the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第31部分

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after　that　my　mail　will　be　forwarded。　My　permanent　address　is　Fort
Worth；　Texas；　care　Polytechnic　College。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Yours　for　liberty　from　rum；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　J。　G。　ADAMS。


AN　OLD　SOLDIERS　APPEAL。

Old　Soldier's　Home；　Leavenworth；　Kan。；　February　14；　1901。Mrs。
Carrie　Nation：As　I　have　read　of　your　grand　success　in　Topeka；　and
elsewhere　I　wish　to　congratulate。　For　God's　sake　come　to　the　Soldier's
Home　and　save　the　Old　Veterans。　Bring　your　hatchet　along　and　clear
out　the　Canteen　in　the　Home。　Congress　recently　passed　a　law　for　all
Canteens　to　be　closed　on　United　States　reservations；　the　officials　of　the
Home　claim　the　law　does　not　apply　to　the　Old　Soldiers'　Home。　Last
year　the　officials　of　the　Home　were　very　anxious　to　have　the　saloons
closed　in　the　Klondike　near　the　Home；　for　the　protection　of　the　Veterans；
as　it　did　not　bring　the　revenue　into　the　Home；　we　are　to　be　paid　in　one
week。　Come　at　once　and　close　the　joint　in　the　Home。　Over　70　half…
barrels　of　beer　are　sold　in　on　day　at　the　Home　after　Pension　day。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Respectfully；　OLD　SOLDIER。


A　TRAVELING　MAN'S　LETTER。

Indianapolis；　Ind。〃Mrs。　Carrie　Nation；　Wichita；　Kan：As　a　preface
I　feel　it　my　duty　to　extend　to　you　my　sincere　apology　for　encroaching
these　lines　for　your　consideration　during　the　trying　hours　of　your
incarceration；　but　as　the　purport　of　my　letter　undoubtedly　differs；　materially
in　text；　from　the　countless　hundreds　you　have　received；　I　feel　assured
that　the　sentiment　involved；　originated　as　it　has；　solely　from　the　spirit
and　intrepid　aggressiveness　you　have　exploited　in　the　suppression　of　that
paramount　curse　of　mankind；　Drink！　will；　in　a　measure；　justify　you　in
condoning　these　lines。

For　years　the　writer　has　been　a　traveling　salesman；　occupying　positions
of　trust　and　responsibility。　As　is　the　universal　trait　among　the
larger　element　of　my　class；　I　contracted　the　indulgence　of　liquor。　From
its　inception　and　social　intercourse；　it　gradually　developed　until　I　became
an　irresistible　slave　to　those　base　affinitieslewd　women　and　whiskey。　The
result；　inevitable　as　death；　produced　its　dregs；　shattered　health；　separation
of　family；　and　social　and　business　ostracism。　Prior　to　a　month　ago；
reparation　and　redemption　from　medical　arid　spiritual　aid；　had　proven
valueless；　with　no　alternative；　I　became　resigned　to　the　results　of　a　mis…
spent　life；　when；　from　the　West　came　the　voice　and　heroic　deeds　of　a
woman。　Simple　yet　fervent；　intrepid　yet　unique。　You　aroused　the　press
and　the　people。　Your　mission　was　born。　Thousands；　you　may　have
〃influenced；〃　but　me　you　have　〃redeemed。〃　I　have　read　your　words　with
intenseness。　Your　forcible　acts　have　impressed　me。　I　resolved　and　have
conquered。　God　bless　you！　I　am　now　organizing　a　temperance　league
among　my　brother　traveling　men；　paradoxical　as　it　may　sound；　and　am
meeting　with　a　fair　support；　yet　I　believe　an　impetus　and　a　stronger
influential　lever　can　be　extended　through　the　expression　of　your　well　wishes
and　any　timely　topics　you　care　to　extend　in　furtherance　of　the　cause。
Asking　your　kind　indulgence；　and　with　best　wishes　for　your　ultimate
welfare；　believe　me。　Your　loyal　supporter；　W。　S。　SANFORD。。　Care　Terre
Haute　House；　Terre　Haute；　Ind。


FROM　A　HEART…BROKEN　MOTHER。

Patterson；　New　Jersey；　Sept。；　2nd；　1901Dear　Mrs。　Nation：Will
you　come　to　this　city　before　going　home？　The　conditions　here　are　worse
than　in　any　place　in　the　whole　country。　One　thousand　saloons　run　day
and　night；　every　day　in　the　year。　Come　for　God's　sake。　You　can　do　so
much　good；　and　if　you　smashed　fifty　or　sixty　of　the　hell　holes　here　you
would　be　called　an　angel。　Do　Come！　and　save　the　young　of　both　sexes。
Yours；　A　HEART…BROKEN　MOTHER。



CHAPTER　XIV。

CHRISTIAN　EXPERIENCE。

The　life　of　a　soul　moved　on　by　the　Holy　Spirit　is　beyond　human
expression；　as　well　as　human　understanding。　〃He　that　is　spiritual　judgeth
（examines）　all　things。　Yet　he　himself　is　judged　or　examined　of　no
man。〃　The　spiritual　man　can　see　the　condition　of　the　unregenerate　for
he　was　once　in　darkness；　but　the　unregenerate　can　never　understand　the
condition　of　the　regenerate。　The　impulses　that　move　one　born　of　God　is
one　of　the　puzzles　not　possible　to　be　known　by　the　wisdom　of　the　wise
of　this　world。　'Tis　a　secret；　'tis　hidden；　and　can　come　only　by　Divine
Revelation　and　is　always　a　miracle；　the　greatest　ever　performed。　It
raises　from　the　dead；　never　to　die　again。　It　opens　the　eyes　never　to　be
closed　again；　'tis　an　armor　that　causes　us　to　handle　serpents　（devils）
without　harm　and　we　can　hear　or　drink　deadly　poisons；　or　doctrines　but
they　will　not　kill　our　soul。　〃These　signs　shall　follow　them　that　believe。
The　real　Christ　life　is　and　always　will　be　hateful　to　the　world。　I　have
often　heard　it　said　of　me；　〃I　cannot　bear　that　Carry　Nation！'　I　would
only　to　do　the　people　good。　I　do　not　blame　these　as　I　once　did；　〃For
the　natural　man　is　not　subject　to　the　law　of　God；　neither　indeed　can　he。〃
〃Marvel　not　that　the　world　hate　you；　ye　know　that　it　hated　me　before　it
hated　you。〃　I　know　that　when　I　was　ten　years　old　I　felt　the　movings　of
God's　spiritgot　an　answer　of　peace；　but　like　a　little　infant　pined　away；
for　lack　of　care　and　nourishment。　Nothing　but　the　divine　mercy　of
Almighty　God　could　have　directed　the　affairs　of　my　tempest…tossed　life。
I　now　know　there　are　no　accidents。　A　sparrow　falls　by　a　special　providence。
There　are　no　sins　or　temptations　that　I　can　not　say：　〃My　God
delivered；　saved　and　forgave　me　for　that。〃　I　go　to　prisons　and　all　kinds
of　houses　of　sin。　I　say：　〃I　can　tell　you　of　one　who　can　save　and　forgive
you　for　that；　he　forgave　me；　and　he　will　forgive　you；　for　I　was　as
bad；　or　worse；　than　you。〃　I　have　never　seen　anyone　whom　I　thought　had
committed　more　sin　than　I。　Many　will　lift　up　horrified　hands　at　this
but　'tis　true。　I　never　saw　the　corruption　of　but　one　life；　one　heart；that
was　mine。　I　was　never　so　shocked；　so　disgusted；　so　distracted　with
remorse　over　any　life；　so　much　as　my　own。　My　heart　was　the　foulest
place　I　ever　saw。　I　do　not　know　what　is　in　other　people's　hearts。　Paul
meant　this　when　he　said：　〃Christ　Jesus　came　into　the　world　to　save
sinners　of　whom　I　am　chief；〃　Said；　this；　〃is　worthy　of　all　acceptation〃
or　was；　a　good　testimony。　Because　one　can　never　see　how　bad　the　heart
is；　until　God　sheds　the　light　to　see　it。　So　many　people　are　deceived；　as
a　blind　man。　They　may　be　in　filth；　and　do　not　know　it。　It　is　there；
but　not　seen；　for　lack　of　light。

I　was　first　condemned　by　reading　the　Psalms。　I　said：　〃If　Christians
have　impulses　to　〃rejoice〃；　clap　their　hands；　and　〃shout〃；　I　do　not
know　what　it　is。　I　find　no　response　of　gladness　in　my　heart。〃　I　trembled
with　fear　to　think　of　God　and　the　judgement　day。　This　continued　from
youth　up　to　the　age　of　forty。　At　this　time　I　received　from　Christ　the
〃Gift　of　the　Holy　Ghost〃；　the　〃Unction〃；　that　which　〃leads　unto　all
truth。〃　There　are　many　names　for　this；　I　call　it　the　Bible　name。　〃Hold
fast　the　form　of　sound　words。〃　Before　this　I　had　never　spoken　a　word
for　God　or　prayed　in　public。　At　one　time　I　was　called　on　to　do　so；　and
was　terrified　and　mumbled　out　something；　that　was　no　prayer。　Now　all
was　changed：　〃I　was　glad　when　they　said　unto　me；　let　us　go　into　the
house　of　the　Lord。〃　I　was　anxious　for　my　time　to　come　to　tell　how
good　Jesus　was　to　me。　When　I　met　my　neighbors　I　would　be　heavy…
hearted；　because　they　talked　of　servants；　house　cleaning；　the　new　fashions；
and　these　seemed　so　vain；　so　frivolous。　I　liked　to　direct　their　minds　to
speak　of　the　Scriptures；　and　of　the　ways　of　doing　work　for　God。　I
soon　found　out　I　was　not　welcome；　I　was　looked　upon　as　an　intruder；
was　often　avoided；　I　could　see　the　frowns　and　glances　of　impatience　at
my　presence。　These　would　cause　me　many　a　cry　and　mortification。　My
best　companion　was　the　Bible。　I　then　knew　what　David　meant　when　he
said：　〃More　to　be　desired　are　they；　than　gold；　yea　than　much　fine　gold；
sweeter　also　than　the　honey　and　the　honey　comb。〃　I　often　kiss　and
caress　my　Bible；　'tis　the　most　precious　of　all　earthly　treasures。

I　wonder　how　people　can　live　any　kind　of　Christian　life　without
reading　the　Scriptures　and　prayer。　If　I　neglect　this　one　day　I　feel
impatient；　restless；a　soul　hunger。　Spurgeon　is　my　favorite　of　all　ministers。
I　read　where　he　said；　〃Being　a　Christian　was　something　like　taking
a　sea　bath。　You　go　in　up　to　the　ankles　and　there　is　no　pleasure；　then
to　the　knees　is　not　much　better；　but　if　you　wish　to　know　the　pleasure　of
a　bath　take　a　'HEADER'　and　plunge。　Then　you　can　say；　How　glorious。〃
Christian　life　is　like　a　journey。　There　are　flowers　and　fruit　and　streams；
thorns；　dark　valleys　and　fires；　rocky　steeps　from　whose　summits　you
can　see　beautiful　prospects。　There　is　rest；　refreshment；　sleep　and　bitter
tearful　watchings。　'Tis　a　great　pleasure　to　me　to　be　in　a　spiritual　meeting。
To　know　by　the　testimony　how　far　they　have　traveled。　Some　one
in　the　garden　of　delights；　he　wonders　why　that　one　tells　of　the　dark
valley。　One　at　the　base　of　the　hill　cannot　understand　why　others　see
what　he　cannot。　The　young　beginner　tells　of　the　beautiful　sights　and
songs；　and　maybe　the　one　who　has　been　on　the　road　almost　a　life　time
will　tell　of　the　〃continual　heaviness；　hours　of　darkness；　and　the　smoking
furnace；　and　the　lamp。〃　I　have　found　that　the　warrior　is　never　as　bouyant
as　the　new　recruit；　in　his　dress　parade。　We　humor　children；　and　call
on　men　to　labor。　Few；　comparatively；　get　to　the　place　where　they　prefer
hard　labor；　to　endure　desolation　of　heart；　to　seek　self　in　nothing；
to　see　all　loved　but　himself；　to　see　others　exalted　but　only　abasement　for
self；　to　〃endure　hardness　as　a　good　soldier；〃　to　lay　on　the　ground；　to
eat　hard　tack；　to　make　long；　weary　marches；　footsore　and　still　fight　on；
to　suffer　traveling　over　rocks　and　thorns；　to　endure　the　loss　of　all
things。〃　I　will　take　this　last　for　mine。　'Tis　the　best；　Oh　my　God；　give
me　this！　〃He　that　goeth　forth　and　WEEPETH　bearing　precious　seeds　shall
doubtless　come　again　rejoicing；　bringing　his　sheaves　with　him。〃　I　do
not　ask　this　because　I　enjoy　suffering　but　to　prove　my　love　and　gratitude
to　Him　who　loved　me；　and　gave　Himself　for　me。

After　we