Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1895-10-16
WHY SHOULD A CHURCH MEMBER BELONG
TO THE W. CT. u?

TO THE W. CT. u?
Do not the regular lines of church
work sufficiently include work for tenn
~perancep Why should a busy church
member belong to to the Woman's
Christian Temperance UnionY Wean-
swer, we belong
/. Because we believe that the ss-
loon and its allies are the greatest OBJ
stacles which lie in the way of the tri-
umph of Christ and His church in the
world. The open saloon is blockading
the highways along which must come
the King in his beauty, aud His trium.
phal reign can not be ushered in until
the dramshop is cleared away and in
stitutions for mans elevation are sub
stituted. The affairs of u church are
pitiably devoid of young men, and the
pitfalls of vice in our large cities are
crowded with them. Thus they are
drawn further and further away from
purity, the influence of a mothers
prayers and the restraining and help
full ordinances Of the church.
2. We belong because there is a stul-
tifying lethargy on the part of the
average church member regarding the
evils of the saloon, and a disposition to
evade responsibility. Consequently,
the aroused and consecrated worker for
souls, agitate and cry aloud in behalf
of 1.-The slain of the daughters of my
people" 1t is not enough that we Of
fer prayer occasionally for the down.
fall of the drink traffic; not enough
that we have quarterly temperance
Sunday School lessons, and once or
twice a year a good temperance SER
mon; not enough that the church peri
odically pass strong resolutions against
the sale of Intoxicating liquors. All
these are good, but radical evils must
have radical remedies, and the rank
and file of our churches are conserva-
tive and slow to adopt any such meas.
ures.
3. We belong, because, while the
evil of the saloon is almost universally
acknowledged by the churches, yet
there are weapons which must be
welded against the saloon before it is
abolished which now can not be freely
advocated under the auspices of the
church without dissension, which
would be deplorable to many, even of
our W white ribboners. The church
has not washed its hands from com
plicity with the saloon, and while de.
claring that the liquor traffic can moi
be legalized without SIM" a majority
of the voting membership sanction its
perpetuation by their bollots, thereby
insuring to the traffic the protection OF
government. In Johns second epistle
We read: "He that biddeth him God.
speed is partaker of the evil deeds.
Does not government license bid God.
speed to the saloon? 1t is clear to US
that the liquor traffic must be outlawed
by the vote of the church. but these
subjects can not be freely discussed
under her auspices without q pitiful
outcry of political preaching, restric'
ton of mans personal liberty, etc.
We belong because the w. G. T. u,
wipes out UNCONVENTIONAL lines in
Christian work against this common
foe to all, and realizes the SAVIOR
prayer that 'they all may be one.'
This blending of women at the mercy
seat has brought to them such a reve
lation of the Holy Spirits power, such
depths of love and peace and joy, tina
they are conscious that His favol
crowns their work and that "He viii
finally subdue all enemies under Hi
feet"
5. We belong because the missionary
work of all our churches is handicap
ped in foreign countries by the run
sent out by this and other s%ocallet
Christian lands, to the natives Whom
our missionaries are making every sac
rifce to reach and save. Contractor
are made with the citizens of the coun
try to send thousands of gallons of run
per day to the Free States of the Congo
that gain may come into the unsancti
fled Golfers of the rum trade. Mrs
Mary Clements Leavitt, u first round
the world missionary, found whole vii
lagos drunk with rum sent from Chris
tian England and the United States
when she arrived with her message O.
gospel. purity and love. God hav,
pity, for the blood of these natives il
yet upon our garments,
@. We belong because the Woman
Christian Temperance Union stands TO,
the ecclesiastical emancipation of wo
man. "Go quickly and tell his disciples
that he is risen from the dead, said tn,
angel to the women They are preach
ing the risen Christ as acceptably ant