the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第6节

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you。〃

I　remember　how　shocked　I　would　be　to　think　I　would　ever　be　like　that
naughty　Sarah。

A　positive　indication　of　a　corrupt　age　is　the　lack　of　respect　children
have　for　parents。　This　is　largely　owing　to　the　neglect　of　teachers。　I
am　heartily　thankful　I　was　taught　to　say　'Yes　Ma'am；　and　'No；　ma'am；'
'Yes；　Sir；　and　No；　Sir。'　Now　it　is'Yah！　Yes；　No；　What；　etc。　Nothing
is　a　greater　letter　of　credit　than　politeness　and　it　costs　nothing。　T'is　not
the　child's　fault　but　the　parents　and　teachers。

I　was；　when　a　child；　always　doing　something；　was　very　fond　of
climbing；　seemed　to　have　a　mania　for　it。　I　never　saw　a　tall　tree　that　I
did　not　try　to　climb；　or　wish　I　could。　I　used　to　run　bareheaded　over　the
fields　and　woods　with　the　other　children；　lifting　up　rocks　and　logs　to　look
at　the　bugs　and　worms。　When　we　found　a　dead　chicken；　bird；　rat　or
mouse；　we　would　have　a　funeral。　I　would　usually　be　the　preacher　and　we
would　kneel　down　and　while　one　prayed；　the　rest　would　look　through
their　fingers；　to　see　what　the　others　were　doing。　We　would　sing　and　clap
our　hands　and　shake　hands；　then　we　would　play：　〃Come　and　see。〃

I　never　had　but　one　doll；　bought　out　of　a　store；　it　was　given　to　me　by
Dr。　Jackson　for　taking　my　medicine；　when　I　was　sick。　We　made　rag
dolls　out　of　dresses。　My　delight　was　to　have　one　of　the　colored　women's
babies。　We　would　go　visiting　and　take　our　dolls；　and　would　tell　of　the
dreadful　times　we　had　and　of　how　mean　our　husbands　were　to　the　children；
sometimes　one　would　tell　of　how　good　instead。　And　then　we　would
catch　bees　in　the　althea　blooms。　One　of　the　delightful　pastimes　was　to
make　mud　cakes　and　put　them　on　boards　to　dry。　We　had　some　clay　that
we　could　mould　anything　out　ofall　kind　of　animals；　and；　indeed；　there
were　shapes　worked　out　by　little　fingers　never　seen　before。

The　race　question　is　a　serious　one。　The　kindly　feeling　between　black
and　white　is　giving　place　to　bitterness　with　the　rising　generations。　One
reason　of　this　seems　to　be　a　jealousy　of　the　whites　for　fear　the　negroes
will　presume　to　be　socially　equal　with　them。　The　negro　race　should
avoid　this；　should　not　desire　it；　it　would　be　of　no　real　value　to　them。
They　are　a　distinct　race　with　characteristics　which　they　need　not　wish
to　exchange。　When　a　negro　tries　to　imitate　white　folks；　he　is　a　mongrel。
I　will　say　to　my　colored　brothers　and　sisters　in　Christ　Jesus；　Never
depart　from　your　race　lines　and　bearings；　keep　true　to　your　nature；
your　simplicity；　and　happy　dispositionand　above　all　come　back　to　the
'Oldtime'　religion；　you　will　never　strand　on　that　rock。



CHAPTER　III。

MOVED　TO　WOODFORD　COUNTY；　KENTUCKY。ALSO　MOVED　TO　MISSOURI。SAVED
FROM　BEING　A　THIEF。MY　CONVERSIONGOING　SOUTH　AT　OPENING　OF
THE　CIVIL　WAR。AN　INCIDENT　OF　MY　GIRLHOOD　SCHOOL　DAYS。WHY　I
HAD　TO　BELIEVE　IN　REVELATION。SPIRITUALISM　OR　WITCHCRAFT。

In　1854；　we　moved　to　Woodford　County；　Kentucky；　and　bought　a　farm
from　Mr。　Hibler；　on　the　pike；　between　Midway　and　Versailles。　Mr。　Warren
Viley　was　our　nearest　neighbor。　My　father　was　one　of　the　trustees　in
building　the　Orphans'　Home　at　Midway。　Here　in　Midway　I　attended　Sunday
school　and　I　had　a　very　faithful　teacher　who　taught　me　the　Word　of
God。　I　have　forgotten　her　name　but　I　can　see　her　sweet　face　now；　as　she
planted　seed　in　my　heart　that　are　still　bringing　forth　fruit。

A　minister　came　to　our　house　one　day　and　gave　me　a　book　to　read；
which　made　a　very　deep　impression　on　me。　As　well　as　I　can　remember
it　was　called：　〃The　Children　of　the　Heavenly　King。〃　This　story　represented
three　brothers；　one；　the　youngest；　was　named　Ezra；　the　other　Ulrich；
the　third　I　forget。　These　three　were　intrusted　with　watching　certain　passes
in　the　mountains　during　the　warfare　between　a　great；　good　king；　and　a
bad　one；　and　in　proportion　as　these　boys　were　faithful；　the　good　king　was
victorious　in　battle；　but　when　they　neglected　their　duty；　he　would　suffer
loss。　The　character　of　little　Ezra　was　a　sweet；　unselfish　one。　He　tried
so　hard　to　help；　and　have　his　brothers　do　right。　He　would　run　from　his
post　to　wake　them　up；　and　tried　to　make　up　for　their　neglect；　would
do　without　rest　and　food　for　himself；　and　plead　with　them　to　do　their　duty。
At　last；　when　the　king　came；　little　Ezra　was　richly　rewarded；　Ulrich　barely
passed；　and　the　unfaithful　one　was　taken　out　amidst　weeping；　wailing
and　gnashing　of　teeth；　and　the　door　was　shut。　The　minister　did　not　know
what　good　he　had　done。

　　　　　〃Only　a　thought；　but　the　work　it　wrought；
　　　　　Could　never　by　tongue　or　pen　be　taught；
　　　　　For　it　ran　thro'　a　life；　like　a　thread　of　gold；
　　　　　And　the　life　bore　fruit；　an　hundred　fold。
　　　　　Only　a　word；　but　it　was　spoken　in　love；
　　　　　With　a　whispered　prayer　to　the　Lord　above；
　　　　　And　the　angels　in　heaven　rejoiced　once　more
　　　　　For　a　new…born　soul　entered　in；　at　the　door。〃


I　resolved　to　be　like　little　Ezra　as　near　as　I　could。　When　I　was　a
child　I　fought　against　my　selfish　nature。　I　would　often　give　away　my
doll　clothes　and　other　things　that　I　wanted　to　keep　myself。　Some　of　the
strongest　characteristics　of　my　life　were　awakened　in　my　childhood。　I
would　often　blush　with　shame；　when　committing　sins；　and　I　had　a　great
fear　of　the　judgement　day；　it　would　terrify　me　when　hearing　of　Jesus
coming　to　the　earth。　I　would　often　ask　myself：　〃Where　can　I　hide？〃
If　the　public　knew　of　the　smashing　God　gave　me　the　strength　to　do　in　my
heart；　they　would　not　wonder　at　my　courage　in　smashing　the　murder…
shops　of　our　land。　〃He　that　ruleth　his　own　spirit；　is　greater　than　he　that
taketh　a　city。〃

In　1855；　we　moved　to　Missouri；　just　a　year　before　the　trouble　broke
out　between　Kansas　and　Missouri。　Missouri　determined　to　make　Kansas
a　slave　state；　but　Kansas　said　she　would　not　have　a　slave　upon　her　soil。
Squads　of　men　in　Missouri　would　often　go　into　Kansas　and　commit　depredations。
At　one　time　they　burned　Lawrence；　Kansas；　and　killed　many
people。　This　trouble　continued　to　grow　worse　until　it　brought　on　the　great
Civil　War。

When　we　moved　from　Kentucky　to　Missouri；　I　took　a　severe　cold　on
the　boat；　which　made　me　an　invalid　for　years。　I　was　not　a　truthful　child；
neither　was　I　honest。　My　mother　was　very　strict　with　me　in　many　ways
and　I　would　often　tell　her　lies　to　avoid　restraint　or　punishment。　If　there
was　anything　I　wanted　about　the　house；　especially　something　to　eat；　I
would　steal　it；　if　I　could。　The　colored　servants　would　often　ask　me　to
steal　things　for　them。　My　nurse　Betsy；　would　say：　〃Carry　get　me
a　cup　of　sugar；　butter；　thread　or　needles；〃　and　many　other　things。
This　would　make　me　sly　and　dishonest。　I　used　to　go　and　see　my　aunts　and
stay　for　months。　I　would　open　their　boxes　and　bureau　drawers　and　steal
ribbons　and　laces　and　make　doll　clothes　out　of　them。　I　would　steal　perfumery
and　would　run　out　of　the　room　to　prevent　them　from　smelling　it。
I　am　telling　this　for　a　purpose。　Many　little　children　may　be　doing　what
I　did；　not　thinking　of　what　a　serious　thing　it　is；　and　I　write　this　to　show
them　how　I　was　cured　of　dishonesty：　I　got　a　little　book　at　Sunday　school
and　it　told　the　way　people　became　thieves；　by　beginning　to　take　little　things
naming　them；　and　some　of　these　were　the　very　things　I　had　been　taking。
I　was　greatly　shocked　to　see　myself　a　thief；　it　had　never　occurred　to
me　that　I　was　as　bad　as　that。　I　thought　one　had　to　steal　something　of
great　value　to　be　a　thief。　My　repentance　was　sincere；　and　I　was　made　honest
by　this　blessed　book；　so　much　so　that　even　after　I　became　grown；
if　any　article　was　left　in　my　house　I　would　give　it　away；　unless　I　could
find　the　owner。　I　was　perfectly　delighted　when　I　was　entirely　free。　I　asked
for　everything　I　wanted；　even　a　pin。　After　that；　I　could　show　my　doll
clothes；　and　it　was　not　necessary　for　me　to　be　sly　or　tell　stories　any　more。
It　was　about　this　time　I　was　converted。　There　was　a　protracted　meeting
at　a　place　called　Hickman's　Mill；　Jackson　County；　Missouri。　The
minister　was　gray　haired　and　belonged　to　the　Christian　or　Disciples
church；　the　one　my　father　belonged　to。　I　was　at　this　time　ten　years
old　and　went　with　my　father　to　church　on　Lord's　Day　morning。　At
the　close　of　the　sermon；　and　during　the　invitation；　my　father　stepped
to　the　pulpit　and　spoke　to　the　minister　and　he　looked　over　in　my
direction。　At　this　I　began　to　weep　bitterly；　seemed　to　be　taken　up；　and　sat
down　on　the　front　bench。　I　could　not　have　told　any　one　what　I　wept　for；
except　it　was　a　longing　to　be　better。　I　had　often　thought　before　this
that　I　was　in　danger　of　going　to　the　〃Bad　place；〃　especially　I　would　be
afraid　to　think　of　the　time　that　I　should　see　Jesus　come。　I　wanted　to　hide
from　Him。　My　father　had　a　cousin　living　at　Hickman's　Mill；　Ben　Robertson。
His　wife；　cousin　Jennie；　came　up　to　me　at　the　close　of　the　service；
and　said：　〃Carry；　I　believe　you　know　what　you　are　doing。〃　But　I　did　not。
Oh；　how　I　wanted　some　one　to　explain　to　me。　The　next　day　I　was　taken　to
a　running　stream　about　two　miles　away；　and；　although　it　was　quite　cold
and　some　ice　in　the　water；　I　felt　no　fear。　It　seemed　like　a　dream。　I　know
God　will　bless　the　ordinance　of　baptism；　for　the　little　Carry　that　walked
into　the　water　was　different　from　the　one　who　walked　out。　I　said　no　word。
I　felt　that　I　could　not　sp