The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-09-12

70 the Editors Of tie Columbia Herald:
The subject to which l invite atten
is not new one, but one that greatly
concerns every member of this county,
and one to which the minds of the public
should constantly be invited, il by
that means good can be accomplished.
1t has been a common thing in all ages
for nations to quarrel and fight; and
when one nation invades another, it is
common to meet with resistance, and
bence multiplied thousands Oflives have
been consumed to ashes.
Among all the nations OF the earth, /
know of none more ready to fly to action
when danger was nigh, than our own
onc9 lovely land. She stands high in the
estimation OF all nations in this particu~
lar; but [, for one, am becoming convinc-
ed daily that some of the braVest men
in our country are growing cOwardly.
Indeed | may say all have been wanting
in moral courage, and have lain supine-
ly, until one of the most potent kings
that has ever been known among men,
has invaded the land. He is already in
the interior, at the very threshold OF our
dwellings, and is even found posted i'll
the parlOrs Of the most Opulent. he Is
found in the closet, on the SldebOdrdS,
in the pockets and in the stomach OF
thousands all oyer this county of ours.
The name OF this king is Ilttemper0nce.
He is Strengthening his thousands daily.
He is doing more harm than has ever
been done by the sword. Among those
who tall are the brave young warriors
who stood the test Of battle in the na~
tional war, but are now yielding to in
temperance. And the middle-aged, up
on whose shoulders now rest 50 many
responsibilities, the noble, the ignoble,
are all alike falling victims to the raVa-
-,ct III. Ny,r Il la. 10 M lG
a consequence, thousands OF women and
children have been reduced to poverty
and rags, who were once in comfortable
circumstances.
say intemperance has been and is
doing its work in this part OF the cOun-
try. Is there no remedy for this great
evil? There is, thank heaven, and one
too, that is proving most etfectual, ana
that is reforming many poor Ilnfortu u
nate men who have fallen into the hands
of this most formidable king. That rem
edv is none other than the Independent
order of Good Templars. This order,
with others, is doing much to put down
old King Alcohol. We are more than
one hundred strong at this point, and
are still beating for volunteers; and
think, although this great enemy OF
souls has gained possession of the coun-
try to great extent, and has acc0mN
plished 50 much sickness in various
ways, the day is not lar distant when he
will haYe to yield to the sway OF tenn
perauce. We hope the day Is not far dis
taut when the great Hood that has been
rolling through this country will be-
gin to abate We hope that it will not
30 long until we shall see the dove re-
turning with the olive leaf of temper
auce as a sign that the floods are drying
up, and may we soon see the bow in the
armament stretching from pole TO pole
as a sign that these floods are no more to
come upon this people. May we soon
hear the voice OF morality and religion
saying "peace lie still TO the rolling
waves of this mighty river" as the Dis
ciples heard the voice of Jesus speaking
to the waves of the sea of Galilee.
Aud now | appeal to all who are con-
cerned about the welfare of the land, to
arise and do something in favor of tenn
perance; especially those who are at the
head OF Church and State atfairs. The
Young men of our land to whom we
look for future prosperity, are too often
led away by this enticing evil. The state
of society is bad enough DOW, but if
some measures are not taken by which
intoxicating liquor, or the use OF it,
may be continuously diminished, sOCi-
ETY. and even our liberties will soon be
wrecked. IntemperanCe is proving to
be the greatest scourge that has ever
come upon the United States.
The sword can only destroy the body,
but incompetence, or the excessive use
OF strong drink, destroys both soul and
body. The cruel enemy may come in
war and take away the husband, but the
wife mas a hope that she will see him i'll
heaven. ThepOor widow of the inebri-
ate with her tattered children, has no
hope of this kind; but after living life
OF misery with him, he is torn from them
and plunged into an abode Of everlast-
ing darkness.
And now, l appeal again t. The cool
sense OF all who Lave contracted the
habit of drinking too much liquor, to
abstain, reform and come out upon tho
side of morality. BE men and an honor
to your country and to yourselves; pro
duce JOY and gladness where you have
been as the gall of bitterness. And may
the churches all over the land send up
their petitions to Almighty God III be-
half of poor unfortunate women and
children who have been so unfortunate
as to fall into the hands of a drunken
father or husband, is my prayer.
Ii. $. NJ.