the streets. But their trial was postponed, and the better class of citizens, who were now thoroughly aroused, petitioned the council for a prohibitory ordinance, and before the day of trial came on a prohibitory ordinance was passed, which effectually broke down the opposition.

The ladies, very much encouraged, went on with the battle, and still continued the contest in a more permanent and quiet form of organization.

CIRCLEVILLE, OHIO.

In justice to a few faithful workers, Circleville deserves mention.

I am indebted to Lizzie W. Scovile, Secretary, for the following facts:

We have nothing thrilling to relate, and cannot point to such marked results as some are able to do. The Crusade was entered upon very reluctantly, in this place. Daily meetings for prayer had been held in the church nearly two weeks previously, but on the 18th day of March, 1874, the Spirit descended in power, and the women went forth to visit the saloons. All through the summer the work was prosecuted in various forms, visiting saloons in bands, picket work, daily prayer-meetings at our League Room, open air meetings, etc. Several saloons were closed, but, with only two or three exceptions, were again reopened.

We can point with certainty to but one conversion, and that was of one of our ladies, who, though not a Christian, went with the band to help sing, and was converted in one of the saloons during one of our first visits.

When the street work was first entered upon, our numbers were so large it was thought best to form two bands—one under the leadership of Mrs. S. H. McMullin, wife of the minister of the First Presbyterian Church, and the other under Mrs. Dr. Ray, a good old mother in the Episcopal Church.

A Presbyterian gentleman, noticing that a number of ladies of his denomination had been assigned to Mrs. Ray’s band, said to her, “You will have to furnish our ladies with prayer books.”

Many went out, thinking they could do nothing but uphold the hands of others, but the spirit of prayer descended, and prayer books were not needed: the dumb spake.

Numbers of these ladies had never prayed in public, until they offered prayer in saloons, or upon the street. Now, at the end of three and a half years, although the numbers have fallen off, there still remains enough of the faithful to sustain the prayer-meetings, generally two each week, and prosecute other branches of work. As to results, we can point to the brotherly love which has grown out of this union work: the churches of different denominations are united, as never before, and woman’s prayer-meetings and missionary societies have received fresh inspiration from the Crusade.

MADISONVILLE, OHIO.

The work commenced in this town on the 19th of February, but the Crusaders met with an obstinate resistance, especially from the German dealers. One of them, Hendel, told the ladies, “he would not quit selling whiskey till hell froze over.” Other saloon-keepers deluged their sidewalks with water, and they were soon a glare of ice, but women living near tore up their carpets and brought them for the use of the Christian workers, and the songs and prayer and work went on in spite of all opposition.

DELAWARE, OHIO.

Delaware, the Athens of Ohio, only a few miles from Columbus, has a population of about six thousand inhabitants. The moral sentiment of the town was opposed to the liquor traffic, and yet at the beginning of the Crusade twenty-three saloons went on with their deadly work, day and night.

Dio Lewis was invited to lecture for the Chi Phi Society of Wesleyan University. A large audience assembled to hear him, and at the close of the lecture, he pressed upon them the importance of the temperance cause, and pledged the women to the Crusade work. The women held a meeting at William Street Methodist Episcopal Church the next day, and a permanent organization was effected, with Mrs. A. S. Clason as President, and Mrs. Bishop Thompson as Secretary. All classes came forward to engage in the work. The pledge was freely circulated. Nearly a hundred young men of the Wesleyan University refusing to sign the pledge, great excitement and indignation followed. The young ladies of the town were so aroused, in view of this, that they formed a league, pledging themselves not to associate with any young man who had not signed the pledge. The young men, who had not counted on this, were speedily brought to terms, and most of them signed the pledge.

The saloon-keepers tried to compromise with the women, offering to sell nothing but beer, if the women would withdraw from the work. This the women refused to do, and the good work went on. Saloon after saloon surrendered, and the women were in a fair way to close all the saloons by prayer, when the men came forward on election day, and elected the entire temperance ticket. The greatest enthusiasm prevailed. All the bells of the town were rung, cannons were fired, and a praise meeting held in the Opera House, which was crowded to its utmost capacity.

The next day the women were on the street, as usual, determined to continue their work until every saloon was closed.

This town is the home of Mrs. H. C. McCabe, the able and efficient President of the State Union.

PORTSMOUTH, OHIO.

Portsmouth is a beautiful town on the Ohio river, near the mouth of the Scioto. It was one of the first points of settlement in the State, and from the day the first shanty was built, whiskey had flowed freely, without a protest, until the Woman’s Crusade.

Men came with their jugs and bottles weekly from the rich valley of the Scioto, and from the farming districts up and down the Ohio river, to get them filled with intoxicating liquors. And it was not uncommon for them to drive out of town too drunk to manage their horses.

Distilleries were built, and the products of the immense corn-fields of the valley of the Scioto, one of the richest valleys in the world, instead of being turned into bread, were sent to the distillery, and turned into the waters of death; and while the people grew poor, and the town began to put on a dilapidated appearance, the distillers and the liquor-dealers grew rich, built themselves fine houses, and became the nabobs of the town.

The people had groaned under the heavy burdens of the liquor traffic—crime and pauperism; and women with tears and prayers had cried unto God for deliverance, but all in vain. Despair had settled down on almost every true heart.

The tidings of the Crusade inspired them with fresh hope, and the women, after meetings for prayer and consecration, went out from the church into the saloons. They met with great opposition on the part of saloon-keepers and their customers, and the business men of the city refrained from taking any active part in the temperance work, for fear of losing trade and influence with the liquor party. The ladies, however, went on with unabated zeal in their work until the 6th of April, when the whiskey candidates were elected by an average majority of only forty-five, which the temperance men might have overcome if they had sustained the women in the work. Weaver, a colored barber at the Bazaar Hotel, was elected as a member of the Board of Education, the colored folks all voting for the whiskey candidates.

The ladies, undeterred by the liquor vote, were out on the street the next day, in larger numbers than ever. John Price, a saloon-keeper, whom they had visited, and prayed with frequently, but who claimed to sell only according to law, was soon after indicted for illegal selling, and tried before Hon. Judge Harper, and fined seventy-five dollars, put under bond for one thousand dollars, and sent to jail for thirty days. The severe penalty inflicted on Price by Judge Harper put a check upon the illegal traffic.

A correspondent of the Cincinnati Gazette, ten days after the election, gives the following report of the work there:

“The interest in the work here has greatly increased since the city election. The determination on the part of the temperance people to put down the traffic in our city is stronger to-day than it has been since the work began. The street work commenced Monday, March 16th. Since then the Ladies’ League have held over ninety street prayer-meetings each week, or nearly four hundred and fifty since the work began. Our success has not been as great as we had hoped for. The first surrender here was that of Mr. Redenger, who kept the most respectable saloon in the city. At that time we had fifty-two licensed saloons, nine wholesale liquor stores, and eight drug stores, which were in the habit of selling liquors without asking any questions. This gave us sixty-nine places where liquor was sold. Since then nine saloons have been closed, and all the druggists have signed the druggists’ pledge. The steamer ‘Granite State,’ one of our regular packets, has removed its bar; all our physicians but one have signed the physicians’ pledge; and one wholesale dealer the personal pledge. Hundreds of our citizens have signed the personal pledge. In addition to the above, our liquor men admit that their sales have fallen off from one-half to two-thirds. This work the ladies feel has been done in answer to the prayers of God’s people. The street work still goes on, with increasing strength and numbers. All day prayer-meetings are still held every day (Sundays excepted); mass-meetings every night, except Wednesdays and Saturdays; mass-meeting also on Sunday at three o’clock. From the above you will see that the war is not over in our city.”

Passing through the town since the Crusade, I could but notice the great change that had come over the place, and the improved moral atmosphere everywhere, although the distilleries and the saloons were still doing business. Just after the Crusade, there was a great flood in the Scioto and Ohio rivers, which destroyed nearly all the corn, and much other grain and property. The feeling was so intense against the distilleries on account of the scarcity of grain, and the high cost of bread-stuffs, that one wealthy distiller promised not to use up their grain in that way, a promise which, if reports are true, was not kept.