Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-02-05
TIE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT IN MIL

: ded communities in many parts of oul
State, against the sale of Intoxicating
liquors has reached Millersburg, and
. the ladies of our town, feeling thai
something must be done to turn back
the great tide Of intemperance that j:
rolling in upon us and sweeping away
many Of our young and middle aged
, men, running many families, and blast
ing the hope of fond parents, and low
ing wives and sisters, met in Town
Hal, ,on Monday, according to announce
ment. in order to stir up public feeling
ON the subject. They had had several
private meetings, but at this their first
public meeting they invited everybody
to attend. The Hall was literally
packed full. Such enthusiasm and
earnestness upon the subject has never
been shown in this place. The meet
ing was called to order by G.. w. Ever
EFT, ESQ.,, who moved that Prof. Loos
be chosen as temporary chairman. The
motion prevailed, and by another mo-
ton Mr.. A. B. Smith was chosen secre-
tary. Prof. Loos, on taking the chair,
stated the object of the meeting was to
arouse an interest in the cause of tenn
Iperance. Rev. o. Badgley then ad-
dressed the throne Of grace, asking a
blessing upon the work before them'
and direction and divine guidance in
that work. A beautiful song was then
sung under the direction of Prof. Kief-
fer, entitled--"Help us; o Lord" Rev,
A. S. Milholland was then introduced,
who addressed the audience for fifteen
or twenty minutes, relating what had
been, and is now being done in other
parts of the State. Mr.. Badgley fol-
lowed him with some interesting and
touching remarks. Mr.. Everett was
then called out, and his remarks were
earnest and practical, taking right hold
Of the sympathies of the people. After
this a beautiful song was sung by Prof.
Kieffer in his touching manner, that
went straight to the hearts Of all who
heard it. 1t was entitled, ''Touch not,
taste not;'' solo and chorus. Other re-
marks were made and then the pledge
was read, and circulated through the
audience for signers, during which
time another song was sung, called the
Temperance Army" A meeting of the
members of the association was called
for Thursday evening, in Commercial
Hail." to which all who have already
signed the pledge are invited. This
meeting is for completing permanent
organization. The audience was then
dismissed.
Ohio, thus far seems to be the field
for the peculiar warfare upon grogger-
les, and Middle and Southern Ohio the
pai iticular portions of the State where
the excitement runs highest. The last
demonstration to which our eye has
been directed in reading exchanges, is
at London, town few miles west of
Columbus. A correspondent of the
Columbus Journal furnishes the order
OF proceedings. The people interested
held union prayer meetings in the in
terest of temperance. The women Or
ganized into bands, they presented a
pledge to the druggists, gaining the
signatures of all of them to the effect
that they would sell liquor only upon
medical certificates. They then pre-
sented the pledge to the saloon keepers,
but without any result. There are thir-
ty saloons in the place which has pop
ulation of three thousand. The women
then commenced the crusade of prayer.
The first man visited ordered them out
of his saloon, they went to the sidewalk
and held their prayer meeting, making
particular mention to the Throne ct
grace of the saloon man. The next sa-
loon visited the proprietor admitted
them, and one of his customers insulted
the ladies with jeers; the landlord gave
him notice that. repetition of the in
suit would cost him hogging. And so
they went the rounds of the thirty,
with no particular result; some would
laugh, some would get mad some would
be haughtily Indifferent. This has been
followed up day after day. The wo-
men engaged in it are among the lead
ers in society. Names are given, and
they include wives of lawyers, bankers,
editors and Office holders.
The Presbyterian and Methodist
churches are opened daily for prayer
meetings. 1t is estimated that nine
tenths of the citizens have signed the
temperance pledge. On one day the
band of praying sisters numbered one
hundred.
One thing is very certain, the con-
viction that impels women of respecta-
bility, women of modesty, women who
excel in the domestic graces, to kneel
upon the pavements to pray in the pub
lie highways, and to sing hymns in the
streets, is deep seated conviction of a |
sense of duty that must be performed,
let the exposure to insult, and to jeers
be what they may. Praying the devil
out of our human nature has very
high authority, and though the women
who form themselves into bands and
attack the curse of dram drinking by |
prayer in the very places where the
fearful traffic is prosecuted, may win
the appellation Of fanatics, yetthey will
command the respect OF all who would |
correct the greatest EVIL of the day.
We trust that the good work that has
been begun will be carried Oh in our
midst, and that every lover of the tenn
perance cause. will lend his or her In
finance