This defection of their sisters who preferred to work by secular means fearing the contumely of appearing in saloons or upon the street, was by far the heaviest cross the real Crusaders had to bear. It was a two-fold cross. For had there been a hundred women visiting the saloons together, they would have carried weight by the force of numbers merely; whereas a little band of six or a dozen, or even two dozen, could be surrounded, annoyed, abused, and insulted by the brutal rabble gathered up for that very purpose. Even that was not the worst; for by withholding the presence, their encouragement and sanction, and intrenching themselves in a refined sensitiveness, they seemed to say that they had one God and the Crusaders another; and to throw doubt upon the power of the Crusader's God to answer prayer. It was, however, unintentionally, a rebuke to the praying women, and a crumb of encouragement to the liquor sellers, which they gladly made the most of. But so God was trying their faith. Well is it for them that they held on and were not dismayed.
Those ladies who could not see that God had indicated to them the more than one poor wanderer heard the call to return, while listening to those fervent prayers and solemn hymns. More than one man said what is here recorded of one who listened to the prayers of the women before the Web-Foot saloon, while Mr. Moffett was throwing fire-crackers among strangely; I feel that God is in this place. I listened to those women them, and otherwise annoying and insulting them. Said he: "I feel praying, and then I tried to go away. I did go away across the street to whenever I came here I felt the presence of God. He is round abou the Occidental, but I was forced to return, and more than once. And those women, in the midst of this rude and noisy crowd. For eight years I had not been inside of a church-I do not know that I have heard a Prayer in all that time. But the prayers of those women went straight 10
way, and were yet unable to find any way so good as God's, were not all oil them able to keep out of the snare set for them, and were guilty of doube. ing by implication, the motives of their sisters, and the power and not even thoughtful readers of history, or acute moral philosophers, or love of God as shown to them that faithfully serve Him. They were they should have known when to seize that "tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune,” or success, which is the same. It will be well for them if their omission does not leave them “bound in shallows and in miseries " for the remainder of this struggle with intemperance. “Man's necessities are God's opportunities," and God had shown Himself willing to help in our necessities; was it wise to slight the opportunity ? Yet, with all their discouragements, the Crusaders received much spirit- ual help and almost daily evidence, not in their own hearts merely, deeply impressed as they were, but in the incidents attending their work from day to day. It was no small thing to them to see the signs of awakening conscience in men who were apparently hardened in sin. Was it not that which Christ chose for himself—the joy of joys—to see men turn away from sin to purity and a godly life? More than one man gave his testimony to the efficacy of their prayel visited. In passin in sight of the crc June roth." very rude and bo laughter and vulg stood near listenin and they seemed June 26.—“Band morning. There streets, in the vici almost no drinkin forward in Thine These hasty m prayerful spirit in confess me before Heaven." From the begi both wholesale a have been held f combatting the g that they compla loss of reputation business disreput mouths ? Is salo- public attention munity? No ar store would hav business ought to reputation; and who attempts to nor a wholeale a public be compe perate character drinks are in the
