Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-04-18
SERMON AS DELIVERED.

SERMON AS DELIVERED.
Romans xiii: a. For rulers are not
q terror to good aoorks, but to the egI."
The apostle here teaches that the civil
government is designed by the Almigh.
ty as one means for the correction OF
evil. The Church and the Legislature
are to make common cause for the bene-
fit of the community-each in its own
sphere. We have an influence as disci-
Piles of Christ, we have also an inf1u-
ence as citizens of the State, and it is
our duty to use both. To neglect legis-
lation in pretended reliance upon
prayer. is mere pious nonsense. twill
not avail for US TO seek the salvation o1
souls in the sanctuary, if we fail to vote
them salvation at the polls.
I maintain that it is our duty as citi
zens to seek effective legislation against
intemperance. The evil has become SC
great that it is time that the law should
be made terror to it, and should put
forth its heavy hand to arrest it.
The common saying that, "If you lei
contains an atrocious falIacy. Every in
temperate man aestfoyg ths happiness
of persons who are entirely In nOcept
|
compose a multitude of helpless VIC
Tins. Many young woman, reared liz
the arms of parental tenderness, enter
ing upon married life with unclouded
prospects, has, after little, become
broken and faded, as the consequence OF
finding herself bound for life to drunk
en- husband. Who eau paint the misery
Of the drunkafd's family=~tha children
boys and girls, old enough, perhaps
to feel the shame, without spark OF
youthful cheerfulness in their eyes, 81
lent and terrified, creeping supperless
to bed to escape outrage, curses, and
blows-the wife haggard with care and
want, seeking, in vain, to hush the cries
of her hhngry babe
| Nor is the case any better in families
otherwise we'll off, where the father, oo-
cupying genteel station In society, is
yet very tyrant in his household
turbulent and outrageous, even when
everything has been done to please him.
| A creature of this sort does not drive
his family to the poor house, but the
coarsest and hardest crust broken with
in its walls is dainty compared with
the luxuries of his cherries table.
| Think of the pure. refined, and chris
tian woman, vilified by the man who
has vowed to protect her-her pure
presence defiled with the obscenity
brought from the saloon-her fair face
| stricken-her bridal presents, her mar
ria We ring; her Bible, perhaps, disposed
of for drink
And yet there are supposed to be at
least million hopeless drunkards in
the land, and it is proposed, and that in
our own community, to try to keep up
this great wrong, by enticing those who
and Just from their mothers warm kiss
and benediction, and training them to
enter this same way to ruin
Moreover, the sober men of the coun
try are exposed to all kinds of violence
and outrage from their drunken neigh-
bOrs, besides having to raise annually a
vast amount of taxes to build poor
houses and jails, and to support the pau
pers and criminals made by drink.
Just the other day, valuable citizen
of Kentucky was shot dead, through
mere wantonness, by a druaken GAM
bier. One cannot travel on our rail
roads or attend our agricultural Fair
without danger of being disgusted and
annoyed by the boisterousness and vio-
lence of persons under the influence of
liquor, SO that sober and decent people
are Obliged, by self respect, to avoid The
Fair Grounds and when do we see a
newspaper that is not filled with cases
of criKe produced by the same cause?
Instead of its being the province OF
government to prohibit intemperance.
say that the government that does not
prohibit intemperapce, and thus pro.
tect the sober, industrious, helpless, and
innocent, is mere sham--s mere use.
less burden.
But it may be asked, "Why not leave
intemperance, as we do other points OF
morals, to the influence OF argument
and moral suasion ?"
First Because there is class of men
who can never be influenced by moral
suasion-men whose hearts are hard,
whose whole motive is gain, and who,
If the moral part of the community
abandon the business, will only drive il
on themselves the faster.
Shall we undertake to arouse the en-.
tire community with the faint hope that
some pulsations of penitential sorrow