Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-12-04


bath of our fathers, is set at defiance,
there is still the remedy of majorities-
and we have that majority. The battle
is not of our seeking. 1t is forced upon
us. If we must, we accept the wager.
In the end we must conquer; as our only
hope for the State as well as the Church,
lies in nation of law-keepers; and that
law nearly approaching the Divine law.
There is one other thing that is allied
to law-breaking-yes at its very basis.
| mean the
LIQUOR TRAFFIC.
1t is true it is an unpleasant theme;
and | am sure our thanksgiving IS not
likely to be promoted by it; and yet the
pulpit may not always cOntine itself to
pleasant themes but if he see the sword
come, he is set for the defense of the
people. Locally, we are not exempt from
its evils Think of the enormous cost
and consumption of spirits and malt IL
quors in this Nation during the past
yeaT-hard as the times were. OF lager
beer there were 12,000,000 barrels con-
sumed. This is not so bad as in Germa-
nv, where there were consumed S55, $685.
22O gallOns-and it was very bad year
for beer. In Bavaria, the consumption
was 427 pints per capita-mOre than a
pint day for each man, woman and
child. 1t is no wonder the churches are
empty, and the beer gardens are crowded
in Germany. The wonder is they are not
the baldeSt pagans. And we are to have
a care lest we be found in the same boat,
and allow ourselves to float toward the
same fearful precipice of unbelief.
When we consume $5O,O00,O00 worth of
grain. that is needed for food; when cur
liquor bill is S750,O00,000 yearly, it Is
time to stop, and get sober long enough
to think. The English Bureau OF statls-
tics declare that foreVery shilling spent
for drink, another is required, to pay for
the consequences; if sO-and am sure
it closely approximates the truth-then
we must add another S750,000,000-
making the enormous aggregate 81 ,5OO,-
OOO, ,OO0-nearly enough to settle our Ma
tional debt in one year. These almost
fabulous figures take no account, as you
see, of the souls destroyed, orphans
made, and homes ruined. Is there any
peril here? In the face of these facts
we are eXhOrted to keep quiet; that we
must cOnfine our agitation to the Sab
bath School and Church. Politicians
warn us to keep out of politics if we
would succeed with the cause of tenn
perance.
We say to our friends i'll both of the
great parties that Il new era is about to
be inaugurated i'll politics. During the
late summer, i'll Akron, the Liquor
League of the State of Ohio, formed a
State organization, OStensihly to do two
things: Liberalize legislation; and pub
lish aweekypaper to elevate liquor selling.
They will try to do the former, but how
they will succeed in doing the latter is a
mystery to any but liquor sellers.
To liberalize legislation, they mean to
oppose the re-enactment of the Adair
law, and remove from the statute books
of the State any remaining laws that
threaten the supremacy of their busi-
ness. This is the challenge. Already
one ecclesiastical organization, repre-
senting in its bounds 5000 members,
and a Sunday School army of $4,000,
have responded-"WhereaS, we recog-
nize the necessity and Importance OF
united action on the part of the Church
es to secure total legal prohibition
Resolved, THAT We, the members OF
the East Ohio Conference, petition all
our Conferences, and all other ecclesias-
tical bodies in the State of Ohio, to unite
with us in pledging ourselves that on
and after the 1st day of January, 1881,
we will work and vote only for such
men and measures as will give Ohio a
complete and efficient prohibitory law.
Resolved, 2-That a Commission OF
five be appointed to present this action
of our Conference to the several Confer
ences, and other ecclestical bodies in the
State of Ohio.
Will other Churches cooperate? OF
course they will land we shall enlist all
of this vast force-numbering not less
than a half million of adult evangelical
Christians-on the side of tenn
perance, and political action. 1t is
not expected to form separate po-
litical party; but to act as an ar
nv of observation that will defeat
and elect until politicians see we mean
what we say, and will have what we
want. From that moment there will be
no trouble with either party; both will
hasten to us and consult us as they now
consult the liquor league. We have put
the date for action forward to 1881 so as
organize, and to await the settlement OF
=. National issues. Political leaders growl
about ''scratchers," and call their pro
moters the "hen party" and growl and
threaten through the press, but the day
of "scratchers" and of long pent up in.
! dignation is before them. Don't make
up your states for 1881 by consulting
only saloon keepers.
We are driven to this course for two
reasons: First, England's depreciation
as a manufacturing Nation is more than
ANYTHING else traceable to the drunken,
ness, and therefore incapacity of her
manufacturing populations. CONNER
cial common sense bids us see where we
are going. Secondly, the worth of ouI
souls and bodies form the most powerful
argument for the prevalence of temper
ance legislation. such are few of the
perils that threaten; md while we may
, not remit our thanksgiving. we are wise
to measure our dangers and straighten
ourselves for the task our Nation, State
| and God puts upon us.
Il Let us be better Christians, Let us bt
, more active in our charitiesl IF any
, see his brother have need and shutteth
Nnag