Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-12-10
TEMPERANCE VS.. PROHIBITION.
Which Shall We Have, and Why?
BY n. NJ. ALBAJGH.


For the last hundred years in this coun-
try, and moro than that in some others
there has been more or less temperance agi-
tation. Beginning in this country with the
renowned Benjamin Rush, We find that a.
through the last century we have had tenn
perance orators and temperance societies;
there have been books written by good men
showing the degradation and misery caused
by the use Of strong drink; how hearts have
been broken and happy homes destroyed,
strong men brought low and LOVING mothers
and innocent children left helpless and des-
titute.
All this has been done, and much more,
| but are we rid Of the curse? Has this
enemy to all that is good and noble and
pure and holy been vanquished? Arc we
as a people and nation Tree from the de-
stroyer and from the bondage of sin and
death? There is no need to wait for an
answer. Now do not want it to be under
stood that depreclate the efforts that have
been made in the past, or that are being
made now, nor the good that has been &C
complished; but l do say that if these eff
forts were directed in the right way, and
the same energy given to the work, we would
soon see very different results; in sLot, if
the so-called temperance people were
united in an earnest endeavor to remove
the cause, instead of patching up the effect,
there would soon be change for the bet
ter. We have had noble men and women
in the field, and they have laborad faithful
~, but the work is net finished, therefore
it behooves us to look about and see what
there is for us to do, what part we shall
play, and what position we shall take on
this question, which is, undoubtcdly, the
question of the hour.
Great changes are not accomplished in q
day, neither in the natural world nor in the
spiritual; everything must be in order, the
lower must come first rs basis or founda-
ton for that which is higher.
We find this in al! the works of God; in
nature we have first the mineral kingdom,
which is the basis on which the next higher
or vegetable rests. and from which it ex-
lists; then comes the animal. which is higher
than these, but could not exist for mo-
ment without them; and so we find it
throughout nature. Now, il YOU will ap-
ply this to all Gods works and to His
dealings with men you will find tho lower
must come first, and then that which is
higher; "iirst that which is natural and
then that which is spiritual" In all ages
Of the world the Lord has adapted His
truth to the state and condition of those
who We're to receive it. To the Jews,
whose law was IAN eye for an eye. and q
tooth for II TOOTH" He was represented as
being full Of wrath toward his enemies,
destroying ell who opposed Him and q
consuming fire to those who did not keep
His law. The reason of this was that the
Jews We're in an external condition, moth
ing but the telrors of the law would keep
them in subsection; what We call shear.
val I(yIn7, H.,
days.
The world has progressed some since
then; we are standing on u higher plane;
God has not changed, but we regard Him
from different standpoint; and note the
change! To us He is a loving father, ever
mindful of our interests and always seek
ing to draw us nearer TO Him and bestow-
ing on MS all we are capable of receiving.
Instead of reeking His vengeance on us He
is always following us to do good "If I
ascend up into heaven, thou art there; if
make my bed in hell, behold, thou art
there" The Lord has shown His love for
us by taking our nature on himself and
overcoming our enemies that We might be
saved; we love Him because He first loved
us. and we do His will and keep His COM
mandments, because we do not wish to
offend Linn, and do wish to become like
Him.
have thus seemed TO digless from the
subject i'll order to show that God works by
established laws from q lower to a higher
degree, that He uses the instruments He
finds i'll the world, and adapts the truth to
those who are to receive it. Now in regard
TO the temperance question: l claim that
the people Of to-day are able and ready to
receive teaching that few Years ago
would have been as folly to them. AS L
said before the work of the past has done
good; but cannot we in the light of to day
look back on their experience, avoid their
mistakes and do better in the future? One
of their great works has been to make SEN
timent; and let me say right here that if all
the Temperance sentiment was organized
and united on some plan of extermlnat;ou,
we would be rid OF the distillery, the brew
cry and the saloon il less than six months.
wish now to call Your attention to our
topic, Temperance vs.. Prohibition"
In my opinion the word temperance
should lie discarded by all who are working
to destroy the drink traffic: or to do real
saving or redeenling work. The following,
will illustrate what / mean: A friend Of
mine, who is rather outspoken in his oppo-
sition to the saloon, was met by a minister
tie other day who addressed him thus:
Good-morning, Mr.. c. am glad TO meet
wy s3ASIs "fo'1Ao "a Hpc1,luCe.
Excuse me, says friend c., but YOU have
made mistake. am not an apostle of
temperance. A Temperance man is one WHO
uses intoxicants temperately, in short a
moderate drinker! You may be a temper
ance man, but 1 am a total abstainer. n
Prohibltionist.
The war against this enemy, up to within
the last few years, has been conducted on
wrong principles, on a false basis, namely,
that it was the abuse and not the use Of
.1iquors that was hurtiul and injurious:
people could see that man who made
sot of himself was injured, but they had
the idea that little now and then-say
with each meal-dil not hurt them: on the
contrary it was beneficial, helped digestion,
stimulated the internal organs SO they D ~
formed their duty better, etc, and. III fact.
was quite the right thing to do if you want,
ed to feel good and enjoy health. This. us
we now know, is wrong idea. and like a
great many others that ar founded ON ap-
pearances, has been Gug up by the roots
and exposed to the light Of ~. Tie ruth
OF the matter is that all Intoxicating drinks.
from beer and cider up to the strongest
brandy, contain more or less Of a poisonous
substance called alcohol, and the man or
boy who uses item is poisoning himself
slowly or rapidly according 10 the amount
ne uses This statement is pt oven by the