Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-10-20
THE TEMPERANCE CAUSE.
Annual session Of the Grand lodge Of
Good TempIars.

The Grand Lodge of the Independent
Order of Good Templars of Tennessee met
last evening in the Central Baptist Church.
After the opening ode, prayer was offered
by Dr.. W. Perkins. The delegates were
then welcomed by Bro. w. q. InIiiIn, ID.
ID. He said the Committee of Arrange
menis had given him the pleasing duty Of
welcoming them To the beautiful capital of
our grand old Commonwealth. The cause
calling them together was one Of great in
ieresi. For years he had watched, with
much anxiety, the conflict between iniem-
perancc and the little army Of alb
stinence, and at no IeriCd had il
been Of more Importance than
now. Something more efficient To stay tile
evils OF intOxicatiOn must be done, or their
hopes were crushed. Though brave men
were working, their numbers seemed COM
paraiiyely few, and their hearts too often
faint As woman was the chief sufferer
from the evils of intemperance, so her
purcr nature and quicker munitions en-
listed her hiOfe nOliy in the great reicnG
Hence she embarked meekly, prayerfully
ard herOically in the crusade against dissi-
patton. Thousands of liquor saloons had
been closed and their owners and miSera-
ble patrons redeemed by this extraordinary
work Of the gentler sex.
As they were all working; not for the
mere paraphernalia, but the great principle
of sobriety, he fOndly hoped that wisdom
and harmony would prevail in all their lie
liberatiOns.
DR.. Burton was next introduced by
G.. w. Secretary Gibson, and said that he
was proud to meet and to greet the
brothers and sisters Of the order in this
great reform. He loved Tennessee as his
mother, and delighted in her beautiful and
varied scenery and rich productions.
They were enlisted in grand enterprise,
and were banded in 4 strong organization.
They had terrible foe to fight, and needed
to number all their strength. Education
and vitiaied habits had fearfully strength
ened the custom Of using LIQUORS. These
bad things learned had to be unlearned.
Indeed, they were called on to enter the
churches and teach, if possible, too many
members TO abstain from this evil. They
were also called upon to say to the polit
ical parties that they could not !ote for any
candidate unpledged to the temperance
cause, for which we labor.
Rev. F. j. Tyler, of Linnville, was in
troduced and entertained the audience with
a few remarks. He was glad to cast his
mite of influence into the great treasury of
temperance. 1t was their blessed work to
do good in the great cause of temperance.
DR.. w. Perkins, of Nashville, said that
his mind fastened upon the sad facts of
this subject rather than tended to declama-
ton OF flights of eloquence. Something
efficient must soon be dOre, or
the destroyer would drag us to the bottom.
Not long since, the ex-President CT our
nation had demonstrated on our Public
Square to a mass-meeting of his fellow-citi
zens, the danger Of our crushing national
debt, and the appalling generalization of
our times. s. ould this distinguished gen.
tlemen, or any one of his competitors, 90
to the United States Senate, that debt
could not be paid by their influence, nor
the debt of our city and State, while more
money was spent and time worse than
wasted, and crimes committed through the
sale and use of liquors than all other evil
agencies, more of our substance
was thus consumed than was needed
TO sustain our schools and churches. The
temperance orders hold i'm their hands the
only remedy. Under all their discourage
mentS, let them be nerved in their struggle
by the assurance that God had no attribute
that could take sides against their cause,
and that all would surely work with them
in saving what ought 10 he saved, and
which, when redeemed, would be His RO-
bleSt work
Mr.. Kelley then made some brief and
appropriate remarks, and the audience was
dismissed.
The Grand Lodge will meet for the trans
action of business pertaining TO the inter
nslS nf fhn Drhlnr This mnrnina