第 19 节
作者:谁与争疯      更新:2021-02-19 00:36      字数:9322
  I will not have a piece of fine furniture。 I have no carpets on my floors。
  I have two small rooms in Topeka in the building I desire to give to
  the W。 C。 T。 U。 for prohibition work。 The little cupboard I use is made
  of a dry…goods box; with shelves in it; a curtain in front。 My dishes;
  all told; kitchen and dining…room; are not worth five dollars。 This is what
  the poor have; and better than some have。 It is good enough。 It is better
  than my blessed Lord had。 I desire nothing better。 I would feel like
  a reprobate to fill my room with expensive furniture; using money I could
  feed the hungry with; clothe the naked; doing things that would please
  my Lord。 What a change! I used to delight in cut…glass; china; plush;
  velvet and lace。 Now I can say vanity of vanity; all is vanity!〃 There
  may be almost selfishness in this eager desire I have to give away the
  means that are at my disposal。 What I use or leave behind will never
  be placed to my credit in the bank of heaven。 What we give away for
  the love of God and our neighbor is all we take with us。 I will be so
  delighted with a home that I can call mine; forever。 I like nice wearing
  apparel but I will not be deceived by spending my time and means for
  that which will hinder me from having them where moth and rust doth
  not corrupt and where thieves do not break through and steal。 So I
  wish to make to myself friends of the mammon of unrighteousness and
  not enemies; for the hoarded dollars are bitter foes that will be witnesses
  against these rich men at That Day。 I am praying that God may send
  me means to carry out a plan to save Kansas from traitors。 The state has
  made herself a name; that will endure forever; because she began a warfare
  against a government at a time when few were wise enough to see
  that this revolution meant defiance to the rum…soaked republican rule。
  Every moral reform is a protest against this government we live under。
  What does the W。 C。 T。 U。 mean? The mothers banding themselves together
  to prevent the Government from slaughtering them。
  From the beginning of my Christian experience I have devoted myself
  to the poor。 I prayed God to give me opportunity to be helpful to
  those who were destitute of the comforts of life。 The people of Medicine
  Lodge were so good to aid me。 I could go to the stores and ask
  for flour; sugar and different kinds of eatables and get them。 There
  was one man I never asked in vain; when I wished aid for the poor;
  that was C。 Q。 Chandler; a man who was able to help。 I have taken
  poor children to his house and he has given me orders at the dry…goods
  stores to clothe them; so they could attend school。 He has given me
  money frequently to get fuel and clothes for those who needed them。 One
  Christmas he wrote me a letter; asking me for the names of all the poor
  ones and asking me to name something they needed。 I did; and all got
  something useful。 Such men are worthy to be stewards of God's
  treasury。
  For years I made it my duty; every fall; to go from house to house
  to gather clothes for the poor families; wash women and others who
  had not time to sew for their children。 I never allowed a child to
  stay out of day or Sunday school; for want of clothes。 I would sort
  out these clothes and distribute as needed。 Persons would say; 〃I
  would be afraid I would make people angry。〃 I said if every one feels
  that way I will say: 〃You are not the one I am sent to。〃 I never hurt
  any ones feelings by offering them these things。
  There was a family by the name of French who came into a neighborhood
  about three miles from town。 I heard they were destitute。 I
  filled my buggy and went there and sure enough they were sadly in
  need。 I brought the things in just such as was needed。 The family was
  large。 The woman cried like her heart would break; just for gratitude;
  she could not thank me enough。 It takes so little to make some people
  happy。
  I read of a miserable miser once who was on the verge of suicide
  by the side of a river。 A little girl came to him saying: 〃Please sir;
  my mother is sick and hungry。 Please give me something so I can get
  her something to eat。〃 The man said within himself: 〃I will do this
  for the child before I die。〃 He went to a bakershop and got her a full
  basket。 Then she looked so weak he carried it home to her mother。 The
  poor woman on the pallet of straw; kissed his hands and blessed him。
  He thought of the money he might use to make people happy。 He concluded
  he would use it before he died for he had enjoyed for the first
  time in his life the peace that comes from giving。 After this his life was
  a blessing to himself and others。 He had found the best use of life。
  I once read of a beautiful story of one of the early fathers of the
  church。 He gave away everything even to sufficient clothes to keep himself
  warm。 A rich kind hearted woman made him a coat of fur very
  expensive。 Next time she saw him he did not have it。 〃Where is that
  coat father;〃 she asked。 He replied: 〃I thought so much of it I laid
  it up in heaven。 Where moth and rust doth not corrupt and where
  thieves do not break through and steal。〃 He had given it to the first
  shivering man he met。
  CHAPTER VIII。
  THE DIVINE CALL。THE JOINT DRUGGIST OF MEDICINE LODGE。BEER A POISON。
  DOCTORS MAKE DRUNKARDS。SMASHING AT KIOWA。ATTITUDE OF SOME
  W。 C。 T。 U。'S OF KANSAS。SUIT FOR SLANDER。SMASHING AT WICHITA。
  CONSPIRACY OF THE REPUBLICANS TO PUT ME IN THE INSANE ASYLUM。
  SUFFERINGS IN JAIL AT WICHITA。SLANDERS FROM THE RUM…SOAKED
  PAPERS OF KANSAS。
  At the time these dives were open; contrary to the statutes of our
  state; the officers were really in league with this lawless element。 I was
  heavily burdened and could see 〃the wicked walking on every side; and
  the vilest men exalted。〃 I was ridiculed and my work was called 〃meddler〃
  〃crazy;〃 was pointed at as a fanatic。 I spent much time in tears;
  prayer and fasting。 While not a Roman Catholic; I have practiced abstinence
  from meat on Friday; for Christ suffered on that day; and 'tis well
  for us to suffer。 I also use the sign of the cross; for it is medicine to
  the soul to be reminded of His sufferings。 Jesus left us the communion
  of bread and wine that we might remember His passion。 I would also
  fast days at a time。 One day I was so sad; I opened the Bible with a
  prayer for light; and saw these words: 〃Arise; shine; for thy light is
  come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee。〃 These words gave
  me unbounded delight。
  I ran to a sister and said: 〃There is to be a change in my life。〃
  On the 6th of June; before retiring; as I often did; I threw myself face
  downward at the foot of my bed and told the Lord to use me any way to
  suppress the dreadful curse of liquor; that He had ways to do it; that I
  had done all I knew; that the wicked had conspired to take from us the
  protection of homes in Kansas; to kill our children and break our hearts。
  I told Him I wished I had a thousand lives; that I would give Him all
  of them; and wanted Him to make it known to me; some way。 The next
  morning; before I awoke; I heard these words very distinctly: 〃Go to
  Kiowa; and〃 (as in a vision and here my hands were lifted and cast down
  suddenly。) 〃I'll stand by you。〃 I did not hear these words as other
  words; there was no voice; but they seemed to be spoken in my heart。 I
  sprang from my bed as if electrified; and knew this was directions given
  me; for I understood that it was God's will for me to go to Kiowa to
  break; or smash the saloons。 I was so glad; that I hardly looked in the
  face of anyone that day; for fear they would read my thoughts; and do
  something to prevent me。 I told no one of my plans; for I felt that no
  one would understand; if I should。
  I got a box that would fit under my buggy seat; and every time I
  thought no one would see me; I went out in the yard and picked up
  some brick…bats; for rocks are scarce around Medicine Lodge; and I wrapped
  them up in newspapers to pack in the box under my buggy seat。 I
  also had four bottles I had bought from Southworth; the druggist; with
  〃Schlitz…Malt〃 in them; which I used to smash with。 I bought two kinds
  of this malt and I opened one bottle and found it to be beer。 I was going
  to use these bottles of beer to convict this wiley joint…druggist。
  One of the bottles I took to a W。 C。 T。 U。 meeting; and in the presence
  of the ladies I opened it and drank the contents。 Then I had two of
  them to take me down to a Doctor's office。 I fell limp on the sofa and
  said: 〃Doctor; what is the matter with me?〃
  He looked at my eyes; felt my heart and pulse; shook his head and
  looked grave。
  I said: 〃Am I poisoned or in an abnormal state?〃
  〃Yes; said the Doctor。〃 I said: 〃What poisoned me is that beer
  you recommended Bro。  to take as a tonic。〃 I resorted to this
  stratagem; to show the effect that beer has upon the system。 This Doctor
  was a kind man and meant well; but it must have been ignorance that
  made him say beer could ever be used as a medicine。
  There was another; Dr。 Kocile; in Medicine Lodge who used to sell
  all the whiskey he could。 He made a drunkard of a very prominent
  woman of the town; who took the Keely cure。 She told the W。 C。 T。 U。
  of the villainy of this doctor and she could