Smyrna times., 1868-01-22
Temperance.

Temperance, like all other questions, has
two sides, and men must, of necessity, take one
or the other. Men may favor temperance by |
kind of consent, that intemperanceels an evil
and that something ought to be done. But
what does all this amount TOT Admit that
you are right and that something ought to be
done. Well, if it ought to be-, who oug ht to
doit2 Who ought to work for the redemp-
ton of the degraded and the disgraced2 Must
the sinful be expected to do it? When did
bad men meet voluntarily and enter into an
agreement to reform and carry their resolution
into effect, without the aid of better mem
| There may be cases as an exception, but none
as a rule. Well, then, some one must help
them. Reforms are started not to call the
righteous, but sinners to repentance, and If SIN
ners are left to call themselves it will be long
time before they are saved. If God and his
agents are to stand still until the Devil and his
agents reform the world how long do you think
they will stand When shall he hail with JOY
the glad tiding of peace on earth? 1t plain,
then, that reforms must be started and pushed
forward, not by the vicious but by the virtu-
ous Then upon who does the duty devOlve
upon our neighbor? Is this the foundation
upon which the great God has rested His laws
concerning man? Is it in keeping with His
, revealed will, that man should wait, every one,
for his neighbor? The conclusion of the argu-
m0nC Is COO DIdlu W require IuTGucE
Undoubtedly it is the duty of every man who
indorses the cause of temperance to lead off il
, its advancement, and the duty of those who
do not ndorse it is to do so at once, by joining
with those who are actively and earnestly en-
t gagged in pushing the work along. Then it il
f the duty of some one to make the start
e Well, that has been done, and Smyrna Divis
ion, No. 3, has been established, but it wa
done and is now carried on by we, the few
IL: IL kIa hxyx
: your hands in your pockets, quietly looking on
: declaring that you are with us and that yOl
are temperance men. You may be temper
K ance men, but you are not for US, but agains
Il US. If you were tor us you would join the Ill
d vision and make it stronger and more efec
a tive, but you have not done it. You hav
o withheld your strength from it, and by so dc
:. ing you have weakened it, And yet you te
J. US that you are temperance men. Shame o
Il such temperance men! You are not for us
,r Are you temperance men? If you are, sho
:. us your works. What are you doing? Wei
ID some of you have violated your sacred hone
and gone back to whisky drinking, while tn
remainder are patiently waiting for Betsey
n- kill the bear" Members OF the Young Men
s. Christian Association, what are you doing
st Processing Christians, what are you dOir
RS to stay the tide of intemperance? Some I
ID you are helping it along by renting your prof.
rt erty for rum stO es ~.
b. Minister of the gospel what are you doing
s, Do you preach against the rum traffic? Al
re you actively engaged in the temperance caus,
as Well, some Of you are Official men of Il
to churches what are you doing? We leave "
be all to answer for yourselves, while we go
with our questions, and ask the rum selle
and rum drinkers what they are doing, til
in answer: g Doing all in our power, worki
% night and day for our cause, stalking our tin
our fortune, and our talent in the game al
in are determined to win" Yes, aud win y
WILL if temperance men continue to stand idl
ID but be it known unto you that our little div
h ion will not surrender, but in the faith th
at fright makes mi-ht, we will continue to stri
st. with the hope that the last armed foe shall J
W expire, and by the help of God we will ma
rum howl, yes we will Strike for the rig
though friend all fail and rummies coolly ,neer
hit your poisonous arrows cannot, wound &C
ice science pure and clear, yes We will Strike
Der for the right and with clean hands exalt t
W. truth on high, trusting that we will yet f
we warm, smypathizing hearts among. the pass
he by. ADVANCE