y among them, old and young, who
stood on the verge of the Kingdom with the fatal cup in their hands.
Said he to me, "The time has come for a temperance talk--that is what
they need!" and designated that very evening for me to present the
subject.

At this I confess I was not a little embarrassed, for although
accustomed to short, informal temperance talks in public, I had no idea,
woman that I was, of taking his place at such a critical moment. What
added to my embarrassment was the disheartening fact to all of us that
Mr. Pope was just then unexpectedly called away to another part of his
extensive field and was gone two days. So there was no help for it. I
looked over my old notes--nothing would do. Then I inquired of the Lord,
and He said "Fear not." Here let me remark, that I have hitherto
encountered in this needy part of the country an obstinate prejudice
against this "Woman's Temperance Work" by the women themselves, the most
interested party in it. But here, thanks be to God, I met a most
favorable reception. How the people looked, how earnestly they listened
also, yes, and wept, as I told them of the world-wide Woman's Christian
Temperance Union, and warned them of that fatal sin which was keeping
many women out of the Kingdom of Heaven, and they knew it. I talked in
my simple way of human love in its various phases, and then turned to
the incomparable love of Christ, who would save them if they would only
let him. In conclusion I asked--"Is there any one here, man, woman or
child, in this congregation, who is willing to forswear the intoxicating
cup henceforth and forever? If there is, let him come forward and take
me by the hand." With scarcely a pause, the main body of the audience
_in the rear_ (you know what that means) rose from their seats and
literally precipitated themselves upon the speaker's stand. For the next
half hour I had nothing to do but to shake hands and pin the white
ribbon. I never witnessed a more exciting scene. The tearful joy of
suffering wives over their sobered husbands, and anxious parents over
their wandering boys will not be forgotten.

The happy result of this first meeting of the kind created a demand for
its repetition on two other occasions, as the revival went on with equal
enthusiasm and success. In the course of our visitation from house to
house, a Northern lady who had come down here to winter with her brother
on account of her health, informed me of the disgusting revel