Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-05-01

the religious enthusiasm, was very prom
nent, so much so as to swallow up the hu-
man foresight and prudence which are no
less elements in it, and give to the whole
kind Of one-sided, suspicious air. BY care
ful observation on the ground, however, l
find it is not 30. The movement, wonderful
and divine a. il l., conforms to laws clearly
ascertaiued and well established in the pro-
gres- of truth and Righteousness in the
earth. 1t j., in the majority Of cases report
ed, and that have come under my observa-
ton. campaign well planned. carefully
and skilully executed. The human and
the Divine co-Operate in it, the human ioi-
lowing Divine principles and directions,
forming the plans, furnishing the agencies
and appliances, and the Divine supplying
the power. for there i 10 power but OF God
50 IL Wa at Hillsboro, in Highland county,
where the movement began. December %,
last. So it was at London, Madison county,
at New Richmond .Clermont county, at Ok
ford. Butler county, and wherever ! have
observed it and become familiar with
it. and have observed it and
worked in il, somewhat. in eight
or nine counties Of the State. Con
forming to the little pecuiiarIties Of time
and place, it i essentially the same IN all
places. so that to tell Of one l. to tell OF all.
/ shall therefore detail the facts in the case
at oxford. a. they were given to me by one
of the most cool and careful leaders in it
Oxford. in Butler County, near the west
ern centre Of the State, i a town Of about
> GOO inhabitants, the seat Of University,
several fourishing schools, kind of intel
lectual and educational centre. 1t Is noted
for It's intelligence, thrift and enterprise IN
TINS part Of the State. Yet this town, like
many Others in central and southwestern
Ohio. has been cursed by large local liquor
traffic. damaging its educational advanta
ees. and degrading the place. \ score Of
liquor shops. one report now before me says
thirty. have piled here their work Of death.
1t wa found by inquiry. 50 report says
that 200 OF the students there had become
addicted 10 strong drink. Il quite destroyed
the University The iniquity becoming IN
hearahic. a few of the best friends OF law
and order quietly determined to proceed
against it. How thoughtfully deliberately,
per-.-,eutly. and sklfully the cam
pairn wa, planned and executed appears
from the following details
]. The circulation. without any public
demonstration. of the following pledges
4. "A citizens pledge, the common. to-
tai abstinence pledge, both t. secure the
promise of total abstinence from as many a.
possible. and 10 ascertain the sentiments of
the community. &. a property holder 5
pledge. that the property holders would
neither sell nor rent their property t. be
used for tie liquor traffic. {, the drug
ci-,- physicians and lawyers pledges that
the druggists would not sell except for med
icina purposes. and on the certificate Of a
physician that the physician would pre-
scribe alcohol only in cases Of necessity .
and that the lawyers would not defend the
liquor interests, and would give their in
1aence a. lawyers against ii.
. A ladies league was formed to work
not for week or month bat until reform
should De secured.
g. These thing- being done. mas meet
InE was called 10 unite and practically en-
body the sentiment already raised. f1i-
+ loving tits. pledge was presented ~ all
4 the liquor sellers. L. close their unlawful
4 bu~iue-~ This being refused. other mea-
f sure- were rc>0rted 70. Two daily public
meetings. morning and evening, for prayer
ana cuu~u tatlun were appointed. ana the
. Ladies league brought into more active
work. The responsibility OF executing tie
7 plans % she Ladies League were entrusted
F 10 the president and secretary Of the len que.
VINO ac.ed most efficiently. Praying bands
We're sent out to work from log clock t. ..
each band having an appointed leader and
good ch0rister. Three OF four of these
bands were sent ont At the same time
Each band was relieved in the middle 10
the day. Every saloon Wa Thus invested
and watched. 50 that no one could enter Il
without being recognized. Besides the
officers and leaders Of these bands, each one
went out with rules and instructions writ
ten in the secretary = book
Fur ther, 10 guard against excess and 90
guild and give confidence 10 the whole
movement. q council of five Of the best and
approved men of the place was appointed,
I. " hon cases of extreme difficulty might be
reported and their advice taken.
These were mainly the human means. but
reliance was had no les upon these human
/ agencies ;han upon the Divine and. 10
fact, the movement i pre-eminenty re-
/ lc.ous one. The spirit Of God clearly or
ieInate~ and works through these approved
/ human agencies. Is il any wonder. then.
+ that these praying bands are strong and d.
/ exploits OF that the demon L. driven out
The wave j. rolling in from the cxtreml-
ties - the great centres OF population and
wicked power. Cincinnati. the heart OF
/ liquor production and power in the " est.
sees and feels its coming. One of the
[ speakers in "a large public meeting there
/ Wednesday last, declared that the exporta-
ton of liquors since September last, a.
compared with last year. had fallen OF
Il 800 bDlS. The Cincinnati COHme-cla.
/ Of Yesterday. STATES that the daily transpor-
tation was now 300 bbl~ less than usual.
The good in Cincinnati are arming TO help
on tins movement, and the bad to resist II.
But the result j. by No means doubtful, Tor
they that be for Us are more than they that
be against Us. A. D. L.
New Richmond, March :, ls1i.
?. S-ArRu 5th.-l have kept the above
letter long enough TO see the fulf-lment Of
it. prophecy and the result of the agencies
at work. visiting, in the meantime, Clncin-
matt twice and many bother places for this
purpose. Oxford l. now redeemed, a. vel
a. scores OF other places fast bound
m lin and wee a few weeks ago. All the
efforts % hinder, such n prosecutions and
procIamatiun- against the ladies praying
bands and abuse of these bands. ha- help
cd and u.i hiudered. The resolution OF
the k1ari ui Aldermen Of Cincinnati, of
March II. That bis Honor the Mayor he,
and is hrr' g., requested TO enforce the ordi-
nance Of the city regarding the annoyance
of the owners or occupants Of property by
other persons coming on their premises to
sing. pray or exhort against the wishes of
said owners or occupants, with the proc
lamation Of Mayor Johnston relating to it,,
may be taken, - far a results are concern
ed. ~ q specimen of all these hIndrances-
The respectful but adroit manner IN which
the ladies have treated this proclamation,
has aroused all good citizens 10 consider
their rights under the law. and especially
under the Statutes of Ohio regulating the
sale of spirituous liquors. This has caused
these Statutes 10 be widely published and
read and learned. Being 80 published many
and well informed men, even. confess sur
prise 10 find that the Statutes Of the State
are 50 clear and strong against the saloons
and bars that flood city. town and village
IN Ohio. Ii Is sure that there i not one Of
these thousands Of saloons but what l. a. Vi
olated the law times without number, and
set all right and authority at defiance. 4
public sentiment has thus been aroused ard
a new lever put in the hands of the indies
and their allies TO overthrow not only the
saloons Of the stronghold, Cincinnati, but
to remove them from the State. And we
judge from the temper Of the times. that
this will ere long be done, and Ohio re-
deemed from this illegal traffic in strong
drink 4. D. T.
Senator Edmunds has reported bill for
the payment Of the Alabama claims, which