Chapter III: Prologue

When history shall have recorded the events of America's nineteenth century, prominent among them will be the "Woman's Crusade," a movement whose strength, please God, will not be spent until the last legalized saloon has disappeared from this fair land.

Hillsboro, Ohio, claims the birthplace, and December 23, 1873, as the birthday of this momentous event. True, from this place and day the influence deepened and widened, spreading to other localities with wonderful rapidity; but to Fredonia, Chautauqua county, New York, is accorded the honor of inaugurating the work, December 15, 1873. How was this brought about? The story in brief is this:

On Saturday evening, December 13, Dr. Dio Lewis, of Boston, had delivered a popular lecture in Fredonia, and upon invitation of the Good Templars remained to deliver a temperance lecture at a union service Sunday night. The audience was large, but there was no indication of unusual results from the meeting. The speaker presented the truth so forcibly, and recommended plans of procedure so practical, that the audience caught his spirit. At the close of the lecture it was evident something was going to be done, and that right speedily. Dr. Lewis outlined a plan of work which he had seen tried with success in his own village when a youth, and later in other places. The thoughtful ones saw its feasibility, and numbers spoke upon the question. Rev. Lester Williams, pastor of the Baptist Church, said he believed in striking while the iron was hot, and asked all the ladies who sympathized with the proposition to hold a meeting of consultation relative to the work to rise. Nearly every woman was upon her feet. A list of fifty names was secured of those who were ready to act, and a committee consisting of Mrs. A. L. Benton, Mrs. Dr. Fuller, and Mrs. J. P. Armstrong, Jr., was appointed to draw up an appeal to be presented to the various liquor dealers of the town.

A meeting was called at the Baptist Church for Monday morning, December 15, at ten o'clock, to adopt the appeal and inaugurate the work. The past few days had been dark and gloomy, but Monday was bright and beautiful. Mr. Williams remarked that in it they could see the smile of God upon the movement. About three hundred people gathered at the appointed hour--men and women. The following appeal was submitted and adopted:

APPEAL.

In the name of God and humanity we make our appeal:

Knowing, as we do, that the sale of intoxicating liquors is the
parent of every misery, prolific of all woe in this life and the
next, potent alone in evil, blighting every fair hope, desolating
families, the chief incentive to crime, we, the mothers, wives, and
daughters, representing the moral and religious sentiment of our
town, to save the loved members of our households from the
temptation of strong drink, from acquiring an appetite for it, and
to rescue, if possible, those that have already acquired it,
earnestly request that you will pledge yourself to cease the traffic
here in these drinks, forthwith and forever. We will also add the
hope that you will abolish your gaming tables.

The women then retired to the room below, organized for work, and arranged a line of march. The men meanwhile prayed and planned, twenty-three of them pledging to pay the percentage of $1,000 placed opposite their names for carrying on the work.

At half-past twelve o'clock the procession marched out of the basement of the Baptist Church, over one hundred being in line. These were the wives of Fredonia's most respected citizens, venerable and revered matrons, as well as many young women. Headed by Mrs. Judge Barker and Mrs. Rev. Lester Williams, they quietly walked across the park straight to the Taylor House saloon. The band of women filed in, nearly filling the place. Mrs. Barker immediately made known their mission. Mrs. Williams read to the proprietor the appeal. A hymn was sung to Pleyel's sweet air, and all joined in the Lord's prayer, after which Mrs. Tremaine, a venerable and gifted woman, offered a prayer full of Christian tenderness. Mr. Taylor was then asked if he would not accede to their appeal. He finally said, "If the rest will close their places, I'll close mine." His brother and partner did not consent so readily. The ladies asked him to consider the matter, promising to call the next day for his decision. The proprietor replied "That he would be pleased to see them every day," and politely bowed the ladies out. This visit was a sample of those made until every saloon, hotel, and drug store had been visited. This work was continued daily, and during the week union prayer-meetings were held every night. One drug store responded to the appeal; one hotel closed its bar; the visits became distasteful to one dealer, and he locked the women out.

The _Fredonia Censor_, a weekly paper, in its issue of Wednesday, December 17, 1873, contained the following headlines:

_A TEMPERANCE REVIVAL._

* * * * *

_Enthusiastic Meeting Sunday Evening--Every Place where Liquor is Sold in Fredonia Visited by a Band of One Hundred Women on Monday--They Appeal to the Proprietors to Stop the Traffic--A Season of Prayer and Hymns in Rum Shops._

On Monday afternoon, December 21, the women met to perfect a permanent organization, which they did by adopting the following pledge and name:

PLEDGE.

We, the undersigned women of Fredonia, feeling that God has laid
upon us a work to do for temperance, do hereby pledge ourselves to
_united_ and _continuous_ effort to suppress the traffic in
intoxicating liquors in our village _until this work be
accomplished_; and that we will stand ready for united effort upon
any renewal of the traffic. We will also do what we can to alleviate
the woes of drunkards' families, and to rescue from drunkenness
those who are pursuing its ways.

NAME.

This society shall be known as _The Woman's Christian Temperance
Union of Fredonia_.

Two hundred and eight members were enrolled, sixty-four of whom were young women. The first officers were: Mrs. George Barker, President; Mrs. D. R. Barker, Vice-President; Mrs. L. A. Barmore, Secretary; Mrs. L. L. Riggs, Treasurer.

Thus was the wonderful movement called "The Crusade" begun, and the first local Woman's Christian Temperance Union organized.

That the local paper was keeping a keen watch on the movements of the women is evidenced by the following headlines in the _Censor_ of December 24, 1873:

_TEMPERANCE REVIVAL._

* * * * *

_One Less Bar to Practice At--A Permanent Temperance Union Formed--Over Two Hundred Women Pledged "Until this Work is Accomplished."_