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 31
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As an instance of Col. Realf's power to turn even small things to account, I am reminded that upon calling on me after his arrival, he at once noticed and remarked upon my various souvenirs that I had as memories of my visit to his country. I told him I had something else that he would recognize, and brought a little primrose that I had cherished, having a solitary blossom
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remaining, and put it into his hand. He was almost overcome by the sight, and with heaving bosom exclaimed, as he held it up and looked at it, "There is a primrose from dear old England. Mother, I'll steal it." "No," said I, "my son, you shall not, I have saved it on purpose for you ; " and before he started for the hall, I pinned it onto his lapel. I was not able to be present, but was told that in the course of his lecture he called the attention of the audience to the little, pale flower and at once burst into a strain of eloquence, recalling the scenes of his childhood, " Merrie old England," with her green fields, laughing little streams with mossy banks, haw- thorne hedges with the primrose, daisy and harebells nestled under, the lark and nightingale, home, sweet home, and mother. It was said there was scarcely an eye in that audience that did not look up at the orator through a mist of tears.
But alas! alas! the demon was not to be thwarted of his prey. He had years before, while under the influence of liquor, through a mistaken sense of gratitude, made a fatal mar- riage that blasted all his life, and finding no way of escape, he, in a moment of despair, caught his medicine that sat on the stand by his bed, as he lay very ill, drained it to the dregs, and quenched forever that strangely eventful life. As a mother mourns for a beloved son, so do even now my tears rain down for Richard Realf. I have no other apology to offer for introducing here this imper-
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fect reminiscence of that remarkably gifted man.
Though busy in whatever phase of work I found to do, organizing and lecturing for our Unions, Gospel Temperance, Blue Ribbon or Prohibition, I did not lose sight of the Southern field, to which my heart continually turned, and for which I was still praying the blessed Lord to give me an open door. At length, by request of Sister Scott, of Louisville, and other ladies from the South, I was made chairman of Southern work at our National Convention held in Indianapolis in 1879.
Miss Abby D. Munroe, Miss Jennie Smith, Mrs. L. M. Chase, Mrs. M. M. Clardy, Mrs. A. M. Linville, Mrs. Dr. J. C. Thomas, being my committee. It was some weeks before I received my notification of the fact. But I went to work with a glad, eager heart, and in ten days had the following circular on its way to all the prominent papers, secular as well as religious and temperance, in the South.
To the Christian Ladies of the Southern States, Greeting :
BELOVED SISTERS : - At our Women's National Christian Temperance Convention recently held at Indianapolis, a Committee was appointed whose duty it should be to open correspondence with the Chris- tian ladies of the South and invite their co-operation with us in the work of promoting Christian Temper- ance.
We feel that the Lord hath called the Christian women of our land to a great and holy work, by using their influence as followers of the Lord Jesus to stay the tide of Intemperance, whose waves are every year engulfing so many thousands of souls for whom our blessed Savior died.
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That fell destroyer is blasting more lives, destroy- ing the peace and happiness of more homes, causing more poverty, sorrow and crime, and ruining more souls than all other forms of sin combined.
This influence woman can use in her own house- hold by banishing the wine-cup from her table, the intoxicating beverage from her sideboard, by practic- ing the principles of total abstinence herself and teaching them to her children.
And by such blessed example and teaching in her own home she does become an influence in her own community for the right Again, by combining our influence and our prayers we strengthen ourselves and each other and become helpers, co-workers with our ministers in promoting Temperance and our holy religion among the people.
In our work we usurp no other's prerogative. Ours is emphatically and simply woman's work. Neither is there any sectarianism or sectionalism in it.
The beauty of it consists in bringing the women of all denominations together on one broad platform of Christian benevolence and philanthropy. The only condition, a desire for the welfare of humanity and the salvation of souls.
I am most happy to say that the Convention did me the honor of making me Chairman of the Commit tee ; I say most happy. for my heart has long been drawn toward the South; and I have been devoutly praying that the Lord would open a door of com- munication for me with the Christian ladies of the South, on this vital question. I therefore receive this commission as from His hand, praying that He may give me access to the hearts of the sisters of the South. and I most earnestly solicit your prayers, my dear sisters, that we may be able by some means to bring our united prayers and efforts to bear for the destruction of this mighty foe to the church and to the peace and welfare of our country. I also respect- fully solicit a free correspondence on the subject. In the bonds of our blessed Gospel. Yours,
MOTHER STEWART,
Chairman Committee.
Springfield, Ohio, Dec. 15th, 1879.
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I also addressed personal letters to the editors, asking their endorsement, hunted up and wrote to many prominent persons, especially my acquaintances. The editors did, very kindly, publish my letter, and many wrote very kind editorials commending my work. Among the various responses called forth by my circular let- ter was one from Mobile, claiming to be written by a Jew, which, for its peculiarity, I feel dis- posed to copy here :
" DEAR MADAM : - I have seen your circular addressed exclusively to the Christian ladies of the South, and I consider it most appropriate. Christian- ity, in its long years of preaching a single doctrine of Christ and Ilim crucified, has overlooked the evils following in the wake of the missionary ; the greatest of which being the evil you are laboring, where others have in vain labored, to eradicate. The sav- ages of America knew nothing of poisonous drinks till Christian civilization planted it among them. Christian efforts, as I before said, are so blinded in one direction, that honest and true believers in Christ overlook the essential teaching of the Savior. Christ lived up to the essence of Moses' laws. His last hours were spent in celebrating the Passover; show- ing he was a good Jew. Go to work and teach people to live up to the sanitary teaching of old Moses. You can do it, and not sacrifice Christian doctrine. Ask your Jewish neighbors to explain their mode of living and you will learn how to cure drunkenness. As I am a sober person and belong to a sober race, your appeal does not concern me beyond the natural inclination to live in a community, whether Christian or heathen, where morality is the rule instead of the exception. And as I live in a so-called Christian community, where we have drunkards, murderers, thieves, etc., I shall glory in your good work."
He tells of his good, sensible wife and eight children, all sober and home-keepers, making a
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very interesting picture of the Jewish home. I confess that for several reasons the letter was interesting to me. It seems that with too much reason we have it ever thrown into our teeth by Jew, Mohammedan and Heathen, that drunken- ness is the Christian vice and curse, and that wherever Christian civilization and commerce go, the inevitable curse follows in the wake, side by side with the missionary and the Bible.
I considered my unknown friend's communi- cation of sufficient importance to be answered and wrote the following :
LOUISVILLE, KY., Jan. 29, 1880.
MY DEAR SIR: - Among my mail forwarded and awaiting my arrival here, was your most welcome and deeply interesting letter. I have been from home now three weeks, traveling and working in the cause for which you so kindly express your sympathy. This is the reason I did not receive your favor sooner, and my apology for not having answered it more promptly. I had, indeed, intended to answer at once upon reading, but as I was to meet the temperance friends soon, I decided to wait and read your letter to them, first, and ask them what answer I should give to-I wish I could in truth say this "scoffing Jew,"-upbraiding is the word I am obliged to use instead, with too much reason.
The friends said, Tell him we admit there is too much truth in his charge; we deplore it and are work- ing to induce a change. They, however, requested me to say, while not all the followers of our Christ live up to His blessed precepts, neither do all the sons of Jacob live up to the God given laws of Moses. Man is sinful and prone to evil as the sparks fly upward. And the friends further desired me to say we are glad to work with you and glad to have you work with us for the extinction of this great evil -- curse, indeed, upon our country.
We can unite thus far, at least, for the sake of het-
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tering the community in which we live, and we all should be interested, because the effect of eradicating the liquor is at once to put a stop to drunkenness, murder, theft, and nearly the entire catalogue of crinies. I thank you, my dear sir, for the statement that Christ lived up to the essence of Moses'law, and I may add, (and I know you will agree with me in this), that if we all would live up to His precepts- "all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them, for this is the law and the Prophets," ( or the fulfilling of them ),-if we all would observe this rule, there would be no need of this call that I make to the women to help, nor for my going to and fro among them, to try to induce them to see the need of cleansing their own homes and teaching their own households the principles of total abstinence.
Great, oh, great, is the need of education on the subject. I am prepared from what I know of your people, to admit your statement, that ye are as a rule a temperate people. I understand also that the hygienic laws of Moses, which to so many seem but arbitrary precepts, are indeed for the governing of our lives, that our health and happiness may thereby be promoted. I am also prepared to give witness that Sarah's daughters are keepers at home, wifely, moth- erly, virtuous. And in regard to the home enjoyments and keeping, I have in my mind now a family, once my next neighbors,who were very beautiful exponents of the principle. I esteemed them as most valued neighbors and friends. I wish I had time to tell you of a very dear friend I have in Glasgow, Scotland, a daughter of Abraham, but who has accepted Jesus as her promised Messiah. The Temperance ladies sent her with me to some other towns, and when I intro- duced her as a daughter of Israel, the audiences would listen with breathless interest, while in her low, sweet voice and foreign accent she would try to persuade the hearers to a life of total abstinence, making her arguments the stronger for her copious quotations from the law and the Prophets. I wish, too, that I could tell you more than I have time now of a friend of mine who believes and is teaching that Jesus the Christ,is coming very soon, " looking for His appearing " daily.
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That He will come to Mount Sinai first and there call His elect from the four winds, will meet His ene- mies on His way to Jerusalem, and will conquer them. Going up to Mt. Zion, to His own, who are already gathering-all the political movements in the East indicating that ere long the Jews shall be in possession of Palestine and waiting His coming-and will receive Him, for then He will come the Con- querer and King of nations. But beholding His hands and seeing the prints of the cruel nails, they, with wonder and astonishment, will cry out, What ! art thou Jesus of Nazareth ?" And being revealed to His own they will receive Him, the once lowly, despised Naz- arene, now the Holy One of Israel, of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write. Oh, I would like to live to see the glorious day !
But I was assured that to make my work effec- tive, I must go and carry my message to my Southern sisters. But an expense would nec- essarily be incurred, and there were no funds for such work. Blessed be the Lord, who in my extremity came to my aid, and placed friends as I needed in my way. Rev. R. D. Black, of Franklin, Ind., one of my "boys" of old Ohio University, called me to help him in a protracted revival meeting, and this carried me on my way towards Louisville, where I proposed to intro- duce my work. I also found Brother Frazier, of the Christian church, in Franklin. He was preaching in Alliance, Ohio, when the Crusade began there, and had been baptized by it into a more earnest devotion to the tem- perance part of a whole Gospel than ever before, and had suffered not a little because of it, too. But the Lord was honoring him here in the love and co-operation of his people. I not
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only found him a strong ally to help me forward, but, by invitation of himself and people, I had the honor of being the first woman to occupy his pulpit. I also had the pleasure of giving aid to the Temperance Reform Club, and held sev- eral blessed meetings ; hall full, gallery full, entry crowded, stairs down to the street crowded, over a hundred-don't remember how many-signed the pledge, and started on the up grade in search of their lost manhood.
At one of these meetings, an inspiration, may be an impulse, seized me. The platform was quite low, and sitting in front and near were a respectable looking young couple, with a very sweet, little mite of a baby, about a year old, that in its baby restlessness would slip down from mamma's lap, and toddle up to the platform and clamber up. The mother seemed a little disturbed lest it should annoy me, but I assured her it did not. When we came to call for signers to the pledge, I caught up the baby and pinned a blue ribbon on its little shoulder, and holding it up, appealed to the crowd of young men in the gallery, on behalf of the baby, to come forward and sign the pledge and work henceforth to protect this " daughter of the regi- ment," and all others, from the curse of rum.
It was received with loud applause, and in a few moments the father arose and very gravely came forward and signed the pledge. It need not be said that the mother very soon followed. At the close some of the friends came to me and
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said in undertones, " Mother Stewart, that was a grand victory you won. That young man was, seemingly unawares, drifting into the whirlpool, though his friends had been watching him with much solicitude." Praise the Lord, the baby saved him.
Another man signed the pledge the same even- ing, who was so under the influence of liquor that I felt much concern lest he would not be able to keep it. Some years afterwards I met a lady in G -- , in my own State, who said she lived at that time in Franklin, and asked me if I remembered the man who signed the pledge for me when under the influence of liquor, and added, he remained steadfast, very soon sought the Lord and united with the church, and night and morning at the family altar prayed for Mother Stewart, and has taught his children to love her next to their Savior. Blessed be the name of the Lord for his many mercies. I know I have been sustained in answer to such prayers.
I was taken to a beauftiul country church, " Mount Hope," two miles out of town, by the pastor, Rev. Black, Presbyterian, a Southern man, who had not before heard the message given by the mouth of a woman, and felt quite sure he did not want to ; it was not as he had read Paul. But how thoroughly he indorsed and helped me, and we were able to open a grand Gospel Temperance work in his church, his wife, as the wife of Rev. R. D. Black, a helpmeet in the true sense of the word.
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To Ebinburgh for a few meetings, then, fur- nished with letters from Brother Frazier to Rev. B. B. Tyler, of the Christian church in Louisville, and to Rev. Hamilton, of Little Rock, I hastened on to Louisville, where I was met by Brother Tyler ; that royal, good fellow, "Tom " Demarest, Worthy Chief Templar of the State ; Mrs. Carley, my life-long friend, and her daugh- ter, the beautiful Mrs. Chess; Sister Scott, with other ladies and gentlemen. My reception was of the kind that makes one feel that they are among friends, and every lecturer knows how much the reception has to do with the success of his work. A committee was formed at once. Brother Tyler, who had seen just enough of our Crusade in Ohio to make him enter with enthu- siasm into my movement, put his church, the First Christian, at our service, and by his un- bounded influence with his people they were largely enlisted.
The Good Templars, of course, co-operated, as they have everywhere, with me. I feel that I have never in such fitting words as the case demands, expressed my obligations, my sense of gratitude, to my Good Templar brothers and sis- ters. I simply can't. I have not the words. Everywhere in my own country and across the sea, how grandly have they helped and made the otherwise impossible, possible for me. God bless the Good Templars ! I shall have withheld a part of the truth if I fail to say that my honored brother, G. W. Bain, whom all the world honors,
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had, through the Good Templars' Advocate, years before introduced me to his Southern readers. He at once indorsed and warmly vindicated the Crusade, even in the face of some of the eminently pious but conservative divines who felt called upon to preach and warn the Southern ladies against such unwomanly demonstrations. I can- not forget-don't want to-the warm grasp of his hand the first time I met him, as he exclaimed, "Oh, Mother Stewart, my people in the South all know you; I followed you all through Great Brit- ain and wrote you up in the Advocate." Giant and leader of the platform that he is among his fel- lows in the great army, doing such valiant battle for humanity, he richly deserves the renown he has won. And his charming wife, so timid and shrinking then, is to-day the leader of her enthusi- astic sisters in Kentucky.
Here, to help now, were Brother "Tom" Demarest, editor of the Advocate, and Charlie Swift, his associate editor. The secular press also generously sustained me. We had wonderfully interesting meetings. Revs. Lawson and Lewis, of the Methodist Church South, also put their churches at my service and gave me valuable assistance. It was a scene that was too much for the gravity of the pastor and other gentle- men, when the Crusader quietly stepped onto the platform-never before desecrated by female sole leather- and invited her co workers, the ladies, to take seats on it near her, while they sat demurely in the congregation. They had never
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seen it on this fashion before, and hardly knew whether they had fallen upon good or evil times, but hoped that a new day might be dawning. I said to myself, What a grand town Louisville will be for a National Convention! Less than two years from that time, Louisville entertained the National Convention in royal style. The various churches of the city were crowded with eager and enthusiastic audiences, to hear Miss Willard, Ellen Foster and others.
We formed the first union, with Mrs. Chris- topher as President, and she with other ladies formed a second union in Portland. These ladies at once went to work with good methods and zeal, to advance the women's work in their city. I must not forget to say that I had only entered upon my work, when a telegram came from Brother Hamilton, of the Christian church at Lit- tle Rock, Arkansas, to Brother Tyler, saying, "Come, bring your wife and Mother Stewart. Our State Temperance Association is in session and I have advertised Mother Stewart for Sab- bath, at my church." Oh, dear, what could I do? I hastily called a council of some of the friends. Was it possible ? There was a door already swung wide open way in the Southwest. I would came back. But the decision was that it could not be. I was already advertised for the Sabbath in Louisville, and a disappointment would be fatal to my work. Did you ever see a naughty child yield just because it had to, and could not help itself? Why couldn't I be in two
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places at once, just for that occasion? I learned afterwards that I had personal friends in Little Rock, who went to trains and hotels hunting me.
I must not leave Louisville without mentioning a very happy incident, though I give it in my English experiences. At one of my meetings in Portland, or West Louisville, a lady was intro- duced to me as the mother of a gentleman who was a fellow voyager when I crossed the ocean. Why, who in the world ? "Alf. Mullett's mother !" The mother of that great, big-hearted man who had taken charge of me, as if I had indeed been that refined gentlewoman before me. And had told her, upon his return, so much about Mother Stewart, that, having just arrived from her home in Washington to visit another son, and hearing that I was in the city, had come from the east end of the city to see and make the acquaintance of Alf.'s Mother Stewart. I was invited to her son's to dinner, and so had the happy aftermath to my acquaintance with my always affectionately remembered fellow traveler.
My next point, working my way with meetings in my own State, was Chattanooga, Tenn., where our son Theodore resides, and here was Rev. S. Tinker, of the M. E. church, ready to assist me, first insisting upon my helping him in his revival meeting that was in progress. Our au- diences were large and the interest very manifest. If many came out of curiosity to hear "a woman preach," a few at least remained to pray. By invitation, I met the ministers in their Monday
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morning conference meeting, where they made me welcome and manifested much interest in my mission, and pledged themselves to support me and to bring the subject before the ladies of their respective churches, and to arrange for a meeting with the ladies on my return. The city editors very kindly requested me to let them know in what way they could serve me, and gave me most flattering notices.
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CHAPTER XXIII.
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Atlanta, Macon, Chattanooga, Bloody Copiah, Retrospection and Summing Up.
THE next town visited was Atlanta, Ga., which has since come to be known the world over for its great battle, two years ago, and victory for local option, and its more recent defeat on the same issue. I was here welcomed by those faithful and true workers, J. G. Thrower, Worthy Chief Secretary of Good Templars of the State, and his excellent wife, who took me to their hospitable home, and aided me in every way in their power in introducing my work.
I have elsewhere referred to the aid that our Good Templar friends have always been so ready to give, but I fear our sisters have not known of or appreciated their services at their true value. And I will take this occasion to add that I am also under many obligations to the Sons of Tem- perance and the National Temperance Associa- tion, to whose Secretary, my valued friend, J. N. Stearns, I am a bankrupt debtor for his unswerv- ing and always helpful kindness, through all the years of my labors.
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As I sat in my room the next morning after my arrival, in deep thought and not a little solic- itous as to the success of my visit to these very conservative ladies, and wondering if Christian people, and especially the ministers, could be enlisted, a carriage drove to the door and two ladies entered, one bearing a great tea-tray banked up with such gorgeous roses, lilies, pinks, jessamine, mignonnette, etc., as are to be found only in that Southern clime, a token of welcome, brought by that charming little woman, Mrs. Edw. M. Hammond, author of Georgia Sketches, that had recently attracted so much attention in the New York Tribune. How my heart leaped and how the tears wanted to help give expression to my feelings for such unlooked-for kindness! Mrs. Hammond was an earnest, active Christian as well as a lady, who had already acquired quite a reputation as a literary writer. Her husband, son of Judge Hammond, of the city, was a rising young lawyer, devoted to his wife, as well he might be, and ready to assist her in all her benevolent movements. I found them my strong and efficient supporters. I have taken a latitude in speaking of my dearly loved friend, as I feel sure she from her modesty would not have permitted if living, but she has long since gone to join the angels, her beautiful life cut off just as she had entered upon what gave such rich promise of usefulness. And so has that other dearly beloved sister, Mrs. Howes, after many years of devotion to her Master's cause, passed
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