WOMAN’S INFLUENCE.

White Ribbon, Volume 30, Issue 347, 18 June 1924, Page 7

WOMAN’S INFLUENCE.

(Extracts from a paper published in "The New Zealand Christian.") It is always understood that a woman's best work is done in the home, and has given rise to the saying, "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.” The (/ords spoken by I’haroah’s dati£ t'' the mother of Moses when she unknowingly gave the woman’s own child into her charge, ‘Take this child and nurse it for me, and 1 will give thee thy wages," seem applicable to each mother still. Does she not get her wages in the knowledge that she has moulded well the character of her child? Mrs Willard, the mother of Frances Willard, at the age of 87 years, when near the end of a long and beautiful life, after being a successful mother for over 60 years was asked the question. “If you could live your life over again, what would you change in the treatment of your children?” She replied, straight and clearly, “I would blame less and praise more." The mother of Hudson Taylor was praying for her boy, .and although he was 80 miles away from h< r. he felt her influence, and could get no rest until he became converted. He inherited his mother’s strong faith, and afterwards did a tremendous work as a missionary in China. We who are co-workers with Christ should strive to urge other women to use the power placed in their hands to the best advantage. In New Zealand we have chances not enjoyed by some others. Especially in Prohibition work is this noticeable. If our s *x would east off their apathy and take more in terest themselves, besides Influencing others-—doing, in fact, what is only their duty in the matter T am fully convinced our land would soon be rid of the liquor evil. Our indifference in the past has retarded the cause of Prohibition. hut when I remember that the influence of Frances Willard has spread all over the world. T should like to urge ovf rv woman to join the W.C.TF., enter fully into the work, and strive to influent e all these with whom they come in contact to link up with them to prepare for the next elections. Victory could easily be accomplished if wo were united and worked enough anti

prayed enough. Talk Prohibition all the time; never mind if people do smile about your ‘‘pet hobby." It is unwise to postpone all the work for two years, for surely we admit its importance. We have all heard the stor> of the old Scottish woman who picked up the broken glass to make the road safer for the bairn’s feet, but cannot we find one bit of glass ourselves to remove?