WHY WOMEN SHOULD WORK.
1. _For their own sakes._--In the years that are passed women
have been to a great extent, "run in moulds like candles," and have
been "long threes or short sixes," just as society chose to make
them. Occasionally, one and another have refused to be run in the old
mould, but seeing the need to be so great, and the workers so few,
have stepped outside the narrow circle set round them, and with their
faith and courage and persistent loving labor, have brought a new
inspiration to the world's workers, and a new hope to the world's
weary ones.
This W.T.C.U. work opens up to women avenues of usefulness that for
their own sakes they ought not to hesitate to enter. Thus engaged the
circle widens and widens until the possibilities of usefulness are
almost limitless. As the boundaries are set further on the thought
and sympathy of women reach out gradually to their limit, broader
views of life and of humanity are taken on, and a deep, great love
for all God's suffering ones is added to the love of the heart for
family and kindred. In this work is found something of real
"fellowship with God," and we are enabled to understand something of
His great love, even for the unlovable, and to rejoice as in the
"presence of the angels of God," over His repentant, returning
children.
2. _For their Sisters' Sake._--It is a sad fact that we gather
from the statistics and police returns of the large cities of England
in relation to the drinking habits of English women. Referring to it
the Archbishop of Canterbury calls it "The very dark shadow dogging
the steps of the Church of England Society." "If," said His Grace,
"drinking is introduced among the women of our middle or still higher
classes, by means of grocers' licences, we need not think it will
confine itself wholly to them. No, depend upon it, if any practice of
women's drinking comes into use, we shall see it in its most open and
shameless form." Those of us who have tried to do any work among
drinking women, must admit the painful truth that a small number of
such, comparatively, are ever recovered from the habit of drinking,
and a very small proportion are rescued from the haunts of vice. When
we think of this, and think too, of the hereditary taint, the craving
for drink, transmitted from these mothers to their children, and of
the lives of sin which, too often, follow, we do not wonder at the
alarm expressed in the recent report of the House of Lords' Committee
on Intemperance in these words, "Intemperance among women is
increasing on a scale so vast, and at a rate of progression so rapid,
as to constitute a new _reproach_ and _danger."_ While this
is true of England, and while we grieve over the drinking habits of
women in other countries, have we not reason to fear that our
Canadian women are not free from this vice. Every district visitor
knows, every city missionary is conscious of the fact, that the
poverty, the distress in so many homes is not solely because "Father
drinks," but often because "Mother sells everything for whiskey." And
the drinking among women is not confined to the class mentioned, for
can you not think of ladies of wealth and position in your community,
whose names are always spoken in a sort of twilight tone and with a
little sigh? Do you not know that while ladies go from our large
cities to "spend months abroad," in some cases, these months are
spent in inebriate asylums, while their friends fondly hope they may
return cured? There are homes where the father dare not allow his
daughters to attend an evening party, for fear that they may disgrace
the family by taking too much wine, and acting in a silly manner.
While we know these things to be true, we can not put them from us
with a sense of freedom from responsibility. Let us then for our own
sakes individually, in order that we may be made unselfish and
loving, and more like the Divine Christ, step forward into this work.
And for the sake of women, our sisters, let us come out of the narrow
path of custom; let us brave opposition or ridicule, which is harder
to bear, and be true-hearted and whole-hearted in this temperance work.
3. _For the Children's Sake._--To women is largely committed
the care of children in those first years of their lives when
impressions for good or evil are readily received, and habits easily
formed, and during this time principles may be firmly imbedded in the
fresh soil that may grow to be a hedge against evil, a barrier
between them and wrong in the coming years. Mothers have a great
responsibility in this matter, and one from which they may not
escape. If our children see the wine-glass on the home table, in the
side-board, at our evening parties, will they not think wine-drinking
right and safe, and will there be any fear in their hearts of that
which at the last stingeth like a serpent and biteth like an adder?
"The hardest blow I ever received," said a devoted mother, occupying
a high social position in our land, "was when my eldest boy turned to
me in answer to my expostulation with him about taking too much wine,
and said, 'Mother, you know I learned to drink at home.'" So many
have said, "If I had only known then what I know now, how different
my home would have been, I would not now have to reproach myself for
the wrongdoing of husband or of sons." Recently a member of one of
our Christian churches, a lady of wealth and refinement, whose home
was a home of luxury, and on whose hospitable board the wine-glass
was placed as a matter of custom, during the long years of married
life, was called to pass through a very painful experience, a very
Gethsemane. Her eldest son had grown to be "a little wild," would go
from home occasionally for a day or two, causing his parents great
anxiety concerning him. On this occasion nearly a week had passed
since they had seen him, when a message came to the mother from one
of the city policemen. She hurried with the messenger to the gaol,
there to meet her darling boy, the one in whom her fondest hopes had
been centred, and for whom her brightest dreams had been so many
times thought out, the boy she ceased not thinking of other than
true, loving and pure,--to find him battered, bruised, and bleeding,
with clothes disordered and torn, a sad example of the transformation
which strong drink can produce. Some one writes, "It is sad to be
disappointed in those we love," but who can tell the agony of that
mother's heart as she looked at her shattered idol, and cried out,
"My son, why will you drink and break my heart?" I shall not soon
forget his reply, "Because you gave it to me at home," nor can I
forget that mother's face as there came over her soul the awful
realization of all that the thoughtlessness of custom had done for
her boy. As we passed out she said, "No more wine at our table, God
helping me," but while children still at home may be kept, it is too
late for the eldest born. To day he is a wanderer from home, and
mother, and God. While human hearts and human prayers follow him,
God's mercy alone can reach and save.
4. _For the safely of Home._--Home is emphatically the kingdom
of woman. Here she is queen, and can order all its belongings as she
deems best. To a very great degree its inmates are _subjects_ of
her kingdom, and acknowledge her sway. The cases are few, perhaps,
where her wishes are not respected, her right acceded to in all home
arrangements. But to ensure a perfect home it is necessary that
purity and peace should guard the threshold, that nothing unholy may
enter, and that the noise of the world's strife pass not through.
Here there should be rest and peace. The liquor traffic is the avowed
enemy of the home. While this exists not one home is absolutely safe,
not one household is quite free from danger. This enemy does not
scruple to enter the rightful kingdom of woman to rob, murder, and to
destroy, and to lay in ruins all that before was bright and
beautiful. The strong man is made helpless under its influence, all
loveliness withers at its touch, the darkness of its shadow shuts out
the sunlight, and its breath of death is over all. While this is true
we ought surely to act as if we believed it to be true, and do all in
our power to bar the door against this destroyer. As women to whom
God has given reason, intelligence, the blessings of a Christian
education and much influence in our homes, we dare not bow down
longer to a custom so fraught with evil and so ruinous in its
effects. A bird will be quick to discover the approach of the
serpent, and will spread its wings over the nest to protect its
nestlings, and shall we not shield the dear ones in the home nest
from the approach of this serpent, whose nature it is to kill and to
destroy?
5. _For the sake of Society._--While woman is queen of the home
realm, she also reigns in society,--society which is made up from the
homes of our land, If all homes were peaceful and pure, society would
have no evils, there would be less necessity to warn and protect the
innocent, and our newspapers would need small space to tell of moral
wrecks, despair, murder and suicide. But until that time shall come,
there is need for the influence of true, earnest women to so mould
society that men and women shall be made nobler and better for being
in their presence. The influence of such women is like the gentle
dew, refreshing and enriching tender plant and opening flower; her
example is as the sunlight, warming the heart and quickening the life
to nobler deeds and guiding the wandering feet heavenward.
All over our country, homes are constantly sending out their young
men into business, into society, and the home life is exchanged for
something new, Day by day we are meeting these, receiving them into
our homes, making them welcome to our parlors. What shall our
influence be upon them? A young man comes to a city with good
recommendations; he has high hopes, gets into a good business, is
made much of in society. He is a pure man, such as mothers would
choose as companion for their sons and daughters. How many hopes and
prayers have come with him from the home hearth, and how glad and
proud his best friends are to know that he is doing well. As he
spends his evenings in our homes, those evenings that would otherwise
be very dreary, what will the home do for him? Shall women, who rule
society, use their influence to disappoint all the bright home
dreaming, to check all his high aspirations, and to make it very easy
for him to become a victim to this appetite for drink? Not that this
is ever intentionally done, but the history of many men, given years
after in many of our Gospel temperance meetings, proves that this is
terribly true.
"I never offer anything to any one fond of liquor, not even on New
Year's day," said a lady, "but none of _our_ young men are." Are
we correct in saying that of any circle in society where wine is
tasted, "none of our young men are." Women do not know, even the
mothers in the same home do not know what young men know of each
other. We do not see how the glass of wine at the evening party,
where he can take a little, not too much, is followed later in the
evening and till the daylight hours, by glass after glass of stronger
liquor, taken amid far different surroundings.
Many young men date their downfall from the first evening spent in
society in a strange city, for while they could resist the
temptations of young men companions, they have not been able to
refuse the wine-glass at the hand of their hostess.
In view of all these facts, so sad, so pitiful, ought we not for our
own sake, for the sake of innocent children in our homes, for the
sake of other women's children and other homes, and for the sake of
society at large, in order to lead men and women, as best we may,
towards all that is pure and holy, and away from all that is debasing
and evil, ought we not to give our influence and our active help to
this temperance work?