Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1875-05-22
AN APPEAL FROM ANOTHER.

AN AfFEAL NUN aNO1h Es'
The writer of the Final Appeal" in
last weeks issue, requested the writer OF
this article to continue the essays ID
favor of neral reform. 1t is not our
object to begin a new argument, but to
continue the old one, touching upon
legal and moral suasion to effect COM
plete reformation upon the subject OF
TEMPERANCE; and | desire to emphasize
the word temperance, as it is an impor-
tant part OF Christianity, and without 1t
there can be no morality. Temperance
Is ;useperable from those graces which
constitute fully the Christian Character,
viz: virtue, knowledge, patience, Cod
illness, brotherly kindness, and Charity.
If cleanliness is a part of Goodness,
temperance which beget cleanliness is
part of Goodness itself.
am fully aware that almost every
thing has been said that can be said up
on this subject, but everything has not
been done that can be done to cure the
evil The voice of the Christian minis
try to-day is heard proclaiming suoh
sentiments as these, "We can neYer be
satisfied with anything lessthan theen-
tire destruction of the liquor traffic; laws
must be enacted making this vast sys-
tenn of iriquity responsible for the losses
and woes which have been recklessly
inflicted upon long suffering and too
patient peoples" but here we must
pause and inquire, how are such laws to
be enacted, when christian people, pro-
fessed members of the Church of Christ
give countenance tothe liquor traffic by
signing petitions for license, vote to
grant license-rent property for such
purposes, and even in many instances
use it as beverage themselves The
Church is the recognized leyen OF So
ciety, to raise the world up to a higher
plane of civilization, social refinement,
intellectual culture, and industry, and
yet many of its members though strictly
commanded to "avoid evil OF every
kind" and ''to abstain from the very ap-
pearance of evil" show by their influ-
ence and example that they are alto
gether in sympathy with the destructive
system of intemperance. To every
Christian the Bible is an end of all con-
troversy; it is to him the voice OF the
Great Supreme Commanding him to do
right, and forbiding him to Go wrong.
No duty could be palmer than that he
should avoid those evils with which in
temperance is firm linked, gambling,
swearing, horse-racing, forgery, arson,
&c, his very professor is antagonistic
TO these, and we would be as Justltiable
in speaking of religious gambler or
swearer, as TO speak of religious TIP
pier. The moderate drinker with many
q church member to-day are the greatest
obstacles in the way Of the final triumph
of the cause of temperance. In looking
over Temperance facts find five things
most absurd. l, To desire to have men
sober, and vote license to make them
drunk. 2, To mourn over drunkards,
and vote license to make more 8, TO
pity drunkards family, and vote for
The chief means of his misery. 4, To ex-
pect to restrain men from evil by telling
some of them they may do 1t. 5, 10
think that authorizing a business will
discourage it. Now we arrest q man
for iutoyicatior, and disorderly conduct
when the laws of the land sanction the
very places that sold him the liquor:
We hang the murderer, instigated by
intoxicating liquor, and let the man so
unpublished who sold him the liqnor:.
We despise loafers, and thieves, and
street druukards and beggars, and yet
we consider men engaged in the manu-
facture of liquor as industrious, and be-
ing in honorable employment. Who
can calculate the loss of time in its
manufacture and sale! The loss OF
money invested in its buildings! land
the loss to industry from drunkards,
criminals, and paupers; and the expense
of police, of courts, of justice, OF pris-
ons, poor-houses, &c" But what can
be compared to the loss of soul! A
soul ruined, and destroyed by intoxlca-
ton? As fearful as it is, remember that
every minute Of your life some poor,
shattered wreck of a man, falls into a
drunkards grave, and drunkards hell
"Then lift not the wine cup tho pleasure
may swim
Like an Angel of light round its roseate
brim;
For dark in the depths Of the fountain be-
low,
Are the Syrens that Turk in the vortex
of wOe?"