The Monitor., 1885-09-25
rhe Temperance Centennial.

phia celebrated on Sunday the one hum
dredth anniversary of The temperance
movement by appropriate religious ser
vices. The exercises were predatory to the
National Temperance Conference, which
was held in St. Georges Hall, Thirteenth
and Arch streets. on Wednesday and
Thursday.
Temperance sermons were preached in
many of the prominent churches and we
give extracts from them as follow;
Rev. F. y. Bisbee pastor of the Univer-
salist Church of the Restoration Master
Street. above Sixteenth. preached from
the text. Am my brothers keeper2'
Gen. iy:9. This was the question. said
tie preacher, with which Cain sought to
hide his sin from God. and at the same
time offer an excuse that would satisfy
himself Human nature is much the same
to-day in many respects. We turn very
commendabie quality of minding our own
business into a weak excuse for the neglect
of duty that we owe to others Civil law
has never until lately recognized that man
owes any duties to his brother. It has
been purely negative: protecting from
evil rather than inspiring to good. Above
the civil is the moral law, one Of whose
fundamental principles is our vital rela-
ton TO all men and our responsibility for the
good or evil Of man in proportion TO ourin
fuence If can prevent man from do
ing a wrong and do not, am as bad az
he. If can lead him to good and do
not. | am culpabIe. With these rrinei-
pies in view. what is the relation Of tenn
perate people To the temperance reform !?
Here is great evil in our midst; it is in
iuring individuals. and through their
homes the nation. Is it any of our bust
ness
WAS slavery at the South the business
Of men in the North? What right had We
of Pennsylvania to interfere with the af-
fairs of the men Of South Carolina? Seem
ingly. at first thougIlt. no legal right; but
men were governed by the higher moral
law and, under authority of that. proceed
ed to act. Analogous to that situation i
the situation of the temperance reform To-
day Men are held in slavery slavery
that endangcrs their physical, mental and
moral health. and it is the business of ev-
cry good man TO do what he can to free
them Good men are called TO it because
Of the gigantic proportion of the evil in
the present ard the possible dangers Of the
future Called to it by common humanity
and by the spirit of Christianity-ealle to
I it. because those who are going down to
destruction are the children Of God and
our brothers, and we are responsible for
them. No matter whether we are bound
TO them by the ties of blood or not, under
{ God they are our brothers. and they must
be saved. The call Of tie temperance re-
form is 10 you. and whether or not it has
I injured US or our friends, we are all TO do
our part. be it much or little This is a
message To the temperate. We have re-
/ sponsibilities in this matter We are tie
/ keepers of our brother and, as his success
/ We must realize this. that there can never
! be perfect man until humanity is perfect.
for humanity is 50 vitality knit together
that weakness on onr part is felt through
out the whole. Therefore would we feel
I life in its highest form, we must lift fallen
humanity to our level.
f.. Sweetser. at the UniversaliSt church
Of the Messiah, took as bis text the eleventh
,-o &c .I,a 4,.+s,,t,- a ret I,a ,,tor of TSaia
Great reforms " he said ''do not take
place spasmodically: they grow by degrees,
with almost imperceptible changes. until
some strength is attained and then the
strides to full growth and power are rapid
and strong. There are periods oftwilight.
dawn and the broad light Of day The
4 progress of the temperance movement was
a good illnstration of this principle. Pre-
yious TO the Revolution this country was
beset with the sin of liquor drinking to an
ipordinate degree Everyone. even ladies.
drank more or less, and it was no stigma
on mans character to occasionally be
seen under the influence of intoxicants.
At all gatherings. social, religious aud
otherwise. ii was customary To see wine.
Different influences rule to-day. Rum
sellers formerly We're deacons in the church
and the rum traffic was regarded as respect
able an avocation as that of the grocer
Benjamin Franklin was the first to declare
his opposition to the use of alcoholic slim
ulantS, bur be did little to influence others,
ary,rcDt11er i1,salf with aI,Steruioitsups. in