River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-06-28
Temperance.
CONDUCTED BY THE Wv. G. T. u
70 Co. and Hon.e and Natire Land.'
How Best Promote the Temperance
Cause?f

Cause?'
IAN address delivered by Rev (. I. Morse, Of
Durand, at the Northwest Wisconsin Congrega-
uonal Convention held in this city June 1921
If any one desires hint as to what
a comprehensive discussion of this
question involves he will do well to
glance at the different departments of
the W. G. T. u. organization. It will
be impossible, of course, to treat the
subject thus comprehensively in a
twenty minute paper l shall therefore
contine myself to what seem to me ex-
ceedingly important aspects of the
cause at this particular stage of its
progress.
l. In our interest in the political as
poets of the struggle, we should not
abate one iota of our effort in the line
of moral suaslon. l wonder if, as in.
dividuals, and as churches we are do
ing all in our power TO redeem men
from the temptation and dominion of
strong drink | have raised the ques-
tion with myself especially in connec-
ton with the rescue of two men in
our little town of Durand, through
the influence of the Methodist breth-
rem. While away on my vacation,
learned of a similar case,-all of these
were hard cases. The saloon seemed
10 have them in it's grip. But thro'
the power of the Gospel, mediated by
common sympathy in connection with
series of meetings, these men were
restored to their homes, and led into
the religious life of those who belong
to the household of faith. IN those
homes daily prayer has taken the
place of daily cursing and brutality.
AS | have seen these transformations,
l have asked myself,-"In your en-
thusiasm and effort for remote good
the abolition of the traffic are you
overlooking in any way the good near
at hand-the good which a gospel of
power coupled with human sympathy,
may bring to the slave who perchance
is your next door neighbour" And
resolve anew that, as minister of
Christ, | will regard no case as beyond
the powers which human love and
sympathy can mediate. The temper
ance report at our last state conven.
ton rightly emphasized this Gospel as
the first and fundamental factor ia
this work. Environment and system
magnified their Importance. But no
procedure is complete that ignores
the sound philosophy of empowering
the individual with a Divine might.
We who have taken strong political
grounds for prohibition have some
times been charged with a neglect of
the moral and educational work.
am certain the charge is false. But |
raise the question whether we are do
ing all 10e cdn ia this moral redemp-
tive work. My urgent counsel is then
that we who are such ardent workers
for Prohibition do not in our efforts
to surround our weak neighbor with a
good system bye and bye, fail now to do
everything in our power to make this
same neighbor strong. good man
against present bad system.
2. Our state report, before alluded
to, mentions education as one of the
forces to be used to overthrow the
liquor evil, and calls upon the press
and pulpit to give much of its best
brain to this theme. l feel certain
that the secular press has come very
far short of this requirement, and l
believe that, generally speaking, the
Congregational pulpit has not met it's
obligation in this direction. Many
have failed of doing duty because, as
they say, the Subject is an old one."
That very expression brings them in.
to condemnation, for if there is
subject that is new it is temperance.
No man familiar from year to year
with the great Gulf Stream of the
temperance movement can possibly
call it an old subject. Others have
been derelict because of the close
vigilance ana persistant work Tequir-
ed for marshaling into order fresh,
definite, persuasive knowledge. They
have failed to realize what rich and
never falling treasury of facts the
temperance world furnishes-facts
adapted to stir the popular heart,
when seen from the present plane
of public sentiment. | believe that
among moral and religious leaders
a much higher educational standard
is needed for the promotion of the
temperance cause.
Let the pastor discuss before h is
people, from time to time, such
themes as '.Heredity and Intemper-
ance, "Neurasthenia and Intemper-
ance," 1.-The Money Power of the
Liquor Oligarchy," 1.-The Function of
Parties" working them up thorough.
ty and e.rhauStiUeiy. Let him resolve
himself into an outlook committee call
ing attention, in preludes, to new
facts and phases of the great subject
as they appear on the horizon of
knowledge. / believe this sort of ed
ucation is needed in our churches.
and needed more than ever. Especial
ly is il needed as the question becomes
a political one. and the highest act OF
a citizen is applied to its settlement.
No political action is safe that is not
intelligent.
3. Purpose, aim and enthusiasm in
this cause will, from the nature of
things, take on some organized form.
In this cause, as in every other, con-
certed action alone can hope for sue
cess. We have massive organizations
whose purpose is to promote the
cause along the line of either temper
ance or Prohibition. Such as the
Good Templars, the W. @. L. U. and
the National Prohibition Party. Large
branches of the christian church have
incorporated temperance in some form
with their organic law.
Associations, by the hundred, local, |
state and general, have put on record |
a healGhful christian sentiment against |
the traffic. All such declarations i'm |
part momentum to the cause. They |
give strength to the weak and discour-
aged.
One of the grandest things this
ever did for this cause |
was the enthusiastic adoption of that !
report at VIII tewater last |
summer. What an impetus has this |
of solidity given to the |
causel How many have taken cour-
age as they have read those direct, |
heroic utterances, feeling that they |
were alone in the conflict None of |
this cTystaliZation sentiment should /
be neglected. But / have been ask /
ing myself, can anything more be |
done! Can our churches take any |
steps that have not already been TAX
EN- TO promote the cause! III a declar- |
alton of sentiment and principles can
accomplish so much in our confer |
ences, why can not the various |