The Delaware herald., 1854-05-17
Correspondence Of the Herald.
Is the Church a suitable place for the
holding Of Temperance Meetings?

| HAVE head many objections lately, to the
holding of temperance meetings in churches, by |
politicians and those who never attend the
church; consequently the objections do not
arise from their attachment to II, hut from down.
right opposition 10 the cause Of temperance
The church is never used except i'll those locali-
ties where there is 30 other place to hold meet
ings, and then, the trustees of the church, from
pure nhlanthropic and chrstian feeling, open
the church lor the purpose. We ask, can there
be a more suitable place than church in which
to hold suC5 meetings! 1t Is admitted that the
cause Of temperance is the cause Of God and
suffering humanity, and the object contemplated
is TO arrest that fearful food that has spread
disease, poverty, crime and death all oyer our
land. Temperance holds a prominent place
among the CHRISTIAN graces, and should be
cultivated by every CHRISTIAN, and .ghere
is there more suitable place in which TO
enforce the principle Of temperance thGn in
the church Temperance is moral question;
moral questions, as well az christianity, can,
with propriety, be enforced in the church and,
to advance the cause OF temperance, it should
receive the active cooperation OF every moral
and christian man, and every political econo-
mist.
They Say that their objections arise from its
political aspect. Temperance, as well as other
moral questions, should have place in the
policy OF our country and, as snch, has been,
and is now the subject of legislation. Intem-
perance has done more to endanger our liberties
and free institutions than any other evil with
which we have ever been cursed The object
of the church is to do good TO the souls and
bodies of men, and can she be more in place
than when her doors are open for the advance
ment OF cause that dries up the tears Of broken
hearted wives, and beggarcd and ignorant chill
dren, made so by mtemperance, and saves the
miserable lnebrlate, and opens the kingdom Of
God TO the most wretched outcasts of society
and raises men and women from the depths of
degradation to honorable positions in societyi-
The traffic of Intoxicating drinks is an evil Of
the greatest magnitude; with their intemperate
use II has proved to be the most potent weapon
the devil has ever used to assail the kingdom
OF God. against which the Bible has directed
lis awful threatcnings. The church is not out
OF place, when she opens her doors to arrest this
dreadful evil Members of the church have
not only their duties to discharge TO the church
ana the world, as christians, but also to their
government and society, as citizens. This is
the doctrine of the church, and cannot be con-
trovGrted by scripture or reason. Prohibition
is divine principle All Gods laws are pro-
hlbitory. He never sanctioned law for liceng-
ing or regulating an evil; and members Of the
cAurch can no more stop short of prohibiting
the CRIME OF rum-selling than they can the COM
mission of murder through the agency of ary
other person.
hope never to see the day when it will be
considered desecration of the church to hold
meetings therein for the purpose Of devising
ways and means to dry up one of the most pro-
lliic fountains OF misery and crime.
The Temperance cause has, in many instances.
been the harbinger of the kingdom of Christ to
mahy miserable victim of intemperance.-
by the instrumentality of this reform, they have
been, for the first time, led to the church-have
been reformed, and instead of devoting their
property to the work of selEdestruction. have
consecrated it, with their lives, to the service
and honor Of the Redeemer of men. A0reea-
bic to the predictions of inspired men, there is
day to dawn upon the church, while her resi-
dence is yet on earth, of triumph and mblce
known as the Millenium--that day will never
come until all the vice and the crime with
which intemperance is identified, is entirely
swept away. ~
The prospect is igh:ening-streaks of Iiebt
are seen purpling the eastern horizon. and the
Ight is gradually increasing in brightness. until
now, with most men, no longer a. question.
whether 1t is not the beginning of that which
WIN terminate forever the curse Of the world
the Rum Traffic. X
x S., A., e., a. PouIsos.
l.