Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1868-12-22
Henry Ward Beecher and His God
German Lager Beer Gardens.

German Lager Beer Gardens
Henry Ward Beecher, in a recent
sermon advocated dancing, theatri~
Gals, and German lager beer gardens
in the following style
Make home pleasant by means
of innocent games, music and dancing.
Parents who will not allow their
child on TO dance should or ought
to be themselves made to dance to a
different tune. Ifthey 60 to the
alter let the parents 60 with them ;
and so with reference to all pablo
places Of amusement--it was better
to 60 to parties, the whole family to
gether. Would to God the German
beer gardens could be established
among us"
And would not Beecher also app
point the best men in town to take
charge of these beer gardens -? And
would he not also appoint good and
healthful places, even within sacred
confines, for keeping aud dosing out
the beer
One year ago ne offered some
Il in Of the same which Beecher
now offers as perhaps step in the
directi n Of reform.
But it was manifest that the mos
al public mind was pledged TO the
deg adation theory. That is, that il
were better for the temperance cause
that the worst, most selfish and
most irresponsible men have charge
Of the business aud that the pla-
ces for selling hell fire drinks should
be the lowest and meaneet in town
always except that it is no wrong al
all in the Judgment of these moral
reform folks, for druggistsan store
keepers OF good name 20 sell fancy
bottled liquors Of any grade ho~
ever low aud stepped in poison,
Now in Germany the wine mer-
chant Ellis the next place in rank OF
responsibility TO the titled nobility
Of dUtcbiand Beecher would no,
expect 10 open beer gardens on the
German plan without putting in
charge thereof men Of first respecta-
bility.
A personal remark Reader il
makes all the difference in the worlC
who il is that introduces new thing
One year ago we were tracuced il
high places by those assuming leaC
10 the formation Of morals. VIVA
for? Because we presented thi
same idea which Mr.. Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher now breaches frou
his pulpit--the reformation Of til,
liquor traffic by putting it in bette
hands and in better places.
The pointed anomaly OF the thing
IS Just here the saints Of the lane
will not denounce Beecher on &C
count Of his remarkable change o
base. Such did denoupce as for th,
ike. Our friends, the Good Tenn
plars' will not pass resolutions o
ccnsurc against Beecher, az they die
against US for suggesting this new
aud untried field IN exchange for one
that had been = failure again and
again.
We may have been wrong, and
our notion OF 8 reformation by means
of regulating the liquor tratic may
be delusory and impraeticable. In
deed the fact that Beecher has adop'
ted our idea would certainly bt
against it's piacticabiIity, for in oul
judgment he is hardly capable o
supporting any salutary or sounC
doctrines, whether moral or chris
tan But no glitters and shines t.
please the people, and he effects tn
EXTREMIST toieUancy to everything
10 view Of pleasing and deluding tn
greatest numbers. But the bad tast
shown by those who denounced on
novel views upon "a evil which ha
batlled the world must now appea
as transparent as the air and light
Elsewhere we copy from tn
Springfield Republican ihe lates
views Of that great genius and my
tho man, Timothy Titeomb, who d
will be seen abandons bis torme
0plni)n that wins and lager beer ar
antidotes to intemperance. Yer,
well, we are glad TO note that mel
are receiving new light and changing
views upon this greatest unconquer
cd evil. We cannot now say wha
shall be our views next year as t.
plans for reforming the vice. But a
yet we have not grown in favor will
legal prohibition IS q remedy.
Also, We copy statement showing
III figures the vast responsiveness o
drinking. People complain Of tn,
national debt, which ia II small mat
lor beside the cost Of these twin evils
liz nor and tobacco,
Another sect Of retormer5 are
treating intemperanca as u disease
and Are dootoring j. with success
However disease, IT. is surely q
crime =, drst, whom the young mar
With all The lights of certain ruiz
before aim, voluntarily resorts to
drink, knowing that in brief time ,
liquor craving disease is surely Il
attack him, for which there is ~
positive cure in this world nor in tn,