The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-11-23

| COLEMAN On TEMPERANCE.
Two New views-Oharity and Human
ity Preferred to Moral Condemnation
and Social Abstain
ers May Help.
| In Trinity P, E. Church Sunday fore
noon Rt. Rev. Leighton Coleman,
ware, preached from the text; Neh.
u:8, sWhy should not my counte-
nance be sad ~
In this instructive and interesting
book OF Nehemiah, a noble character
of ancient times exhibits patriotism,
unselfish devotion to God and His
people. Though amid the associations
and luxuries Of high life, being cup
bearer to King Artaxerxes, his native
people OF Israel and city of Jerusalem
were ever uppermost In his mind.
While meditating over message rO-
ceived from Jerusalem that her wall
was down. her gates burned and her
people In reproach, he was called to
serve his King In passing the cup.
| When ArtaXerXes remarked upon the
sickness of heart he read in the face
of Nehemiah as he was handing the
cup the latter replied: "Why should
not my countenanee be sad I"
Nehemiah then told the King the
| 5tu eOuultlOu Vi UbIubdl6Hl anu De-
sought his assistance for its restora.
ton. As In Nehemiah's case, however
cheerful person might be in counten-
ance, theBishop thought therecould not
fail to be q sorrowing in the Christians
heart when he reflected that hundreds
of thousands of his countrymen and
Icountrywomen had the spiritual walls
OF resistance to the temptations and
evils OF intemperance broken down,
and were in great affection and mis-
cry. Such contemplation begot a
missionary spirit. 1t gave the Bishop
his theme.
THE BIN OF DRUNKENNESS.
While other forms of intemperanoe
are sinful, drunkenness has its specific
and excessive evils. 1t isnot sin like
ether sinsclf IL has u parental
character. 1t leads OF necessity to
many other sins. How often is the
confirmed drunkard found also to be
a liur. Three fourths. and perhaps nine
tenths OF all the crimes committed
in the United States are attributable :,
either directly or indirectly to drunk
enness 1t imperils tho life OF many
an individual and OF tht nation.
As to expenditure 1t also stands by
Itself. In round figures 1t costs the
people OF the United States billion
, OF dollars, This Is twice as much as
: is spent for bread. But only six mil.
! lions OF dollars are expended for mis-
: sions home and foreign. To take care
OF the paupers and criminals OF alcho-
hol, requires the people of the United
States to spend $50, 900, 900 annually.
A billion of dollars 10 spent in antago-
nism to the work OF evangelization by
six millions of dollars.
, While the Bishop found 1t difficult to
IN In In r, LIT
OF the great evils OF intemperance, he
yet had no words of abuse, either pub
lie or private, for the traiiicliers and
victims of alcoholic beverages Many
f of the victims of drink have been
clever and clean save this one fault.
The devil has preferred to enlist more
bright lntellects than fools in this SER
/ vice. be likes to enslaye brains and
talent.
In view of this evil no good citizen
asks the question first asked by muir
derer: Am my brothers keeper2'
1t is doubtful II there lisa family that
has not in some generation, directly
or Indirectly, been touched by TINS
sin.
Besides dealing with the evil on a
/ basis of charity rather than moral con-
formations the Bishop favored the
two-fold basis OF temperance organi-
e NuIluh III lHo tuuItH. Illo one Is llldIC
: up OF the total abStainers. TIE other
does not favor oath-bound or pro-
+ fessed total abstinence. The work Of
i the latter the Bishop declared should
be accepted against drunkenness.
/. Their contributions, their influence
and their labors to promote temper
ance were acceptable and approved.
Neither the Holy Scriptures nor the
Christian church have ever enforced
total abstinence, as a universal con1i-
ton OF Gods people.
Wilmington needs temperance re-
form. Its numerous saloons are a
great danger Our sinful natures have
enough temptations to lead them on
without these added agencies oil ruin
We need to do everything we can to
remove temptations and TO make IL
easier for the tempted to say no. All
people should be careful and not place
: temptation before those who are
: thoughtless and careless.
1 A young man who had fallen by
this great evil was reformed by Il bro
ther and, having returned to tho haley
on days when he felt like IL man, could
look his fellow-men in the face and DO
respected. But when he was at n
summer resort, some former boon
companions made bet that they
could get him to tho bar Def ore night.
They succeeded In the anguish of
his degradation their victim took his
own life. The blood of many ruin
ed person falls upon the tempter. We
: should cultivate the spirit OF love,
! gentleness and charity in resisting
these eNiis.-JoHN G.. HARNESS, Re-
) porter.
Il -s~
Mothersi