The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1891-02-12
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Prohibition.
Prohibition has become a law in
South Dakota and the question is asked
by some why the sale OF Intoxicating
drinks still allowed? Why is the law
not enforced? Some who have long en-
dured SORROW and shame in silence,
caused by the demon drink making
slaves OF their loved ones. aud have
looked forward with so much hope that
the passing OF this law would afford
them some relief, now cry out IN anguish
Of spirit, ''can there be nothing done to
stop this great evil?" The majority OF
those engaged in the liquor traffic do so
for the money there is in it, acknowl-
edglng it in their w hearts IL being a
Gisreputable business and when they
first engage in it fully intend to suuit as
soon as they have acquired a compe-
tence and in such instances, truly,
''money is the root OF all evil" 1ntoX-
~icating drinks will be sold as long as the
pocket books OF most OF our influential
business men are replenished, either di-
rectly or Indirectly, by such sales.
There is not an officer in Rapid City
dare attempt to enforce the law he
pledged himself to sustain when taking
! oath of Office. There are a great many
good temperance people at heart, who
slipped in a vote for prohibition, who
have not the courage to go farther and
try to help enforce the law they helped
to make; it is not policy for them to dc
so, their political heads would be takel
of or their business interests would SUI
fer, and so the saloons flourish, the
nronrieto,a theronY rake in the money
and men go down to ruin, while miser
able wives weep by desolate hearth
stonesand lalf-fed children roam til,
streets and embrace crime and sham,
for Il livelihood.
Rev. James w. Dale, D. d., says, al
is easy to make water run down hill
hard to make it run up hill. 1t require:
l. Il permanent resistless force to do this
and SO it is with the OF temper
> ance. There is no permanent persist
ent agency to overthrow the evil Of in
temperance but the church OF Christ.
: God is powerful enough to overthrow
this great evil and it Is our duty t
trust him. God has some good purpos
hid bereath all this sorrowing and SUI
fering which it is not for us to know
: Punishment OF sin and guilt will be nom
} the less sure because long delayed. LIE
I us examine our own hearts and see j
there is ANYTHING in them which prevent
God from working with lis and through
us against this great evil OF intemper
ance. We are commanded to forgiv'
cur enemies; when NC sec our friend al.
the youth OF cur city welcomed INTO til
saloon and to the gambling table, cal
we say OF the proprietors, with sincerity
"Father forgive them, they know no
what they do?" Does not our indigna
ton get the better Of us and our hearts
fill with anger, when w see a fallen ont
, who is strugglingt to reform, jeered, scoifet
at and rldiculed, until in weakness b.
sinks again into degradation lower thai
at first? We may hate the sin, but VI,
: must forgive the sinner. "Forgiye as "
would be forgiven" isadivine command
Let us go to God and ask him to i'm
plant this power Of forgiveness in oul
hearts; let US go to God in earnest, ag
onizing prayer, that these men may b.
made to realize what they will be hello
accountable for at the close OF theil
Lives. What will their answer be wher
called to accountfor the lost souls led te
rum by them? A short life here viii
much scheming in vice to secure money
which must be left behind 9i.en called tc
endless eternity. Let us pray earnestly
Increasingly, with u~nwavering faith j,
our Heavenly Father, that in his intinit,
Hove, he may awaken them to their dan
ger-that their hearts may fail them il
this business tempting their fellow beings
down to ruin. "The darkest hour is
just before the dawn" We must not b.
discouraged, but be ever faithful, trus1
in God for his cause will prevail.
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