ns exempt from the prevailing scourge of
intemperance. The early settlers of Hillsboro were mostly from Virginia,
and brought with them the old-fashioned ideas of hospitality. For many
years previous to the crusade the professional men, and especially of
the bar, were nearly all habitual drinkers, and many of them very
dissipated. When a few earnest temperance men, among whom was Governor
Allen Trimble, initiated a total-abstinence movement in or about the
year 1830, the pulpit took up arms against them, and a condemnatory
sermon was preached in one of the churches.

Thus it was that, although from time to time men, good and true, banded
themselves together in efforts to break up this dreadful state of things
and reform society, all endeavors seemed to fail of any permanent
effect.

The plan laid down by Dr. Lewis challenged attention by its novelty at
least. He believed the work of temperance reform might be successfully
carried on by women if they would set about it in the right
manner--going to the saloon-keeper in a spirit of Christian love, and
persuading him for the sake of humanity and his own eternal welfare to
quit the hateful, soul-destroying business. The doctor spoke with
enthusiasm; and seeing him so full of faith, the hearts of the women
seized the hope--a forlorn one, 'tis true, but still a hope--and when
Dr. Lewis asked if they were willing to undertake the task, scores of
women rose to their feet, and there was no lack of good men who pledged
themselves to encourage and sustain the women in their work.

At a subsequent meeting an organization was effected and Mrs. Eliza J.
Thompson, a daughter of ex-Governor Trimble of Ohio, was elected
chairman. Mrs. Thompson gives the following account of the manner in
which the crusade was organized:

My boy came home from Dr. Dio Lewis' lecture and said, "Ma,
they've got you into business"; and went on to tell that Dio
Lewis had incidentally related the successful effort of his
mother, by prayer and persuasion, to close the saloon in a town
where he lived when a boy, and that he had exhorted the women
of Hillsboro to do the same, and fifty had risen up to signify
their willingness, and that they looked to me to help them to
carry out their promise. As I'm talking to you here familiarly,
I'll go on to say that my husband, who had retired, and was in
an adjoining room, raised up on his elbow and called out, "Oh!