The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-04-01
TEMPERANCE;
Meeting at Washington Hall Last
Night, -

Notwithstanding the lnclemency Of the
weather last evening there was q fair al.
tendance 81 the Hall. After the usual
prellminaries Of singing and prayer, the
President announced the speaker Of the
evening, the Rev. Dr.. Reilly, who Ad.
dressed the audience for over an hour,
most Of the time In a very animated way.
The following Is q synopsis oil bis re.
marks:
In the controversies pending our late
national struggle, We became familiar
with the term, The 1rrepressible Conflict,
and we almost forgot that II was susCep.
tible Of q broader application than we
then made OF it. While the Irrepressible
Conflict includes the conflict between
Liberty and Slavery, in lie, broadest sense,
It means the conflict between Moral Light
and Darkness. When Sin entered the
world, this conflict began, and 1t must
continue till sin is no more.
Hence says st. Paul In the fifth chapter
oil his epistle to the Ephesians, and at the
twelfth verse, I'VE wrestle not against
flesh and blood"-or, as understand
him, Christian conflict, while It includes,
Is not merely with weak men and ileshy
appetltes-"but against principalitieS,
against powers, against the rulers Of the
darkness OF this world, against spiritual
wickednesS in high places lin other
words, against an Internal confederation
still intent upon working out that msjes-
tic programme which originally planned
and attempted the Acknowledgement and
overthrow Of Heavens empire.
Internal agency Is evident In the atheis.
teal views which have obtained In the
world in regard TO the authority Of human
governments. AondrehiSts, Tor instance
while they have plead Tor the divin0 right
Of kings, have practically made the deity
empty himself Of all power and majesty
in the grant, 80 that they should be obey.
ed rather than he. Il Is as true now as II
was In the days OF the psalmist-"The
kings Of the earth set themselves, and the
rulers take counsel together against the
Lord, and against His Amounted, saying,
Let US break their bonds asunder and
cast away their cords from u.s."
Nor have we any improvement upon
this atheism in that loose republicanlsm
which locates the authority Of govern
ment in the doctrine Of Tho social compact.
The Scriptures inform US that 9orern-
naent is an ordinance of God-not an or.
dinanCe against God; and 1t Is only in the
light Of this truth that we are 10 learn in
the highest sense how "the magistrate
beareth moi the sword in vain"
Internal agency has also appeared in
the enormities oil UieiouS legislation. and
the atheistical excuses which are offered
in their defence. 1t is not true that GER
tain departments or spheres Of human &C.
ton lie beyond the scope Of the divine
law, and that legislators may prescribe
our social and civil duties without regard
to moral and religious considerations.
Laws, Tor instance, which license i'm
mOrality-such as q late law OF Missouri
-c0ntravene the law of heaven, and are
disgrace TO the civilization Of the age
and country.
vi the same character are the laws
which license the sale OF intoxicating
drinks. Gods law Iorbids Us to put an
occasion Of stumbling in the way Of the
weak, and pronounCes woe upon such
as put the bottle 10 their neighbours lips
and make them drunken. Society in
stead Of affirming and enforcing the law
OF God, sells licenses which authorize its
violation, and might, consistently with
such grant, authorize men 10 break
every article Of the decalogue. Intempe.
rance and kindred evils have always re-.
suited from the traffic In intoxicating
beverages, and It has now become an alb
sorbing question. what we are to do with
this traffic. Two methods, namely, LG-
gal SuGSion and Moral SUasion, are be.
fore us, and l am In favor Of using both.
!. Legislation against the liquor traffic
is legitimate II the intemperance which
results from this traffic be a social evil.
lronclad prohtbitory laos have been pro.
nounced constitutional by no less tribu.
nal than the Supreme Court OF the United
States, all the judges concurring, as well
as by State courts in instances not a few.
Then among the reasons why legisla-
ton should be used, we may enumerate
the following: /. The liquor traffic is
opposed TO the lao Of Nature, which re.
quires that Toe should hurt no body, and 50
use our OtOn as not 10 inrade dc rights Of
another.
2 1t is opposed TO the reuealed Word Of
God, which commands US 10 do good to all,
and prOnounces tOOe against him aOhC
propqgGteS drunkenness.
8. 1t is opposed 10 the inalienaGlc rights
Of men as stated In our Declaration oil In.
dependence, namely, life, liberty, and the
pursuit Of Happiness.
Does the liquor traffic protect lJe? Let
the over one hundred thousand new.filled
drunkards' graves In the past year an
swer. Let the more than duplicate mum.
bers Of indirect victims of mortality by
drunkenness answer.
Does 1t promote liberty? What slavery
Is comparable TO the slavery Of drink?
Does 1t aid humanity In the pursuit Of
happiness What vice let's loose upon
humanity such legion Of miseries as in
temperance
4 Moreover, whether we will have
anything 10 do with this traffic or not, It
will have something to do with US. 1t
burdens US with unnecessary taxes, en-
dangers our loved ones and imperils our
lives.
s. Nay, it puts in jeopardy our free in.
situations by oft placing us at the mercy
Of uhiSky rings and their miserable dupes
g. And finally, God holds US more re-
sponsible than-any people on the face Of
the earth, because he has given US more.
For these and other reasons we should
use legal suaslon against the liquor traffic.
OF what use then Is moral SuGSion? We
answer, It serves 10 create public senti-
ment against the traffic, and embody 1t in
the law, and also 10 aid in the enforce
ment OF prOhibitory laws after they are
enacted.
The bearing Of the women's whisky
crusade is appreciab,e In both oil these
phases Of suasion. Woman has power.
tul social influence; indirectly, she has
been terrible sufferer; her mission 10 the
saloons is in the spirit Of prayer and
Ii.