West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1895-05-30
INTEMPERANCE.

line toitowing valuable paper was
prepared and read before the NJ. f.
Sunday School, of this place, last Sab
bath, by Capt. j. NJ Goodwin. and bv d
! special vote OF the school, il was re-
quested that it bee published
The subject of Internperance, in the
sense in which we are now 10 consider
IL, refers alone to the excessive use of
intoxicants, and especially of brandy,
whiskey, wine, beer, ale, and bever-
ages OF like nature. All who have given
serious thought to this subject have
| agreed that drunkenness, which is the
result of the immoderate use of these
beverages, is great evil that has fast.
ened itself upon society, and whose dis
astrous effects are too obvious TO re-
quire discussion. An evil OF gigantic
proportions that has entwiued itself i'm
the traffic and commerce of the world.
1t has invaded the Capitols of States
and Nations and brought down their
Legislatures to pay homage at the
shrine of its diction. 1t has entered
into Courts of Justice, warped and
biased and beclouded the minds of
Judges and juries; has convicted the
innocent and cleared the guilty. It
has been present at Ecclesiastical Couns
ellis and formulated dogmics that have
menaced the Christian faith for CEN
turtles 1t has reached over the pale of
churches and fastened its Internal
grasp upon ministers and laymen and
dragged them down to perdition. Has
entered schools and debased alike pro-
fessors and students 1t has insinuated
itself into the sanctity of peaceful
homes, and with relentless fury snatch
ed segment after segment from the
family circle and hurled them down to
deepest ruin. Through all the walks
OF life and intricacies of society its
pathway is traced by childhood's blood
and widows tears
To rout this monster and drive him
| from the abode Of man has been, ana
still is, the intention of the best
thought and strongest intellect of the
world. But the means by which this
end is to be accomplished has been n
matter of discussion among all earnest
benefactors of our race. And whoever
enters into the discussion of this oues-
ton will find vast field open before
him, affording abundant opportunity
for careful thought and reflection. A
field that has been, and is still being.
canvassed with careful and praverful
investigation, and all lines of thought
lead to the same conclusion, that very
great difficulties must be overcome be-
fore the good can be reached And first
among these is the distillation of in
toXicating drinks, and second the i'm
portation of such liquors, and third the
influence of the saloons, and fourth the
morbid sentiment of a right to get
drunk, are some of the obstacles that
must be removed.
AS to the means by which this end is
to be attained there is a diversity OF
opinion. Very many honest and earn
est temperance workers believe that it
can be done by legislative enactment.
hence temperance political parties have
been organized for the purpose of revo-
lutionizing public sentiment on this
subject, and filing Legislatures with
level-headed and soberaminded men.
and thus procure such legislation as
will remove these difficulties from the
pathway of temperance reform, but
after years of patient effort very little
progress has been made. The reason
is obvious The whiskey influence is at
the polls resisting the election of men
who hold antagonstic views to it's
interest Another means employed is
that of local option. Submitting in
localities the question of the whisley
traffic in those communities to n vote
of the people, and vigorous campaign
has been kept up between the friends
OF temperance and the friends of
drunkenness, disorder and crime, with
varying success Both these plans have
| accomplished good in the cause and
deserve the commentator and applause
of all who desire ultimate success. But
after all the cleaving curse remains
and the monster continues his work of
devastation in the world.
But there is another, and, I think.
better method to circumvent the pow
ers of this evil and loosen its grasp
upon its victims. Drunkenness is a
crime-a sin against the laws of God
and an outrage upon society. The
haoitual drunkard is "a habitual breaker
OF the law of God and a nuisance in
any community, standing upon level
with the profane swearer and Sabbath
breaker, and instead Of commiseration
deserves condemnation, because God
has given him will power to overcome
the habit of drunkenness IL he would
exercise it. That drunkenness is n dis
case and the drunkard an invalid and
therefore an object Of pity, is Himsy
fauacy of the apologists of drunken.
ness There is kind OF sentimental
todyism 70 this crime on the part of
many good people. Some have gone 80
far in this direction as TO advocate the
abolition of one OF the fundamental
doctrines Of the Christian religion. lest
peradvcnture in the observance of IL n
weak brother should be made 60 offend
That which is necessary 90 overcome
this evil, is for all the friends of tenn.
perance reform 20 unite i'm an effort 90
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