Two Decades: A History of the First Twenty Years' Work of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union of the State of New York — John Shaqi
Two Decades: A History of the First Twenty Years' Work of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union of the State of New YorkGraham, Frances W.
History
Two Decades: A History of the First Twenty Years' Work of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union of the State of New York
Graham, Frances W.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union. State of New York
During this time it has uttered its shibboleth that that political
party, and that only, which declares in its platform for the complete
prohibition of the liquor traffic, can have its influence and its
prayers. There have been days of darkness and disaster, but by the grace
of God no weapon turned against the union has prospered, and every
tongue that has risen in judgment has been condemned. The growth of the
organization has been marvelous, for in twenty years it has grown from a
few hundred members to twenty-two thousand, and from a few auxiliaries
to over nine hundred, which cover as a network the entire state. Its
workers are indefatigable, and wage their peaceful war for "sweeter
manners, purer laws," with an earnestness that carries conviction to the
hearts of the people and the law-makers of the state. And wherever there
is a wrong to right, an evil to attack, or a hand to help, there will
you find a woman with a white ribbon on her breast.
The committee having this history in charge have searched faithfully the
records of twenty years. Some of the names recorded here have never been
heard by the workers of later years. Their owners have crossed the
boundary-line that separates this world from the next. But living and
dead speak with one voice of their love, service, and consecration to
the work; and out of these God has welded a union that stands for all
that is pure and good in government and the home, and whose work for Him
and for humanity will never cease until
"All the bells of God shall ring the ship of Temperance in."
We feel that the state is under many obligations to Mrs. Graham and Mrs.
Gardenier for so faithfully recording the work of these past years, for
while in one sense it has been a labor of love, yet the many hours spent
in earnest research for the necessary data must have been hours of toil.
And while we thank our beloved sisters for their work and interest, our
thoughts turn to the thousands of women whose lives have made this
history possible--those who have gone steadfastly forward in the line of
duty, thinking not of the world's applause, but doing all things and
bearing all things in the Master's name and for the Master's sake.
With this history we have reached our majority--twenty-one years. "Old
enough to vote," I hear some one say. Yes, quite. But the state, whose
children we are marshaling under the total abstinence banner of the
Loyal Temperance Legion; with whose vice and misery we are in a
hand-to-hand conflict, and have done much to suppress; which has felt
the influence of our work in hundreds of directions, and whose
law-makers declare that it is good, and good only, has not yet awarded
us the right. But long before we reach our second majority the piece of
paper that "does the freeman's will as lightning does the will of God"
will be placed in the hand of woman, and sin and impurity, like the
shadows, will flee away.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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