The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-04-08
l0RTENTS IN THE HEAVENS.
RBV. MIR. MASON ON "STORM CEN.
 TIERS OF OIVILIZATToN."


 ustics-The Taxpayer-saloOn Politics.
 "Portents in the Heavens" was the subject of Rev. J. H. Mason's address at the First Baptist church last even- ing. This was the sixth in the series On Storm Centers of Civilization" MT. Mason repeated the request that any person interested in the settlement of the liquor question would send in in writing an answer to this question: What is your remedy for the saloon, and what three reasons can you give for your faith?" These answers will be considered in the last address of the course, which will be given April 21.
 A summary of last nights address is as follows:
 God writes a very plain hand. It is not hard to read what He thinks of the liquor traffic. Publius Syrus says; Wine has drowned more than the sea" The Koran says: "There is a devil in every berry of the grape" Shakes peare says: 70 thou invisible spirit of wine. If thou hast no name to be known by let us call the devil" Sol- oDlon says: "Wine is the mocker." The Almighty says: "No drunkard shall inherit the Kingdom of God" The state of Connecticut says: "Our great in- dustry of drunkard-making must not be seriously disturbed" The county commission says: Times are hard for the drunkard manufacturers; we stim- ulate the trade a little; the cost of H. censes shall be cut down." The city New Haven says: "Let US go on put ting in mems mouths the enemy which shall first steal away their brains, and then their souls.'' The United States government says: we need money; rum pays well; let the business go on" And the Almighty continues to say: "No drunkard shall inherit the king dom of God"
 When a city. state or nation encour- ages a business which has in 1t the promise and potency of despair in this life and Con Gods own word) of despair in the next life. there are potents in the heavens.
 We are getting some pretty plain les sons jusL now. The thinking men of Germany are becoming aroused as new CT before. The eminent Dr. Adolph Strumpell before a convention of Ger man nationalists and physicians de- clares that the effect of alcoholic poison ing is like that of lead poisoning, being cumulative though imperceptibly so, and at last ending in sudden disaster, when the system is saturated with the poison. A distinct revolt against beer drinking he tells us, is rising even in Germany itself Tn England a ringing manifesto against. the liquor traffic has been sent broadcast by John Burns, the socialist, with seven other labor mem- bers of parliament and 132 leaders of labor organizations in Great Britain.
 But we are getting some telling les sons nearer home, Since last we met in this place you have been reading of one of the most brutal murders of the century. Tn the death of that depraved woman in New York at the hands of that deprayed man, rum played it's i'm portant and not unexpected part. In our own city man has been examined and held for murder because of a fatal tragedy in. a. Hill street saloon some months ago. While you were reading of that came the startling tidings that man had been fatally stabbed by anoth-
 
 The quarrel began in a game played flor the drinks in a saloon. And while you were reading of that came the news of a probably fatal shooting | case at the hands of a drunken brake man. Here are three cases of murder l in one little city, two of them committed | and the third brought to our attention | in a single week. And in every one of | them, rum played It's part
 To go no further than the very low | est consideration let us ask the tax | payer what he thinks of 1t? Of course | we do not ask for sentiment but as a | mere money making operation, how will | the account stand, say, by the time | these three men have had their expen- sive trials and gone to their doom? Are we making large money in this town out of the liquor business? Or to re- vive the question of three weeks ago: Do we need more saloons in New Ha- verI?" Of'course the answer will still be In the affirmative. The brewers say we want more. The county commissioners say the same thing. It is fair to assume that the average citizen agrees with them. Well, let everybody take heart The first of May is close at hand; that Is the beginning of the liquor year. li- are down; the commission CTS will soon be in frequent session; the police investigation will be over; the tramp will go out to look for a country all will go merrily; and the black record of another year will be opened
 One case more right here among us. On the 18th of March woman was arr .ested for drunkenness, hope1essly in- ;oxicated. That seems bad enough, but hat was not the worst Plugging at Ter skirts as she staggered through the streets was a little girl three years of age, and in the mothers arms was a nursing infant. At police headquarters t was discovered that not only was the intoxicated, but also the baby ts eyes were glassy and its conduct in- Heated that the liquor which the moth- , IT had drunk had reached that nursing ,hi1d. What an infinite wrong is being wrought for that child by the consent 6 if the state and to what an appalling T heritage will it by and by awake!
 When in city with all the refinement if ours men are allowed to rob other l nen of their manhood, of their self-con- t rol, of their perceptions of right and q ......,rr 'en fbof thaIy ut1.iIrn aaXstx, +hni., !