USA > Ohio > Memories of the crusade a thrilling account of the great uprising of the women of Ohio in 1873, against the liquor crime > Part 11
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times past we had understood it, deny thyself of some little worldly gratification in the way of amusement or dress. And even in these minor matters we had, with rare exceptions, ceased to be distinguished from the world around us.
But now we had, indeed, taken a solemn ad- vance step. How weak we felt, and how we realized the need of help from on high. Thus we moved out, in great trembling, with bowed head, but with eye of faith steadfastly fixed on the Cross of Calvary, going forth to try to rescue the perishing. Oh! to help bring the world to the foot of the cross !
A holy inspiration filled our souls, and as the bell rang out its peals at the close of each prayer as a message of encouragement sent after us, saying, "Courage, brave hearts, we are praying for you, we are praying for you," we felt a sweet and holy joy come into our souls, a new, glad experience that buoyed us as if tread- ing not upon the earth, but the air. Lo! we were walking with Jesus. To-day, time has brought us thirteen years further on the way, yet thousands will still testify to the blessed joy and peace that they experienced as they entered those haunts of sin, knelt there and cried to God to deliver us from the curse of drink, to save our husbands, to save our boys, to save the liquor-seller himself, from the fearful conse- quences of his wicked business. Then those sweet songs that many a poor, wretched drunk- ard had heard his sainted mother sing in the old,
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far-away home of his childhood, the gentle word of persuasion to the dealer, to the young man, or the gray-haired frequenter that we found in the grog-shop ! How many times have I heard the assertion, "I would not exchange that experience for all the rest of my life." Most of our sisters supposed the happiness came from taking up this peculiar form of Christian duty, but I am satisfied that it was the joy and peace that will always come from a willing and obedient following of the Lord, whithersoever he may lead.
It had been with many, a fearful struggle to yield up their preconceived ideas of what was a lady's place, and what the world might think and say. Not a few carried the subject to their closets, and there on their knees fought the battle with self and pride before the Lord, till He gave them strength and they came forth anointed for the war. As I was passing up street one morning, a little, timid minister's wife met me, and grasping my hand, exclaimed : "Oh, Mother Stewart, what shall I do ? It seems to me that I can not take up this work." I said, "Never mind, my dear, it will come all right." A short time after, this little woman walked out by the side of Sister C- at the head of a band ; and as they knelt, Sister C- said : "Pray, Sister H -; yes, you must pray ;" and she did, and such a holy baptism came down upon her that as she walked she held to Sister C's arm, exclaiming, "Oh, I am so happy, I am so
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happy ! I am so glad you made me take up my
cross !' Thenceforth it was a delight to do whatever work came to her.
In my own case I hardly know how it was, but from the day when I decided to help my poor friend by taking her case into court, I have never felt any shrinking or misgiving as to my holy calling to the work. As I have already said, I heard my Father's voice and I hastened to do his bidding. And I scarcely ever lifted up my voice to the Throne, whether in the dark lurking-places of vice and crime, or without on the cold pavement, in the snow and mud, or on the frozen ground, but I felt like shouting aloud the praises of my God for the privilege, and I have never ceased to wonder and to praise Him. Oh, shall I take up the song on the other shore before very long ?
And yet there was something about this work so solemn, so pathetic, so approaching the funeral procession, that, though I led out, I suppose, hundreds of bands, I could never, even to the last, look upon the sight without weeping. I either had to be a part of it in the ranks or hasten out of sight.
No wonder that strong men, looking upon it, broke down and wept like very children; and no wonder that the infidel declared, as I heard him, "I am not a Christian. I don't know whether there is a God up yonder, or not. But when I came into the city and saw those women kneeling on the streets before the saloons, and
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heard their prayers, I said, if there is a God in Heaven He will hear and answer those prayers." It seems to me the angels must have looked down from their bright abode upon those scenes with awe and wonder and pity.
I can now recall the names of but few of that little consecrated band that fell into line that day, saying to the Master, "Here am I; send me." But some I know, after waging a good warfare and witnessing a good profession, have laid down the weapons of warfare and the cross, and gone up to wear the crown forever more.
Of these promoted ones, I recall our beloved sisters Emmet, Mitchell, Schaffer, Guard, Ogden, Winters, Middleton, Cummings and Olds. Sister Spring, always so humble and modest, so exemplary in life, yet, as she declared, though a minister's wife for ten years, she had never taken up her cross in public, her voice had never been heard in prayer. How she shrank that morn- ing from the duty, asking to be excused, but when I spoke of her example and influence as a minister's wife, and the only one present, it was all that was needed. She promptly took her place and walked with us to the last, becoming most capable in prayer and all needful work- to the end of her short, beautiful life, in her far western field, ever a strong temperance worker, as well as an efficient helpmeet for her husband.
I remember my beloved Sister Cosler, now Phillips, walked by my side that morning, as she
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has all these intervening years, in the sweet spirit of sisterly confidence and helpfulness. Sister Kinney, who had been obliged to take the subject to her closet and there settle it, had nevertheless got it settled some days before, - how effectually the years have told-and had been quite impatient to move out. Sister Otstot I remember as she stood by me at the Lagonda House door.
On this first morning of our moving out, the whole city was in a state of great excitement and the streets were thronged with people. The saloon-keepers had been expecting us for some- time, and had their pickets out to watch and report any approach of the dreaded women. The question was, how to reach the saloon without the word out-running us and so being locked out, this at first being considered by the saloon-keepers as a sort of defeat.
I desired also to visit the most prominent saloon first, this being in the basement of the Lagonda House, corner of Limestone and High streets. To reach it from the First Presbyterian Church, where our morning meetings wereheld, and from which we marched out, required a march around two sides of the square. I led the band up Main to Limestone, then south on Limestone to the front entrance, through which I had learned, in my visit of the day before, an entrance to the saloon could be had by a stair- way leading from the office. But the ladies not quite understanding my bit of strategy, preferred
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to move around to the outside door This we found locked-the spies had got in a little ahead. It was in front of this door that we held our first Crusade service, and Sister Kinney offered the first prayer. A great concourse of people, men, women and children, carriages, wagons, etc., had gathered and fairly blockaded the street. I turned to a policeman (how nice they were to us in those days ) and said : "If I could have a dry-goods box to stand on I would address the people." He motioned to the office window and said, "Go up there." Some gentlemen were in it and I asked them if I might occupy it. They bowed their assent, and asking my young friend Wilburn, of the hotel, to lead the way, I here made my first street speech in the Crusade, to a most respectful and attentive audience. Profound quiet and order prevailed, and I believe a move towards molesting us would have been a signal for a general battle.
Here again is an instance followed by very unexpected results.
Mr. J. R. Chapin, special correspondent and artist, sent out by Frank Leslie to write up and take sketches of the Ohio Women's Whisky War, arrived in Springfield just after we had made our rounds, gathered up the facts and made sketches of the street scene before the Lagonda House and that at Zischler's the next day; also took photographs of Dio Lewis and of Mother Stewart, both in ordinary garb and in her disguise with the Sunday glass in hand. These
J.PARSONS CIGARS
STREET SCENE BEFORE LAGONDA HOUSE-MOTHER STEWART ADDRESSING THE CROWD.
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came out in Frank Leslie's Weekly for February 28th. Where they all found their way would be hard to tell. It was said that a thousand copies were sold in Springfield. One copy reached the hands of my respected friend, Bailie Bucannan, of Dumbarton, Scotland. Mrs. M. E. Parker, of Dundee, W. Vice Templar of the Grand Lodge of Good Templars of Scotland, in her visiting of the various local lodges visited Dumbarton, and being entertained by Bailie Bucannan, the conversation was of course largely of the wonderful news of the uprising of the women of the West. The bailie brought out a copy of Frank Leslie, that by some means had come into his possession. Mrs. P. is a very enthusiastic woman, and deeply interested in all phases of the temperance work. She insisted, though the paper was much worn by the handling it had had, that she must have it. "Oh," she exclaimed, "I wish we could get Mother Stewart to Scotland." This hope she did not give up, though it was more than a year before she realized it.
At the close of our exercises at the Lagonda House, we again formed our procession and marched to the saloon in the Murray House, now the St. James. Finding that also locked, we had our prayers and songs on the sidewalk. Thence we visited a very notorious place, kept by a woman, on West Main street, known as "The Bank." Here we were permitted to enter, and passing to the room in the rear, held our
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devotions there, while the crowd of customers were taking their drinks at the bar in the front room. From here we visited Wm. Stubbe- where I had bought my "first glass of liquor." His place was closed. We then adjourned to the church, where we disbanded for the day, but to meet the next morning at the same place in an all-day prayer-meeting, which, by arrangement of Mrs. Guy, our Secretary, was to be held.
On this evening our mass-meeting was held in the Central M. E. Church, and Sister Schaffer and Mother Stewart made their report of the first day's Crusade work in Springfield, to an immense audience.
The Springfield Republic, after giving a full report of our first day on the street, proceeded with the following remarks, suggested by the action of the saloon-keepers in locking us out :
* * It is submitted to the saloonists above referred to, if their action to-day has not been cowardly and strongly in contrast with that of their visitors. Certainly, if their business is honest, respectable, and legal, they have nothing to fear, and as shown in this first trial, the temperance women are not to be deterred by closed doors or fastened shutters. If they are doing anything in violation of law, creating any breach of the peace, or interfering with legitimate business, the remedy is ready to the hand of everybody requiring it. It seems to be the plan of campaign agreed upon, that close watch is to be kept, and the women kept out by lock and key. Would it not be more courageous and manly, and less sneaking, to admit them ?
This new movement on the part of our women has special and extraordinary significance, dis- tinguishing it from that in other places, owing to the fact that this is the first place of any considerable
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size in which the visitation plan has been put to the test.
The result will therefore be regarded with the most intense interest all over the country. The women appreciate the situation, and cherish a spirit in accordance with the demand upon them.
Our siege was now begun, and our first day out had served to settle our purpose to follow it up, whatever the result might be. But what a conflict it proved to be ! Hundreds had signed the pledge and forsaken the dram-shops; a sentiment had been created against the business, so that many others were shamed out of patronizing them; the trade was very per- ceptibly falling off; but we had two large breweries and one distillery, that in many instances agreed to furnish liquors gratis till the siege should be raised. The manufacturers and wholesale dealers of Cincinnati, Dayton, and elsewhere, also sent out their drummers and circulars to influence the saloon-keepers to stand their ground, saying they would see them through.
As refuting the general supposition every- where, except on the field of action, that it was the drunkard's wives only that had risen up in their desperation and beleaguered the saloons ; and answering the oft-repeated question where the work was going on, "Why don't the women who have suffered most from intemper- ance now come forward to help rid themselves and their neighbors of the curse ?" an incident, as related by one of our ladies this first day out,
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is in order. She says : " After our prayers on the sidewalk before the Murray House, as we were about moving away, one of the ladies turned to a miserable inebriate standing near, and said : 'Your wife ought to be with us.' A fierce light came into his eyes as he answered, ' I'd kill her if she was !" This poor woman had silently, uncomplainingly, borne her heavy burden for years ; had tended and cared for him through illness brought on by drink. She had no doubt watched, waited and prayed that her husband might be delivered from his terrible bondage. Now, when the army was investing this city of her sorrow, she could not, dared not, lend a helping hand, for fear of that imbruted husband.
On the morning of the 11th, after a season of waiting before the Lord, we again marched out, seventy-five strong. But it happened that at this hour I had an appointment to meet a drunkard's wife at the Mayor's office, to help her look after her drunken husband, so that I was not with the sisters in their rather novel experience with Mr. Zischler, but joined them as they reached the depot eating-house.
That wonderful "White Wednesday" in Spring- field ! Alas ! alas! We shall never see another such ! The interest was sustained without any abatement for eight hours. And the attendance steadily increased until it was found that the lecture-room could not accommodate the peo- ple. The auditorium was thrown open and soon filled.
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The thought of an all-day prayer-meeting, as so much else of practical work and methods, was the result of the nightly vigils and earnest pray- ers of our competent and ever vigilant Secretary. It was a new and startling experience for some of our good ministers and laymen, who had ex- pressed many misgivings as to the expediency of such an experiment, to see the sisters take their places as leaders for the hour, read the Scrip- tures, pray and speak with the ease and intelli- gence of the brethren and the added fervor and emotion of women ; and in an old, conservative church where woman's voice was an unknown factor in devotional services. What was coming to pass in these latter days ?
The same paper, in reporting our morning work, says :
It was stated briefly, yesterday, that while the mass was congregated in the church, doing what could be done there in the case, picked corps of women were out upon the streets, making the rounds of the saloons or rum-holes as Dr. Lewis truthfully calls them,meet- ing with much encouragement, as compared with the experiences of the first day's encounter. As stated, they were invited by Mr. Zischler, whose place on Market street they visited, into his dance-hall in the third story, and arrived there the proprietor mounted the music-stand and read two chapters from the Bible-that from Genesis describing the fall of Adam, and another. The ladies set a good example in the attention they paid, but when it came their turn Mr. Zischler was so ungallant as to withdraw, saying he must attend to his business, but invited them to remain as long as they pleased. Not at all surprised that a man engaged in such a business should shun the company of Christian ladies, they proceeded, sang their hymns, and prayed beseech-
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ingly, closing, as usual, with the long metre Dox- ology
" Praise God from whom all blessings flow."
That an advance was made this day, and a break in the enemy's stronghold at least started, is shown by the fact that the women were permitted to enter the billiard room attached to the Lagonda House saloon, and to hold their religious exercises there. At Dotzy's place, just north of Main street on Market, no entrance was effected, and the band of devotees at once kneeled upon the pavement, the sound of their voices in prayer being clearly dis- tinguished above the noise of the street.
An adjournment and cessation of operations were made until 2 P. M., and about twenty of the women accepted an invitation from Mr. J. L. Berry, to dine at his restaurant on Market street, where they were most hospitably entertained. In the afternoon, the first advance was made upon Mr. Bradley's place, on the east side of Market street, a few doors from Mr. Zischler's. Here the proprietor showed good sense, and won the favor of spectators and all, by admit- ting the delegation, and giving them all the facilities the place afforded to go on with their exercises. All thistime a great crowd of men and boys, of all classes, extending across the sidewalk and into the street, regarded the proceedings, and the reporter is of the opinion that it was not alone owing to the presence of the police that good order was maintained. At prayer time, nearly every head was uncovered, and as the women started to leave, a way was cleared for them. A crowd, estimated at a thousand people, falling in at the rear.
A few minutes were spent at the depot eating house, (on the outside, per force of circum- stances, ) and then the ladies turned their atten- tion to "Spang's," on the opposite corner, for the vicinity of the depot is a favorite place for this business. Here there was an "episode." The door was closed, and Mrs. Kinney, trying it, found it fast. The ladies asked me to step onto
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the door-steps and address the great mass of people that were gathered on the street. I as- cended the steps, but as I was beginning to speak, the proprietor threw open the door and shouted out "Mother Stewart, get down from here, you are trespassing ! I don't wantany tres- passing here! These are my premises, I pay my rent, and I don't allow you here ! Get away, every one of you!" I made a move to step down, as I did not know but I might be tres- passing, and I desired to avoid any legal compli- cations in the outset of our Crusade. But I think a hundred voices from the crowd cried out, "Stay where you are !" "You have good back- ing !" "Don't you move." Just then Mr. Flem- ing, chief of police, sprang up the steps and siezed the man by the arm, thrust him back into his saloon, followed him in and explained to him that the people were in sympathy with and would protect the Crusaders, and that a hand laid on Mother Stewart would be the signal for rasing his place to the ground. There were also three hundred workmen looking on from the windows of the great Champion Ma- chine Shops,just across Market Square, and ready at a move to avenge any violence or insult of- fered us.
Beadle, in his report of the affair, says:
"A gentleman of rather quiet style afterwards said, 'If that fellow had touched one hair of Mother Stewart's gray head, his house would have been leveled to the ground ; and he proceeded to say that there is nothing more curious in the phenomena of
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the movement than the general respect, amounting almost to love or hero-worship, which some of the worst bummers and saloonists feel for the good ladies engaged in it. Mother Stewart has warm friends among the worst people of Springfield.'"
When I had finished my address and was about to step down, Mr. Spangenburg opened his door, seeming as bright and pleasant as a May morn- ing.
I turned and shook hands with him, bidding him "good-bye." "Good-bye, good-bye, Mother Stewart," he responded, "come again." The chief had done his work well, and I think this place as good as any to bear a grateful testi- mony to the kind and watchful care of the Springfield police during nearly our entire street labors. More than once has a kind-hearted po- liceman given me the support of his arm, as he walked with me at the head of the band.
If a time came when it was evident that a change in their care or watchfulness was appa- rent, it was no fault of theirs. After a time, as we learned, they were admonished by their supe- riors that a little less zeal in guarding the Crusad- ers might be necessary to retaining their places. For myself, I am happy to record that from that day to this I have always found our policemen to be my warm friends. And I take pleasure in adding, that wherever I have had occasion to ask aid or information of a policeman, whether in New York, St. Louis, London or Belfast, I have found them courteous and seeming to take pleasure in giving me any aid or informa-
F
SPANGENBURG. WINE & BEER.
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MOSE ENG CONNY.
MEMORIES OF THE CRUSADE. 177 tion asked, and I know I have passed on with an added pleasure myself for the brief exchange of friendly words. I suppose the law of kind- ness, or the principle that "like begets like," has a general application. If, instead of finding fault with them, citizens would sustain them in the discharge of their duties, they would take them out of the control of the political bosses, and have much better service from them.
An incident connected with our visit to this place came to my knowledge only recently, nearly eleven years after that memorable day, but of such thrilling interest to me that I am sure the reader will be glad of its insertion here. A young man with whom, and his efficient wife, I have for some years been associated in relig- ious and temperance work in my city, in a conversation remarked that "the first place he met me was in a saloon." "Why," said I, "is it possible ? Where was it?" " On the corner of Washington, I was in getting my flask filled. I am sorry to say that in those days, as so many others, I was in the habit of using liquor. The saloon- keeper said, 'I hear that'-(an adjective not best to repeat) 'old Mother Stewart is coming with her band, and if she does,' he swore by his Maker he would kill her. I said to myself, 'No, you will not. ' I had my flask in my pocket, and I determined if he raised his arm to strike, or a revolver to shoot, I would stand between him and you. That was the last liquor I bought and the last time I visited a saloon. Shortly
(12)
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after this I went to the morning meeting, told my story and signed the pledge, and that is the secret of my affection for Mother Stewart."
I can never tell the feeling that thrilled my heart as my young friend related this deeply interest- ing story. I had been made to feel by both him and his wife that I held a large place in their hearts, but did not know he had been ready even to risk his own life for me. Very precious to my ear now is the word "mother " as it falls from their lips.
It was not long till my son in the Gospel, as I now call him, sought and found Jesus, and at once, with the co-operation of his wife, began to work for the salvation of souls, and at this writing are in the itinerant ranks in a Western Conference, doing blessed work for the Master.
Returning to that memorable " White Wednes- day." The meeting at the Opera House was a glorious ending of the day. Not less than 1, 500 people thronged out to hear Dio Lewis, and see "the wickedest man in Ohio," VanPelt. Be- fore seven o'clock, the sidewalks and stairways were crowded by people awaiting the opening of the doors. Says the reporter :
At half-past seven a commencement was made. Mr. C. M. Nichols acting as chairman, supported on either hand on the stage, by Dio Lewis, VanPelt, Mother Stewart, Dr. Clokey, E. C. Middleton, the " Press Gang," and others. Mr. A. O. Huffman led the singing with which the exercises were opened. Rev. J. L. Bennett offered prayer. After singing another piece the chairman introduced the reformed saloonist, J. C. VanPelt, who was received with ap- plause and spoke as follows :
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