Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-11-11

Friends, by Rev. Theo. L.. CuyIer
1t is not very pleasant occupation to
be digging down in the mire and mud to
lay foundation stones for needed edi-
flee. 1t costs toll, and time, and back
ache. A far more eXhilarating work ia
to put up ornamental eornices and lofty
towers-to bring the topmost stone
with shouting" But without solid
foundation, where is the esuperstructure?
Many OF our Jealous temperance breth-
rem are IN danger of this very blunder.-
They earnestly long for prohibitory leg
islation, but do almost nothing to create
the temperance public sentiment. They
want prohibitory laws, but they donoth-
ing to make the Uotes which must enact
the laws. They clamor for a political
Temperance party" but they forget
that successful parties are made up of
men converted to moral ideas. So, when
you urge them to call meetings, and to
organize local societies, and to circulate
tracts, and procure total abstinence
pledges, and to spread abroad solid tenn
perance truth, and to educate the chill
dren, and to open their purses and pay
the bills for these needful efforts, they
sneeringly reply: "Pshaw we got out
of that slough of moral suasion ten years
ago." 1t suits these brethren a good
deal better to hold conventions, and pass
coed strong resolutions against rum
shops, and to organize new parties on
paper. For dozen years the State Tenn
perance conventions of New York have
been passing resolutions for total pro-
hibitiOn, and nothing else :" but we are
no nearer to wholesale prohibitory law
for all their paper manlfestos. BrethrenI
l, for one, am as heartily in favor of
shutting up the rum dens by law as Neal
Dow or Gerrit Smith can be; yet / am
convinced that we must change our tae-
tics, or we shall never procure prohibi-
tory legislation, or enforce it.
There are many other hindrances in
the way of the proposed party, which
forbear to name. Its sanguine advocates
point to the triumph of the Free Soil
party in 1850, and that there is parallel
between an anti-slavery and an anti
dIam-shop party which forbode success
to the Chicago organization. But there
is really no parallel between the two
cases. The man who POUNDS his expec-
tations of the success of a national pro-
hibitory party on the election of Presi-
dent Lincoln in 1860, builds on moon
shine. "WhosOever is deceived thereby
is not WISE" In the year 1858, the cause
of prohibition was far more popular than
the cause of emancipation. But to-day
slavery is dead-killed alike by the folly
its friends and by the pluck of its enc
mics. And the rum traffic survives in
growing strength, looming up as terrible
as the ''gates of hell !r The party which
demolishes it must be the most powerful
party that has yet been organized on
this continent.
But it is not the main object of this
article to present the huge difficulties in
the path of a national party of prohibi-
tionists. Suppose we overrule these
difficulties. Suppose we admit that
third-party policy is the best and wisest
policy. What then?
The only places in which prohibition
is successful to-day are those places in
Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine and Ver-
mont, in which temperance efforts have
produced public sentiment in favor of
total abstinence. In all other places
prohibitory laws are not really enforced;
and for all practical purposes they are
not worth chew of tobacco.
Now, brethren and co-workers, these
may be plain truths and worth your con-
s.deration. If the coming years are to
be spent in holding conventions and
passing empty resolutions against grog-
shops, without doing anything at home
to conuert people against grog drinking
if any more third party" fooleries like
that in Maine are to be enacted as the
settled policy of the temperance reform,
then ], for one, must be counted out of
any national prohibitory party. Other
people may build castles in the air, if
they admire such architecture. Iprefer
i'm my humble Uav TN diO in tho mud on
the foundations of permanent reform.
prefer to use pulpit, pew, purse and
tongue to convert people to total absti-
nence. When they are thus converted,
they are saved from drunkenness; they
will oppose drinking customs they will
never give penny to support the ac-
cursed liquor traffic; they will be likely
to vote against the advocates of rum SELL
ing for Office. When mems minds are
enlia htened, and their consciences are
aroused to vote against legalizing dram
shops, We shall have such legislation,
and not before. For the present, let US
dig in the public conscience and lay
foundations. A mighty educational work
is to be done, and at once. 1t must be
done, too, on a solid pecuniary basis
Total abstinence is the dictate of sci
ence and of Christianity. Tippling,
and dram-selling are of the
Devil. But however right may be our
cause. the work of God will not be pros
ecuted with success unless it is inspired
by love and regulated by the soundest
principles of common sense.
The Grand Division of the Sons of
of Pennsylvania has just
closed its annual session in Philadelphia.
Il y.