The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1853-12-28
RAVENNA, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER s., 1853.

spposition that strikes mady at the of tenn
perance, and pledges itselfto oppose every man
who may become Son Of Temperance. believe
that if man cannot reconcile it to himself to be-
coms a member ola Temperance society, he ought
to raise the hue and cry against another, who
feels it to be his duty to do SO. Let all Christians
favor such associations, for they do much good are
source of m oral influence. and are rapidly prepar
ing the world to act by law upon this fruitful source
of crime.
g. 1t is the duty of Christians to exercise their
vote in favor of prohibtory law. On this subjec!
many indscreet Christians doing great inju-
ry. They have suffered themselves TO be deeeiv
ed by the crowd of vicious men, whose interests
aud appetites lead them to advocate the liquor
cause; and in opposing prohibitory law, have set
themselves down with The liquor party. Now,
ask, is it in accordance with the Of religion.
with the spirit Of good morals. for Christian to
make speeches against law prohibiting the man
ulacture and sale of intoxicating liquors; to raise
The senseless cry of "anti-re epublicaaism," and
gather up and concentrate, SO far as he can, the
immoral influence of society against this great tenn
perance prncipls? Is not man responsible to
God for the manner in which he uses his political
privileges! And what interest car really relig-
ious man have in keeping up the liquor traffic?-
Does the traffic aid in any thing usefull Can it
Increase public health. vitue, and prosperity?-
Can village grocery aid in the cause of religion
oil literature or civilization! And must all rights,
moral, social. and religious. be sacrificed to the
right to get drunk. and to sell for money, damna
lion to the souls of men! Really it is enough to
move honest indignation, to see claiming to be
he children of Heaven, voting n favor ofthe iiq-
uor traffic; combining their energies with the ava
rcious aud profgate. to defeat the desires of the
most yirinous class of society. and to sustain the
most fruitful source of crime and poverty under
the whole heavens. For the weak and ignorant,
who are deceived into such cause, have great
sympathy. But for q sensible man, of mature nge
who thus deliberately uses his influence, cannot
have any respect And it is strange TO me that
there is such indifference to this subject in all
our churches. If man go to ball and dance, he
is dealt with by the church. But if he labor a.
ganst temperance, by voting against The temper
ance law, and setting society against to the full
contempt, and, so far as his vote can have power,
keeping open drinking houses to poison public
morals, the church says nothing. Ia this matter
there is a solemn responsibility laid on men of
standing aud influence in the church, to speak out
and prevent the credit of their religion from being
compromised to the indiscreet and immoral zeal
IF foolish men.
4. 1t is the duty of christian ministers to instruct
their focks with regard to their Guty touching the
temperance question. To aude to this subjacr
discussed, and the position of religious communi-
ties TO this question accurately defined. Let the
various preachers lake this matter in hand; let good
men resolve that the dignity of Christianity shull
be sustained let the Christian influence of this age
be brought to bear this important question of
Temperance, and the work is done. L say it fear
Iessly. Christians have it in their power to sweep
off the great evil of ntemperaDce finm the United
States. Let them stand up as dutiful servants OF
God, philanhropste virtuous citizens, as hus-
bands and fathers, and, through the ballot box abo
ish this evil; put eed to the curses of
drunkenness, ard prepare the way for au era of
social virtue aud of religious triumph brighter, by
far, than history has yet recorded.
PLaHsbu, gh, Mo-, 1858. J. w. COX.