The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1881-06-09
PROGRESS OF THE CENTURY.
(Conciaded)
81 FEy. JOHN s. PARK, OF BOLIVAR.
Progress IN Religion.
tconciaaed}

A
a professor Of religion. Now, there is
one in fve3 which is nearly three times
as many in proportion to population.
Then, nearlH all the prominent men
/ IN the eou8tty were inHdels, such as
Jefferson, Franklin, Jay, Burr, and
Paine. Now, nearly ali Of them are
believers in the Christian religion.
Then, hard drinking was the general
rule; now, it is the exception. Then
drunkenness was no disgrace; now, 1t
is a great disgrace. Then, the best
man at dinner party was the one who
could drick the most wine and put
his companions under the table. Now,
the most fashionable people, such as
President Hayes, VIM +. Dodge, and
thousands Of other leading men, have
no wine on their tables. remember
the time whey every house had its
sideboard glifSring with elegant de
canters, and every table vas served
with wine day by day Now, T do
not know of sideboard in the world,
nor dc know of a table in the world,
where wine is served every day.
Then, it was fashionable Tor elegant
women to attend horse races, and bet
ON the race, and on cards. Now, such
things would not be countenanced N
the best society. Then, duelling was
so common that even the noble Ham
llton did not have the moral courage
TO resist it Now, the man who re-
fuses to fight a duel is considered a
moral hero, and the man who kills
another in a duel is regarded by soci-
ETY. as a murderer. Then, lotteries
were established by the States to
build churches and endow colleges.
Now, they are abolished in almost
every State except Louisiana, and the
government has refused to allow their
advertisements to pass through the
mails.
Then, the sale Of liquor was univer-
sal. Now, it is forbidden in three
States, and dealers are made respon-
sible for all damage, in several others.
Prohibition is becoming more popular
every day. Even Arkansas, the very
last State from which we would have
hoped for such things, has come out in
favor OF prohibition. In the House OF
Representatives, by vote Of 26 to II,
a joint resolution has passed, proposing
an amendment to the constitution,
prohibiting the sale of liquor in the
State. a few days ago, in St. Louis,
there were eighty lottery offices. Now,
not lottery ticket can be purchased
in the city. 4 law has either passed,
or is about to be passed, making it I
penitentiary ofense to keep a gam
bling saloon in Missouri. Governor
Hawkins calls the attention of the
present legislature to the fact that g
public sentiment, to which the repre-
sentatives of the people cannot turn a
deaf ear, is loudly calling for some
reformation in OUT law touching the
liquor traffic. When I lived in Mem
phis, two years and less ago, a large
rumber of the citizens carried con
cealed weapons. Now, it is very
I
rare occurrence, because no position is
too high to shield a man from penal
servitude, who is discovered carrying
concealed weapons. Then, the juries
were composed Of professional jurors,
who made living by serving on
juries. Now, the best men in the city
serve. The fact that a man has bust
ness is the very reason that he cannot
be excused. None others ere allowed
to serve. There never was anything
like 1t before.
But it may be asked IF ali these
things are true, why do we now read
of so much more wickedDess, in tho
/ papers, than formerly? One reason
/ IS because we have so much more for
: eign population than formerly. Nearly
, all the crime that is perpetrated i:
committed by them Another reason
is that four millions Of slaves have
suddenly been freed, without any hab
its of self-contr0l, and it Is natural
that they should abuse their new
found liberty. This applies also Il
the foreign population, who have beer
ruled in their own land by the bayo-
net, and who mistake license for lib
erty. Another reason il, that ouI
: population is increasing more rapidly
= than ever took place in any other
country; and, Of course, the more tho
: population, the more the crime. But
more than all, the principal reason is
! that every crime is now published
7 from Florida TO California. Never
, did this take place before. A murde.
committed at midnight in San Fran
cisco appears in every morning pape
{ in the United States six hours after it
committal. The telegraph flashes /
: from city to city. Next morning VI
!. read of another crime perPetrated il
Florida, We forget that this is tn
record of fifty millions Of people; am