第 50 节
作者:
谁与争疯 更新:2021-02-19 00:36 字数:9319
There were two officers in the crowd。 I cried out; 〃Is there no one
to arrest this man?〃 No one appeared to do it。 He went back in his
saloon。 I to the hotel。 Some one sent for a doctor who came and dressed
the wound on my forehead; my left arm was badly bruised; also my
back。 Had it been for my bonnet; I should have suffered more。 This
outragous act roused the people。 The women and men came to see me
indignant; saying this outrage would not be tolerated。 The Methodist
minister especially was deeply moved。 There were two officers who saw
this outrage; but there was no arrest。
Next morning; Mrs。 Bettie James; came in two miles from the country;
and had a warrant sworn out against Neighbors; but the case was laid
over to await the action of the 〃Grand jury;〃 in November; saloon keepers
going on his bond。
I intended to go to Mammoth Cave but remained over on account of
trial; and spoke again that night。 Elizabethtown is one of those bad rum…
towns in Kentucky; but there is a fine prohibition sentiment; and great
indignation was felt and expressed that a saloon…keeper even so low and
cowardly as to strike a woman; should be tolerated。 I was in bed most
of the day and nearly fainted during the lecture; but I thanked God that
I was counted worthy to suffer; that others might not。 I felt some mother
might receive fewer blowsthat while my head was bruised and bleeding
to prevent hearts from being crushed and broken; souls were going
to drunkards graves; and drunkards Hells; and this outrage would reveal
the enormous brutality of this curse; bringing a speedy remedy。
In the Spring of 1904; I was in the office of Miss Lucy Page Gaston;
the National President of the Anti…Cigarette League。 I saw on the walls
of her room Mr。 Roosevelt's picture。 I said; 〃My dear Miss Lucy; why
do you have that picture in here? Don't you know; he is a cigarette
smoker?〃 She said; she did not know it。 I said; 〃let me tear that up。
Did this man who is at the head of affairs in this nation ever say a word
against this vice? Although he is sworn to protect from just such。 This
brave; good woman; whose heart; soul; and body is dedicated to saving
the young men of our land did not seem to recognize the fact that Democrats
and Republicans (so…called) were the head and front of all the
corruption we have。 At last; I said; 〃If you will write to Mr。 Roosevelt
and get his statement that he does not; nor ever did smoke cigarettes I
will give You 50 for your work; she said she would。 She wrote to the
President; got no response from him; but Mr。 Loeb; his secretary wrote
that the President; did not nor ever had used tobacco in any form。 She
sent this to me; of course I was not to be caught with such chaff。 I wrote
her so; telling her of the time when Mr。 McKinley wished to deny the
fact; that he rented his property in Canton; Ohio; for saloon purposes; his
minister denied this; but the 'Chicago Voice' proved that he did。 I suppose
Mr。 Roosevelt got his minister to write what he dared not。 I wrote
her that old birds were not easily fooled with chaff; also stating; that if
she would get a statement that Mr。 Roosevelt was not a beer drinker; I
would give her another 50。00。 Of course she could not do this; but the
Republican Press published all over the country that Miss Gaston got the
evidence and I paid the 50。00; but not one word of this was true。
CHAPTER XXIV。
SISTER LUCY WILHOITE'S VISION。WRITES TO ME FOR CO…OPERATION IN MAKING
RAID ON MAHAN'S WHOLESALE LIQUOR HOUSE。HESITATE ON ACCOUNT
PRESSING ENGAGEMENTS AHEAD。ANSWER THE CALL。RAID SET
FOR 29TH。W。 C。 T。 U。 CONVENTION IN SESSION。FOUR SISTERS AND MYSELF
START FROM M。 E。 CHURCH。A CALL FOR THE POLICE BEFORE WE
COULD EFFECT AN ENTRANCE。TAKEN TO JAIL IN HOODLUM WAGON。
UNHEALTHY CONDITION OF CELL。IN JAIL FROM FRIDAY TO MONDAY。
GOOD OLD PENTECOSTAL TIME ON SUNDAYCOUNTY JAIL MONDAYTRIAL
WEDNESDAYJAIL SENTENCE AND FINESAPPEAL TO DISTRICT COURT。
In the Fall of 1904; I received a letter from Sister Lucy Wilhoite of
Wichita; telling me of a vision; which I will relate here in her own words:
〃During a severe illness; last July; the Lord appeared unto me and
revealed many wonderful things concerning our work in which I have been
engaged for seven years。 Temperance and Prohibition。
My life was despaired of by my friends and I knew I was very near
the borderland; and as I lay on my bed of suffering in the still hour of
midnight; God showed me the awful desolation which our thirty eight
saloons and five wholesale houses were making in the homes of Wichita
and surrounding country; The sight so overwhelmed me; I cried unto
the Lord and said; 〃Oh my God! Have I done all I could during this life
of mine to dam up this fearful tide? Then I said; show me Lord; what
this means。 Immediately a great cloud of human souls came rolling down
a steep decline and as my eyes followed them; saw them rolling on and
on until they finally fell into a pit from whence fire and smoke were
ascending。 Then my eyes were turned again up the ascent from whence
the souls were coming。 When; Lo! I saw the National Capitol; with her
Senate and Congressmen。 I saw the Legislative Halls; and our Educational
Institutions。 I saw our churches with her educated ministry; and
her secret societies; our public libraries and reading rooms; our National
State and Local W。 C。 T U's; all of them right in the track of this awful
tide of human souls; yet they still rolled on and on until they reached the
pit。 Then I cried again unto the Lord and said; 〃Oh; Why do you show
me these horrible things; when I am on the brink of the grave? And
still the picture or vision remained before me; growing more and more
vivid every moment until I struggled to my knees; and said; 'O God; if
I can do anything to dam up this fearful tide; just heal this body; and
let the healing be the seal that I can do something to help; and I shall
do it if it costs my life。 Then a deep calm and soul rest settled over me
and I sank into a deep sleep; when I awoke I realized the pain was gone
and also the fever。 I lay there; looking up to God and I said; 〃Now;
Lord; show me what you want me to do。 Immediately; like a great scroll
reaching across the sky; these words appeared; written in letters of gold。
〃Spill it out!〃 Then he showed me the very place I was to attack Mahan's
Wholesale Liquor House。
〃For many weeks I pondered upon this vision and prayed about it
most earnestly; that I might not be mistaken and know of a truth that it
was God's will。 I never found any soul rest until I wrote to Mrs。 Nation;
and told her the time was ripe for God and that we must attack
Mahan's Wholesale Liquor House; that was helping to degrade so many
women and debase so many men。 This resulted in an attempt to carry out
God's purpose on Sept。 30; 1904。
I was true to the 〃Heavenly Vision;〃 which is only the beginning of
the fulfillment; for there are yet many things to be spilled out; not only
the liquor; but also the hypocrites in the church; and the false prophets
with sin of every kind; and our lives also。
The Wichita Eagle Reporter; uttered a profound truth; whether he
intended to or not; when he said; we walked into the Court Room like a
poem; a sort of a 'Lead Kindly Light' poem; for we were lead of God;
who is the Light of the world。 And we intend to follow on until this
vision is fully realized。〃
Yours for God's love for Him and suffering humanity;
MRS。 LUCY WILHOITE。
I had dates ahead that I disliked to cancel; because of disappointing
the people and entailing a great financial sacrifice。 Sister Lydia Muntz;
also wrote me to come to Wichita immediately。 I knew it meant smashing
and imprisonment; possibly; loss of life; for I wrote Sister Wilhoite; 〃I
am coming to do all I can to destroy the works of the devil; and if need
be to die。〃 At first; I told her to keep things quiet。 Then I thought it
best to give all an opportunity to have a part in this great work of saving
life here and hereafter; so I wrote a letter to the Topeka Journal making
a call for helpers setting Sept。 28 as the day。 When I arrived in Topeka
I learned that the W。 C。 T。 U would be in convention session on that day
in Wichita; and also that there was a carnival going on in the place; and
thought it providential to have a crowd。 I arrived in Wichita the 28th;
the raid was postponed until the 29th。 I took hatchets with me and we
also supplied ourselves with rocks; meeting at the M。 E。 church; where
the W。 C。 T。 U。 Convention was being held。 I announced to them what
we intended doing and asked them to join us。 Sister Lucy Wilhoite;
Myra McHenry; Miss Lydia Muntz; and Miss Blanch Boies; started for
Mahan's wholesale liquor store。 Three men were on the watch for us;
we asked to go in to hold gospel services as was our intention before
destroying this den of vice; for we wanted God to save their souls; and to
give us ability and opportunity to destroy this soul damning business。
They refused to let us come near the door。 I said; 〃Women; we will have
to use our hatchets;〃 with this I threw a rock through the front; then we
were all seized; and a call for the police was mad