The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-06-19
THE NATIONAL SOCIETY,".
Celebration Of Is Twenty-FOurth Ami.
vsrsary-An Encouraging Outlook.


The twenty-fourth anniversary Of
the National Temperance Society was
one OF the most effective and satisfac-
tory meetings ever held under its au-
spices. The spacious Broadway Tab
ernacle, though not crowded as it has
been, was we'll filled by an
audience goodly in numbers. OF supe-
rior quality and truly representative
in character. The addresses were all
of high order Of excellence-bright.
pointed. catholic, and kindly in spirit
= covering a wide range of thought.
The platform was crowded with many
well-known citizens, representing near
ly all the leading religious bodies and
Temperance organizations. The mu-
steal part OF the programme was finely
rendered. with Mrs. A. J. Osborne, of
Boston, as soloist; Miss Anna A. Park,
cornetist, and Miss Belle Penney, as
organist. and greatly enjoyed.
The annual business meeting of the
society. at which the annual report
was read and adopted, was also an oc-
casion of exceptional interest. The
summary Of the society's work for the
year attested fully its increased and
steadily increasing usefulness in the
onward march of the temperance re-
form. Many valuable additions have
been made to its extended catalogue of
publications and its seed-sowing of
precious temperance truths in many
needy fields, but especially among the
young-the hope and dependence Of
the future-has been larger than ever
before. The missionary work among
the colored people OF the Southern
States has been prosecuted vigorously
to the full extent of the means there
for placed at the disposal OF the Board
Of Managers, and with great good re-
suits. The board adopted the wise
policy of combining the scope Of the So
ciety's operations to the limit Of the
money at their command to meet o BIZ
cations incurred. Though many mov-
ing appeals for help had to be denied
and much was omitted for want of
means. which ought to have been done,
the society happily closes the year free
from debt. with a small balance in its
treasury, and with assets amounting in
the aggregate to about $4,000. I'd,
The general survey Of the Temper
ance reform, as presented in the re-
port, embracing the action during the
year Of religious bodies, OF kindred
Temperance organizations, and in the
sphere of legislation and politics, is
full of hope and encouragement.
There have been local and temporary
reverses and defeats, but the general
trend has been forward and onward.
None discern and understand this
better than the brewers. distillers and
capitalists of the drink traffic. While
they continue to reiterate the cry that
prohibition is a failure and does not
prohibit, they have never before been
SO thoroughly rganized-never have
put forth such prodigious efforts to
prevent its having any added oppor-
tunity fail in new States or local
tiles.
An important incident in the bust
ness meeting of the society was the
reading of letter from Hon. James
Black, of Pennsylvania, one of its
founders, Offering to donate to it's keep
ing his valuable Temperance library
of several thousand volumes, the result
of great labor and costing upwards Of
five thousand dollars. 1t is undoubt-
eddy the most complete library of its
kind in this country and probably in
the world, embracing all the impor-
tant contributions to Temperance lit
erature. covering all phases OF the
question in our own country and
abroad. The society voted to accept
gratefully Mr.. Blacks most valuable
and generous offer. But the necessity
of building of its own, previously
felt, to meet adequately the demands
of its steadily enlarging work. becomes
now imperative. The next year will
complete the first quarter Of a century
OF its labors, and it is greatly to be
hoped that one outcome of the fitting
commemoration of that event may be
the securing in its name of a suitable
building for a permanent headquar.
tiers.
Many events during the year have EN-.
phasized strongly the continued funda-
mental need of thorough, painstaking
educational Temperance work among
the people concerning the evils in.
separable from the use Of intoxicat.
ing beverages and their manufacture
and sale under the sanction and pro.
lection of law. It's to this educational
Temperance work. through the living
voice of the missionary, but especial.
ly through its unrivaled literature.
that the National Temperance So.
ciety is especially dedicated. It be.
speaks, and may it have yet more
abundantly. for the year to come the
generous co-operatiop Of the friends
of Temperance throughout the land. =
National Temperance Advocate.