Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1877-08-28
TEMPERANCE ADDRESSES.

We were pleased to see large and ap>
preciative audience gathered at Washington
Hall on Monday evening of last week, to
hear Temperance Address from the Hon.
Geo. o. Davenport, of Wheeling. The Me-
ehanics' Silver Corret Band furnished music
for the occasion, and Shenandoah Lodge, 1.
O.G. T., was present in regalia. We ap-
pend the following further report from the
Free Press:
The speaker began his remarks by the
statement that in his opinion mistaken idea
had obtained as to the cure of the great evil,
Intemperance, from which so many hundreds
of thousands are suffering in this and other
lands. He said that it ought to be regarded
as Sin committed in the sight of God, and
the only remedy was that of all other sin,
che blood of Christ. Only by repentance,
towards God, aud faith in His Son as the
atonement for his sin can the drunkard be
raised from his degradation and saved from
the awful consequences of his crime here and
hereafter. He demonstrated by many refer
ences to liquor laws in various States, and
statements of their constant and habitual
evasion, the utter futility of legislation as
remedial agent-giving instances Of the most
stringent laws in Maine, Ohio, and our own
State being broken with impunity, because
those who were cognizant of their violation
would not inform on the offenders. He then
singled out and addressed respectively three
classes of the community-the habitual
drunkard, the moderate drinker, and the to-
tai misunderstanding with the first to seek
the only refuge from his dreadful habit; putt
ting before the second in strong light his
responsibility in setting to the young haz-
l.. j.
gerous member of society than the common
street drunkard on account of his position as
a gentleman and a person of influence in tho
community, while the poor sot of the gutter
serves as a warning to the young md final
ly to the total abstinence man to be up and
doing, to exert a moro powerful sway over
those exposed to temptation, to join their So
cieties, sign their pledges. and try by every
means in his power to lead and assist them
in the right way.
At the close of Mr.. Davenport's lecture,
after loud and continued applause, Hon. Il.
G.. Cracraft, of Wheeling, was called, and
that gentleman proceeded to the platform and
occupied few minutes in very eloquent
and forcible address, commencing with a
sketch of the remarkable Temperance Re-
former Murphy-his character and the secret
of his wonderful SUCCESS being his strong
sympathy with the sufferer, and unshaken
faith in the "possiblities of men," He closed
with the following beautiful allegory used by
the Hon. j. j. Crittenden in arguing the case
of client who had committed murder when
under the influence of liquor and was on trial
for his life: ''In the Eternal Councils of the
Almighty, before the Creation, God called up
the three Attributes who always attended the
Throne-Truth, Justice and Mercy, and
asked the first: Shall create man, o TRUTH
The answer was Create him not, o God,
for he will polute Thy sauctuaries.' The
same question was then proposed to Justice
and the reply was Z: Create him not, o God,
for he will trample on Thy laws When, at
last, Mercy was appealed to she fell at the feet
of Eternal Wisdom, and with eyes all filled
with tears replied: Create him, o Father,
and / will follow him in all his paths, and try
to lead him to Thee p" So the maxim of
the great band of Temperance is: "Malice
towards none, Charity to all"
The fluent oratory of the speakers was lis
tened to with profound attention, and called
forth rounds of applause at the close.
The opening Prayer was made and the
Benediction pronounced by Rev. S. G. Fer
guson. David Howell, Esq, Worthy Chief
Tcmplar, presided and introduced the speak
ers.