Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-31
TEMPERANCE TALK.

Miss Francis E. WnIsrd at the Opera House
The Evils of Intemperance Graphically
Portrayed, and the Remedy Pointed Out.
In spite of the forbidding nature of the
weather the announcement that Miss Francis
E. Willard, the temperance advocate, would
deliver an address at the Opera house last
evening, drew out fair sized audience. The
exercises were opened with song by the audi
ence and select choir, following which the
Rev. DR.. Davis offered prayer. The audi
ence Joined in singing another hymn, after
which Miss Willard was introduced by the
Rev. DR.. Davis.
In commencing her address, Miss Will
lard ikened the cause of temperance ana
the Bible, in their enlightened influence over
the world, to a philosopher, who, having
been lost in O forest, was attrreted by light
which shown from the windows of cabin.
Upon going thither the wanderer found the
cabin deserted, but he was attracted by
new testament which lay upon the table and
cast its refulgent light into the depths of the
forest. The lecturer then spoke of the
manifold evils of intemperance. The
damning and pelncious effects of intoxicat-
ing drinks were graphically portrayed, and
the dark picture was contrasted by the good
results which invariably followed life OF
sobriety and Temperance.
The speaker gave an account of the noble
work accomplished by the total abstinence
societies, and adjured all who were not
members of the prohibition clubs to identify
themselves with the cause without delay, as
surfing them that in most instances the pro-
hibition pledge, sincerely signed, was coinci-
dent with the dawn of new and better life.
The sweeping and pernicious tide of lntem-
perance, and its insidious progress, was
compared to the pillows of the sea, which,
working onward, threatened to sweep away
the land OF Hol'a and. The Hollanders had
gone vigorously TO work, erected barriers
and stemmed the advance of the tide, which
might have inundated their country.
1.-The speaker said that the time was coming
when Christ's gospel would conquer the
lurking viper of rum when Christian &C
tiVity would rise in its might and crush out
the soul destroying evil. The influence of
song and the cooperation of gentle, de
hearted women were spoken of as powerful
factors in the work of temperance reform,
and a vivid picture was drawn of the perse-
cutions encountered by the pioneer workers
in the field. The gospel idea of temperance
was adverted to, and the increasing influence
in the cause of young women, after which
intemperance was viewed from q govern
mental standpoint. The liquor traffic was
compared to the career of Boss Tweed, as he
appeared in gilded guilt, afterwards a fugi
tive o. Justice and at last in the grip of the
law.
The lecturer said that before the hair of
the youngest girl in the audience had turned
white the liquor traffic of Minnesota would
be as fast bound in the grip Of the great
majority of reformers as Boss Tweed was
in the grip Of the law at the end of his
terrible career. In continuing her remarks,
she stated that each saloon was estimated to
have an average of eighty customers, and
that in Chicago alone two thirds of the
council were engaged, oze way OR the other,
in the traffic of liquor.
In conclusion the lecturer referred to the
success of the temperance movement In
Ohio and other Eastern States, and the
hatred of women to the cause of intemper-
ance was mentioned as the sheet anchor of
power in the work of reformation. In
viewing the subject from a legal stand
point the lecturer thought that the question
of licensing saloons should be submitted to
the popular vote, in which the SUFFRAGE of
women would enter, predicting that the anti
license movement would win by an over
whelmipg majority.
The temperance reformer should be as
good natured as sunshine, as persistent as
gravitation, working forward with the ir-
resistable power of God. He had broken
the ehackle OF the slave and he would break
the bonds of the slave to appetite if those
engaged in the work would buckle their faith
to the great drive wheel of Gods infinite
love; the banner of temperance would be
inscribed with the watchword of victory.
Col. J. 81. Davidson followed with few
timely remarks concerning the scope of the
movement, following which a collection was
taken up to defray the expenses of the enter
tainment. The exercises closed with song.