The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-01-14
GOSPEL TEMPERANCE UNION.
Aims and Object OF the New
Organization.

The Aims and Object of the New
Organization.
The following facts in regard to the
Gospel Temperance Union, now being
organized in this State, have been
obtained by the Columbia Register
from a gentleman who Is familiar with
the subject:
being formed in the several churches
of this city, and elsewhere throughout
the State, comes out of the suggestion
of Rev. l.. L.. Abbott, a Baptist minis.
ter, who has devoted himself to the
cause OF temperance, and In several
States has successfull developed the
idea Of uniting Christians of all creeds
in the effort to counterfeit the evils of
the liquor traffic as a part of their
regular church work, and as an obli-
CATION laid on them as members Of the
body of Christ.
The purpose is formulated in the fol.
one, constitutes him q member of the
"Union :"
I'm GOD WE TRUST"
believing the liquor traffic to be
n of the most prolific sources of
misery and crime In our country, and
standing directly in the way of the
progress OF the cause of Christ, we
hereby unite ourselves in organiza-
tion, In His Name for its suppress
sion"
1t will be observed that this is a
pledge to unite lin His Name" for
the suppression of the liquor traffic.
During the. past few weeks, a large
number of members of she various
churches IN the city have signed the
obligation, and all the city pastors ex-
cepting four nave done SO. In most of
the churches, Unions have been regu-
larly formed or are in process of for
nation, and a central Union" has
been organized with. an executive
committee to direct the development
Of the organization throughout the
State.
The principal work of this com
mittee SO far has been by general cor.
r~espondence with the clergy of the
various denominations, to ascertain
their opinion as to b status of the
ilquor trathc as conducted by the State
through its system Of Dispensaries.
The committee have become fully
satiefed that there is widespread dis.
satisfaction with the operation andef
iect OF the system, n that-some eff.
Tort should be made~to secure such
change In the law as will-make it ac-
ceptapl9to the Christian sentiment OF
those who are by the bond of their
citizenship parties to it's support.
About one hundred and twenty-five
responses have been made to Inquiries
OF b committee from ministers repre-.
senting the Episcopal, Presbyterian,
Baptist, Methodist and Lutheran
Churches, in all parts, Of the State.
who say that in their opinion the Dis,
pensary law should ut once be amend.
ed SO as to provide:
LIST. That Intoxicating LIQUORS should
be dispensed only for scientific, medi-
cinal, mechanical and sacramental uses,
I'd. b sales for these
should be made only with profits suf.
hcient to cover the of dis
pensing the same.
For some Of these ministers. who
are as q class in the best position to
know whereof they speak, comes the
strongest expi essiOns of condemnation
of b administration and effects of the
present system.
An Episcopal minister we'll known
throughout the State expresses the
belief THAT it is encouraging and in
creasing the use of Intoxicating liquors.
and giving responsibility to the traffic
by the sanction of the State as the
bar-keeper."
An equally eminent minister and
educator of the Lutheran Church saws:
" Its enforcement has not diminish
ed drinking and drunkness, and has
added fearfully to the catalogue of
bloody crimes all over the State" and
adds: This law may be said like the
laws OF Draco to have been written Ia
blood"
From all these indications OF the
Christian sentiment of the people of
the State the committee assuredly
gather thai the time has come when
an effort ought to be made to secure
such changes in the law as win re-
deem 1T from being an agency which
can only. make it q power for evil TO
the people.
1t is the object of the present Union
movement to unity and concentrate
this Christian sentiment, and direct
1t in an appeal to the Legislature to
amend the law as suggested. This
SCENE an opportune time to effect any
desirable changes as the O Constf.
tuition has removed any possibility OF
"a return to the license saloon system,
and left 1t with the Legislature to reg.
ulate the Dispensary system in ac-
cordance with the wishes of the peo-
| pie.