The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1882-04-20
National Americana
Churches and Temperance.

At the weekly Lenten Conference
held at Christ's church ON the evening
of the 21st, Bishop Robertson stated
that the direct yearly cost Of intoxi-
cants, in the country, amounted to
1928, 100000. The indirect cost in
maintaining paupers, prisons and po-
lice, he estimated at 81, ,2OO,O00,O0O.
According to this estimate, which
is no doubt less than the actual cost,
the liquor traffic costs st. Louis, di-
rectly, and indirectly, not less than
S12,OOO,OOO every year. Large as this
sum is, and astounding as the fact is
that the people tamely submit them
selves to be thus robbed, it is a mere
baeatelle in comparison with other
evils with which the liquor traffic af-
ficts society with entire impunity: lf
missionary were to come here from
some far off Island in the sea, of 500,-
900 inhabitants, and report to our
ministers that there were on the Island
three thousand monsters, whose num-
Der was rapidly increasing, that were
poisoning thousands Of their people,
causing SO per cent. of all the crimes
committed, and 81 per cent. of the
pauperism Of the Island; compelling
the people to pay an annual tribute OF
S12, 100000, breaking up happy fami-
lies, robbing mothers of their sons,
and wives Of their husbands, teaching
the young to disregard the precepts of
the Bible, making worthless paupers
Of many Of their most useful and
brilliant men, and destroying both
soul and body of thousands Of the old
and the young; and if the missionary
were to request the ministers to pre-
sent his mission to their congrega-
tions. and ask them for contributions
| to enable him to rid the Island Of
these monsters, every one of them
| would go to work and thousands of
dollars would be collected in one day.
If true picture Of one-half the mis-
cry and woe caused in this city, by the
liquor traffic in single. month, could
be taken and shown by the Home Mis-
sionary Society to the churches Of the
Hand, as representing the true condi-
tion Of things in some western terri
tory, million dollars could be raised,
if necessary, to send to that territory,
and St. Louis would gladly furnish
it's share Of the money. Not long
since congregation in this city made
a collection Of 81, 800 for the Home
Missionary fund; other congregations
have contributed literally to the same
fund, within month These are sub
stantial evidences, and there are many
more, that the ST. Louis Churches are
not dead, but live and prosperous.
Why then do they make no effort to
check drunkenness in this city? Why
are they so ready to give money to
build churches on the frontier, and
permit the saloons to crowd out the
churches from among the poorer class
es Of st. LOUISE Why do they sup
port missionaries and teachers in Syria
and none in St. Louis? Why do they
call meetings to protest against Nor
monism in Utah, and are mum as an
oyster about hoodlumism in St. Louis
Why do they hold their treasurers to
so strict an account, and permit the
liquor traffic to swindle them out of
millions annually? The Grand Jury
a few weeks ago recommended plan
which they believed would close the
most objectional saloons in this city,
and we believe that the church-goers
have it in their power to close, by that
plan, a thousand saloons within sixty
days, if they will make a united effort.
We insist that it is their duty to make
the effort at once, or give a reason for
not making it. If the churches are
going to permit the saloon interests to
increase hundred fold faster than
the church interests in st. Louis, with
out protest, the sooner that fact is
known the better.