The temperance star. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1874-1874, 1874-11-30

SpiFllS VI all NSCA. hIlU hilu'ut H'l't vi
earthly reward, have. with sublime
SclI-IorgctIulncSs, labored to make the
world l'olicr and happier.
And beyond question, the wor!d Is
getting better and better. 1t las made
progress in almost every respect.
There never were 50 many churches rs
ROW: never 81 many cultivated men
and women enlisted on the side Of tvn-
!Ic"ancr ami religion us iiow; never 81
many specifically ctlucaierl to preach
the gospel: never 81 mncl given nr
done To 'liIln>r truth. l'icty and moraIi-
Is. rs nos.
There MAS Il time, wien Christian
men in this republic, were "pp"<ci to-
tai abstinence. IL Temperance organi-
2aIinm>. to Temperance sermons. l.y-
nlan I.rcchcr. in his six great li<cuur>cS
Oh iAlrmpcranrc. found arraycl against
him. in great degree, liz" religious
sentiment Of The nation. When WILDER
Fish. Of precious memory. announced
in New England, about the bc% inning
Of the agitation on t!ii1 subject, That he
wnuld preach against drinking. he WAS
told that il would ruin the church,.
He preached his Scrlnan with all the
cEuuucicc for Which he WAS 81 justly
distinguished. and the church survived.
We have all heard Of Il rrri"d. not
very remote. when on election days in
Virginia it WAS the custom to y lace Il
barred Of whisky nu The lrYrmrnl, and
let ii! drink who desired. There was
time when all drank-w hen AL kept
liqnor in there homes, and when ii WAS
not considered improper for minister
10 take dram. NJ minister can take
Il dram now without giving "!''nSc.
1t is deemed It di>rcpntnblr hing /"
drink ut all, and men drink b. stealth,
in miserable saloons. where they may
be protected from public observation.
The principal difficulty in our work,
the world over, has been the >l'asm"d-
IL character Of oar movements. This
defect has been Irpi"rr'l by ai who
sincerely desire Tie prevalence "f total
abstinence. There has been al r!r-
mrn, Of instability in every temperance
organization that las ever existed.
This We acknowledge ami lament, and
yet This difficulty has moi been wholly
confined 10 ,hi> rlu>r. The stern muv-
ali!y oE The purilan<, their rigid OBJ
scrvancc of The Sabbath, there love
Of the Bible. and their itnslilIy 10 vice
in every form. was followed by the IL
Gems Of the are nI' Charles The il. The
universal corruption Of the period Of
Tic restoration wa< Succccurtt by tue
most wonderful revival the world has
ever Witnessed. There are rr,l< If r.
aclinn. but II" good rHu>r ever goes
wholly back. With every forward step
it gaiu> Il li;llc. It. say the Ica<; Of ii.
And mir wurk. may nov and then,
meet. Us heretofore. This >crou> inpc'li-
imrmt; hm with every year We are
:gaInln" rn tie enemy. VT are rduca-
ting public opinion. We are Scrmr:ny
lmItrr legislation. aud saving. ny Inc
dressings Of Gn,. $nrlr who bccnulc
Useful and conspicuous cn-laEmrcrs with
u<.
Last Winter lhr l.nl "c in this city
enjoyed almost unprecedented Irs-
prri1y. ScorcS were initiated almost
every night tia! Il regular meeting MAS
hcld. At one time the were. perhaps.
three hundred enrolled in urlr local Or
-anizalinn. AicMhcr> have Withdrawal.
SOME have been expelled. but few.
perhaps one hundred rriah!r men and