The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-05-18
SERMON.
The Red Ribbon Movement



Wine is q mocker, strong drink is raging and
whatsoever is decived thereby Is not wise.-
Pr0U., 20, 1.
Temperance, as well as religion, has its re-
vivals. To-day, in our State, the temperance
revival appears in the form OF the Red Ribbon
Movement. Criticise these temperance move
ments in some particulars as We may. yet 1t
must be conceded that all honest, earnest ef
forts to check the liquor traffic should meet
with the hearty sympathy Of all good people.
1. We assume the EVIL Of Intemperance.
Eight-tenths Of our CRIMINALS, and seven-
eighths OF our paupers are made such by strong
drink. One-half Of our insanity is the result
OF Intempernce. Rum rs an enslaving power
stands without rival. 1 think it was in this
State that man was told by his physician that
he could not live through another attack OF the
deiirium tremens. But with the warning Of the
doctor sounding in his ears, he goes to Justice
OF the Peace. makes his will, drinks again to
excess and dies the terrible death of the drunk
ard.
2. 1t is the BUSINESS of the public to fight the
liquor traffic. The saloonist may say to the
temperance workers. "You attend to your
business and will attend to mine" But it ID
the business Of the public to attend to public
nuisance. Your horse dies, and you about half
bury the animal in your yard, back OF the
house. The stencil soon annoys the whole
neighborhood. One Of your neighbors remon-
strates. You reply, you attend to your bust
ness and I will attend to NINE" Yes, Sir, but
that nuisance has become the business Of the
entire neighborhood. They have right to
speak and right to act. And when saloon
whose stencil is . hundred fold more offensive
to the public nostrils than the putrid remains
Of An unburied horse, is set up in our midst
it is our legitimate business to cry out against 1t.
8. But says one, there is 80 much EXCITE
MENT about these temperance revivals, excite
ment is dangerous, beware OF it." What pity
it would be il ten drunkards in Paw Paw should
chance to get excited and become sober men
II that is excitement, God grant that we may
have much OF it
4. Then says another, Zone may be intern
perate in q great many thlngs.-in drinking
tea, Coffee or IN eating. Why fight whisky
all the time ?" Mr.. Cough, in his lecture,
1.-THE Foes we Fight" shows up the fallacy OF
this apparently very plausible argument. A
family in Massachusetts,, though noted FOR
their hospitality, would put no wine on their
table. A distinguished visitor from Europe
was dining there one day and he said to the
lady of the house: You will not give me
VINE to drink because some one else makes a
bad use OF it. Would not that style Of reason
ing take away al our Injuries? like to cat
cheese, but l know man who can't eat cheese
without making glutton Of himself, therefore,
according to your doctrine, you should give me
no cheese to eat" At this stage Of the story,
substance, this: lis that fair argument ?
Did you ever hear of man standing on the
gallows with the fatal moose dangling before
his eyes, saying to those around him. My
friends, take warning from me-never eat any
cheese See what cheese has brought me to!
Did you ever hear OF man numbering his wife
and saying that it was the result Of eating
cheese Did you ever hear Of street fight in
which heads we're split open and eyes blackened,
and the papers reporting the row the next
morning remarking that the men were under
the influence OF cheese When you do hear OF
these things" says Cough, =" then will fight
cheese as resolutely as l am now fighting
whisky"
5. Mere LEGISLATION can not do away with
the liquor traffic. A law amounts to nothing
unless public sentiment supports it. Instance
the Compulsory Education Jaw and the Fugitive
Slave Act. There are a thousand ways to evade
the mere law. The City Council OF Edinburg,
wishing to have the streets OF the city lighted
at night. passed a law that all persons walking
on the streets at night should carry lantern
with them. A man, wishing to evade the law
appeared the next night on the street with 8
lantern but no candle in it. Then they passed
law that persons walking on the streets Al
night should carry lantern with candle in it
This man appears on the streets with Lantern
with candle in it but the candle is not lighted
Finally they passed law that persons walking
on the streets at night should carry Lantern
with lighted candle IN 1t. This illustrates tn,
difficulty Of framing law that will admit OF NJ
evasion. hundred successful tricks were re
sorted to in order to evade the Maine Liquor
Law. What we need is not more stringen
temperance laws, but Q stronger public senti
ment to support the laws that we have.
6. II these temperance revivals do not abolish
the liquor traffic they STAY ITS PROGRESS
When the inhabitants Of Holland cav that tn
ocean was going to submerge their native LAM
and destroy their homes. they went to work ant
built dykes which are the admiration Of tn
world. The old ocean, in fiercest storm, dashe
in vain against those dykes. Now and then
spray may leap over the barriers, but the mai
body Is hurled back and Holland is protected
food Of intemperance threatens our land
Shall we sit unconcefhed while we hear tn
deep moaning OF the advancing surges? W
will build o dyke of pubic sentiment, agains
which the ocean Of iDtemperance shall dash 4
vain. General who wishes to make cit
, capitulate cuts off all Of its supplies. A publ
sentiment that will give the liquor dealers n
patronage-cnt of all their supplies, will driv
. them from any town.
T. These Temperance movements are rer
deriDg the use Of intoxicating liquors as be,
. erage more and more UNPOPULAR. The saloo
now has the window plAaa colored and the dor