Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1875-06-24
The Temperance Reform.


Tho philanthrDpist who relies On the
machinery Of laws to grind out brneticcnt
results, without continual and energetic
cooperation, will lie miserably disap-
pointed. no legal enactment, however
wise in its provisions and salutary, if en-
forced, in its effects, can ever take the
place Of individual responsibility and OK
ertion. Conscience IS Il divine authority
in the lum>n SOUL and it is absolutely
To say the right thing.
and to DO the right thing, all the time and
Wilcyt-ths is the Interchangeable oh.
ligution imposed upon rs by conscicncc:
and obedience to It is equally the source
Of Christian manhood ;tnl OF trucst Sue
cess in reforming others.
Foryettulness Of This simple truth has
been HE cause Of immcAs" mischief in
the matter Of temperance reform. The
foes Of alcohol have often put forth tire
mcnduus efforts to secure the passage Of
prohioitory laws, and after having sue
cccdcd they almost as often have relaxed
their energies in the line ofmor;ll sua>ion,
losing sight Of the vital fact that a strsN,y
anu RIGOROUS public sentiment lies back
of a law, and is the only guarantee of it,
faithful execution. There are hundreds
Of dead laws on cur Statute books tina!
have never been officially repealed. They
are dead simply bccaus the public scnti-
mcnt out Of which they grew is dead. 70
make a law IL living force, it is necessary
to keep the sentiment OF Tie community
in a state OF moral ayit:;;ion; to inti,*e
into it ccasclcss and regenerativc pow
er Of righteous and purifying principles.
At the very point, therefore, where our
l;bors are likely to be rclinquisl!ed, they
ought to be enlarged and intensified.
Have YOU got a nO-licenee law passed for
your town? Then work, not the less EV
al the moral agencies, but harder than
ever The Legislature is a good enough
manufacturer Of strait jackets With which
to curb somewhat the evil propcnsit:es Of
society; but it is not Il fountain Of life
and OF righteous purpose. The most chat
il can accomplish is in Il negative form
but a; a substitute for the inspiration that
comes from the living voice, and from
contagious personal exa,1 pie, it is worth
! less
f, not Of, ~
our Lord, who was the Prince Of Reform
crS, did not begin at the governments Of
His day, though they were about as bad
! as could be, but at the individual. BY
His friendly inculcation of transforming
prccepts, and especially by His sympa
thctic and exalted example, he lifted
one after another into higher ideal OF
life, and a nobler performance Of its du
! ties, until society WAS shaken as with u
! moral earthquake. and men cried out fol
-, SALVATION Thus through the regeneration
Of individuals, His religion finally, in the
person OF Constantine, mounted the tlirOn,
Of the Caesars, and dictated the laws of III
universal empire. Friends OF temper
ancc, let CAlist be your model. Do No
fail to exert your influence over the in>li
vidual who may be your personal ac
uuaintuncc or relative Tie law can ncv
CT see a drunkard, but YOU can. II TIL
officer closes the saloon on Sunday, thu
keeping your sou Il little while tro:n temp
taticn, what is to be his safety on Monda!
except the strength Of principle will
which your teaching and example have
| inspired him? An ounce ofprcvcntion i
worth pound OF cure. IIc is not Il
formed man who. does not drink simpl,
because he cannot get liquor at the bar
but if he restraints himself in obediehc
to your kindly Influence in pointing: on
the danger Of irrcvocab]c drunkenness
with its poverty, its broken health, its IT
ined intellect, its degradation of famil
and blasted hopes in regard to the soul il
eternity, then he is in a fair way of refol
nation. The fascination of wine is S.
great, the peril Of forming by even al oc
casional Indulgence an unguvcrrablc hal
it is SO imminent, the crimes perpctuatc'
by the Intoxicated are SO many and awtu
that every lover Of humanity and Of Cos
may we'll feel constrained to be indctat
gable and persistent, to a degree whic!
some may call fanatical, in his efforts t
hold men back from the bottom]es
abyss Of strong drink. 1t is said on goo
authority that with the passage Of ever.
hour in these United States seven poor
helpless incbriatcs drop into that dread
full grave from which there can be IL
heavenly resurrection. The thought G
this ovcrwholms one with unspcakabl
) sadness; and sad1er yet is the conviction
: that no legal regulations can arrest thu
evil. Moral power, in the form Of person
} al appeals entreating moderate drinker
, to abstain, and the young to keep relig
ously u total abstinence pledge, must b
after Ill the grand lever for the uphcavS
Of this national vice Of intempcrance
While the sober man is sleeping in til
sweet thought that his work is done, til
5 advocate of the liquor traffic is slceplcs
, All night long the corn is fermentins
= the horrid still-house; all night long til
), gilded saloon is merry With III
4 song ofswassailers, or riotous with til
e oaths and blows Of inflamed and madden
; ed brains. Up, Christians!:s By pqraytt
y and by persuasion strive, in Gods nam
5 TO shut that gate through which Il