Why and How : a hand-book for the use of the W.C.T. unions in Canada Part 5

Q.--Should the executive of a local Union arrange and finally decide matters without consulting the Union?

A.--The report of the meetings of the executive should be read at each regular meeting of the Union. Every member has a right to object, or to ask for explanations and the report will be amended, received or rejected as the Union shall determine.

Q.--Shall accounts be paid without the sanction of the Union?

A.--Certainly not.

CHAPTER IX.

YOUNG WOMEN'S WORK.

It is very important that the interest and sympathy and active help of our young ladies be secured in this work.

There is in the heart of every human being a yearning for something higher and better. Coupled with this yearning in the heart of woman is the desire to do for others. Ever since the days when a woman washed the feet of the Holy One with her tears, when the fever healed patient arose and "ministered to them," when the Marys prepared sweet spices and ointment for Him they loved, ever since that time have women delighted in service for others, and thus, in the highest, broadest forms of Christian philanthroxphy, they may come to be more like the loving Christ who went about doing good. We covet for humanity the influence of our young ladies, for in the home and in society this influence is needed on the side of all that is good and pure. Then, we would for their own sakes, enlist them in temperance work, because, engaged in this or similar service they gain for themselves a breadth, an expansion of views, and a truer thought of life. Many have not given the subject a serious thought: they graduate from our seminaries and colleges where every hour has brought its work and every power has been in action, they come back into quiet homes, and "What shall I do now?" is the question presented to their minds. Society soon fills in their time with imperious but frivolous demands, and while the mothers enter into this Christian work, young ladies soon come to think it is not for them. In time they drift into wifehood and into positions of responsibility of training bodies and souls, with no decided principles in relation to this question, and no intelligence as to the evil effects of this great scourge of intemperance. How sad it is to hear such an expression as this, "Oh, I rather like a man when he has had just enough liquor to be jolly." Yet, that was the remark of a fas.h.i.+onable young lady not long ago. Her listener was a young man who took strong drink, and for whom his friends were anxious, but in his heart there was no respect for this foolish, thoughtless speech, and his dry "Ah, do you?" savored just a little of contempt for her, and pity for himself.

Take a different scene. Recently, I spent a day with a few Christian women, most of whom were young ladies, members of the Y.W.C.T.U. It was delightful afterwards to remember that on that occasion no word of faultfinding or of gossip was spoken, no frivolous or _fas.h.i.+onable_ talk, but the hours sped by on wings as they talked of earnest work done, narrated incidents and planned for the future. These were young ladies _in society,_ bright and happy in their experience, not those to whom disappointment has come in some form or other, and to whom the world offers no attractions. I recall the words of one who was talking earnestly of a scheme to raise money for their work. "But the best of all is," said she, "in this way we can get Mr. ---- to work with us, and if he will only sign the pledge it will be worth more than all the money we make" Is not this a lesson to us older workers, who are disappointed sometimes when what we call large results do not follow our undertakings?

A young lady in the city of ---- joined the Y.W.C.T.U. during the winter of 1881. At a sleighing party shortly after wine was offered her. "I cannot take it," she said. "I am a member of the Y.W.C.T.U."

Many were the exclamations, for she was a favorite and an acknowledged leader among her companions, but she had thought it all over, and had her reasons ready. "If you won't take wine _we_ won't," said one. "If the ladies don't take it, we won t," said one of the gentleman, so coffee and hot lemonade were served instead, and to-day most of that company are taking the safe path, and the gentlemen are honorary members of the W.C.T.U. When young men come to see that young ladies expect them to be total abstainers, they will lift themselves up to a higher plane and to a purer manhood.

Dear, young ladies, will you not give to the temperance cause a little of the time which sometimes hangs heavily on your hands? Will you not consecrate to its service a portion of the talent with which G.o.d has endowed you? Will you not join the band of sister-workers, who are endeavoring to bless and uplift humanity, and by voice, pen, and influence help to make earth a little more like heaven?

There are, at present, three Y.W.C.T. Unions in the Province of Ontario, and one in Quebec Province. Hamilton Y.W.C.T.U., the first organized, is now two years old, and has 50 members besides 65 honorary members. Their work is, first, night schools for boys employed during the day time; second, sewing schools for poor girls; third, band of hope; fourth, flower mission. These branches of work with _occasional_ social entertainments keep them very busy. To these socials, honorary members and others are invited, papers on the temperance question are read and discussed, the pledge alb.u.m presented, refreshments served, and the result is an increase in numbers and in interest.

Ottawa Y.W.C.T.U. was organised in October 1884, has 50 members and 30 honorary members. The work of this Union is similar to that of the Hamilton Union, in addition to that, however, the members of this Union meet twice in the month in a reading circle for the purpose of gaining information on the many phases of the temperance question.

Ess.e.x Centre Y.W.C.T.U. has been in existence only a few months, but is doing a fine work among the children.

Point St. Charles Y.W.C.T.U. is in connection with a Young Ladies'

Mission Band of that place. This united society is engaged in active work, and will be found to be a social power whose weight and influence for good cannot well be estimated.

These Unions report that boys under 12 years of age attending the Night Schools and Bands of Hope in connection with these Unions in some instances have come to the meetings under the influence of liquor, and nine out of ten attending the Night School, smoke their cigarettes or chew their tobacco up to the last moment before entering the room. Our young ladies, however, seem to have had a magnetism over these boys, their obedience and affection have been secured, and an interest also in better things, a result which older hands have tried in vain to accomplish. This is shown in the marked improvement in manner, cleanliness of person, and the giving up of tobacco and signing the pledge. The Flower Mission has brought a glow of pleasure to many a sick face as the little bouquet has been offered by the young ladies in the hospital wards, in the sick room of many homes, and sometimes in the jails. Into all these places the beautiful gifts of G.o.d have been taken, each cl.u.s.ter of flowers bearing with it a floral text of scripture, and the earnest prayer of glad young hearts, that G.o.d would speak through their offering, to forgive, to comfort, and to save.

Miss Scott, 26 Albert street, Ottawa, is Superintendent of this Department.

CHAPTER X.

A DREAM.

No. 1.

I went to the regular meeting of a W.C.T.U., called for 3 P.M. I entered as the clock struck. The room was full of chairs and benches, a large room with few windows and dark corners. There were three hymn books on the table, and a dusty Bible. The clock ticked on, five minutes pa.s.sed, ten minutes, and one timid woman entered, took no notice of me, but sat with her eyes fixed on the floor, a sad faced woman I saw as I looked more closely, a tired, hopeless expression in the droop of her figure. Five minutes more and two busy women came in with a rush. "What! _n.o.body_ here? I wish people would be punctual," said one, "I can only stay half an hour," "I have another meeting," said the other. The sad faced woman and I were _invisible,_ it seemed, as neither by look nor act did they acknowledge our presence. Then three more strolled in leisurely, one saying, "Oh, Mrs. A., is this meeting at three or half past? I really forget the hour." Afterwards a few young ladies came in, and seated themselves in a row, keeping up a whispered conversation in which the p.r.o.nouns he, she, and I, were often heard. At half-past three the President came in, saying, "I am afraid I am a little late, my watch does not seem to be quite right." Taking a hymn book, she asked, "What had we better sing, Mrs. B., have you any choice?" No choice being signified, the leaves were turned over and over, and "Plunged in a gulf of dark despair" selected and read. "Will some one start the tune? Mrs. C. will you?" Mrs. C. looked around, waited a minute, and then asked, "Is it common or long meter?" Another pause. The little timid woman began a familiar tune, and had the privilege of singing the first two lines alone. The hymn finished, the President said, "As it is so late, we will dispense with the reading of the Scriptures. I will ask Mrs. A. to lead in prayer," at which Mrs. A.

shook her head. "Mrs. C. then will you?" "Excuse me," said Mrs. C., so to the back of her chair the president prayed in a very subdued tone, and I knew _just when_ she was through by the little rustle and moving of the chair as she arose. The secretary now read the minutes, after which the president said, "Those in favor of the minutes will signify it." Two or three hands went up. The treasurer's report was then presented, but no action taken on it. Although this was a large town there seemed to be no committees at work, but each member had been furnished with a pledge book, in which to obtain signatures. No one had any success to report, had quite forgotten it, except the little woman mentioned. She produced her book where the names of half-a-dozen were scrawled with a good thick pen and plenty of ink. Her report was received in silence. The president, secretary, and treasurer talked across the table in very low tones, the rest of the company whispered a little, finally Mrs. ---- said, looking at her watch, "My half-hour is more than up, I must go." She walked out, followed by the young ladies. The low tones at the table ceased, the books were closed, the ladies put on their extra wrappings and went home. The little woman and I were left alone. "Will you let me see your book?" I asked. "Oh yes," said she. "I got some of the young men boarding with me to sign, and I hope they'll keep it. I pray they may. I _thought_ the sisters would be glad. I wish I could do more, but it does not seem worth while for _me_ to come to the meetings. I cannot talk much, and I have so much to do at home. I can work quietly there and among my acquaintances." As I pa.s.sed the young ladies on the way home, I overheard one say, "I am not going to the Union meetings any more. Two or three do all the talking, and we can't hear what they say." That evening, as I heard in my dream, the president said to her husband, "I think once in two months is often enough to hold our Union meetings. There seems to be nothing to do."

Then I thought, in my dream, that another year had pa.s.sed, and I came again to the same town, and wended my way to the place of meeting where I had been aforetime. Meeting a gentleman near the door I asked him if the Union still met there. "Oh," said he, "the W.C.T.U. That died out months ago. Women don't know very much about business, you see, it is hard for them to keep together."

_Was it all a dream?_

A DREAM.

No. 2.

A bright spring day I thought it was and I walked to the room of the Y.M.C.A., where a Union meeting was to be held. It was not quite three o'clock, but I met three or four ladies going in, who asked me if I was coming to the meeting, and upon my answering "Yes, if I may," she said, "Oh, certainly, come right in." One of them placed a seat for me as I went in, and brought me a hymn book, asking if I was a stranger in town and if I was a member of any Union. As I said I was a member of ---- Union, she said, "Oh! then, you must tell us of the work there." Then moving away, and coming back with a lady, she introduced her as the president of the Union, and the president expressed her pleasure at meeting another sister interested in the work. Looking around the room, I saw a bouquet of flowers on the table, writing materials and reports. Just then the clock struck three, the president took her chair, gave out the hymn, "Work for the Night is Coming,' read the 146th Psalm, and engaged in prayer. The secretary then read the minutes. As the president asked, "Is there any objection to the minutes?" one lady said that the first resolution at last meeting was moved by Mrs. B., instead of Mrs. A.

This was corrected and the minutes approved, no other objection being offered. The treasurer's reports and reports of different committees were read and adopted. The pledge books produced, and many signatures had been obtained. The president said, "Let us sing the doxology over this," and it was sung very heartily. I noticed that all the members spoke to "Mrs. President," not to each other, and there was no whispering. The officers at the table spoke so that all could hear. A short paper was then read on "How we may best help in Scott Act work." At the invitation of the writer this paper was discussed, some points objected to, additional methods proposed, and every body was interested and had learned something. The chairman of the Literature Committee said she would exchange books in the loan library at the close of the meeting. Miss S. was asked to prepare a paper for the next monthly meeting, and after a few words of earnest prayer offered by a young lady at the request of the president, the meeting adjourned. The president walked quickly to the door and shook hands heartily with each member as she pa.s.sed out, asking kindly after sick ones and erring ones of the families. "You must come and see me to- morrow morning, and tell me all about it," I heard her say to a troubled sister. It was now ten minutes past four o'clock. As I walked along I overtook the troubled one, and said to her, "You had a good meeting to-day." Her face brightened as she replied, "Oh, we always have. I would not like to miss one of our meetings. It always helps me to go there and hear of the good work being done, and it makes me stronger to do my share of it. These meetings make you feel as if somebody cared for you." A group of young ladies were chatting with some gentlemen at the opposite corner, and I heard a clear, sweet voice say "We want you both as honorary members of our W.C.T.U.

We are going to have some readings from d.i.c.kens and we need your help; you will join, won't you?" To which the gentlemen replied they "would be delighted," etc. Then my dream took me to a cozy home where a young man, just out of his teens, was saying to a lady I had seen before, "Mother, now the warm weather is coming, and you are not very strong, you had better give up your meetings." "Oh, no, my son," the lady said, "there is so much to be done, and it is such a pleasure to work with our ladies, we must keep right on." In my dream I came again. This time the Union met in a beautiful room of their own, furnished as a bright, pleasant parlor, with flowers and pictures and piano. Their numbers had increased, for the ladies came in groups till the room was nearly filled. I saw some of the old faces, the president was the same, a little older in appearance, her walk a little slower. As she took her place, the sun shone out full in my face and I awoke.

_Was this, too, only a dream?_

CHAPTER XI.

CONCLUSION.

To every child of G.o.d there comes a time, sooner or later, when a light from heaven having shone round about him, and seeing the great need of the world, he stands. Paul-like, before G.o.d, and asks: "Lord, what wilt Thou have _me_ to do?" As the answer came in the olden time, "I will shew him what things he must _suffer,"_ so the answer comes in these later days, and many of G.o.d's dear children have come to this Christian temperance work through suffering.

As Christian women, we have come down from the mount of consecration, where we have talked with Jesus, and at its base, have been met by the demon of Intemperance in every form. Friends have brought their loved ones to us, beseeching us to cast out the evil spirit, or, it may be, the monster has come into our homes, and household treasures here and there lie prostrate and helpless in the dust before G.o.d. With sad, shrinking hearts we look for a moment, then, with a twofold incentive, we take up our work. For the sake of our dear Saviour who did so much for us, whose face, sometimes, in our holiest hours, by faith we see, and whose voice we still hear, "Lo! I am with you always," and for the sake of the loved and the lost, or, more happily, the loved and reclaimed, we come to our work.

This work is intensely practical, and brings into requisition all the forces which go to make up Christian character. It means patient, persevering, persistent, self-denying labor; it means an intelligent consecration of time, money and ability which G.o.d may have given us, to be used in the carrying out of the good at which we aim; it means entering into fellows.h.i.+p with Christ, (in a very feeble sense, it is true,) in His broad sympathy with humanity, in His sacrificing love; it means, many times, to have our names cast out as evil, to brave the sneer and ridicule of fas.h.i.+onable society, to be willing to be misunderstood by those nearest and dearest to us; to some it means all this and more; still, with a firm conviction of duty, of being called of G.o.d, we come to this work. It _may_ extend no further than our own homes, our own circle of friends; but if each build over against his own house, how strong the walls would be, how quickly they would rise!

We look out into the night and see here and there a star glimmering in the darkness, and we say, "How dark the night is; how few stars are to be seen!" We wait and watch, and soon the clouds are rolled away; we see the stars one by one coming out from the blackness, until the blue vault above us is covered with heavenly diamond dust, and we rejoice in its brilliancy.

So in our work. We see here and there a star coming out of the darkness; only a few to be seen after all the working and watching.

By-and-by, G.o.d, in answer to our prayers, and giving the reward to faithful toil, shall roll away the clouds and mists that gather so thickly about our work here. We shall see not only here and there a star glimmering, but a host of s.h.i.+ning ones, that G.o.d hath brought out of the darkness and covered over with an arch of His promises, where He has written, "They shall be mine in that day when I make up my jewels.' In that day, when we shall be permitted to see the polished gems in the keeping of the Holy One, we shall realize that no work for the Master has been done in vain. Here we toil amid the damp and fog and darkness, often underground, with no lamp save the promise of G.o.d, which is "a lamp to our feet, and a light to our path;" there we shall be with Him and behold His glory. Here, the sadness, the weariness, the discouragement, the "Why, Lord?" and "How?" there, the "Well done!" "Enter thou!" questions answered, longings satisfied, eternal rest and peace.

Shall we not, for this joy set before us, consecrate ourselves anew to this Christian work, that, at the last, as Paul stood in his later days, we may stand and say, "I have finished my course?" and, following closely in the footsteps of Jesus, our great Teacher, giving all the praise and all the glory to Him who is our strength and our righteousness, we may be able to say, reverently and with deep humility, "I have finished the work Thou gavest me to do."

CONSt.i.tUTION, BY-LAWS

AND

ORDER OF BUSINESS OF A

WOMAN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION.