the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第14章

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taught　that　anyone　but　the　Apostles　in　Jesus'　time　got　the　gift　of　the　Holy
Ghost；　or　I　would　have　understood　this　wonderful　state。　I　then　and　there
openly　consecrated　myself　to　God；　telling　my　friends　that　〃from　henceforth
all　my　time；　means　and　efforts　should　be　given　to　God。〃　（Mr。　Nation
in　his　petition　for　divorce　said　that　up　to　this　year　I　had　been　a　good　wife。）
I　was　often　considered　crazy；　on　the　subject　of　religion。　When　I　spoke
to　people　I　would　ask　them；　〃if　they　loved　God；〃　I　could　not　refrain　from
this；　the　servant　in　the　kitchen；　the　guest；　the　merchant；　the　market　man；
I　felt　impelled　by　divine　love　for　the　souls　of　men。

God　had　given　me　an　intense　love　for　souls；　and　one　was　as　precious
as　another　to　me。　I　now　see　what　the　enlarging　of　my　heart　meant。　Once
an　old　colored　man　brought　in　the　kitchen　some　eggs　to　sell。　I　said：
〃Uncle；　do　you　love　God？〃　He　turned　to　my　cook　Fannie　and　said：
〃Hear　dat〃。　Fannie　said：　〃Oh！　Mrs。　Nation　knows　the　Lord。〃　Uncle
said：　〃Thank　God　one　white　woman　got　ligen；〃　clapped　his　hands　and
praised　God。　It　used　to　be　and　is　now　the　sweetest　music　to　have　anyone
praise　God。　I　am　at　church　often；　when　I　long　to　hear　a　loud　shout　of
praise　go　up　to　the　giver　of　every　good　and　perfect　gift。　It　is　torture　to
attend　the　cold；　dead　service　of　most　of　the　churches。

I　was　a　teacher　in　the　Methodist　Sunday　school　and　had　given　perfect
satisfaction　up　to　this　time；　but　things　changed。　The　minister　said　from
the　pulpit　that　the　teachers　should　be　Methodists；　and　spoke　so　pointedly
that　all　knew　he　meant　me。　The　superintendent　at　the　Episcopal　Sunday
school　asked　me　to　teach　in　their　Sunday　school。　（This　was　Judge　Williams；
the　husband　of　Lola；　Mr。　Nation's　daughter。）　I　did　so；　and　things
went　smoothly　for　a　while。

Father　Denroach　was　the　minister；　and　one　morning　he　asked　the
school　questions　out　of　the　catechism。　My　class　could　not　answer。　I
arose　and　said：　〃Father　Denroach；　I　do　not　teach　my　class　the　catechism；
I　use　only　God's　word。〃　〃What　objection　do　you　find　to　the
catechism？〃　he　asked。　I　replied：　〃I　cannot　teach　the　Bible　and　catechism；
for　one　contradicts　the　other。　The　gospel　is　to　be　believed　and
obeyed　and　a　Christian　is　a　follower　of　Christ。　The　catechism　in　the
first　lesson　asks　this　question：　What　is　your　name？　'Bob；　Tom　or　John。'
'When　did　you　get　that　name？'　'In　my　baptism；　when　I　was　made　a　Christian。'
〃Baptism　never　did　make　a　Christian。　Infants　cannot　be　made　Christians；
they　cannot　follow　Christ；　cannot　believe　or　obey　the　Gospel。　Jesus
said：　'Of　such　is　the　Kingdom　of　Heaven！　Now　if　I　teach　my　class　that
the　state　of　being　a　Christian　is　something　they　get　without　the　exercise　of
their　will；　I　contradict　what　I　have　been　teaching。〃　The　dear　old　man
walked　up　and　down　the　aisle　shaking　his　robes。　I　said：　〃A　house
divided　against　itself　cannot　stand。〃　You　must　have　an　Episcopalian
teacher　to　teach　your　doctrine。〃　So　I　was　shut　out　from　teaching　in　the
only　two　churches　in　Richmond。

I　could　not　be　satisfied。　I　tried　to　get　the　Methodist　church　for　a　Mission
school　in　the　afternoon；　but　failed。　I　got　plank　for　seats　and　after
dinner　on　Lord's　Day　I　had　my　hotel　dining…room　seated　and　gathered　all
the　little　ones　I　could。　These　were　largely　children　who　went　to　no　Sunday…
School。　I　got　five　Catholic　children　to　attend。　We　had　an　attendance
of　from　thirty　to　forty。　We　bought　an　organ；　had　our　charts　and
maps。　One　poor　saloon　keeper　named　Frost　came　several　times　and　always
gave　a　dollar。　He　was　killed　in　the　fight　between　the　Jaybirds　and
Peckerwoods　in　Richmond。　This　work　was　a　blessing　to　my　soul　and　I
have　seen　happy　results　from　that　little　school。　I　kept　this　up　until　I
left　there　for　Kansas。　The　last　Sunday　we　all　went　to　the　graveyard　to
study　our　lesson。　I　wished　by　this　to　impress　the　little　ones　with　the
purpose　of　the　Gospel。

I　have　had　visions　and　dreams　that　I　know　were　sent　to　me　by　my
Heavenly　Father　to　warn　or　comfort　or　instruct　me。　I　notice　my　dreams；
not　all；　but　I　can　tell　the　significant　ones；　usually　by　the　impression　they
make　on　me。　The　dream　that　comes　to　me　just　before　waking　up　generally
means　something　to　me。　To　dream　of　snakes　has　always　been　a
bad　omen　to　me。　When　I　first　started　out　smashing；　while　in　Wichita
jail；　I　dreamed　of　two　enormous　snakes；　one　on　one　side　of　a　road；　the
other　on　the　other；　one　raised　to　strike　me；　the　other　made　no　move。　I
was　impressed　that　the　one　that　was　the　most　venomous　and　in　the　attitude
of　striking　me　with　its　fangs　was　the　Republican　party；　and　this
has　been　my　deadly　foe。

I　will　here　relate　a　vision　I　had。　One　cold　night　in　March；　1889；　I
heard　a　groan　across　the　hall。　It　was　about　three　o'clock　in　the　morning。
I　found　the　sufferer　to　be　an　old　gentleman　who　was　having　very　severe
cramps；　so　I　went　down　to　the　kitchen　to　make　a　mustard　plaster。　The
hotel　was　a　number　of　frame　buildings；　one　having　twenty…one　rooms；　and
about　five　or　six　cottages　around　the　main　building。　We　carried　no　insurance；
and　so　many　would　say　we　had　a　〃firetrap〃　there。　We　had　a　mortgage
on　the　place；　and　I　was　kept　in　terror　constantly　for　fear　of　fire；　and
would　often　spring　out　of　bed　at　night　in　my　sleep；　expecting　to　see　a　fire。

I　lit　a　candle；　went　down　stairs　through　several　dark　halls。　Then
I　went　upstairs　again　and　gave　the　old　man　the　plaster；　afterwards　returned
to　the　kitchen；　thinking　probably　I　left　the　candle　burning。　Things
were　all　dark；　but　when　I　started　up　the　stairs；　there　seemed　to　be
a　light　shining　behind　me；　which　would　come　and　go　in　flashes；　as　I
ascended。　I　looked　everywhere　to　see　where　it　came　from；　but　discovered
it　to　be　an；　unnatural　manifestation；　for　I　could　not　see　to　step　nor
move　by　it。　It　followed　me　until　I　got　to　my　room　door。　It　did　not　alarm
me。　I　felt　the　sweet；　peaceful　presence　of　God；　I　prayed　to　him　and　I
could　think　of　no　reason　for　having　this　blessing　from　God；　except　that
I　had　gotten　up　in　the　cold　to　relieve　this　suffering　man。　I　stood　by　my
bed　for　a　short　time　praying　to　God；　and　thanking　him　for　his　goodness　to
me。　I　thought　Mr。　Nation　was　asleep；　but　he　afterwards　told　me　that　he
heard　me　whispering。　I　slept　until　late；　and　when　I　did　go　down　to　breakfast；
Mr。　Nation　and　Alex；　my　son…in…law；　were　at　the　table。　I　told　them
I　had　a　warning　last　night；　and　if　I　had　a　Daniel　or　Joseph　they　could
interpret　a　vision　I　had。　The　peculiar　vision　of　the　light　was　repeated　to
them；　but　they　paid　very　little　attention　to　it；　being　very　busy　I　thought
no　more　of　it　that　day。

Just　about　three　o'clock　the　next　morning；　I　was　awakened　by　the　cry
of　fire。　Charlien　screamed　from　the　next　room：　〃Mamma；　the　town　is　on
fire。〃　I　ran　out　and　the　whole　heavens　seemed　to　be　on　fire。　It　had　originated
in　a　drugstore　and　was　sweeping　towards　the　hotel。　I　immediately
ran　upstairs　and　began　to　pray。　I　told　God　〃There　wasn't　a　dishonest　dollar
so；　far　as　I　knew　in　the　house；　and　that　He　told　me　〃to　call　on　Him　in
a　day　of　trouble；〃　and　said；　〃this　is　my　day　of　trouble；　and　begged　He
would　hear　me。　Many　of　the　guests　passed　by；　some　of　them　with　baggage
in　their　hands　and　some　still　dressing。　I　prayed　until　I　seemed　to　get
an　answer　of　security。　One　lady；　Mrs。　Moore；　the　wife　of　a　physician；
who　had　boarded　with　me　a　long　time；　had　a　very　elegant　set　of　furniture；
and　she　called　to　me　several　times　to　take　my　things　out　of　the　hotel。　She
had　two　colored　men　moving　her　furniture　I　heard　her　say　to　several　persons：
〃That　woman　has　lost　her　mind。〃　All　the　boarders　had　their　trunks
out　and　everyone　was　saying　to　me：　〃Why　don't　you　try　to　save　your
furniture？〃　I　would　take　hold　of　some　things　to　take　out；　but　it　seemed
something　would　intimate　；　〃Let　it　be。〃　I　walked　down　the　street　and　Mr。
Blakely；　one　of　the　men　who　was　killed　in　the　Jaybird　and　Peckerwood　battle
in　Richmond　said：　〃Are　you　insured？〃

I　said：　〃Yes；　up　there；〃　pointing　to　Heaven。

All　fear　was　gone；　and　now　in　the　time　of　almost　certain　danger　I
was　confident　of　deliverance；　when　before　I　had　been　nervous；　in　time　when
all　was　secure。　At　last　the　cry　came　in：　〃You　are　saved。〃　I　went　in　the
hotel　office；　sat　down　by　the　stove　a