The Use and Need of the Life of Carrie A. Nation [12]
I
HAD TO BELIEVE IN REVELATION.--SPIRITUALISM OR WITCHCRAFT.
In 1854, we moved to Woodford County, Kentucky, and bought a farm
from Mr. Hibler, on the pike, between Midway and Versailles. Mr. Warren
Viley was our nearest neighbor. My father was one of the trustees in
building the Orphans' Home at Midway. Here in Midway I attended Sunday
school and I had a very faithful teacher who taught me the Word of
God. I have forgotten her name but I can see her sweet face now, as she
planted seed in my heart that are still bringing forth fruit.
A minister came to our house one day and gave me a book to read,
which made a very deep impression on me. As well as I can remember
it was called: "The Children of the Heavenly King." This story represented
three brothers, one, the youngest, was named Ezra, the other Ulrich,
the third I forget. These three were intrusted with watching certain passes
in the mountains during the warfare between a great, good king, and a
bad one, and in proportion as these boys were faithful, the good king was
victorious in battle, but when they neglected their duty, he would suffer
loss. The character of little Ezra was a sweet, unselfish one. He tried
so hard to help, and have his brothers do right. He would run from his
post to wake them up, and tried to make up for their neglect; would
do without rest and food for himself, and plead with them to do their duty.
At last, when the king came, little Ezra was richly rewarded; Ulrich barely
passed, and the unfaithful one was taken out amidst weeping, wailing
and gnashing of teeth, and the door was shut. The minister did not know
what good he had done.
"Only a thought, but the work it wrought,
Could never by tongue or pen be taught;
For it ran thro' a life, like a thread of gold,
And the life bore fruit, an hundred fold.
Only a word, but it was spoken in love,
With a whispered prayer to the Lord above;
And the angels in heaven rejoiced once more
For a new-born soul entered in, at the door."
I resolved to be like little Ezra as near as I could. When I was a
child I fought against my selfish nature. I would often give away my
doll clothes and other things that I wanted to keep myself. Some of the
strongest characteristics of my life were awakened in my childhood. I
would often blush with shame, when committing sins, and I had a great
fear of the judgement day; it would terrify me when hearing of Jesus
coming to the earth. I would often ask myself: "Where can I hide?"
If the public knew of the smashing God gave me the strength to do in my
heart, they would not wonder at my courage in smashing the murder-
shops of our land. "He that ruleth his own spirit, is greater than he that
taketh a city."
In 1855, we moved to Missouri, just a year before the trouble broke
out between Kansas and Missouri. Missouri determined to make Kansas
a slave state; but Kansas said she would not have a slave upon her soil.
Squads of men in Missouri would often go into Kansas and commit depredations.
At one time they burned Lawrence, Kansas, and killed many
people. This trouble continued to grow worse until it brought on the great
Civil War.
When we moved from Kentucky to Missouri, I took a severe cold on
the boat, which made me an invalid for years. I was not a truthful child,
neither was I honest. My mother was very strict with me in many ways
and I would often tell her lies to avoid restraint or punishment. If there
was anything I wanted about the house, especially something to eat, I
would steal it, if I could. The colored servants would often ask me to
steal things for them. My nurse Betsy, would say: "Carry get me
a cup of sugar, butter, thread or needles," and many other things.
This would make me sly and dishonest. I used to go and see my aunts and
stay for months. I would open their boxes and bureau drawers and steal
ribbons and laces and make doll clothes out of them. I would steal perfumery
and would run out of the room to prevent them from smelling it.
I am telling
HAD TO BELIEVE IN REVELATION.--SPIRITUALISM OR WITCHCRAFT.
In 1854, we moved to Woodford County, Kentucky, and bought a farm
from Mr. Hibler, on the pike, between Midway and Versailles. Mr. Warren
Viley was our nearest neighbor. My father was one of the trustees in
building the Orphans' Home at Midway. Here in Midway I attended Sunday
school and I had a very faithful teacher who taught me the Word of
God. I have forgotten her name but I can see her sweet face now, as she
planted seed in my heart that are still bringing forth fruit.
A minister came to our house one day and gave me a book to read,
which made a very deep impression on me. As well as I can remember
it was called: "The Children of the Heavenly King." This story represented
three brothers, one, the youngest, was named Ezra, the other Ulrich,
the third I forget. These three were intrusted with watching certain passes
in the mountains during the warfare between a great, good king, and a
bad one, and in proportion as these boys were faithful, the good king was
victorious in battle, but when they neglected their duty, he would suffer
loss. The character of little Ezra was a sweet, unselfish one. He tried
so hard to help, and have his brothers do right. He would run from his
post to wake them up, and tried to make up for their neglect; would
do without rest and food for himself, and plead with them to do their duty.
At last, when the king came, little Ezra was richly rewarded; Ulrich barely
passed, and the unfaithful one was taken out amidst weeping, wailing
and gnashing of teeth, and the door was shut. The minister did not know
what good he had done.
"Only a thought, but the work it wrought,
Could never by tongue or pen be taught;
For it ran thro' a life, like a thread of gold,
And the life bore fruit, an hundred fold.
Only a word, but it was spoken in love,
With a whispered prayer to the Lord above;
And the angels in heaven rejoiced once more
For a new-born soul entered in, at the door."
I resolved to be like little Ezra as near as I could. When I was a
child I fought against my selfish nature. I would often give away my
doll clothes and other things that I wanted to keep myself. Some of the
strongest characteristics of my life were awakened in my childhood. I
would often blush with shame, when committing sins, and I had a great
fear of the judgement day; it would terrify me when hearing of Jesus
coming to the earth. I would often ask myself: "Where can I hide?"
If the public knew of the smashing God gave me the strength to do in my
heart, they would not wonder at my courage in smashing the murder-
shops of our land. "He that ruleth his own spirit, is greater than he that
taketh a city."
In 1855, we moved to Missouri, just a year before the trouble broke
out between Kansas and Missouri. Missouri determined to make Kansas
a slave state; but Kansas said she would not have a slave upon her soil.
Squads of men in Missouri would often go into Kansas and commit depredations.
At one time they burned Lawrence, Kansas, and killed many
people. This trouble continued to grow worse until it brought on the great
Civil War.
When we moved from Kentucky to Missouri, I took a severe cold on
the boat, which made me an invalid for years. I was not a truthful child,
neither was I honest. My mother was very strict with me in many ways
and I would often tell her lies to avoid restraint or punishment. If there
was anything I wanted about the house, especially something to eat, I
would steal it, if I could. The colored servants would often ask me to
steal things for them. My nurse Betsy, would say: "Carry get me
a cup of sugar, butter, thread or needles," and many other things.
This would make me sly and dishonest. I used to go and see my aunts and
stay for months. I would open their boxes and bureau drawers and steal
ribbons and laces and make doll clothes out of them. I would steal perfumery
and would run out of the room to prevent them from smelling it.
I am telling