the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第36章

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given　the　ballot；　but　the　loving；　true　defenders　of　God；　home　and　all　the
best　interests　of　humanity；　are　compelled　to　see　their　sons；　husbands；
and　fathers；　murdered　before　their　eyes；　without　the　sign　of　a　protest
from　the　government　under　which　they　live。　The　outrageous　unfairness
of　this　is　quite　evident　when　we　consider　that　the　ballot　is　represented
and　controlled　by　the　worst　element；　when　it　should　be　by　the　best。　The
women　are　more　affected　by　oppression　than　man。　She　is　the　mother；
the　rest　are　the　children。

The　mother　would　vote　to　save　the　boy。

The　mother　would　do　nothing　to　injure　her　boy。

The　mother　makes　a　good　citizen　of　her　son。

The　saloon　man　votes　to　make　drunkards。

The　saloon　man　does　all　to　injure。

The　saloon　man　makes　bad　citizens。

The　best　voters　are　cast　out　for　President；　the　vilest　are　put　in；　no
wonder　we　have　a　snob　and　brewers　choice。

A　boy's　best　friend　is　his　mother。　Boys　and　girls　go　wrong　when
they　do　not　obey　their　mothers。　God　has　always　used　women　as　a　mighty
factor　in　salvation。　The　promise　was　given　her　in　the　garden；　after　the
fall；　that　she　should　produce　the　Savior；　who　would　give　the　deadly　wound
to　man's　great　enemy；　the　devil。　It　was　the　〃seed　of　the　woman；〃　not　the
seed　of　the　man。　Christ　was　born　of　a　woman　and　the　Holy　Ghost。

No　man　has　ever　been　greater　in　God's　estimation　than　Abraham。
Yet　when　he　and　Sarah　had　a　dispute　and　Abraham　went　to　God　to
decide　the　matter；　God　said：　〃In　all　that　Sarah　thy　wife　hath　said　unto
thee　hearken　unto　her　voice。〃　Rebecca　understood　the　will　of　God；
contrary　to　the　will　of　Isaac。　She　carried　out　the　plan　of　God。　Jacob
sent　for　Rachel　and　Leah　to　consult　with　them　before　he　left　Laban；　and
he　took　their　advice。　〃Moses；　Aaron　and　Miriam　were　chosen　by　God
to　lead　the　people　out　of　Egypt。〃　The　Bible　so　states　it。　Huldah　and
Deborah　were　prophets。　Rahab　was　the　first　convert　in　Canaan；　she
and　her　family　were　all　that　was　blessed　in　that　cursed　city　of　Jericho。
Esther　saved　the　whole　Jewish　nation。　A　woman　smashed　the　head　of
the　wicked　Abimelech　as　did　Jael　the　wife　of　Heber　also。　In　the　Psalms；
68：11；　the　original　says：　〃The　Lord　gave　the　word。Great　was　the　army
of　women　who　published　it。〃

Jesus　did　his　first　miracle　at　the　request　of　a　woman；　still　he　rebuked
her。　He　felt　her　powerful　influence　and　would　know　no　higher　will　except
his　heavenly　Father's。　Christ　defended　woman；　saying：　〃Why　trouble
ye　the　woman；　she　hath　wrought　a　work　on　me；〃　hereby　rebuking　men
to　interfere　with　any　woman's　work　when　it　is　good。　Christ　never
rebuked　even　the　harlot。　There　was　not　a　greater　preacher　than　the
woman　at　the　well　that　brought　out　the　city　of　Samaria　to　see　Jesus。
Philip　had　four　daughters　that　prophesied。　Women　were　the　first　disciples；
they　followed　Christ　from　Galilee。　He　chose　the　men；　the　women
chose　Him。　Pheobe　was　a　deaconess　of　the　church　of　Cenchrea。　The
Bible　records　no　act　or　word　of　woman　against　Christ。　With
sufferings　not　one　was　caused　by　a　woman。　The　poor　prostitute　bestowed
the　most　loving　service　when　she　wept　at　His　feet；　kissing　them。

This　gives　some　of　the　Bible　women。　There　have　been　others　in　all
ages。　One　instance　in　the　early　history　of　Rome。　There　was　a　band　of
men　who　first　settled　Rome。　They　wished　to　get　wives　for　themselves
and　this　was　the　plan　by　which　they　got　them。

The　Romans　made　a　great　feast；　had　games；　invited　the　Sabine
nation　to　come　with　their　wives　and　daughters；　which　they　did。　In　the
height　of　the　footraces　and　archery；　the　Romans　rushed　in　among　their
invited　guests　and　each　snatched　a　woman。　The　Sabines　returned　and
prepared　for　war。　The　lines　of　battle　were　drawn。　The　stolen　women
had　a　conference　and　decided　to　stop　the　war。　They　rushed　in　between
the　Sabine　men；　their　former　husbands　and　fathers；　and　the　Romans；
their　last　husbands；　and　forebade　bloodshed　by　saying：　〃You　will　have
to　kill　each　other　over　our　dead　bodies。〃

If　those　heathen　women　by　their　act　could　reconcile　two　nations；　is
it　not　a　rebuke　to　women　in　this　Christian　age　for　their　cowardice　in　not
coming　forward　and　demanding　recognition　in　the　matter　of　being　a
go…between；　for　one　class　of　men　are　arrayed　against　another。。

A　hundred　thousand　of　our　sons　are　being　sent　to　drunkard's　graves
and　a　drunkard's　hell　every　year。　By　a　bold　stand　for　the　right；　to　defend
our　loved　ones；　let　us　rush　between　and　stop　this　deadly　strife；　with　the
same　heroism　of　the　women　of　Rome；　〃over　our　dead　bodies。〃　Women
will　get　the　ballot　in　time；　but　it　can　be　hastened　only　by　women　themselves。
It　will　be　a　great　victory　for　mankind　when　women　can　veto　the
curse　of　mankind。　The　mother　impulse　is　stronger　with　women　than　any；
and　when　she　can　protect　her　offspring；　she　will　make　a　greater　effort
to　do　so　than　now。　She　will　not　then　do　as　many　now　do；　make　her
body　a　manikin　to　hang　the　fashions　of　the　day　on。　She　will　not　then
display　her　form　to　attract　the　vulgar　gaze　of　the　world。　She　will　not
place　the　corpses　of　cats　or　birds　on　her　head。　She　will　not　wear　mops
at　the　bottom　of　her　dress　to　sweep　up　the　filth　of　the　earth。　She　will
not　wear　shoes　that　injure　her　as　the　heathen　do。　She　will　not　put　her
body　in　the　vice　of　a　corset；　displacing　the　organs　of　her　body；　unfitting
her　to　be　a　mother；　causing　more　than　half　the　surgical　operations　in　the
hospitals。　She　will　then　discuss　character　more　than　fashion。　She　will
be　ashamed　of　her　silly；　giggling　and　meaningless　conversation。　God
said；　〃a　man　shall　not　wear　that　which　pertains　to　a　woman　neither　shall
a　woman　put　on　a　mans　garment　for　all　that　do　such　things　are　an
abomination　unto　God〃　women　will　then　see　the　vulgarity　and　immodesty
and　sin　in　dressing　in　male　attire　or　in　any　other　form　of　indecent
exposure　of　her　person。

Young　men　often　say　to　me：　'Mrs。　Nation；　if　I　go　to　see　young　ladies
I　can　learn　nothing　from　them。　They　are　not　interested　in　the　subjects
that　are　improving　to　young　men。　They　read　only　trash。〃　Also
they　say：　〃I　cannot　afford　to　marry。　I　cannot　support　a　woman。　Their
wants　are　so　many。'　Dress　is　a　remnant　of　barbarism。　The　Indians
delight　in　different　colors；　the　plumage　of　birds；　the　skins　of　animals；
even　rattle…snakes。　We　retrograde　to　their　level　when　we　attract　the
vulgar　gaze　to　such　vanities。

God　said：　〃I　will　make　man　a　HELPMATE；〃　a　partner；　a　helper；　not　a
hinderer　to　success　in　any　way。　What　kind　of　mothers　will　this　class
of　women　make？　It　is　said　that　a　mother　does　more　to　mold　the　mind
and　heart　of　the　child　before　it　is　born　than　can　be　done　by　any　one　from
its　birth　up　to　twelve　years。　God　sent　an　angel　to　the　mother　of　Samson；
told　her　〃not　to　drink　wine　or　strong　drink〃　before　the　child　was
born。　Why？　God　wishes　here　to　teach　that　mothers　can　injure　their
children　or　entail　on　them　vices　before　they　are　born。

Women　will　triumph　in　this　battle。　The　devil　knows　it　and　has　put
forth　every　effort　to　forestall　this　great　reform。　Look　at　the　shop　windows；
loaded　with　every　style　and　fashion　to　attract　the　eyes　of　the　passing
woman。　Things　that　will　be　but　a　burden　to　her；　will　cause　her　to　use
the　earnings　of　her　husband　and　the　patrimony　of　her　children　and　destroy
her　mother　influence　and　bring　upon　her　just　censure　of　her　husband。
This　is　not　the　rule　but　the　exception；　for　women；　if　they　are　not　false；
spend　more　for　the　advancement　of　their　families　than　themselves。　There
never　will　be　a　club　or　other　organization　of　women　that　will　ever　make
any　regulation　that　will　in　any　way　injure　the　welfare　of　their　offspring。
And　the　interests　of　men　are　safe　in　the　keeping　of　good　women。

Woman　is　also　a　power　for　evil。　Solomon；　the　wisest；　was　not　wise
enough　to　keep　out　of　the　toils　of　bad　women；　and　Samson；　the　strongest；
was　not　strong　enough　to　break　away　from　the　bad　influence。

Oh！　the　degradation　among　women　from　intoxicating　drinks！　These
degrade　women　and　she　degrades　men。　〃Rise　up　ye　women　who　are
at　ease　in　Zion！〃　The　drinking　places　in　the　cities；　especially　in　New　York；
by　every　device　get　women　in　their　dens　that　they　may　entice　men。

Suffrage　is　not　to　give　woman　greater　opportunities　to　be　bad　but　to
stren