Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-04-02
5em6otmoo Column.
EDITED by >. W SINS.


Below copy some portions Of a sermon
preached by Rev. A. M. Hills Of Ravenna,
on local option. It & impossible to do
justice to the sermon by a few extracts,
but u is too long to publish in this col
umn, 90 ] sballhav to content myself by
copying few Of the gems that sparkle all
through the discourse. BE sketches the
situation at the present time with mas
ter hard, and the work which the Chus.
tisn women ofour State have done in the
last few years 10 the cause Of temperance,
aud CLOSES with a warning word to our
Legislators, not to treat with contempt
the expressed wishes Of so large q portion.
Of the people Of this State, on the subject
Of local option on the basis Of woman suf-
frage I confess to feeling OF disappoint-
ment, at the action OF our Legislature up
to this time. dodging the issue that must
be met sometime in this decade, and the
sooner 1t is done, the better it will be for
State and Nation. There is Wide differ
ence between a statesman and politician.
one who never looks beyond the success Of
his party in the political contests Of the
day, The present Legislature have it in
their power to pass a law that is just in its
provisions that will wrong no one engaged
in honorable business, and which thousands
Of the best men and women in the State
have petitioned for. There 10 no mistak-
ing the signs OF the times; an enlightened
public sentiment is fast rising up to the
level Of the needs OF the hour and the
time Is coming when the temperance ele-
ment will be strong enough 10 command
the respect Of political parties and it may
be we'll for our law makers to remember
that in a Republican government the
source Of all power lies with the people,
and II q member elected by them neglects
or refuses TO carry out their expressed
wishes there is good reason TO expect that
his constituents will, sooner or later, in
vite him to stay at home. II the temper
ance men and women will only hold the
ground they can gain from day to day,
working in season aud out of season.
see no reason to fear for the final triumph
OF the principles so dear TO their hearts.
To this end let unity prevail in our coun-
ellis and let wisdom direct every move
ment, and let every word and every action
tell on the side Of truth and of right.
There is no need OF Encouragement, for
the influence Of temperance workers is felt
all over our land, great advance having
been made all along the lines IN the lasl
ten years, and we must work on, and keep
praying as we go, and keep our powder
dry for offensive as well as defensive war.
fare.
The Liquor Dealers Association com.
plain that the women Of this State are car
rying the war right home, and they, as q
matter Of self defence, will be obliged tc
defend themselves and their traffic from
the assaults Of the Crusaders.
do not expect a local option law will
be passed this year, but IL will not be many
years distant, for have a firm and abid.
ing faith in the ultimate triumph Of right
over wrong, and Of truth over error. Pres
ent action on this subject Is delayed by
the moral ooWardioe Of some Of our law
makers, but It will come in time. Let US
watch and work, and wait, for we think
we see the dawninR OF the morning Of a
better day. Listen TO some Of the ringing
words Of an earnest Christian minister on
this great question OF the day:
"Oh, this liquor traffic Is more costly
than wars, more destructive than famine
more deadly than plaguesi It covers the
land with idleness, poverty, disease anC
crime; it deadens all the moral faculties
stiles reverence, purity, truthfulness, faith
hope and love, and inAames all the worst
passions Of the soul. 1t undermines re
ligion, plots against the church, invadei
the social and family circles, and every
where scatters sin, and misery, and sick
ness and death, It cuts down youth in III
vigor; manhood In Its strength, and age II
its weakness; II extinguishes natural af
fections, grasses conjngal love, blots oui
filial attachment, blights parental hope
and brings down mourning age with sor
row to the grave.
In the name Of all that is pure and holy
and dear TO our hearts, we may well en-.
quire, how does II happen that this mons
ter evil is thus permitted to tyTannize over
Christian people2 The answer to the
question we give with feelings OF shame.
II is because men are so shared In the
meshes Of evil appetites, and so hampered
by the love Of gam, and so weakened by
cowardlee, and so tied by business interests
and political ambition, that they do moi
heed the counsel Of judgment, and The
voice OF conscience, and march together In
irresistible columns, and put this enemy
down. Some are morally paralyzsd by
an enslRving love OF the cup; others are in
trade, and are afraid OF offending and los
ing customers from whom they expect tc
make few dollarsi Others hold Offices In
city or county, Or district, OF State, and are
afraid OF ineurring the ire and opposition
Of those whose money and time are invest.
ed in this traffic Of human ruin; Others
want Office and bid for the support OF the
liquor Interest. Ahl How much they
bid for III Even their principles and
their conscience, and the holiest convic.
tions OF their souls. And so ii comes
about through the aequlesoence, or the
apathy, or the ignorance, or the selfish
ness, or the oowardice OF men, that this
evil is not throttlRd, but rather thrives al
the expense orthe purity, and virtue, and
manhood, apd religion, aud national pros
perity--in sbori, AZ the expense Of every
human interest Tor which man should live
or die. Whet Az everlasting Disgrace TO
humanity 70 Christian people, that pub
lie sentiment Is 70 blnnted rs TO suffer 10
exist, aye, Rs 70 license, and defend, and
protect traiic which IL the ally Of all
Wickednesa; the most fruitful parent Of
crime, and the mother Of woe. Apathetic,
they have not doue what needed to- be done
forhumanity aud Cor Christ, endGod, In his
own peculiar way, has been calling efficient
helpers TO the front 20 assist them. BY
the amounting Of the Holy Ghost In the
days Of The Crasade, God laid hand upon
woman, saying, Awake, awake Deborah,
and host Of Deborahs have been awake
ever since, busily preparing Gods people
for iinal and complete Victory over this
destroying evil. They have heard the di-
vine command, Make u chain, and across
this and other States, they have stretched
a chain Of temperance organizations, pray,
ing bands, friendly inns, unions, golden
chain Of ferYent prayer, and sacred song,
and Christian love, which IL securely bind
ing all true hearts into blessed union OF
.uH Hl.vfst III.