Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-09-05
A GOOD LINE TO WORK ON.

At the recent session of the Mississippi
Baptist Convention, the following report
on temperance was unanimously adopted.
1t puts the whole question in a terse and
compact forth form, and assigns to each
remedy for the growing evil of intemper-
ance in its proper place. If temperance
advocates could unite upon such declara-
tion of principles throughout the land,
and prepare themselves by organized ef-
fort to secure individual action and the
inculcation Of such principles in every
community, it would not be many years
until a revolution in public sentiment
should be wrought out that would abolish
the saloon in this country. The forces
gathered under such auspices would prove
irresistible, and the most important fea-
ture of the work would be its increasing
growth, as generations come forward right
ly instructed as to the evils of liquor
drinking and the baneful influence of the
liquor traffic upon the civil and religious
institutions of this land. 1t is encourag-
ing to note the unanimity of our brethren
in Mississippi as to plans and methods,
and to have the assurance that gratifying
progress isbeing made along the entire line
of temperance work:
The criminality of the liquor traffic is
no longer debatable ground. Even the
U. S. Supreme Court says: "We cannot
shut out of view the fact within the
knowledge of all that the public health,
public morals and public safety may be
endangered by the general use of intoxi-
eating drinks; nor the fact established by
statistics, accessible to every one, that the
idleness, disorder, pauperism and crime
existing in the country, are in some de-
gree at least traceable to this evil"
The Supreme Court of Iowa, speaking OF
the use of intoxicating drinks, says: ut
is the prolific source of crime, pauperism
and insanity, and deteriorates mentally
and physically the human stock" This
admission is now quite general that it
"desolates the home and desecrates the
ballot" and makes the wall of the worse
than widow and unclad, hungry child as
cend to heaven.
What may be done to check-what to
destroy-the whiskey traffic? That is the
question now asked by the Christian and
the philanthropist.
1st. Your committee thinks we must
ourselves abstain from the dram-drinking
habit. There is no precept like example.
I'd. We should appeal to science, and
teach the evil effects of alcohol to our chill
dren. Yes, teach, teach the children ;
let US strive that the next generation are
not drunkards. Teach them-then protect
them from temptation by abolishing the
saloon from the land. Add to this ''moral
suasion," and you have all the methods
known to your committee for fighting this
appalling evil. Let US adopt all these
methods-the appeal to science, to reason
and to law with self-restraint; and contin-
ue in the vanguard in the irresistible con-
flict till our homes and our boys are saved.
Your committee notes with special
pleasure the widespread, increased inter-
est and general advance of the temperance
movement all along the line. The con-
fict may be long and bitter, but the Ever
lasting Arm is in it, and will prevail. All
the churches are united here.
The present is the auspicious time in
Mississippi The eyes of the emigrant
from abroad are upon this sunny land as
never before. Our religious liberty and
indeed our civil institutions will be safer
to ourselves and our posterity if this gi-
gantic evil be routed before the influx of
population is much larger. God speed the
day of triumph!