The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-08
THE CAUSE OF TEMPERANCE.

Temperance Meeting at the Free Taber.
nacle Methodist Episcopal Church-A
Defence OF tho Crusade.
temperance meeting was held last evening,
under the auspices OF the Ladies' Central Union,
at the Free Tabernacle Methodist Episcopal church.
Thirty fourth street, between Seventh and Eighth
avenues After the usual religious exercises,
which were conducted by Rev. L. q. King, the
pastor, he briefly alluded to the last women's
temperance crusade, and quoted the remark of q
young man who said that he would not like to see
his mother or sister praying in the street. He
(the speakerl thought 1t would be better to see
this than TO the youth drinking before the bar
Women had suffered so much from the evil of in
temperance that they were especially justined in
taking measures to check It's growth. Who
was 1t that saved Israel when it
was In such great peril 1t was
Esther - Who were they who followed
Christ when all men had forsaken Hima They were
the daughters OF Jerusalem. Woman's influence
when had It ever JAILED Woman first induced
man to eat the forbidden fruit, and now she was
about to prevent his drinking the forbidden cup.
Tonight there was not slave in this great land,
would be not drop OF rum IN this country.
Mrs. Annie Wittenmeyer, OF Philadelphia, then
OF pagan nations and compared them with god
N TINS country, Bacchus at whose altar human
Oetng was Sacrince0 every ten minutes and about
$4,000 every year. These victims reeed down to
ruin by them, and they made no Efforts to save
them. This vice brought revenue to the
government. But the money given to the
saloon Keepers was only taken away from grocers,
butchers dry goods merchants and every other
branch Of industry It was not only waste Of
children must 90 without bread, the wife without
clothing, 30 that the drunkard might satisfy his
diseased appetite. Another consequence was that
the people had to spend more money Tor prisons,
courts and police the arrests for intoxicaIion
being more numerous than for any other offence.
She protested against the assumption that the PRO.
niDitOry laws In Vermont and Maine had failed.
Such laws were needed In this as well as in every
State OF the Union. However, they would not get
q prohibttory law here until they had manu-
tactured public sentiment In Its favor.
IL was no chtld's play to do this.
rhe enemies had money and were powerful Mrs
Wittenmeyer then declared that the crusade was
not over, as was claimed by many OF the news
papers. The crusade was never so formidable as
1t was now. What did the arrest OF the women in
Cincinnati signifyf 1t did not intimidate the
women, although some Of them were fined S25 and
costs for having prayed IN the streets. Moreover,
the decision Or the Mayor was reversed by three
they were going on with their excellent work in
Cincinnati, and no officer dared to interfere with
them. The law was for lewd ana drunken aud dts
orderly people, for robbers and murderers, and
not for praying women. The speaker then urged
the ladies In the church to take an active part ia
the crusade the good results Of which she painted
In glowing colors.
After the address hymn was sung and the
meeting closed.