Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-12-15
WEmpEfaMGE
HOPE FOR THE TEMPERANCE
CAUSE.
[Eutract. from Thanksgiving sermon BY Rev. VIM.

II. Hoimes
Who that has studied thoughtfully the
march of events, can doubt the leading
of Providence Every nation that has
developed only despotism and cruelty,
has in the end been overthrow or re-
buked. Absolutism was dethroned at
Waterloo; England was saved to kindly
government by the Revolution; intoler-
ancc was punished in the humiliation of
Turkey Russia was rebuked for her ar
rogance by the Peace Commission at Ber-
lin and the war of the Rebellion was
not simply question between the North
and the South. Not question of who |
should elect president. or of state SOW
ereignty, but of liberty! God had
people in bonds, and these bonds must
be severed, though this fair land should
run with gore from one end to the other.
The conflict was long. The outcome to
human ken uncertain. The beginning
was small, only the conviction of some
conscience but that conviction was born
of God, and from the moment one man
would side with God the final victory
was assumed. Abolitionists might be
shot at every corner, and hung to every
tree; the law of the land might be
against them, and yet,
'He always wins who sides with God"
Let US remember these things when
we consider the great moral questions
that now agitate our land. God is on
; the side of human rights, and the day
will come, when the flag of our nation
will afford citizen the same protection
at home that it does abroad; when he
can vote as he thinks in any state where
in his residence may chance to be; and
speak freely his convictions, with perfect
safety.
, In this fact too, is seen large hope
f for the temperance cause. God being on
> the side of human rights, is also, on the
/ side of the poor drunkard, his heart
broken wife and worse than orphan chill
dren. The drinking man may think
that he who would dash the cup from
a his feverish lips and parched tongue,
? must be his foe; but God ranks him as
o friend. The argument for liberty of
individual" rights, and evil of so-called
n "sumptuary laws" will continue to dis
e grace political platforms, but the fact
), remains, that the drunkard's real liberty
t. is freedom from strong drink; and God
d will yet demonstrate the truth of his
e word which saith, .'Woe unto him that
b giveth his neighbor drink, that puttest
is thy bottle to him, and makest him
& drunken also"
g Alcohol may be enthroned king by the
r wealth of the land, backed by appetite
n stronger than the poor slaves will power
he may be intrenched in the social Gus.
1T toms and prejudice of all; lawgivers and
l. judges may serve at his command, but
i. God hath stretched forth his hand, and
10 already written upon the wall, "Mene
,e Meme, Iekel, UpharSin," and his king
le dom must fall. The struggle may b.
d long to mans short-sighter eye; but MOI
er long to God. Why look at that, ''suu
le of all villainies American slavery
t. Upon it rested, to large degree, tn,
k commerce Of Great Britain; with i
ID America was. bound hand and foot /; pref
of udice favored it money getting and low
to of ease fostered it; aristocracy glOriet
it in it and our laws protected it. AM
I'd yet, according to Gods mode of com
d, putting time, which makes, "a thousant
st years as one day." He blotted out th
whole iniquity in less than two hours
a 1t is now just ninety years since Nj
I'd Wilberforce made his first speech in Pal
IN lament against the slave trade, Q789.
en- and to-day there is not a negro in Amer
er lea, under the age of sixteen years, VIII
y. was ever slave Seventy-fve years
up according to the life of man, and tn
SO great work was accomplished ! VIVA
Ter God could do for the poor slave, He ca
nd do for the poor drunkard.
ng "workmen of Godi Oh lose not heart,
a. But learn what God is like,
And on the darkest battle field
No Thou shalt know where to strike"
ng "Ror right is right since God is God
he And right the day must win;
), To doubt would be disloyalty,
NC To falter would be sln."-Fdber.
al Whiskey has produced more than ha
the murders in the United States, an
ms has been the cause of more poverty ar
err. distress than all other causes and we
ed, the government to hang every man wi
ov- distilled drop of it, instead of grantir
A a license to produce it, many lives wou
rye thereby be preserved, and millions
on souls saved the torments of the burnir
be pit. The man who obtains a license f