The Use and Need of the Life of Carrie A. Nation [112]
House, that was helping to degrade so many
women and debase so many men. This resulted in an attempt to carry out
God's purpose on Sept. 30, 1904.
I was true to the "Heavenly Vision," which is only the beginning of
the fulfillment, for there are yet many things to be spilled out, not only
the liquor, but also the hypocrites in the church, and the false prophets
with sin of every kind, and our lives also.
The Wichita Eagle Reporter, uttered a profound truth, whether he
intended to or not, when he said, we walked into the Court Room like a
poem, a sort of a 'Lead Kindly Light' poem, for we were lead of God,
who is the Light of the world. And we intend to follow on until this
vision is fully realized."
Yours for God's love for Him and suffering humanity,
MRS. LUCY WILHOITE.
I had dates ahead that I disliked to cancel, because of disappointing
the people and entailing a great financial sacrifice. Sister Lydia Muntz,
also wrote me to come to Wichita immediately. I knew it meant smashing
and imprisonment, possibly, loss of life, for I wrote Sister Wilhoite, "I
am coming to do all I can to destroy the works of the devil, and if need
be to die." At first, I told her to keep things quiet. Then I thought it
best to give all an opportunity to have a part in this great work of saving
life here and hereafter, so I wrote a letter to the Topeka Journal making
a call for helpers setting Sept. 28 as the day. When I arrived in Topeka
I learned that the W. C. T. U would be in convention session on that day
in Wichita, and also that there was a carnival going on in the place, and
thought it providential to have a crowd. I arrived in Wichita the 28th,
the raid was postponed until the 29th. I took hatchets with me and we
also supplied ourselves with rocks, meeting at the M. E. church, where
the W. C. T. U. Convention was being held. I announced to them what
we intended doing and asked them to join us. Sister Lucy Wilhoite,
Myra McHenry, Miss Lydia Muntz, and Miss Blanch Boies, started for
Mahan's wholesale liquor store. Three men were on the watch for us,
we asked to go in to hold gospel services as was our intention before
destroying this den of vice, for we wanted God to save their souls, and to
give us ability and opportunity to destroy this soul damning business.
They refused to let us come near the door. I said, "Women, we will have
to use our hatchets," with this I threw a rock through the front, then we
were all seized, and a call for the police was made. There was of course,
a big crowd. Mrs. Myra McHenry was in the hands of a ruffian who
shook her almost to pieces. One raised a piece of gas pipe to strike her,
but was prevented from doing so. We were hustled into the hoodlum
wagon, and driven through the streets amid the yells, execrations and
grimaces of the liquor element. I watched their faces and could see that
Satan was roused in them beyond their control, making the most diabolical
faces sticking out their tongues! at what? Just five women, who were
doing with their might what their hands found to do, "Just five living
hearts that dared to give their lives to save them. Just gray-haired women,
mothers, and grandmothers, who, for love they could not contain,
rushed in to save their loved ones, from ruin.
There never was such a sight. Angels wept and devils yelled with
diabolical glee. We were taken to Police Headquarters, that is, four of
us, the Police had not taken Blanch, who dodged them, and with her axe
smashed out two windows, after which she went to Sister Wilhoite's
home, and would not have been arrested had she not called to see us
next day, and giving her name was immediately arrested and shut in with
us. Water was standing in the low places in the cell we occupied, caused
by a leakage in the pipes, I don't think this neglect was intentional, but
it was none the less dangerous as it was below ground. The beds were
shelves in the wall, very hard of course, but we might have had some degree
of comfort if it had not been
women and debase so many men. This resulted in an attempt to carry out
God's purpose on Sept. 30, 1904.
I was true to the "Heavenly Vision," which is only the beginning of
the fulfillment, for there are yet many things to be spilled out, not only
the liquor, but also the hypocrites in the church, and the false prophets
with sin of every kind, and our lives also.
The Wichita Eagle Reporter, uttered a profound truth, whether he
intended to or not, when he said, we walked into the Court Room like a
poem, a sort of a 'Lead Kindly Light' poem, for we were lead of God,
who is the Light of the world. And we intend to follow on until this
vision is fully realized."
Yours for God's love for Him and suffering humanity,
MRS. LUCY WILHOITE.
I had dates ahead that I disliked to cancel, because of disappointing
the people and entailing a great financial sacrifice. Sister Lydia Muntz,
also wrote me to come to Wichita immediately. I knew it meant smashing
and imprisonment, possibly, loss of life, for I wrote Sister Wilhoite, "I
am coming to do all I can to destroy the works of the devil, and if need
be to die." At first, I told her to keep things quiet. Then I thought it
best to give all an opportunity to have a part in this great work of saving
life here and hereafter, so I wrote a letter to the Topeka Journal making
a call for helpers setting Sept. 28 as the day. When I arrived in Topeka
I learned that the W. C. T. U would be in convention session on that day
in Wichita, and also that there was a carnival going on in the place, and
thought it providential to have a crowd. I arrived in Wichita the 28th,
the raid was postponed until the 29th. I took hatchets with me and we
also supplied ourselves with rocks, meeting at the M. E. church, where
the W. C. T. U. Convention was being held. I announced to them what
we intended doing and asked them to join us. Sister Lucy Wilhoite,
Myra McHenry, Miss Lydia Muntz, and Miss Blanch Boies, started for
Mahan's wholesale liquor store. Three men were on the watch for us,
we asked to go in to hold gospel services as was our intention before
destroying this den of vice, for we wanted God to save their souls, and to
give us ability and opportunity to destroy this soul damning business.
They refused to let us come near the door. I said, "Women, we will have
to use our hatchets," with this I threw a rock through the front, then we
were all seized, and a call for the police was made. There was of course,
a big crowd. Mrs. Myra McHenry was in the hands of a ruffian who
shook her almost to pieces. One raised a piece of gas pipe to strike her,
but was prevented from doing so. We were hustled into the hoodlum
wagon, and driven through the streets amid the yells, execrations and
grimaces of the liquor element. I watched their faces and could see that
Satan was roused in them beyond their control, making the most diabolical
faces sticking out their tongues! at what? Just five women, who were
doing with their might what their hands found to do, "Just five living
hearts that dared to give their lives to save them. Just gray-haired women,
mothers, and grandmothers, who, for love they could not contain,
rushed in to save their loved ones, from ruin.
There never was such a sight. Angels wept and devils yelled with
diabolical glee. We were taken to Police Headquarters, that is, four of
us, the Police had not taken Blanch, who dodged them, and with her axe
smashed out two windows, after which she went to Sister Wilhoite's
home, and would not have been arrested had she not called to see us
next day, and giving her name was immediately arrested and shut in with
us. Water was standing in the low places in the cell we occupied, caused
by a leakage in the pipes, I don't think this neglect was intentional, but
it was none the less dangerous as it was below ground. The beds were
shelves in the wall, very hard of course, but we might have had some degree
of comfort if it had not been