The morning comet. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1856-1856, 1856-07-16
knights nf Jericho.

Monday night, number Of ladies'
and gentlemen assembled at the "Chris-
linn Church." to witness the installa-
ton ceremonies OF new set of officers
to preside over this institution, Tho en-
suing year At about 8 o'clock-af-
ter the audience had become settled,
they entered the building, proceeded
by their standard OF white satin, bear
ing the inscription, Humanity, TEN.
perance and Charity virtues, which
it Is The aim Of The knights to cult.
vate.
A new feature and commendable
one in tho knights, is the admission Of
The ladies' into full fellowship full
participation IN tho rights and benefits
OF the order. Indeed, were the Indies
united in crusade against the evils Of
intemperance--w were tho young and
beautiful to resolve not 10 countenance
the respectable staggering of tho age,
then would drunkenness not be found
in high places and among those who
because Of their education, family con
nection or wealth receive the syrnpa-
thy Of mankind, when they should be-
catalogued with tho vile and tho licen-
tloas. But no; the country town and
yillago must initiate tho fashionable
vices Of The Metropolis. The conse-
quenee is, that champagne because it
pops in the bottles; sparkles when it
is poured into the wine glass, and costs
three dollars per bottle, is considered n
respectable drinks called for ut the
fashionable dinner, and the Snob sup
per, and the ladies' themselves drink
for wager and think it very funny.
These people scorn small potations,n
and frown on equally honest and vir-
tueus people, who get drunk on mean
wbiskey, and brewery beer.
The subject Of temperance never
thrusts itself upon us, that we do not
feel like thrustlng opinions back on
the community, which have been adj
vanced in this sheet, from time to
time, these last five years, and are not
yet understood. Temperance does not
mean total abstinence, and those who
wage war against alcohol which has
been clothed with the terror of a "ei.
ant king actually injure any substan
tally and praisworthy movement TO re.
form the world. Alcohol is no more
poison than is water itself. On the
contrary, it is a very good thing; in
dispensiblo in the arts and sciences
and in a pharmaceutical point of view,
is secondary in importance to no other
agent. Any warfare against its man
ufaeture and use, is unreasonable. ANY
permanent movement in the direction
of reformation from abuses, should
have reason to stand on. The failure
of the great temperance movement
with which tho public mind has been
agitated for years past; may be attri-
buted to the fallacy of the position to.
ken by its advocates many of whom
have been tasting and samplipg the
article in private rooms, at the same
time they have been preaching war
of determination against it in the pull
pit. When the vinous fermentation
can be stopped and the whole order Of
nature changed, then the position that
alcohol in any form and any quantity
taken into the stomach lisa poison, will
be tenable.
But the knights, or rather first
should We say; the daughters of Jeri,
cho--God bless them in their new po-
stion. How invidiously may they be
oopopara1 r., tba;r E,oL.n..I1.