New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-14
Report of the Committee on Temperance

Report oil the COHt1ittce on temperance
To the Bishop and Members OF the Louisiana Con-
ference:
DEAR BRETHRES-l Committee on
Temperance respectfully invite the atten-
ton of the Conference to the following,
which is submitted as our report:
From one end of this State to the other.
intemperance prevails. The trail of the
serpent is seen in every grade of our social
and business life. The poor laborers in the
rice, cotton and sugar fields of our sunny
land blinded and deceived by the devil
deem their cabins unfinished unless they
are supplied with whisky. Every grocery
and supply store. almost every bank, the
offices of the profession. and the Offices of
our State and parish officials have their
sideboards, closets and demijohns loaded
and filed with Intoxicating liquors. But
few social gatherings. in city or country.
are found where wine does not flow. Shall
we say it We must, for it is true men
set apart for the work of the Christian min
istry, under the press OF the existing de-
liberalization, do not deem it derogatory to
their high calling to look on the wine
when it is red" or to shake hands with the
devil in the damnable practice of wine
drinking, and that with the ungodly as well
as among themselves.
God bears us witness. we report in love.
but members of our churches. yes. even
some OF our own brethren of the ministry
are not guiltless of this pernicious practice,
and as your committee on this subject. we
dare not let this opportunity pass to probe
the conscience OF the ministry and the
church.
1t is not our purpose to single out any of
our brethren and heap the obloquy of the
sin on him. nor to lay the sin at the door OF
every member of the conference, but God
and you will bear us witness to the truth Of
our report. Our object is to awaken the
conscience of every member of this confer
ence to the enormity of this sin, and to Sc
cure united efforts against it, and earnest
prayer to Almighty God for the convincing,
reproving power of the Holy Spirit to Sc
cure this result.
Lift up or hang down your heads and You
behold the evil that is upon us. Friends.
neighbors and children are being ruined.
Our homes, churches and pulpits are in
vaded, the efforts of our ministers para
lived, and the salvation of souls prevented
by our luke warmness on this subject.
Awake, brethren, awake the cry of perish
ing souls is heard on every hand The Lord
has set you as watchmen over the House OF
Israel, and commands You to sound the
trump of alarm, to warn his people.
The devil is striking at oar hearts with
his fangs. Woe woe fearful Woe broods
over the land, blighting our inheritance
and taking down to he'll those Tor whoni
Jesus died, by thousands. Our total alb
stinence trumpets hang in the watch towers
covered with dust The foe admitted III
| side the wall is desecrating the affairs OF
Zion and Staying our brethren.
| God is calling for his children, ard de-
mands their blood at our hands, because we
failed to sound the trumpet of warning
Hear Him: when | say unto the wicked
| O., wicked man, thou shall surely die il
| thou dost not warn the wicked from his
way, that wicked man shall die in his in
iquity, but his blood | will require at thine
! hand
Brethren, turn which way you NAV. this
demon may be seen with glowing colors
and tempting smile basking III the sunshine
of life, charming the thoughtless and
prayerless with promises OF joy that are
never realized; or. may feel its cold slimy
trail and touch mid the darkness anu
gloom OF poverty and death. More subtle
than any other agent from hell. it Otter
appears as an angel OF light and JOY, will
healing on its wings, and dazzles the ey,
and numbs the heart. while it damns ia,
soul of its victim.
To YOU, in the name of God. we appea
for help, and earnestly ilnplore that faith
| fulness TO ordination VOWS which God ant
| the church demand.
| NJ. c. COLE. Chairman.