Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-01-04

The Temperance Reform From
New stand Point.

new SlhHu
Mr.. F. HoLLENBEcK, according to pre-
vious announcement, gave a very interest
ing address at the Baptist church, Perrys-
burg, in which he announced that he had
been a temperance man for fifty years, and
and proceeded to review briefly the efforts
that had been made in that time in adopt
ing measures TO counteraet the evil OF
intemperance.
In the course Of his address Mr.. II. nd
vanced an idea that is probably new to the
grea. majority OF the public. He claimed
that very little progress had been made in
all the fifty years effort that temperance
wave after wave, ms il were, succeed
ed each other ns the billows of the ocean.
and when each succeeding wave had passed
it left the people in about the same condi-
tion as when it started. Consequently
there had been no practical advance.
The reason OF this was that the work
in which temperance reformers we're en-
gagged was one of pure benevoencs and phi
lanthropy, while the efforts put forth
against the advancement Of the reform
we're ceaselcss, untring, persistent, on the
part of its opponents, because their bread
and butter and property were involved.
The speaker took the ground that in all
the great efforts that had been made dur
ing the past fifty years, the great bulk Of
the reform was directed in behalf OF the
drunkard The main effort was to win tho
drinkers away from their cups, and right
here, lie conceived was the great error, as
the nation could never he made temper
ancs nation BY the reformation OF drunk
| ards. We had NIL the time been working
at the wrong end Of the lever. The giant
oak could not he killed by plucking a leaf
here and there from it's branches, nor the
deadly upas tree by plucking few branch
es from its top.
The speaker was confident there was a
mighty power that we had not vet invoked,
and as a Il efforts in the great reform, thus
far, had been failures to a great extent, il
behoOved the temperance men and women
OF the country to give the matter their se-
rious attention, and invoke this power thst
! hitherto has been unused. This power is
in the education of the school children, and
the public school is the place where this
great work OF reform is to be effected.
Thus far there has been nc systematic
medication Of the precepts of temperance
either in the church or in the Sunday
School, and none in the public schools In
the series of school readers from the first
to the sixth, not over two temperance les
sons could be named. The very thought
that such is the case is somewhat startling
1t is nevertheless fact, that with all the
great efforts that have been made on the
subject OF temperance, this great cardinal
virtue should be practically ignored in the
church, the Sunday School and the public
school.
The speaker advanced the proposition
that lessons on temperance should be
woven in the different readers, commencing
with the first, ana as the youthful learner
would con over his reading lessons o
words OF one SYLLABLE, these precepts would
be impressed upon his young mind. Ashe
advances step by step, from one reader to
the other, these temperance lessons will
continue to meet him until they permeatcd
his being. The great cardinal virtue
could be woven in a similar manner into
mathematics in the science of politica
economy, in chemistry, in philosophy, and
the great study OF physiology.
1t Is impossible in the brief space of a
newspaper article to give anything more
than the harest synopsis of the address
which was filed with thought germs. TIL,
foregoing Is very imperfect outline OF tn
address, which the speaker closed with the
hope that his audience would carry the
views thus advanced to their homes, anc
reflect upon them calmly, conlly and dis
prsSionstely. The address elected tn,
closest attention, and while there was mucl
in it that many will dissent from, it In
the effect of awakening an interest on tn
subject, and the question will probably b.
still further discussed by others at futur
meetings OF the Union.