West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1884-07-30
WEST VIRGINIA FREEMAN
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH AND
THE LIQUOR CRIME.
Address Before the MOnOngalia
County Temperance and
Law and Order AssOci-
alton, Delivered
Dec. 16, 1888.


Mr.. Foster in the outset stated
that the Christian Church was di-
vinely intended to glorify God in
the highest well.being of man. He
then discussed this syllogism, Civ
ing facts and figures to prove the
premises. The Christian Church
should antagonize any business
which of necessity either wastes or
misapplies our resources; the whis-
ky business does both. Therefore
the Christian Church should an
tagonize the whisky business.
The speaker then said
The evils of the liquor crime to
which 1 have just referred are those
most mentioned. The waste of
grain, the destruction of property,
the increase of taxes, the ruin of
physical health, the criminal mis-
employment of the labor of multi
tudes of men, the loss of human
lite, and the wretchedness and woe
and wreck which are integral
parts of the drunkard's home
these are the great ard frightful eff
fects of drunkenness stated and
reiterated and dwelt upon by the
press and public speaker. These
facts appeal, not SO much to our
souls, as to our selfshness. Lead
ers Of the temperance cause
recognize that the public con-
science must be reached through
the public selfishness. Hence the
frequent repetition of the facts to
which l have referred tonight.
| do not mean to say one word
in depreciation of this argument.
1t alone is sufficient to array
every right thinking citizen in
eternal hostility against the liquor
crime. In view of the we'll known
facts already mentioned, every man,
Christian or otherwise, go he loves
our common country and our hui
man brethren, should consider any,
thing short of war of extermina-
ton against the whisky fend, as
unpatriotic and inhuman. But
these arguments, weighty and suf-
fcient as they are, most used in the
creation OF pubic sentiment, are
not the greatest, but the least, that
can be brought to bear upon the
Christian man. These are not
worthy to be compared With other
reasons for his opposition to in
temperance. In the light of an on
coming eternity, how contempt
BILE they are
A CHRISTIAN STANDPOINT.
And now for a few minutes I
want to speak to you, not as to
taxpayers and philanthropists, but
as to Christian men and women. |
do this with the firm conviction
that if all Christian people would
unite in purpose and method, the
days of the liquor traffic would
soon be numbered, and it would
take its place, as it will yet do, as
the bloodiest thing in human his
tory. Look at this evil from the
Christian point of view. You are
a Christian; you believe in the fu-
ture life, its glory or shame; you
believe that this weary, curse
stricken world, pulsating in sin
and sorrow and suffering, must
have the gospel of salvation, or else
60 out in blackness forever; you
believe that your one Christ-ap-
pointed work is to give the world
this gospel. All other objects of
life pass into insignifcance. You
work, study, pray, vote,, live in
this sublime purpose.
Now when I say the liquor traf-
fc, with it's attendant evils, is the
greatest foe to the work OF the
Church for the redemption of the
race, I speak a truth insisted upon
by all christendom. And the great
est foe to the gospel is the greatest
foe to the human race. [ do not
intend to eulogize Christianity. 1t
needs no eulogy. 1t is known by