The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-05-29
TEMPERANCE DEPARTMENT..
EDITED BY THE woMEN's CHRISTIAN
TEMPERANCE UNION.

EDITED BY THE wOMEN's CHRISTIAN
TEMPERANCE UNION.
Tread before the w. c. T. U. of Charlottesville.l
Think not, gentle friend, that / would
attempt a lengthy and elaborate thesis
upon this subject, which, were it divided
into its varied heads, and viewed from an !
chronological standpoint, would fill volume
upon volume. 1t has been powerfully said,
sIntemperance is the mightiest of all the
forces that clog the progress of good
Temperance is not only taught in Holy |
Writ, but whenever we cast our eyes upon
Nature and Natures handiWork, we see
the same lesson of moderation and adap- |
tation taught, from the lofty mountain-top |
which towers heavenward, to the lovely |
valleys at its base, from the beast in the
forest to the singing bird and hrmming
bee, all, all proclaim the Hand that made
us is divine, and we, his humble creatures,
fulfill his mission. Then we turn with a
sadness from the contemplation OF this
side of the picture to the other, where we
find man, WHO was made in the image OF |
the Creator" the only creature in the
broad universe who fails to observe this
grand law of Moderation or Temperance
indeed, at all times, and in almost every |
instance, we find him ever ready and will
ling to rebel against his nobler and better |
self. This, then, will suffice as a prelude |
to this essay, and 1 deem it essential now
confne myself to Temperance, or rather
Intemperance, in regard to strong drink,
for this; truly, is the hydra-headed monster
which stalks abroad in our land land against
whose advance we have formed ourselves
into an armed band, and, like the noble
Spartan woman of old, we will stake our
all upon the issue, with Faith, Hope and
Charity inscribed upon our banner, and
prayer as the watch-wOrd of our hearts,
we will wage fierce war upon this tyrant,
and faint not until we have battered down
the walls of his citadel with our argu-
ments, our prayers yea, and if it needs
be, with our tears. To this cause may be
traced many of the crimes and miseries
which disturb the peace of states and
poison the happiness of families, while 1t
depraves the character, impairs the
strength, skaters the health and nerves
and drags thousands to an early grave it
| is found to fill our prisons, our warehouses,
4 our penitentiaries, our jails and our asy-
lums yea, look into all the abodes of sin,
| and you will find them peopled with this
fell destroyer. Would you have me tell
you where the seed of sin is, alas too often
planted? answer in the social circle,
around the festal board, where the spark
| ling wine glittered in the ruby cup, and
| the jeweled hand of some fair siren with
beaming eyes, bade the giddy youth s'pledge
me, just this once.'' Better by far pledge
a woman in tear-drops than in wine, me-
thinks; and while the tempter whispers,
lust this once, the fiat goes forth ''once
for all.'' Let now the soul become in
fuenced with the demon, Alcohol, and a
raging fire is kindled in that breast. Tell
me young man drinks and l know the
rest. Step by step he falters, he yields,
and-falls, and the cry of lost soul will
reverberate through the countless ages Of
eternity, only to be echoed and re-echoed
in the wall OF woe that bursts from the
agonized hearts Of those who have sunk to
the same bitter depth of woe, and have
been plunged in that gulf of dark de-
spair." Lost /! lost 1t is a notable fact
that the fell destroyer marks for his own
the gifted sons of earth, the pride OF the
country and the intellect of our land,
4 fhoir 1nftx
pedestal of prominence and glory and
he who was once the pride Of society
and mold of form, y becomes the debased,
polluted wretch, curSing self, Wrecking the
lives and happiness of home. Mother,
wife, children yea, all most dear once to
his heart, have fallen victims to this curse.
An unprecedented observer has wildly
said: lit would not be too much to say
that there are at this moment half a mil
lion homes in the United Kingdom alone
where home-happiness is never felt
owing to this cause alone, where the wives
are broken-hearted and the children are
brought up in misery. Family purity,
piety, happiness and prosperity. all are
sacrificed to the drinking system to such
an extent that it must alarm while it hu
initiates the honest, patient and ardent
philanthropist. This deluge is sweeping
over our fair and beautiful land, bathing
her women and children, even the soil,
with the blood of its victims. Should not
| the cry of the sufferer and the suffering
reach our hearts? Indeed, it has done so,
n nd fIo hoe I,
| that the women are aroused, the women
are against the liquor traffic. We do not
1 advocate a woman's suffrage platform
from any other standpoint than this.
While the drinking system remains the
harm it causes must continue, and those
who desire to assist in a noble cause and
4 to ensure glorious success, should ener-
getically aid in this grand work of refor
{ nation. 1t is certainly great ''stone of
I stumbling y and its removal is imperative
| if moral and social reform is to triumph.
| In this hour Of desperation we feel that
the church should be an actor and an
agent. Wemay call aloud for temperance
prohibition and all else, but unless we
allow ourselves to be led by Him who alone
| can stay this mighty tide, then this scourge
which threatens to envelop our fresides
must continue, and our best efforts are but
empty mockeries. How can sympathy bind
up bleeding heats and staunch the chief
sources of human wretchedn ess when the
| brewery and distillery and grog shop are
| affecting society with every species OF vice
/ and degradation? We have pledged our
selves and our lives to aid i'll the advance
ment of this reformation. We want this
end accomplished, and we demand the as
| sistance of each and all, in the name of
\ Justice. Freedom and Religion.
| DUBLIC SALE OF VALUABLE REAL Es-.
/ III TATE.