Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1870-06-02
GenlpfranfG.
How to Effect n Temperance Revival
BY HON. SCHUYLER coLFAx.

If pestilence were raging in the land
spreading from city 10 city, from hamlet
to hamlet, filling our cemeteries with
graves and our houses with mourning
every lover of humanity would feel it q
duty to use his utmost influence to ar
rest its deathly progress. Every pre-
ventive to its spread would be tested
Every habit of life that contributed tC
its progress would be abandoned. Boards
of health would appeal to the people
The press would vigorously second these
appeals. And organizations of those
who appreciated the danger would labor
personally with those less informed tC
induce them to aid in arresting the
march of the destroyer.
But more fatal epedemic than the
cholera from the jungles of India, or the
yellow fever from the malaria of the
tropics, is in our midst. Not as an oc'
casional visitor. Not 10 yield to the
health-receiving frost of the autumn
But,yea after year, in winter as we'll as
in summer, acclimated and nationalized,
it goes on with its wOrk-sweeping on,
almost unchecked in its career of horrid
triumph. Without criticising
any other plan of labor, therefore, OF
arguing against any other theory, l ask
10 be permitted to suggest what l regard
as the most effective way to awaken
the much-needed Revival of Temper
ance in our land. 1t involves persC nal
efforts and uDremitting labor. 1t ele-
Yates the idea of individual responsible
ity, 1t does not content itself with one,
or two, or half-a-dozen public temper
ance meetings per year. 1t remembers
that, to promote religion, faithful, con-
stant, persistent, continuous work is
needed-that an edifice and an organiza-
ton are insufficient without the con-
slant preaching of the Word, the oft and
oft-reiterated appeal to the sinner, the
Sabbath and weekday meetings from
year to year, and all those other indica-
tions of healthy, effective, active, and
growing church. What L propose is,
similar labor, animated by similar
spirit, and imbued with similar indi-
vidual responsibility, which looks on
every inebriate as brother, fallen
though he may be, and holds out a help
ing hand to save him from the destruc-
ton to which he is fastening, and to
restore him, clothed in his right mind,
to family and friends. 1t is to so per-
sistently and unremittingly present
facts and arguments before the minds OF
dll, IildI bhC SOhOAoIiOh Ah-J ~
thoroughly fortified against its tempta-
tions nd preserved from them, and that
those wi drink moderately may realize
their danger, and, if not for their own
sake, yet for the example upon others,
voluntarily surrender such habits.
The intelligent reader will see that
what allutie to is the revival, as far as
practica BILE, of that kind oflabor known
thirty years ago as the Washington Re-
form, whose ruling principle was .'to
persuade rather than compel" Its
wonderful history has not yet faded
away from the public mind. Never
was there such work accomplished in
any nation. Never were there more
beneficient results from any earthly
effort. Never was there more labor
cheerfully performed. Never did the
labor bring forth such good fruit in joy
in the hearts of all the laborers.