The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-28
MR.. LEVERING'S ADDRESS
THE PROHIBITION CANDIDATE AT
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
Does Not Believe in Wasting Time
Sympathizing with Drunka rds-A
Revival in the Northeast.

Last night the regular sermon at the
First Baptist Church was omitted ana in its
place there a talk by Joshua lowering,
OF Baltimore, candidate for President on
the Prohibition ticket. Mr.. Levering is
well-known Baptist and has been promf-
nent in the work of this denomination for
many years. He takes an active part in all
the many branches of the church work and
mas been free giver to its institutions. Be-
ing a wealthy man, he has devoted large
to the work in his own city and has
also assisted the work elsewhere. In in
Producing him Rev. DR.. Ellison said that.
While he would introduce a candidate for
President. the talk of the evening and the
gathering had political significance. but
that Mr.. lowering would talk the subject
of temperance and Christian citizenship.
Il believe if 1 know my own heart" said
the speaker in introducing his subject,
that I love all who love Lord Jesus
Christ, but then | feel a little more at home
in Baptist church than elsewhere, be-
cause have been there SO long.
II do not believe in depreciating the eff
forts of anyone in uplifting humanity. l
remember the promise that if a cup of cold
water be given in my name it shall have
its reward but l think that in the work for
the suppression of drunkenness we are eX-
hauSt1ng our resources by beginning at the
wrong end. Writers and good thinkers often
tell us that drunkenness is a disease ana
that the drunkard should be pitied. We
must put up with him and do for him. and
in the meantime the man is a drunkard ana
suffering for it and mankind is worse for
ElssactS. But say drunkenness is a sin.
Mr. lowering then referred to the gospel
of St. Paul. in which he enumeraEes many
things as sins which will keep a man from
heaven, and among them is drunkenness.
Mr.. lowering then took up the claim oft
repeated that the people are not responsible
II man destroys himself by getting drunk.
He took the story of Cain and Abel and
showed that the Lord held that Cain was
lis brothers keeper and was responsible for
him. He used this story to show that if
tie people did not take up the question and
stamp out the liquor traffic they will be
held responsible for the sins of the drunk
ards.
To emphasize his statement made at the
opening that people wasting much il,
this work by beginning at the wrong end
he said that the sheriff and his posse who
started out in pursuit of a gang of kuklux
who had committed outrage someone
would not be justified in stopping by the
wayside to offer consolation to the injured
man; that while consolation and assistance
were important to him, it the duty of
the sheriff, the keeper of the peace. to fol-
low the desperadoes and capture them
they could do no more harm. He drew the
conclusion from this that those who work
for the cause of temperance should not
waste all their time trying TO alleviate the
sufferings of those who had already be-
come drunkards, but should aim directly a,
the mark and go to the statute books where
the law permitting and legalizing the traffic
was to be found. With that removed there
would be no drunkards fallen by the way
side to need assistance.
He described a visit to sawmill in Min
neapolis. There he found the logs fioatine
in the water near the mill The logs were
taken up by machinery and hauled into the
MILL where its perfect machinery soon cut
them into finished lumber, which was
stacked away in the yards. THE sawmill,
to do its perfect work. he said, must be
a perfect mill and must turn out perfect
lumber. The American saloon, to do its
perfect work, must turn out drunkards-
that is what it is legaliZed for