National Republican., 1886-08-16
wIcKEDNEss AND THE DOG STAR
A Plentiful Supply of Cool Water Was
n Check to Liquor Traffic.

Rev. f. d. Power, pastor Of the Vermont
Avenue Christian Church, preached last
evening upon "The Summer Reign Of RUM
to a fair.slzed audience. His text was
Ephesians iv, %: "Neither give place to
the devil.n The lecture was opened by
reference to the ill-omen which tradition
gives to the period covered during the
ascendency Of the Dog star in such a man
ner as to impress his hearers that he shared
In some degree the common superstition.
Sirius, being at such distance that light
travelling from 1t to the earth only reaches
us in 5000, 600 years, would be supposed to
be beyond the power OF influence. Yet the
Egyptians believed that to this brilliant
planet belonged many OF the perplexities
and dlstresses Of the earth; that agricultural
prosperity, blight, or drought were gov.
erned by 1t. The Romans shared the belief
in the power Of the star which reigns be-
tween Aug. 4 and Sept. IA.
"If this star Ia answerable for oil the
sins OF the summer season." said the
preacher, "it has q great deal TO answer
for. When preachers are away, the
churches closed, and the general wholesale
restraint Of religion Is In measure with
drawn, there are certain forms Of sin which
make very great advances. That the at
tendance OF the houses Of worship suffers
from the heated terms nobody questions,
but II such arguments as are used to close
the churches one month can be allowed to
prevail, do not see that they would not
bear with the same force upon a propo-
sition to close the churches six months or
during the entire year. 1t Is true that
there is some recompense in the renewed
vigor gained by the pastors and by the
healthfulness OF campmeetings, though the
latter Is questi0nable.n
Anything that caused the people to lose
reverence for the Lords day he looked
upon as dangerous. IL the inidels OF the
day could accomplish this he thought they
would not think It worth while to dissem-
be questioned that in the summer months
there are greater indulgencies in the "De-
stroyer Rum" than In any other season
| OF the year.
"If the effort to secure supply of ice
necessary to cool the water flowing from
the fountain at the corner Of Seventh street
| and Pennsylvania avenue were successful
| II would not fail to have an effect on the
| customers Of the saloons. Cogswell may
| be crank, but plentiful supply OF water
at the corner Of Seventh street and Penn
| sylvania avenue will be great check to the
liquor traffic and the liquor people know
IT,"
He believed Judge Davis had spoken
truly when he said that the liquor traffic
belZtb INC IuhCnlutb Vi law. l1e TeltrTtu 10
| the anarchists lawless acts In Chicago, and
said 1t was significant that the very corner
on which the bomb burst was saloon.
| Three saloons disgraced other corners In
| the vicinity and there were no more saloons
| on corners only because there were no more
corners. 1t appeared natural that such a
| spot should be chosen for such work. Bel
fast, the scene Of such bloody riots rs have
been enacted here lately, yields to
the government $5,OOO,OOO liquor
tariff annually. Nothing but the
compulsory closing OF the saloons there
could bring the populace to its senses. And
these things also occurred under the reign
OF the Dog star. He quoted as significant
statistics to show that In this city there are
100 churches and 1000 liquor saloons, In
Brooklyn $50 churches and $500 liquor sa-
looms, and In the United States 25000
churches and 100000 men engaged in the
liquor traffic.
The sermon was forcibly delivered, and
received the strictest attention.