The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-03-24
"a PLEA FOR CHAMPIONSHIP" Re-
VIEWED.

To THE EDITOR OF THE NEW NORTHWEST:
see in your issue of the 18th inst.
that your correspondent sc. H. D."
takes me to task for some of my utter
ances in an article entitled, IA Plea for
Championship" and published in a
previous number of your paper. But
before noticing his structures upon my
article, permit me to thank him for
looming to the 'front.'" even at this late
day, with so able defence of the Order
of c. r. c., for 1 think, in all candor,
that not only has he shown himself
critic of no ordinary requirements, but
a really able exponent of the character
and aims of the Order. And although
is is never pleasant to submit to severe
castigation, whether deserved or not, 1
am really glad that attempted to in
form the public, through your columns,
as to the eommendable features Of the
Order, for weak and erroneous as my ef-
fort may have been, it was certainly the
direct means of arousiug so able pen
as that of "G. H. D." in advocacy of the
principles of Championship. And here
let me assure the good brother Il take it
that "G. H. D." is entitled to this ap-
pellation) that whatever exceptions he
takes to my article, that 1 endorse
nearly every word of his reply. Yet
cannot but think that had he perused
the article in question with more care,
he would not have been SO quick to crit
icize. He would have discovered that
was writing for the information of
) temperance people outside the Order,
and not for the ediication of persons
; like himself, who, from an inside view,
have become thoroughly acquainted
with its whole character and teachings.
He would have discovered that although
I proposed to give but few of the COM
mendable features of the Order, gave
in full the objects of the same as pro-
: mulgated by its highest judicature, and
: then proceeded to speak principally of
the temperance features of the Order.
But were my remarks on this part of
! the Order calculated to mislead? By
} reference to the questions propounded
to the candidate for admission to the
Order, it will be found that not only is
} he required to wholly abstain from all
: intoxicants, but also to give his practi-
cal influence against the traffic and use
of alcoholic liquors. And while this is
not the precise language used in my
: first, and to which &c. H. D." takes
such decided exceptions, it certainly
] justifies the conclusion that temperance
e is a "part of the real work of the Order"
as we'll as protective plank in its PLATE
form. Yet 1 fully agree with your cor
respondent that the temperance obliga-
tion is of no greater Importance to the
members of the Order than many Of the
fourteen others, and that the G. R. G. in
= no sense essays to supply the place Of
@ the Good Templars as reformatOry or
ganization. 1 understand it to be, as
one has said, "a beneficial Order, whose
threshold is temperance" instead of
temperance reform Order, with benef-
cial provisions. There is no conflict
there can be none either in principles
: the I. o. G. T. and the G. r. G. Each
has its legitimate work to do, that the
q other does not attempt; and God knows
= that there is work enough for both in
D their Legitimate spheres. But while as
an order we do not attempt to correct
+ the many evils that exist outside the
4 organization, as individual Champions
: we should do so. To illustrate:
Brother "G. II. D." erects a mansion,
primarily for the comfort of himself and
Or socially disqualified for association
with himself and family, should be ad-
mitted to it's sacred precincts. But does
y the good brother fold his arms in idle
y ness and ease, and there, in the enjoy
> ment of comfort and luxury, shut his
3 eyes and close his ears to the squalor
and misery that surrounds him on every
e hand No, no. His own heart becomes
: lighter and his own hearth-stone
j brighter as he stoops to lift the CALLING
0 burden from the shoulders of earth's un-
fortunates, physical wrecks or moral
: outcasts though they be, notwithstand-
ing they could not with propriety or
f safety be admitted to the genial warmth
: of his comfortable home. Hence, con-
slider that although the Order is not de-
. signed to work in the cause of reform,
that the membership should, and am
proud to say they do! The scope of our
=. obligations is as broad as the world of
humanity. The objects of the Order
are, first, the benefiting of its members
in every possible way, and afterward
the amelioration of the whole race and
;. the diffusion of the blessings of Cham
pionship throughout the earth, far as
. the curse is found. And though we
cannot, for manifest reasons, admit to
e the privileges and benefits of the Order
# the drunkard, the debauchee, nor any
e of that unhappy class who have by
: prodigality or prOhigaey rendered them
d selves unfit for the relations of benefi-
: cial organization or for the society of
d the refined and pure, we may and
should, as true Champions of the Red