The W. C. T. U. and the Right Resolution
In the matter of the W. C. T. U. and the right resolution, which their convention rejected, the evidence which we have presented is conclusive, that not only have lines of work of the N. W. C. T. U. been used, but the N. W. C. T. U. itself has been used, to give not only aid and comfort but influence and power “to those who, through ignorance, prejudice, or malice, would enact or enforce such laws as can be made to serve the purpose of persecution;” and which can in every way be made to interfere with all “liberty of conscience concerning days and the manner of their observance.” The evidence is conclusive that, to put it in the mildest possible way, the N. W. C. T. U. has been made a tool, in the machinations of men who are ambitious of power, to enforce religious dogmas upon all people. So entirely is this so that these men publicly acknowledge that the W. C. T. U. is their main dependence—in fact, that their success must come through the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. And it was the machinations of these men in their use of the W. C. T. U. and its lines of work,—it was this that was aimed at in that resolution, “That as a National Woman’s Christian Temperance Union we protest against any such interpretation or use of any lines of our work as shall give aid or comfort,” etc. The one who introduced that resolution knew what “use” these men had been making of the W. C. T. U. and its lines of work all these years; and how, as the consequence, the W. C. T. U. was being dragged down from its true place and high and pure purpose, and made to serve in the train of designing men. And knowing this, she longed to have the N. W. C. T. U. deliver itself from this injurious connection, and stand free once more to carry on its original work according to the original purpose. But the ladies in the convention did not take time to look calmly at the resolution, and to inquire after and consider its plain import: they allowed themselves to be stampeded from this to an issue that was altogether foreign to the intent of the resolution, and so placed the N. W. C. T. U. in the false position of declaring that it is an objectionable thing for the union to be asked to protest against the use of its lines of work to serve the purposes of persecution. Surely every well-wisher for the W. C. T. U. can only ask it now to consider this question calmly and fairly, and clear itself from this false position. And it is perfectly plain that the only way that the union can clear itself is by adopting in the next national convention the amendment to its constitution that will come regularly before the convention. And while those excellent women are considering this matter, there is another point inseparably connected therewith that is worthy of their most careful consideration. And that is, With what propriety can men take part in, and seek to mold and give direction to, the work of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union? What can men do in women’s work? What but to spoil it? There was a work that needed to be done, that the men had never done when they had all the field. It was, and is, a work that men could not do. It was, and is, a work that can be done only by women’s ministry. The Woman’s Christian Temperance Union—an organization of women—was, under God, called out and organized to do this work of women. But the women have allowed unmanly men to insinuate themselves into this work which is women’s. And, as could only be expected, these men have spoiled the whole thing. We speak of them as unmanly men, because who but an unmanly man could think that he could do women’s work? Now let the W. C. T. U. be in truth a Woman’s Christian Temperance Union: not a woman’s and man’s Christian temperance union. Let the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union positively exclude men from all the councils, conventions, and work of the union. And let the women go on grandly to the blessed ministry to which, as women and as a woman’s organization, God called them at the first, and to which he still calls them. This is written by a man, as his firm conviction; but let all the women and all the men, yea, let all the people, say, Amen.