The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-06-24
sTRoNo DRINK
Christiasisy the Only Thorough .nd tsst.
ing Remedy.


ing Remedy.
All the statistics that have hcen
gathers by temperance organizations,
governments or individuals in regard
to the consumption Of strong drink in
our own and other countries have been
of the most discouraging character for
years. And, notwithstanding all efforts
that have been made to promote reform
by moral suasiou, by restrictive and
proIribitory legislation, the evi. is con.
stansly increasing.
In 1881 the consumption Of beer was
s.65 gallons, and of spirits LIS gallons
per capita. In 1882. Of beer, IL C3;. OF
spirits, lao gallons for every man,
woman and child in the United States.
In 1890 the quantity Of beer consumed
gives 1896 gallons of beer for each n.
habitanr of the country and 10 gal.
Ions of spirits. This would amount 10
S55, 792 1856 gallons of beer, which, with
the spirituous liquors used, must have
cost the consumers not less than $780,.
600, 900.
In England, France, Germany, aid
probably in almost all other countries,
the ratio of increase is equal to our
own. The revenue to both the govern
me nts of England and France from tie
use Of strong drink was larger by mil.
lions of dollars in 1890 than for the prc-
ceding year:
With the increase of the use Of
strong drink, there has been a core
spending increase of those crimes
which result from it. A very large
proportion of the cases brought before"
our criminal courts may be traced to
the use of liquor in some form. Our
jails and penitentiaries are filed with
men, many of whom were crazed by
drink when they committed the crimes
for which they are imprisoned. Our
newspapers make daily records OF rs.
saults and melees, of rioting and kill.
ing occasioned by the use of liquor
No one can have an adequate concep
tom of the poverty, misery and wretch'
edness brought upon countless homes
all over our land by this foolish and
wicked drink habit.
Must this evil go on? Go on without
abatement, even increasing? Shall we
conclude that 'high license" is fail.
ure and prohibition ineffective, and
that we may as well allow the saloon,
to have full sway? No, the battle for
prohibition must not be given up. The
work; for reform must be pushed The
vantage ground must be held. The
liquor evil, like all other evils, must
have it's Appomattox.
But it should be remembered that the
only really complete and effective REM
edy for the removal of this great evil
is the Gospel of Christ. "For the grace
of God that bringeth salvation hath APP
. peared to all men, teaching us that,
denying ungodly and woldly lusts, we
should live soberly, righteously and
. godly in this present world"
= Any attempt to change the habits Of
men or reform the drunkard while his
nature is left unchanged by the grace
4 of God, will result in failure. AS the
late DR.. Cumming once said: "You
y might as well attempt to deaden tree
by looping off few of the branches"
All thorough and complete reforma-
: tom of the man must begin at the
, heart To rightly reform the drunk
" ard, you must convert him. The Cos
pei of Christ is the only element that
will transform society. It is the little
leaven that leaveneth the whole
lump" Christian men do not traffic in
" Intoxicating drinks, nor patronize the
saloon, neither do they lie, or cheat, or
swear. A good man may be ''overtaken
y in o. fault" but sin is not the habit of
his life. If he commits any of them he
will repent. Where Christianity pre-
walls temperance will prevail. Godli-
ness and sobriety go hand in hand. The
man who is faithful in winning souls
= 10. Christ is the best temperance re-
fonmer. When the grace Of God gets,
possession of the heart the demon Of
drink will be cast out.-United Pres,
byterian.