OUR NAME.

White Ribbon, Volume 22, Issue 260, 19 February 1917, Page 1

OUR NAME.

Women's The World’s Women Christian Tempt ranee Union was founded by f ranees Willard. It was indeed a flash of inspiration that came to our great leader in which she saw the women of the world joined together in one vast union for the protection of their homes, the uplifting of humanity, and the glorfying of God. This Union was to have no bounds either of class, creed, or race. It was to be international and unsectarian. How close are the ties which bind the mothers of every land together. All bend before the cradle and desire the best for its little inmate. All that hurts the child will be overwhelmed by the mighty onrush of enfranchised mothers. No other Union is strong enough to stop the red scourge of war. Nothing but the organised enfranchised women of the world w II be equal to this task. International Socialism has failed. A writer, b. fore the war, expressed the opinion that German workmen would never shoot down their brother-work-men in France at the bidding of a ruling class. Alas! he was deceived. Ranged under their national banners, they shoot and kill e ach other. Hut we believe the women of the world, when thoroughly organised, will be strong enough to compel every nation to adopt international arbitration for the settlement of their disputes. They will refuse to allow their sons, bone of their bone, flesh of their flesh, brought into this world at the price of so much suffering, to be used as food for powder. Women emerging from the awful suffering of this great con-

Miss Jeanette, Rankin, the first woman to have the honour of being sent to Congress, is a White Ribboner. She was born on a Montana ranch, and is a graduate of the University of Montana. She won the nomination against seven men opponents by a 7000 plurality. She was one of the foremost workers in the campaign to drive the liquor from her native State. Montana was known as the wettest State in the Union. Now it has gone dry, and has elected as its representative to Congress a woman who is a strong opponent of the liquor trade.

flict wlil unite so closely that never again will men of any nation dare to declare war without their consent, and that consent will not be lightly given. Women of each nation will stop those nations becoming the aggressors, and with no aggressors there will be no defenders needed. Christian What does it mean ? Christ-like. Does it refer to our members? Are we Christians? Perhaps, according to the conventional of the word, but in its deept r sense the best of us are only learning slowly and painfully to be like Christ. Does it refer to our work? Emphatically yes ! There is no work more Christ-like than to raise th- fallen and to clear the stumbling block out of the way of our weaker brethren. The creed of our Union is as wide .is that expressed by our Master in Hi'- marvellous wordpicture of the f inal Judgment. At that judgment there was no question of creed, only of character. Did you feed tht hungry, visit the sick, clothe the naked, etc. ? Not what did you believe; but what did you do? A world union of women joined to do Christian (Christ’s) work, following the Master with faltering feet, making many mistakes, yet trying by His help to obey the injunction of the late W. Stead, “He a Christ/’ Temperance The greatest enemy to the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom is the licensed liquor trade, not only because it is harmful in itself, but it is the parent of almost every other evil. So every member of this Union must be a personal abstainer. Our aim is total

abstinence for the individual and total prohibition for the nation. Mrs L. M. N. Stevens said: “A saloonless nation in 1920,” and some of the bolder spirits say “A saloonless world in 1930. We make no terms with King Alcohol; every member is pledged to uncompromising hostility to him. It is a fight to the finish. We are joined for Protection of our Homes; their greatest enemy is strong drink. It is a race poison. It poisons the germ of life, and both physical, mental, and moral degenerates are the result of alcoholism in either or both parents. Expert opinion now says that the epileptic is oftener the child of parents who drink than of epileptic parents. Not only does it wrong the child before birth, but drunken parents make life one long torture to their tender children. Strong drink is the enemy of humanity. It mars the physical health, is the foe to efficiency; it weakens the brain power. No man who uses it is at his best mentally, and worst of all, it ruins the moral character. It makes its victim rob, lie, cheat, even murder, to supply its wretched craving. Union. Unity is strength. Woman united will be a mighty power. Already our Union is organised in 50 countries. “All round the world our ribbon white is twined.” How can we help to convert th s great ideal into an actual? Let us persuade every woman we know to join our Union. We have our organisation; now all we want is for the flame of enthusiasm to be kindled among our members. May this Convention set us all on fire with devotion to our Master, and a great desire to do His will.