The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-11-05
SAM JONES.
A Sermon by the Great Religious Agita-
tor on Temperance.

Perhaps no orator, political or re-
ligious, is to-day the center of as much
interest as the Rev. Samuel Jones. His
methods are original, his language
pointed and often extraVagant, his ap-
plications direct and personal. AS pre-
senting both his strength and his weak
ness, his merits and his faults, the toll
lowing sermon, as reported in the Nash
Vile Union, is republished:
Mr.. Jones began by saying he didn't
see the need of writing lecture on a
subject. All the preparation q fellow
needs that is chuck full of his subject up
to his neck, is just to pull the bung out
and let nature cut her caper. l am just
as full of prohibition, temperance and
anti-liquor principles as an egg ever was
full of meat. I want to talk to you
about it honestly, candidly. I want to
speak out of the abundance of my heart.
I reach men better when talk from my
heart to their hearts-when eye strikes
eye-heartology, if you will allow that
expression. Ali mems hearts are on a
level with each other. Their hearts form
great plain without break in it..
When we consider reason, imagination,
learning, the whole world is full of noun
tain peaks and lowly valleys. The earth
is not more irregular of surface than are
the dwellers upon it, when thus COM
pared one with another. But when we
come to hearts, it is great plain that
stretches from border 10 border. No
matter where eur hearts may be, our
hearts are close together. Let US talk
heart.talk to-day. Let us pay very little
attention to grammar, or rhetoric, or
logic. The heart never prepares sen'
tence before it utters it. The heart never
scrutinizes proposition to see whether
it is correct according to the books. Let
heart speak out to heart, then We shall
come away with clearer views on one of
the greatest issues that was ever sprung
in any civilized country. Igo around a
good deal over this country, and I am
admitted to the various parts and por'
tions of life, as it presents itself in the
Office, in the shops, in the store.room, on
the farm, in the household, at the social
meeting individually, I meet men face
to face and talk with them and to them.
I think there is not a phase OF respec-
table life that L do not see. i am
brought into contact with men of all
classes and become familiar with all
opinions current in our life to-day, and
I want to tell you, from what I have
read and seen and felt, there is an issue
now upon this country, and that issue is
clearly defined, It is unmistakable. It
has lines and limits as clearly defined as
God himself ever made an issue. When
you make an issue, then somebody is
going to be on one side and somebody on
the other side of that issue. One way
the issue is known to be made is by the
booming of the cannon, the rattle Of the
musketry !and the glimmering of the
polished steel. ! haye..not. only heard
the muttering in the distance--I- have
gone up to where the battle was raging.
{ have stood there with. "a gun in my
hand when it,. popped. .1and cracked. 1
have not only seen the sword glistening
Wonder in the distance and in the sun
light, but I have held that sword in my
hand, fighting till the sun went down in
darkness. When an issue is made and
you have. sides, then about the only
thing for fellow to do is to take sides.
As speaker on any subject or question
I am expected to take sides. :. Which
side shall I take? A3-
I will not announce formally on which
side am. If you want to know on
which side I'm on, I'll tell you what you
may do: You slip up to the side of the
great God that made this world, and
whisper in his ear and ask him which
side he is on. You just put me down
on his side. I will work there. If that
is task too great for you, and you ask
me: (Which side are you on, Sir 2" you
go up yonder to that suffering, toilipg,
sinless One Of Judea, who died for the
race of man; whose every effort has
been to drift the world up and make it
better-you just put me down on his
side. I am perfectly willing to labor
with him. If this is task too great for
you, go to the angels, those beings that
pitch their tents around US and abide
with, us, that they may catch the first
faintest murmur of a penitent's lips,
that there is one soul that is going to do
better. You put me down with them. I
am perfectly willing to cast my lot with
them. If this is task too great for you,
go out yonder to the cemetery. There is
grave just six feet long, and white
marble covers it. Remove this marble,
20 down to the coffin, and there are the
remains of a precious wife. Ask her
what side she is on. I can afford to 60
with that sainted wife. Put me on her
| side. There is another grave, four feet
long. It is the resting.place OF little SIX
year-old Mary or Willie. Raise that
little body up long enough to ask one
question: "Whose side are you on 2"
t will say put me down on little Mary's
| or Willie's side. You go to all the good
women of earth, as they gather around
one common cause, and ask them which
side they espouse. That is my side.
Ask every pale, ruined wife and every
devoted mother upon which side her
sympathies and prayers are given, and
YOU may inscribe my name among theirs.
Their side is my side. Ask all the happy,
busy women of earth, and say: "Pre-
cious women of earth, which side of this
question are you on2" You just put me
| down with the good women Of America,
and will abide by it. Applause. /
would not have to stop long here to per.
suade you as to which side of this ques-
ton God is on. I would not have to
speak to you long to persuade you what
side Christ takes in this issue-which
side the angels take on this great ques-
ton. would beg you to listen but for
q moment, to hear the voice of the
precious, sainted wife or mother on this
issue. / would ask but minute to
catch the faint whisper of little Mary's
or little Willie's voice on this question.
| Every woman in this blasted land Of
ours says: "Down with this traffic tina.
| downs our husbands and children !" II
you agree with me that they are ON the
side of temperance or prohibition, you
can not blame me for taking that side.
Then whatever kind of blame may be
heaped on the man who chooses the side
of temperance and prohibition, however
he may have to bear the abuse of men,
however much the cry of 'fanatic" may
be raised, he has the satisfaction OF
knowing that God is with him. I have
the consciousness that the angels have
pitched their tents around me, and that
have the prayers and sympathies Of