the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第7章

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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　speak；　for　fear　of　disturbing　the　peace　that　is
past　understanding。　Kind　hands　wrapped　me　up　and　I　felt　no　chill。　I
felt　the　responsibility　of　my　new　relation　and　tried　hard　to　do　right。

A　few　days　after　this　I　was　at　my　aunt　Kate　Doneghy's。　Uncle
James；　or　〃Jim；〃　we　called　him；　her　husband；　was　not　a　Christian。　He
shocked　me　one　day　by　saying：　〃So　those　Campbellites　took　you　to　the
creek；　and　soused　you；　did　they　'Cal'？〃　（A　nick　name。）　What　a　blow！
My　aunt　seemed　also　shocked　to　have　him　speak　thus　to　me。　I　left
the　room　and　avoided　meeting　him　again。　How　he　crushed　me！　It
had　the　effect　to　make　me　feel　like　a　criminal。

The　Protestant　Church　here　makes　a　fatal　error　which　the　Catholics
avoid。　The　ministers　of　the　latter　have　all　young　converts　come　so
often　to　them　for　instruction。　A　child　may　be　born；　but　not　being　nursed
and　fed；　it　will　die。　God　has　command　them　to　be　fed　in　the　sincere
milk　of　the　word。　My　greatest　hindrance　has　been　from　the　lack　of
proper　Christian　teaching。　I　love　the　memory　of　my　father；　he　used
to　have　me　read　the　bible　to　him；　and　while　I　did　not　enjoy　it　then；　it
is　a　blessed　memory。　The　family　altar　is　essential　to　the　welfare　of
every　home；　no　other　form　of　discipline　is　equal　to　it。　The　liberty；
chivalry；　and　life　of　a　nation　live　or　die　in　proportion　as　the　Altar　fires
live　or　die。

〃And　these　words　which　I　command　thee　this　day　shall　be　in　thine
heart　and　thou　shalt　teach　them　diligently　unto　thy　children　and　shalt
talk　of　them　when　thou　sittest　in　thine　house　and　when　thou　walkest　by
the　way　and　when　thou　liest　down　and　when　thou　risest　up。〃

When　I　was　fifteen；　the　war　broke　out　between　the　north　and　the
south。　My　father　saw　that　Missouri　would　be　the　battle　ground　and　he；
with　many　others；　took　their　families　and　negroes　and　went　south；　taking
what　they　could　in　wagons；　for　there　were　no　railroads　then　in　that　section。
There　was　quite　a　train　with　the　droves　of　cattle；　mules　and　horses。
One　wagon　had　six　yoke　of　oxen　to　it；　had　to　get　into　it　by　a　ladder；
t