the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第34节

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you　were　burdened　with　correspondence　I　have　put　it　off　from　time　to
time；　but　at　last　I　venture　to　consume　a　little　of　your　valuable　time　in
reading　a　letter　from　me。　I　have　been　fighting　the　liquor　devil　going
on　nine　years。　Constantly　have　been　called　here　by　the　citizens　of　this
place　to　deliver　a　series　of　lectures。　I　learn　that　you　once　lived　here
and　I　see　from　today's　Houston　Post　that　you　once　lived　at　Richmond；
Texas。　I　find　that　the　lady　with　whom　I　am　stopping　while　here　knows
you　（Mrs。　G。　W。　Gayle）。　Now　Dear　Mrs。　Nation；　I　wish　to　say　to　you
that　I　believe　that　God　has　called　you　to　a　great　worka　work　that　is
much　needed；　and　that　is　calling　the　attention　of　the　people　of　the　United
States　to　the　magnitude　of　the　liquor　trafficthe　devil's　great　agent　in
peopling　helland　I　believe　you　commenced　at　the　right　place；　the　capital
of　Kansasthe　battlefield。　Kansas　being　somewhat　the　center　of　the
United　States；　the　eyes　of　every　state　in　the　union　is　fixed　on　it　as　a
guiding　star　relative　to　prohibition。　If　prohibition　could　be　proven　to
be　a　success　in　Kansas　it　would　not　be　long　until　other　states　would　follow
in　its　steps　and　on　and　on　until　our　nation　would　be　free　from　ruin；
but　I　doubt　whether　that　will　ever　come；　short　of　a　great　war　such　as　we
have　not　seen　or　read　of。　If　it　is　God's　will；　let　it　come；　for　there　is
greater　cause　for　war　on　this　line　than　there　was　for　the　liberation　of　the
Cubans　from　the　Spaniards。　Now　we　see　published　in　the　papers　down
here　that　you　have　gone　into　a　newspaper　enterprise　to　defend　the　Negro
race。　I　don't　believe　this　for　I　know　that　there　will　be　many　things　reported
by　the　liquor　traffic　to　destroy　your　influence。　I　shall　deny　this
report　as　far　as　I　can　until　I　hear　from　you；　for　I　know　that　the　liquor
traffic　is　as　wise　as　serpents　and　as　harmless　as　the　devil；　and　will　do
anything　they　can　to　sidetrack　you　from　the　main　issue；　and　that　through
your　supposed　friends；　so　keep　both　eyes　wide　open。　Then　when　they
fail　in　that　they　will　lie　on　you。　God；　give　you　wisdom　and　may　you
stick　to　your　bush　is　my　prayer。　Oh；　pray　much　and　look　out　for　enemies
in　the　guise　of　friends。　They　will　fool　you　if　you　don't　look　out；　for　you
are　doing　more　good　than　all　the　temperance　workers　combined。　God
bless　you；　keep　at　it；　and　nothing　else；　for　your　work　is　only　the　beginning
of　the　greatest　temperance　and　prohibition　reform　that　has　ever
been。　Now　it　all　depends　on　your　not　being　sidetracked　by　supposed
temperance　reformers。　Don't　allow　any　mortal　person　to　stop　you；　but
push　the　battle　to　a　finish。　I　have　known　of　so　many　reformers　making
a　good　start　but　about　the　time　the　thing　begins　to　boil　right　well　and
a　prospect　of　doing　something；　some　supposed　helpers　come　in　and　capture
the　whole　outfit　and　put　a　stop　to　the　move。　But　I　trust　in　the　Lord
that　this　is　not　a　case　of　that　kind。　If　you　have　time　I　would　appreciate
a　reply　from　you。　Write　me　here　as　I　will　be　here　for　about　ten　days；
after　that　my　mail　will　be　forwarded。　My　permanent　address　is　Fort
Worth；　Texas；　care　Polytechnic　College。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Yours　for　liberty　from　rum；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　J。　G。　ADAMS。


AN　OLD　SOLDIERS　APPEAL。

Old　Soldier's　Home；　Leavenworth；　Kan。；　February　14；　1901。Mrs。
Carrie　Nation：As　I　have　read　of　your　grand　success　in　Topeka；　and
elsewhere　I　wish　to　congratulate。　For　God's　sake　come　to　the　Soldier's
Home　and　save　the　Old　Veterans。　Bring　your　hatchet　along　and　clear
out　the　Canteen　in　the　Home。　Congress　recently　passed　a　law　for　all
Canteens　to　be　closed　on　United　States　reservations；　the　officials　of　the
Home　claim　the　law　does　not　apply　to　the　Old　Soldiers'　Home。　Last
year　the　officials　of　the　Home　were　very　anxious　to　have　the　saloons
closed　in　the　Klondike　near　the　Home；　for　the　protection　of　the　Veterans；
as　it　did　not　bring　the　revenue　into　the　Home；　we　are　to　be　paid　in　one
week。　Come　at　once　and　close　the　joint　in　the　Home。　Over　70　half…
barrels　of　beer　are　sold　in　on　day　at　the　Home　after　Pension　day。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Respectfully；　OLD　SOLDIER。


A　TRAVELING　MAN'S　LETTER。

Indianapolis；　Ind。〃Mrs。　Carrie　Nation；　Wichita；　Kan：As　a　preface
I　feel　it　my　duty　to　extend　to　you　my　sincere　apology　for　encroaching
these　lines　for　your　consideration　during　the　trying　hours　of　your
incarceration；　but　as　the　purport　of　my　letter　undoubtedly　differs；　materially
in　text；　from　the　countless　hundreds　you　have　received；　I　feel　assured
that　the　sentiment　involved；　originated　as　it　has；　solely　from　the　spirit
and　intrepid　aggressiveness　you　have　exploited　in　the　suppression　of　that
paramount　curse　of　mankind；　Drink！　will；　in　a　measure；　justify　you　in
condoning　these　lines。

For　years　the　writer　has　been　a　traveling　salesman；　occupying　positions
of　trust　and　responsibility。　As　is　the　universal　trait　among　the
larger　element　of　my　class；　I　contracted　the　indulgence　of　liquor。　From
its　inception　and　social　intercourse；　it　gradually　developed　until　I　became
an　irresistible　slave　to　those　base　affinitieslewd　women　and　whiskey。　The
result；　inevitable　as　death；　produced　its　dregs；　shattered　health；　separation
of　family；　and　social　and　business　ostracism。　Prior　to　a　month　ago；
reparation　and　redemption　from　medical　arid　spiritual　aid；　had　proven
valueless；　with　no　alternative；　I　became　resigned　to　the　results　of　a　mis…
spent　life；　when；　from　the　West　came　the　voice　and　heroic　deeds　of　a
woman。　Simple　yet　fervent；　intrepid　yet　unique。　You　aroused　the　press
and　the　people。　Your　mission　was　born。　Thousands；　you　may　have
〃influenced；〃　but　me　you　have　〃redeemed。〃　I　have　read　your　words　with
intenseness。　Your　forcible　acts　have　impressed　me。　I　resolved　and　have
conquered。　God　bless　you！　I　am　now　organizing　a　temperance　league
among　my　brother　traveling　men；　paradoxical　as　it　may　sound；　and　am
meeting　with　a　fair　support；　yet　I　believe　an　impetus　and　a　stronger
influential　lever　can　be　extended　through　the　expression　of　your　well　wishes
and　any　timely　topics　you　care　to　extend　in　furtherance　of　the　cause。
Asking　your　kind　indulgence；　and　with　best　wishes　for　your　ultimate
welfare；　believe　me。　Your　loyal　supporter；　W。　S。　SANFORD。。　Care　Terre
Haute　House；　Terre　Haute；　Ind。


FROM　A　HEART…BROKEN　MOTHER。

Patterson；　New　Jersey；　Sept。；　2nd；　1901Dear　Mrs。　Nation：Will
you　come　to　this　city　before　going　home？　The　conditions　here　are　worse
than　in　any　place　in　the　whole　country。　One　thousand　saloons　run　day
and　night；　every　day　in　the　year。　Come　for　God's　sake。　You　can　do　so
much　good；　and　if　you　smashed　fifty　or　sixty　of　the　hell　holes　here　you
would　be　called　an　angel。　Do　Come！　and　save　the　young　of　both　sexes。
Yours；　A　HEART…BROKEN　MOTHER。



CHAPTER　XIV。

CHRISTIAN　EXPERIENCE。

The　life　of　a　soul　moved　on　by　the　Holy　Spirit　is　beyond　human
expression；　as　well　as　human　understanding。　〃He　that　is　spiritual　judgeth
（examines）　all　things。　Yet　he　himself　is　judged　or　examined　of　no
man。〃　The　spiritual　man　can　see　the　condition　of　the　unregenerate　for
he　was　once　in　darkness；　but　the　unregenerate　can　never　understand　the
condition　of　the　regenerate。　The　impulses　that　move　one　born　of　God　is
one　of　the　puzzles　not　possible　to　be　known　by　the　wisdom　of　the　wise
of　this　world。　'Tis　a　secret；　'tis　hidden；　and　can　come　only　by　Divine
Revelation　and　is　always　a　miracle；　the　greatest　ever　performed。　It
raises　from　the　dead；　never　to　die　again。　It　opens　the　eyes　never　to　be
closed　again；　'tis　an　armor　that　causes　us　to　handle　serpents　（devils）
without　harm　and　we　can　hear　or　drink　deadly　poisons；　or　doctrines　but
they　will　not　kill　our　soul。　〃These　signs　shall　follow　them　that　believe。
The　real　Christ　life　is　and　always　will　be　hateful　to　the　world。　I　have
often　heard　it　said　of　me；　〃I　cannot　bear　that　Carry　Nation！'　I　would
only　to　do　the　people　good。　I　do　not　blame　these　as　I　once　did；　〃For
the　natural　man　is　not　subject　to　the　law　of　God；　neither　indeed　can　he。〃
〃Marvel　not　that　the　world　hate　you；　ye　know　that　it　hated　me　before　it
hated　you。〃　I　know　that　when　I　was　ten　years　old　I　felt　the　movings　of
God's　spiritgot　an　answer　of　peace；　but　like　a　little　infant　pined　away；
for　lack　of　care　and　nourishment。　Nothing　but　the　divine　mercy　of
Almighty　God　could　have　directed　the　affairs　of　my　tempest…tossed　life。
I　now　know　there　are　no　accidents。　A　sparrow　falls　by　a　special　providence。
There　are　no　sins　or　temptations　that　I　can　not　say：　〃My　God
delivered；　saved　and　forgave　me　for　that。〃　I　go　to　prisons　and　all　kinds
of　houses　of　sin。　I　say：　〃I　can　tell　you　of　one　who　can　save　and　forgive
you　for　that；　he　forgave　me；　and　he　will　forgive　you；　for　I　was　as
bad；　or　worse；　than　you。〃　I　have　never　seen　anyone　whom　I　thought　had
committed　more　sin　than　I。　Many　will　lift　up　horrified　hands　at　this
but　'tis　true。　I　never　saw　the　corruption　of　but　one　life；　one　heart；that
was　mine。　I　was　never　so　shocked；　so　disgusted；　so　distracted　with
remorse　over　any　life；　so　much　as　my　own。　My　heart　was　the　foulest
place　I　ever　saw。　I　do　not　know　what　is　in　other　people's　hearts。　Paul
meant　this　when　he　said：　〃Christ　Jesus　came　into　the　world　to　save
sinners　of　whom　I　am