Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-02-06
TEMPERANCE.
REV NJ P. DRYDEN DELIVERS A LECTURE
FOR 1T
Al the North Street n. 3. Church Last Evening
A Large Crowd Present 10 Listen TO
Sound Argument

Rev. NJ. F. Dryden, pastor ofthe North
Street NJ. E. Church, delivered q teiimg
lecture in favor of prohibition last even
ing, TO a large and attentive congregation.
The talk was an hour in length, but those
present gave it the closest attention
throughout. Following are a few OF the
thoughts and arguments advanced. The
reverend gentleman took his text from
I Psalm Isl yerse-"Why do the heather
rage and the people imagine a vain thing?'
He said:
The writer composed this pslam after he
had taken Jerusalem from the Jebusites,
and had made it the capital of his King
dom. The heather and warlike nations,
learning of his success, massed their forces
TO break down the kingdom and take pos
session of the Holy City. But when the
conflict came on the heather were scat
tered as chat by the wind, and Jerusalem
became the seat of o strong and good gov
eminent. In this we see the folly OF man
in their efforts to defeat the plan and pur-
pose of God. Kings and princes have
risen up to oppose righteousness,
and rulers have consulted together
to stay the progress of Christ's King
dom, but truth has always gained an
easy victory.
The great question is now before the
people of this State whether the liquor
traffic shall be prohibited within the lin
its of this Commonwealth, and already the
enemy is busy preparing to defeat this
measure in the coming election. The
bugle call has been sounded from two OF
the pulpits of this CITY, and in response
the enemy are now massiDg their forces
and preparing for the coming conflict. The
pulpit, the press, and every other avail
able means will he used to oppose right
eousness and to fasten tie liquor traffic
upon the people of the State, and we de-
sire tonight to call attention to some OBJ
iections that have been made from pulpits
in this city uniriendly to The cause Of tenn
perance. First We are told that
prohibitOry legislation Is contrary to the
word of God. If this be true then We can
not hope to succeed, for no aus opposed
by Divine truth can hope for success. But
let us see-frst we must admit that the
bible condemns drunkenness, for it de-
clares no drunkard shall enter the King
dom of God. 1t goes a step further and
p~ronounces q woe upon the seller-"wO
unto him that giveth his neighbor drink,
that puttest thy bottle TO him and maketh
him drunken also"-Hab. ii:13. There.
fore drunkenness is a sin; a woe is pro,
nounced upon the drpnkard maker, and
both are expressly prohibited by God.
Prohibition has its basis in divine truth.
The first law enacted for the government OF
man was prohibitory, the whole decalogue
is ~prohibitory. Gods plan is first TO poi
hibit sin aud then to punish it; and nov
who will dare cay that 10 the light OF
revelation the liquor trafic is not a sin
add q crime.
Again, it is asserted that prohibition is
in conflict with personal liberty, as guar
anteed by the Constitution of the United
|, States. The Constitution guarantees the
t enjoyment of life, liberty, and the pursuit
of happiness, and the Supreme Court, in
its recent decision, says "The right to sell
liquors is not one of the rights growing ont
of citizenship of the United States. The
right to manufacture drink for ones own
use is subject TO the restriction that ii
shall not endanger OF affect the rights
!, of Others" But We are told that
lit is the duty of the State
to guarantee the rights and liberty
of the individual, and that it is madness
: on the part of the State to rob the iIdiyid'
ual of the liberty to eat and drink what is
sumptions. First, that beer and whisky
J are good things, and have been provided
by God for the use of man. The second
. assumption is that prohibition deals with
! the drilksr. In reply to the FIRST we would
4 say, that beer aud whisky are not the crea'
lures of God. In the second place, pro
E hibitiUn does not deal with the drinker
3 Leaving him to thdforce Of moral suasion,
it proposes to deal only with the manufac'
turer and seller.
Again, it is objected that prohibition il
/, in the nature of class legislation and dis
, eliminates against the interests ofthe work
: ingnian. We affirm that the saloon is tn,
l great fee of the laboring class and the besI
r interests of the wOrkingman demand it
overthrow and destruction. But WI art
, told again that prohibition is at wal with
the commercial interests Of the State auC
, that it will increase the burden Of taxe4
upon the people. In reply to this false
assertion we would say that the liquor
traffic never added anything to the materia
. wealth of any State, community or indiyid
: ual, except those directly engaged in thu
4 business.
To lessen the taxes in this State We mus
, reduce pauperism and crime, and to reduce
. %pauperisIn and crime We must destroy tn,
saloon.
Ia this fight We shall stand face to face
with the enemy, and in no case will We
, yield on inch of ground, or relapse our eff,
! forts until we have crushed the saloon ant
redeemed this commonwealth from thi:
awful curse. And l would ask what is it,
now, that disturbs the peace of the city,
, That makes the midnight hideous with
: yells and the Sabbath day 4 day of drunk
ennesS and debaucherS? III this fight we
shall lay aside all sectional strife, all party
feelings and deGOminational differences
aud unite our forces for a bold and vigor
. ous warfare, and on the 9th of November
next, under Gods blessing, We shall write
the death warrant OF the liquor traffic il
the commonwealth of West Virginia.