The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-06-12
The Crusade.

Intemperance has wrought such ruin |
in the land, has tyranized over the 4
weak, and proved a despot over the |
minds and cOnsciences of all its votaries, !
that almost any means to destroy the
evil seems justifiable, or at least eXcusa-
BILE.
It so pollutes, degrades, and ruins So
ciety in all its parts that any one class
may, on the plea of self-preservation
rise up and defend itself with any means
il can command.
Any effort to stay its ravages on the
life of society, however irregular and
violent, would seem to be justifiable on
the plea of self-defensc and self-preser-
walton.
No wonder that women, who are the
greatest sufferers, should be first and
most earnest to arrest the evil. Penury
and shame, anguish and death are theirs
when their fathers and husbands be-
come the victims of the bowl. Who
shall tell their sufferings-worse than
death in its most hideOus fOrms-when
their brothers and sons are fettered in
body and cursed in spirit by the fell de-
strOyer? The instinct of self-preserva-
tiOn OvercOmes the gentle and confiding
nature Of woman. She goes forth to
meet the foe. She finds him entrenched
and fortified behind the law. His Ii
cense is his shield and sword of defense.
The strong arm Of government protects
him. What can women do? They and
their loved ones are in the very Jaws of
the monster a single contraction of
the maxilary muscle will crush them.
Entreaty, prayers and tears are their
only weapons. Against these, IL might
be presumed, no heart could be found so
Obdurate as to resist. That pleading,
praying, weeping women, entreatng for
the lives OF their fathers and husbands
and sons, should be spurned and arrested
as criminals and cast into prison, would
be a blot on the civilization Of any age.
Yet licenses are granted under the law,
and the law must protect those whom
il authorizes to act. Officers are sworn
TO execute the statute, and when called
upon by a licensed rum-seller, they
must do their duty. The root of the
evil lies back of the law and beyond the
eglslature-the law-making power It
Is found in that corruption of morals
growing out OF ignorance, which de
mands the license system to cater TO 4
depraved appetite and vitiated taste
No permanent progress can lie made
against this tide Of iniquity until its
true source Is recognized and the great
fountain stanched. As long rs the
moral sentiment of any community not
only fails to rebuke, but absolutely de-
mands intemperance, it is worse than
idle and vain to hope for its eradication.
Morals must be so corrected that inebri-
ETY. Will be esteemed a great crime and
sObriety q leading virtue Education
must cease to be regarded as n mere
matter Of arithmetic and n means 10
make money it must contemplate
something higher and nobler. Intel
lectual must be regarded as preliminary
and subordinate to moral culture and
women. There is but little hope of re-
claiming the Tum-seller. The man who
can deal ont poison to his neighbor,
without remorse Of conscience, is far
gone i'm moral turpitude. Hymns and
prayers fall upon his his heart like the
dews of Heaven upon the fiinty rock.
1t has become too Obdurate to yield any
verdure, much less any fruit. But there
are those whom they can influence
their husbands who are yet unsold to the
demon; their children who are yet free
from the pollutions of intemperance;
their fathers and brothers who have
hitherto resisted temptation. Educate,
influence and strengthen all these.
Here prayer will be effectual. Here,
from the social family altar songs of
praise VIII rise from hearts of graft
tudei sweet SAVIOR to Heaven. Secret
ana social prayer, unobstructed by the
strife OF opposition, cannot fall fruitless
to the ground. God will answer PRAYER.
Only let 1t be the efieetual, fervent
prayer OF pure, honest heart. and tbe
fruits OF peace and JOY will follow
CllriStida Messenger.