mperance movement to a sense of their helplessness to
effect any reform without a voice in the laws. They thought, too,
that the power behind the liquor interests was readily outweighed
by the moral influence of the best men and women in the State,
especially as the church began to feel some responsibility in the
question. The Milwaukee _Wisconsin_ of June 4, 1883, gives this
interesting item:

The Rev. Father Mahoney, of St. John's Cathedral, preached a
temperance sermon to a large concourse of people yesterday
morning, in which he heartily indorsed the action of Mayor
Stowell in his war against the ordinary saloon, and declared
that he should be reelected. He also said that the men who
opposed him were covering themselves with infamy, and that
he could not conscientiously administer the sacraments to
any saloon-keeper who refused to obey the commands of the
Church or the laws of the State concerning the good order
and welfare of the city. The sermon caused quite a stir, and
was much discussed in secular as well as religious circles.

The State Association[427] has maintained an unswerving course,
between fanatacism and ultra-conservatism. Since 1869 it has
stood as on the watch-tower, quick to see opportunities, and ever
ready to cooeperate with the legislative bodies in the State, and
well may we be proud of our achievements when we remember that by
the census of 1870 Wisconsin is the first foreign and the second
Roman Catholic State in the Union, and that at our centennial
exposition in 1876 our public schools stood number one.

Rev. Olympia Brown Willis moved into the State of Wisconsin in
1877, and became pastor of the church of the Good Shepherd, in
Racine, and exerted a wide influence, not only as a liberal
theologian, but as an earnest advocate of suffrage for woman. As
a result of her efforts a most successful Woman's Council was
held in Racine, March 26, 1883, alternating in the church of the
Good Shepherd and Blake's Opera House. One of the chief
speakers[428] was Dr. Corwin, pastor of the First Presbyterian
Church, who was also on the managing committee. The cordiality of
many of the western clergy, in strong contrast with those in the
east, makes their favorable action wort