The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-05-16
TEMPLE OF HONOR

Uct1h Will WIZ Liz I1Cou SolcGIDCdtlOlA VA
the deeds and character of their fore
| fathers. So does our Temple with a
pardonable exultation point to a dis
| tinguished parentage in the great Tenn
pile of Racine and desire and hope
that it may never shame it's high
descent.
A year ago last April Racine Temple
attempted a great work when it under
took to start a Temperance Reforma-
ton in Kenosha. When it's advanced
guard Of earnest workers arrived they
found a very uninyiting field Of labor,
all depression and Encouragement. A
few years before, the organization Of
Good Templers after doing good work
amongst the young, became extinct in
the city and the county. A society
was started which it was hoped would
be free from the objection that many
temperance people had raised against
its predecessors. 1t had no secrecy in
it's composition, it's meetings were
open to all, and able and friendly citi-
Zens lectured gratuitously before it's
audiences, but all that could be done
failed to keep it alive, it fingered on
for few weeks and then became so
completely extinct that the most SAN
guine entertained no hope of it's resus-
| itation. Attempts were made to elect
Aldermen and City Officers who should
enforce the State laws and keep the
liquor business within the bounds of
decency, by protecting the young, clos
ing the saloons on the Sabbath, and
banishing drunkenness from the streets
by shutting up the drunkards. But the
majority Of voters had other views
and they carried them out. Even in
this darkest day however there were
some who felt that the christianity and
intelligence of this age could not stand
SO much, and that a great reaction
must come. And it came, but it was
brought first to view by our jealous
brothers from Racine Temple. Their
hearts were fired by the success of their
great work in Racine and they were
determined that Kenosha should share
the blessing. Our apathy could not re-
| pei them, our hopelessness could not
depress them. They beseiged our
hearts with an irresistible earnestness,
laboring with men in the shops, in the
stores and IN the streets, with force
and ferver that was never surpassed
by the most ardent partiZan pleading
for votes in the midst Of presidential
| election Such noble we'll directed eff
| forts in behalf of virtue could not I'M
der the Divine Government fail prob
ably no honest faithful effort in behalf
of man fails, but good either seen or
unseen is the result. This grand work
of our Racine friends certainly proved
no failure. Their labor kindled the Sa-
cred Flame in many Of our hearts and
the work which they began, has been
continued to this day; as the work
showed progress the officers of Racine
Temple came and organized one in Ke-
nosha, and within four weeks after that
event we had received fifty members
into our Temple-nearly all of whom
are to-day staunch erect pillars of that
structure. Every month since has wit
messed accessions, and at this time we
number one hundred and seyenty-nine,
all pillars Of unquestioned stability and
erectness. During this progress we
have had many friendly visits from
Racine Templars, to encourage us. We
have gone through times, both Of dis
enlargement and success; vet with
much internal harmony, and well-de-
fined policy. We have felt that mem
bers Of our Temple who would not try
to help themselves and avoid tempta-
ton we could not help. and that the
sooner the connection was severed the
better. But the great majority of our re-
formed members have done well. They
have attended our meetings, and en-
couraged our officers, and many of them
have taken the lead in aggressive work.
In the ardor and joy Of their new life
they have appealed to old friends and
neighbors to adopt Temperance princi-
pies, and join with them in upholding
the Temple, the source to them of so
much social happiness, and increasing
strength. Also many Of our citizens