The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-03-18
The Grog Shops-.No. III.

1t seems to me that people generally, have no
just conception of the moral character of the
liquor traffic; as in this country, a few years
ago, people had no adequate notion of the enor-
nous wickedness of slavery, and as the people
the South even at the present day, deem muir
der by the duel, or in hot blood, venial offence
A few years ago it was a common thing to
hear slavery justified by the leading divines of
the country, from the pulpit in the north as
well as the south and one of the most eminent
clergymen in New England won for himself the
soubriquet "Southside," by his elaborate essays
in favor of human slavery in all its phases; and
his position on that subject did not then, and
has not to this day, affected, injuriously, his
standing in his own particular church, nor in
his denomination. Ha ,-.-
We were all accustomed from childhood to the
enormous wickedness of American slavery; and
so our minds were perverted and our hearts
were corrupted by it; hardly one of us escaped
its communicating influence. remember well,
some years ago, that in social meeting at one
of our most respectable churches, a brother
was called upon to lead in prayer, which he did
with uncommon earnestness and power; but at
its conclusion, he was openly reproved by the
pastor for introducing "extraneous matter
and disturbing topics, because he had implor-
ed the Heavenly Father to have compassion on
the poor slave, and to hasten the time when he
should be permitted to rejoice in the liberty to
which the whole human family was justly en-
titled as free gift from the Creator
As it was in those old days with public opin-
ion and slavery even in the church, it is now,
to some extent, as to the moral character of the
liquor traffic. 1 know most excellent church
members this day, who permit the lowest and
vilest grog shops to be kept in buildings owned
by them. They are seen in their seats at
church and at the prayer meeting, with
the most exemplary punctuality, and are
greatly edited no doubt by all the exercises,
and join in them heartily and devoutly; and
yet they have not the slightest suspicion that
they commit sin, in permitting grog shops to
be kept in their premises; they never hear any
teaching upon that "extraneous and disturbing
topic" They are all right, no doubt, on Baby
lonian sins; on the hardness of Pharaoh's heart;
and as to the deservings of the cities of the
plain, because they have been often and ear
nestly and pungently instructed thereon; but
they have never been instructed as to the i'm
moral character OF rum selling, and therefore
ought to be pardoned, as Rimmon desired to
be.
But let us take a hasty glance at the real
character If rumselling; let's have short lay
sermon on that subject, if we can't have any
other:
First,-I take it for granted, brethren, that
Christian men are bound so to live, that
the influence of their example shall be always
in favor of the right ard always against the
wrong; so that no harm can come of it to any
body, if all the world should follow our exam
pie. 1t isn't enough, that in the privacy of
our closets, we pray earnestly that Gods king
dom may come and His will be done on earth
as in Heaven; but we must cork for it, always
and everywhere, and do nothing which would
delay the coming of that time, if all the world
should follow our example.
Secondly,-We are bound, brethren, to love
our neighbor as ourself, not in words merely