The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-01-23
4 sketchy Article on Temperance.
BY A LADY OF ANDERSON.

i
wild tornado. The banner of total
abstinence and the entire suppression Of
the liquor traffic was thrown to the
breeze, and it has not been lowered from
that day to this.
If memory serves correctly, it was in
the year 1842 that the Rev. B. N. Pal.
mer, D. D., was pioneer in Anderson
in behalf of the temperance cause. He
was entertained at the late Judge Whit.
ner's beautiful home with Abrahamic
hospitality. He was, at that time, q
licentiste in the Theological Seminary,
Columbia, S. c., and though be was
pale, wan and grim, his features were
stamped with intellectual vigor, force of
character and determination of will,
which at once gave confidence to the
cause and its success. The Judge being
in full sympathy with the movement,
society was soon Instituted, and though
the membership was small, earnest, faith
full work characterized it. The Presby-
terians we're foremost in the ranks to
enroll their names Under the white flag
of total abstinence, and to that denomi-
nation Anderson is indebted for being
the first to promote the temperance sen.
timent in this County.
The late Judge O'Neal was one of the
most effective champions of temperance
that this State ever produced. He was
instant in season and out of season-ifit it
can be out of season to speak for the
cause-when travelling his Circuit in
making comprehensive speeches in its
behalf, the masses thereby being in
structed in the principles of reform, the
cause was greatly strengthened through.
out the upper portion of the State. The
temperance workers, however, in those
days did not meet with the difficulties
and impediments that now confront them
on every side. The promulgation of
their principles pleased the people, now
it displeases. Where and on whom does
the responsibility rest? If the shades of
the departed are permitted to look back
through the veil, they certainly cannot
utter satisfied amen over the change
that has taken place in the temperance
sentiment in this place in this last quar-.
ter of the nineteenth century We have
flowers for the graves Of the departed, let
us now speak of the living who, by the
magic silent influence of love, made
homes happy that were once desolate.
In 1912 the Grand Division Of the
Sons of Temperance organized aabor-
dinate Division of their Order in this
place, with Mr.. a. B. Towers Worthy
Patriarch. For many years the growth
of this society was slow but sure, but
whef the late Civil War broke out in our
unhappy land the society was virtually
suspended, most of its members having
enlisted for the long four years war.
When peace, sweet peace, reigned
again, and the graceful folds of the star
spangled banner waved throughout our
Sunny Southland, it was through the
untiring efforts of Mr.. Towers that the
society was re organized. The Difficult.
ties and embarrassments that the e1ecu-
tive officer met with were appreciated.
Apostacy had depaoralized their ranks,
and the foe was not then as it had been
before the war, mostly confined to the
lower class, but. the cultured, refined
and intellectual were ensnared into the
glittering coils of the "crested serpent"
Dismayed wives, mothers and sisters,
overpowered with anguish, made the
inquiry, SLOW can this terrible evil be
destroyed?" Philanthropy held aloft
the beautiful banner of total abstinence
as place of refuge, with The command
to press onward and upward with the
firm determination to destroy the license
system whenever it exists in our jurisdic.
tion.
The silver lining at last broke forth
with resplendent lustre from beneath the
cloud that hovered over our people like
8 dark pail. 1t was in 1870 that Mr..
Carswell, P. NJ. W. A., Oshawa's noted
humorist, held his auditors spell.bound
for over one hour in the Court House,
moving them into laughter, or forcing
them into silence at will. 1t was pen
tecostal season then, and the society
received o large accession, for many were
convinced that the best interest of the
people would be conserved by the propa-
cation of temperance principles, and
that earnest, intelligent work, by frater
nal combination, would be omnipotent in
destroying the evil.
In 1884, through the influence Of Mrs.
Chaplin, the noted temperance worker, a
society was organized in the Baptist
Church called the Women's Christian
Temperance Union. Executive officers
were appointed from different deuomina.
tions of the city, with Mrs. ]. S. Murray,
President. They have done what they
could. Oh! who would not yield to
these earnest, patient workers the full
tribute of their admiration? I would
gladly twiDe a wreath-but the task is
for an abler pen-as memorial of their
constancy and devotion, but no matter if
their names are never memoralized on
earth, on the right hand side of the
throne there are star-gemed crowns in
waiting for these tireless workers
| throughout the United States who have
organized the saving forces OF society for
the reform of evils, whose existence can
neither be denied or ignored.
| readily admit that the rostrum is not
for women, but when the sacred precincts
of home are.invaded by devils, not men,
who galyanically brandish around with