were "almost persuaded to be Christians," were held back from doing as their best impulses prompted, by the advice of the rest.
OTHER HELP.
Thus the work went on. Such ladies as could not go upon the streets volunteered to provide lunches at the church, on stated days, that the Crusaders might not be forced to return to their homes before the day's work was done. The clergymen and other gentlemen held prayer meetings during those hours when the ladies were holding street exercises. For these exercises they were always prepared by morning and noon prayer; so that it might be said that the voice of supplication for the removal of the evil of intemperance was constantly arising at all hours of the day and far into the night.
Monday the 23d of March was appointed as a day of fasting, the church bells to ring at 9 o'clock, A. M., for the commencement of united solemn supplication to God for the purification of our city, and the whole country
About the middle of April Mrs. A. C. Gibbs drafted a petition to the Common Council, asking for measures to be taken for the suppression of the liquor traffic in Portland. The ladies took it in hand, districted the city, and in the space of three or four days more than 1,800 names had been obtained to this petition which was forthwith presented to the Council. Such was the anxiety of the petitioners that they gave the Councilmen no rest from importunities until they had received assurances that some action should be taken toward a considerable increase of licenses, if not absolute prohibition. That, indeed, was more than the most sanguine could hope for, so intimately is the liquor traffic interwoven with every branch of business, and so powerful the combination of dealers in the soul-destroying traffic.
But this was not all of the opposition to be encountered. That "wonderful power of inertia" which hangs to the skirts of luke-warm Christians, and characterless good people everywhere, had to be striven against, as well as the active opposition. Many persons would not even sign the petition to the Common Council, because of this indifference, though none were found who did not agree that Portland had altogether too many drinking saloons. Tradesmen were reluctant to do so, for fear of losing the custom of the liquor men. Clerks and salaried men often refused through fear of their employers. Men frequently said they did not drink, themselves, but did not wish to have anything to do with this movement. Others had wines at home, and so could not consistently take any action against the free sale of liquors. These last generally advised the ladies to teach their sons to be temperate at would be well with them. They could see no inconsistency in teaching temperance, and practicing social drinking under the same roof. Many women professed "to have no interest in the matter," saying that their sons and husbands gave them no uneasiness, therefore they thought the ladies had better stay at home and attend to their households. Many a slattern gave this wholesome advice to the neat and intelligent sister who was laboring for the good of every boy and man in the city, as well as
