Smyrna times., 1886-07-14
For The Smurna Times
For the Smyrna Times.
Personal Responsibility in the
Temperance Work.
BY ]. W. I.

Mr.. EDITOR:-While perusing the
S. S. Journal of July, my mind was
directed to the thought of the per-
sonal obligation and elimination of
each individual voter under our re-
publican form of government. No
matter if we are ready, or not, to ack-
nowledge the obligation, it neverthe-
less remains the same. We either
make the law, do the act by the eXer-
else of our greatest prerogative tour
elective franchise) or we send Some one
to represent us in the act. We either
vote, or employ some one to vote for
us, so that in either case the law or
statute comes from the people of whom
the individual forms n part. Nor IS
there any way of getting rid of the
responsibility except as we discharge
our conscientious duty before God and
humanity Many Christian voters hes
itate to associate their politics with re-
ligious matters, they have forgotten,
or, perhaps never learned the fact that
politics is the science of government
and that all governments are ordained
by God Christian men and woman
should feel a deep interest in Gods
work as they are His ambassadors in
this worldly Court. They should see
| to His work and the interest of His
cause in the world.
Under the monarchial form of gov
ernment the subjects have no such re-
sponsibility. God looks to the
heads of the dynasty for the fulfill
ment of his plans, and will. In Il re-
public a great weight and burden of
responsibility rests upon the individ-
ual and we are sure to be held respon-
sible. When punishments come-rct-
ribution is necessary-they will fall
upon the people because ours is a gov
ernment of the people, by the people
and for the people. 1t is folly to sup
pose that our individuality is lost in
the great compact. God at least, viii
remember that He has said to each o.
US in this fair land add to your
faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, tC
knowledge temperance and brotherly
kindness. The two last addition.
teach us our relation one to another in
the great work of reform that has oc
cupied the minds Ofso many good peo
pie for so long Il time God has beer
leading us and teaching us almost ;
lifetime. We are familiar with almos
every phase of the subject of temper
ance and we have arrived at that poin
in knowledge where the injunction
comes with full force to "add to you
knowledge temperance" The concep
ton of this moral question. has bee
slow; the truth has come little by lit
tie, doubtless that we might the bette
understand it, and enjoy a broader aI
prehensiOn of the necessity of the re
form, and of the evils with which W
are surrounded in this Christian lane
Since the days when preachers of tn
gospel were justified in warming an
stimulating themselves before gOin
into the pulpit, drinking men resolve
to form societies to drink only on hol
days such as Christmas and the 4th {
July. A second advance was made b
resolving to drink no ardent spirit
but licensed each other to drunk win
and beer or all.
, The Washingtonian movement taugl
that it was not safe to touch, taste
handle, and societies were formed a
over the land. For time all eiI0r
= were made to reform the drunkar
whose name had become a legion, r.
quiring them to sign the pledge an
?, abstain from drink, and the crime an
poverty growing out of it, was full
discussed in all the churches an
schoOlnOuses in the land.
The rum seller had his day, whe
the evils of his nefarious trade or bus
ness was fully ventilated and taught
=. the people.
If The Courts actions, and the licens
: business, were fully criticised while Il
legislator and his duty towards his CO..
stituency was talked about so that IL
Z people of the land understand that the
have rights which cannot be set asiC
with impunity, and which right the
to-day insist upon, the right to vo
and amend the State Constitution so
to prohibit the right of sale within Il
States, right fully guaranteed Il
people of the States. If the law cs
prohibit 80 out of the 100, surely Il
same law can prohibit the one of fc
eign birth and education. Surely,
the people of the United States ha
no knowledge Ofthe vice and immC
ality growing out of this traffic tn
they are responsible before God (
their ignorance, having failed to il
prove the opportunities afforded by
allwise Providence. Yet, in all IL
discussion for half century past, lit
,Ii has been said about ourselves. Stran
tly that we should be so slow in seeing G
ed. own faults, and to learn that from, G
eSt peculiar relation to the government
the people we are partners in t
crime, and guilty before God,
which we must answer at the CIR,
ds, Day. No one has said, "Physici
ar ar heal thyself" We have not felt {
y me guilt, and yet what are the facts in
- case?
We as Christian voters, as part of {
great American compact, are partner;
every act of the government, and wi
- is our government doing? In wi
Id is it guilty? What is her part in
great drama of death now going on
DIS the land and sweeping its victims i
eternity unprepared for such an evel
The truth is that as nation, and
q a State, we are selling indulgences
do evil. We are receiving revenue
the cost Of the nations blood. We