The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1873-07-17
W.. I.
LIE CTURE DELIVERED BY REV. G. A. SMITH
BEFORE THE wAsHINGToNIAN TEN
PERANcE CLUB, ON MONDAY
NIGHT JULY 7TH.

/
| PERANCE CLUB, ON MONDAY
,lg NIGHT JULY 7TH.
| AS my address is brief / hope not to
weary you though it'be upon one branch
Of the subject of temperance. i cannot
believe that this body of men and women
before me are SO entirely given up to a
mere love of entertainment as not to feel
interest in anything which will advance
our, cause. I think that one thing that
has made discussion so tedious has been
that we are so often trying to prove what
every body admits, and continue to dwell
upon that which the public mind feels it
cannot have deeper convictions about and
hence is like trying to prove to a studen;
a proposition which is already clear-the
mind wearies and Becomes disguised with
all such efforts, but when there comes up
living question, which any light is
needed, no one can but believe that the
thinking part of community are willing
to hear. My theme therefore tonight is
the results of wine drinking as 1t affec is
our reform. pl
One Mr.. Fisk says, in his book: "The
coming man will drink wine" We seek
the result ofthis course. Rev. Brother Sim
mons says in his last able lecture to US "If
wine and beer were the ultimate liquors
should not raise my voice against them"
Truth is only reached after wide lnvesti
cation and we should hail light from any
source, and If any one questions our posi- :
tions we should have the charity to be-
heve that it is not done in spirit of an
tagonism or rivalry but solely to advance
the good cause of getting at the truth.
And now l may be widely mistaken and
my views may be largely modified by in
quiry and wider range of fact, yet
give it as my judgement now that In the
final issue of this reform, it will be found
that wine drinking and che responsibility
with which we clothe it is one of the
leading dangers with which we have to
contend. I agree with my friend that
we should go about this work with can
dor and in the calm spirit Of concession.
I believe in Becoming all things to all
Inn q r,-a Ill 4
one thing that hinders all reforms is a
radicalIsm that is mulish. Some persons
came to me boiling over with interest
upon this subject. They believed the
cause demanded immediate action, and all
1t needed was two or three earnest men to
lead the matter and we would soon reach
the land of Canaan. They said they were
tired of this ina ctiVity and4hat we might
rely upon them for action and any sacri.
fee for the good cause. They net once
with us and because the majority of their
fellow citizens decided to have it run inst
little different from what they supposed
was bect,we saw all their ETHEREAL, deluded
moonshiny attachment evaporate, and
they never have crossed our threshold
since, never even inquired how we pros.
pered. All such radicalism as that must
be depIored. 1 believe also in yielding
anything which is not Of vital interest
for the sake of combining forces and light
ing against common enemy. But all true
reforms must be founded in truth Would
you find the source of rivers you must 90
bat k among the hills to the springs and
rivulets. So you must 60 to the source Of
evil if you would cure it.
In discussing the question Of wine
drinking we must ascertain what we ar G
actually using under that name, and not
what the name itself once represented
It is we'll known by the thoughtful that
one prime resort of the world for the last
rs years has been to establish name for
valuable article: give il reputation
and then by it's adulteration to make q
fortune out of its sale and that there is