National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-01-05
SHUN THE WINE CUP.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
MONBF REE. DIR, NOZZLE.

THE MEANING OF THE TExT-THE TEN
PERANCE UNIoE-THE SPIRIT AND FAITH
OF TEMPERANCE WoMEH-THE SUCCESS
OF THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES INTER
EsT-PROGREss IN WASHINGTON.
On the day set apart for Thanksgiving by the
Ladies' Temperance Union Of this District Raw.
Dr. Noble delivered, by appointment, discourse,
which We now publish ct their request:
Second Cor, ii14-"NoN, thanks be unto God,
who always cauSsth rs to triumph In Christ"
The nature Of the triumph and thAnksgfving
expressed in these words is full Of Instruction 10
us We cannot forget that there were periods in
the history Of the writer when he could say to
these same Corinthians, 81 think God hath set
forth to rs the apostles last 1t were, appointed
to death, for We are made spectacle unto the
world, 70 angels and 10 men; We are fools for
Christ's sake; we are weak; we are despised; We
both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are
bufeted and have no certain dwelling. place; We
are reviIed, prosecuted, DETAINED; we are made a.
the NTH o. the earth and the ofsoouring Of all
thInRF." Even In this very chapter he speaks Of
himself as 'Iin much afnlotion and anguish OF
heart, sland with many tears" And yet, IN the
midst o. all and in spite Of all, he Was conscious
Of q real triumph. We remember, too, that the
governmental OF the world were arrayed against
him The religions of the people, idolatrOus, SEN
suRl, corrupt and sHsying with despotic ferocity,
the opinions and prejudices Of men, were corrupt
ing society TO its Utmost heart. And believers In
Christ were . very small number Of imperfect
men and women, gathered in little clusters in
their humble homes In large cities for the worship
of the despised Jesus, while the great world were
rushing In their pursuit Of folly and sin, ss II
there were no God, and as II the Son Of God had
not risen from the dead. These were the stub
born and sad facts Of his daily experience. And
Az fnan NJ nah nv
visHs Of Christ, and his soul was enriched with
such holy and loving trust In his power to save
that he could look into the present and anticipate
the future, not only without fear, but with I'M
sEerVinE hope.
CHRIST WAS TO HIN DIVINE
HIS name was as ointment poured forth. He
was the grandest Of all conquerors, for his death
had been Q triumph over death. He was ever
hearing his burning words, az am he that liyeth
and was dead, and behold am alive forever
more" And Christ's life became TO him . con-
slant presence Of power and 10y. His kingdom
was an universal kingdom, and his servants were
over sin and death and hell. With such con-
queror leading him on he was full Of holy cour.
there Ehone Iuch light from q SaTIour's love and
power that his gratitude and JOY burst forth in
the triumphant words: snow thanks be unto
God, who always causeth rs to triumph In
think these words express the feelings in the
hearts Of the women ofthe
TEMPERANCE UNION"
as they enter into the services OF this day Of
Thanksgiving. Yoq have had many days OF fast
ing and prayer. You are weary, though not ex-
hausted, by many mon.hs Of hard conflict, aud
are more deeply Impressed than ever before with
the magnitude Of the evils connected with In
temperance. You have penetrated more thor
ougfy into the mysteries Of this great crime
against society, against families, against the
Church and against the1mmortal souls OF maa.
rolling on, broad, deep and furious, through the
fairest heritage Of God, seorchiRg, blasting and
burning as 1t goes, the sweetest affections, tho
There is scarcely any ''siver lining" to the dark
cloud which hangs over so many sad homes,
where the broken-hearted wife or sister SIT walt
ing the fearful return Of the drunken father or
the ensnsTed and hopelessly lost brother. The
streets and the cars are still made hideous by the
curses, by the foul breath and disgusting appear
ance Of drunken men and drunken women. Our
young men still die suddenly in fts ofdebauch eur
Strong men become mantacs and our old men turn
into idiots; mothers destroy their helpless chill
dren In the madness OF their cups, and children
grow up victims and slaves to the appetites
which have been created
BY THE SINS OF THEIR PARENTS.
The very foundations Of society, Of good order of
honorable business and Of true prosperity are un-
drunken orgies Of the jewellers IN the saloons, or
are reused from sleep at midnight by the shrieks
Of reeling women as they are dragged on forcibly
TO Imprisonment by the police, or hear the far-off
tramp Of scores Of Thousands Of drunkards who
every year are marching on with certain, though
unsteady, steps to dishonorable graves, the
sins and eorrows connected with the vice OF
drunkenness so Cypress and oVerHhelm you that
you feel for the moment you can never lit
your head or smile again in such world. And
fsee; You remember who he lie, what he has done,
and you hail him as the glorious conqueror still
riding forth In bis chartotfof love- As the friends
Of the Roman general, to whom Triumph nag
triumphal car IT rolled on In the grand process
sion Of captive prisoners and spois OF victory, and
with shouts Of glAdness scattered flowers and
laden with the perfume and their souls were all
glowing with the enthusiasm OF men identified
with the leaders triumph, 50 do you gather
fragrance OF his name is sweeter 70 you than all
flowers and incense, and the words Of the text
express the feelings Of your full and grateful
But there are not few who Will ask, What are
your triumphE7 What has the great conqueroI
done for you? Why do you set spart day Of
bless him with your gratitude ind pour out YOU
hearts in still more earnest and hopeful supplies
tions7 The answer TO these questions ts, first,
that you believe that Christ has originated and
sustained the Woman's Temperance movement
You do not claim for the women any miraculous
interposition; but It is your solemn and pleasant
humanity combined together during the past veal
10 pray and labor to close up the Bar rooms, aud
thus save men from the numerous Gnd powerful
temptations to drink, they were hlled
WITH THE HOLY LOVE
which Christ himself had impaired, and were
inspired with the courage and wisdom which the
Holy Ghost communicates to the children Of God
Turning away from human help to Christ's sym
patty, Invoking Ohrist's interposition primarily
and human legislation as secondary, they Weni
forth seeking BY loving remembrance TO persuade
dealers in intoxicating drinks to cease tempting
men to their ruin. This was the work which they
ceived in the very spirit OF Christ and was carried
forward In imitation Of his loving example and ir
constant dependence on his divine aid. Some
times they were found in the streets In praying
bands Of tens and tWenties, and mites or more
When denied access to the saloons, they plead
their cause publicly before the closed doors ant
prayed to Christ for help In the open street.
This mode Of working was, however, the ex
ception and rot the rule, all their movements o
this kind being grossly misrepresented, and ire
Quently carieatured by their enemies. But
their public marchings and csuntermarchingi
had been multiplied thousand fold they Woul'
have been only more intensely American, AM
most eminently Christian. II has ever been tn
practice Of the American people TO make GU
women prominent and helpful on all great occa
Eions. When Washington at the close OF tn
tour through the Northern and Eastern States
young and beautiful women, the daughters Of tn
Revolution, were selected TO meet him as he en-
his pathway, and address him publicly, in poetr!
and prose, in the name Of the nation. So In on
grand professions, our national festival oeca
sions, there is generally one car Wreathed Il
flowers, and crowded with beauty, and our moth
ers and daughters SIT enthroned IS symbols O
the union and power Of our sovereign States, an
as they pass on rejoicing and blushing, It may b
under the admlring gaze OF their countrymen, IN
streets all ring again with the glad shouts Of tn
ten Thousands who surround them. And %
came to pass last night, when our National Oar
itol was thrown open for the great tCentennla
tea party" the women OF the land, distinguishe
and eeganeies Of life, took their stations behln'
the tables to serve the fragrant beverage. An
there they stood in "full dress,n glittering Il
Jewels. while many thousands Of their country
men sWAyed to and fro before them, gazing ur
abashed upon charms which could not be fiValed
" it'll such proceedings have no fault to hno
It is natural, beautiful ahd WinEome custom
appear in public, with q high and sublime pun
pose Of attacking and removing one Of the mos
formidable adversaries to the peace Of their fam
iies and to the life even Of their children and
the existence Of the nation, and when clad 1
their bonnets and wells and modest apparel the
come TO their work
IN TEARS AND PRAYERS
and selfrenunciation-then their enemies accus
them OF a want Of delicacy, and thousands, will
out thought Of wrong, suffer themselves TO col
clude that the crusaders are quite too forward
their new sphere. ] would simply say to q
such: Do not forget that all these public operi
oughly American, and that objections on th
score or delicaey come almost entirely from thos
| who mingle enthusiastically in the public di
plays Of our ordinary fairs, and SIT unmoved
the midst Of the exhibitions on the boards OF OF
city theatres. But the course pursued by OF