Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-22
ICOMAuNICATEn.I

1t has been belief among many nom
Catholics that there was something in the
teaching of the Catholic church which
would always operate to keep Catholics
from taking any active interest in the
general field of temperance. SoEe have
even claimed that that church was really
in sympathy with the liquor traffic, hence
would never speak out against it. What
must be the surprise of these when they
see Catholics all over this country
leading in the work of temperance.
Not only this, but the church itself,
speaking through her assembled prelates,
has expressed the strongest adherence of
the traffic, since priests are urged to ad-
wise any of their fiocks in the business
''tO abandon, as soon as they can. the
dangerous traffic, and to embrace a Raore
becoming way of making q living" In adj
ditI0n to this, two important temperance
meetings have recently been held by
CathOlics-One in the new Church OF the
Paulist Fathers, New York city, and the
other in Philadelphia, which were ad-
dressed by three distinguished Bishops Of
the Catholic church, and the following
brief extracts fl ON each shows the tenor
of Catholic teaching on this all-important
question. The speakers were bishops
Keane, of Richmond, Va; Spalding, of
Peoria, Ill, and Ireland, of St. Paul,
Mimi.
Bishop Keane said: ''Many years ago
l resolved not only to hate drink myself.
but to teach others to hate it.
That was true utterance Of the assem-
bled prelates nineteen years ago that de-
nOunced the evils of drink. Nineteen
years of hard work have more and more
convinced me of the great work to be
done. Cardinal Manning, crowned with
the glory OF lifetime, declared that total
abstinence was the only real remedy.
The Cardinal knew what he said was
true. Therefore the third Plenary Coun-
Gil of Baltimore declared its approval and
blessing of the temperance movement,
which mas the blessing of Gods priests
and Bishops and of the holy Father him.
self. Oh, my friends, have nothing to do
with drink. Don't take any of the devil.
Don't try to take a little of it. Don't
temporize and experiment. 1t is total
abstinence alone that can do the work.
Do you want to do goedH Then
join the temperance society and de good
to yopr fellow man."
Bishop Spalding SAID: 'It may be well
to try to save the drunkard, but it is bet
ter to create q public opinion that will
make it disreputable to go into the dram
shop. Then the men are saved in time.
The mothers and children are saved from
ruin which, when once 1t cOntaminates
the blood, is almost ineradicable."
Bishop Ireland said: "There was law
that at least one day in the week saloons
should be closed. The saloons should be
closed on Sunday, so that the poor man
should not be exposed to temptation.
Vas that law Observed? There was q
law that liquors should not be sold to
dFunkards or minors. Was that law OBJ
served? There was and is widespread
disObedience of the law. The CRY is rails
ed that personal freedom is attacked. But
is il personal freedom 20 send men to the
grave that is thus defended. Americans
must rise in their majesty and say these
things shall not be. The saloon
keeper gets the power and makes
the laws. Oh, the shame Of
liberty should be thus abused, that
the enemies of the people should be
placed in power. How is it that
the power of manhood suffrage has not be-
fore this remedied the evil? When any
LIQUOR man is nominated the temperance
men should work honestly against him.
Tell the men in office that they must en-
force the laws. See that they are sustain
ed by public opinion. The great want OF
the day is strong, earnest display of forci-
BILE public opinion in favor of temperance.
Do you ever hear Of great manifestations
of Catholics to sustain temperance lawsY
Ii the temperance question does not sue
coed it is because you are towards and do
not dare to stand up for what you believe
to be patriotism and religion. 1t cheers
me to see 10000 Catholics here in Phila-
delphia showing their interest in the work
of temperance. The Catholic church has
spoken well he- wish on this question and
the mandate has gone forth from the
Plenary Council that the Sunday laws
must be observed and Catholics must seek
to secure even more stringent laws. The
words of the church should be ever-pre-
sent in the minds of Catholics. Priests
and Bishops must labor to induce Catho-
lies in the liquor traffic to leave it and to
get some other way of obtaining a liven-
hood. God grant that the word may be
listened tor