The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-10-24

feeling the weight of them, are OBJ.
posed to the temperance cause be.
cause Of that fact. Nothing would
to-day be so held as message from
God as the presentation of practical
answers to them. / am convinced
that multitudes would listen with
bated breath, and deepest thought to
any apostle who will meet them. He
who ignores them merits the title Of
at least thoughtless man. He who
will solve them shall have hearing;
shall have hearing on this the ques.
ton Of the hour. Here | must stop.
Right here the political phase of the
question begins, and, therefore, /
stop.
But cannot close without making
the application involved in the pur-
pose of this address. Two things are
absolutely and unqualifedly essential
One, we must see the sacrifice in
volved in the matter before the mat
ter will solve. Another, we must have
the grace to make the sacrifice.
The question is here. God presses
it upon us. 1t has been compared
over and over again TO the great anti
slavery controversy of the early half
of our century. If you would Judge
the future by the past, be careful to
read history by the clear light OF.
thought, and not the flicker of senti-
ment.
When Phillips and Garrison, and a
noble army of agitators, were hurl-
ing, not too harsh epithets at that sys-
tenn, VIXEN their sentiments were I'M
popular; the forged links of iron logic
and the nightly welded sentiments
for the Union, coined beneath the CO.
lossal crown Of Americas great Con-
stitutional expounder, Daniel Web
ster, were rehearsed and recited in
nearly every school district in our
land. | remember, as l have read
the history, and listened to those who
risked their lives and surrendered
their loved ones, that while few rose
up to say of the South ''let them go"
even at the call of Americas prince
of orators, Wendell Phillips, the Ma
ton rose as one man, at the request
Of him who, like Abraham Of old.was
called Of God to go forth, into he
knew not what, but who went deter
mined to preserve unbroken the fam
lily of States. l recall how, with faith
undimmed, he was led Of God, till
borne by angels wings, haloed with
a Nations prayers, he was taken
home to hear Gods swell done.
Gods way is not ours. always. This
question, mightier than slavery,
is upon lis. 1t is at every mans door.
We must all help solve it. What a
momentous question is before Our
youth. What grand and undying
opportunities, and demands, for de-
voutest thoughts and intelligent &C
ton. Can yen dare ignore HP Can
you treat it with indifference and not
blanch with shame? Can you, the
sovereign people, act as if you were
serfs? With the privileges and dr
ties of citizenship in our land l ut
ierly fail to understand how any one
can allow himself to take any atti-
tude on this problem other than that
of humble and devout seekers after
truth. We need a spirit that will
face this and every other question
with the profound conviction that the
words Of the Lord Jesus form the
best basis of all study, of all action
-"the truth shall make you free"
The ancient crest Of the pickaxe with
the legend, 81 will find the way, or
make one" symbolizes the sanctifed
genius of our times. The call Of the
hour is for unsulled patriotism. Pat
riotism and loyalty are idle and mean
ingless words if the spirit Of Jesus is
not in them. Where that spirit is
there will be found a steady adher.
ence to what we have of opportunity,
while through fidelity we seek for
more. He who will not insist upon
the impartial enforcement of what
law we now have, has no plea he can
present to God for more. Faithful
or uufaithful in the little, is that which
decides all increase, in the trend of
Nations as in the realm of grace. You
may talk from party standpoints, I
stand and speak for God. You may
blame parties. l speak on higher
range. Michigan had once in her
very constitution clause forbidding
granting licenses. The sovereign
people neither priced it as they ought,
nor used as they should, and God let
it 60 out CT your hands. A want of
loyalty to him caused its repeal.
To deny that is to declare the law
was unrighteous.
Non enforcement of the present
law will cause it to depart, and its
present restraints be lost in the dark
night of free rum, and debaucheries
uneoualled since the terrible days of