Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-12-09
#1istellameuas 8eading.
TO RESTRICT THE SALE.
Prohibition Committee Issues an Addre
tn the P4Ople.

| IU kESIhlCI IhE DALE.
Prohibition Committee Issues an Address
to the People.
In accordance with the instructions
of the Prohibition conference recently
held in this city the following address
to the people has been issued:
A mighty evil dominates the land.
The state of South Carolina is in
league wits this evil and every man,
woman and child, by virtue of their
citizenship, has been made partner
in this crime of crimes and will 80
remain until an open and avowed hos
tility to the same by him or her has
been declared and every advantage
taken to put this evil away.
1t is because Of this that the recent
state conference of prohibitionists met
in Columbia and organized themselves
into society to be known as the Pro-
hibition League of South Carolina, and
by resolution requested that the ex-
ecutive committee prepare and issue an
address to the Christian citizens of the
state. In pursuance of this resolution,
the committee makes this address and
appeal in the name of God to the con-
sciences of our people:
We need not here recount the mag
nitude of the evil, how to deal with
this great question is the perplexing
Thought that engages the mind of the
Christian patriot of today. 1t is a
moral question and therefore addresses
itself with tremendous force to the
ministry and lay membership of the
Church of Christ.
Alas, we have been relax, our MEM
bers in many instances have voted
with and patronized the traffic, became
bondsmen and rented warehouses to
the traffickers in human souls. With
out our aid the state would have been
powerless to pass the law that resolved
herself into q great barkeeper and her
Agricultural Hall into state liquor
saloon. Our resolutions at our con-
ferences, associations and presbyteries
defining the enormity of the evil of
the liquor traffic and the proper atti-
tude of the church has fallen short of
the remedy. They have only shown
our inconsistency in failing to use our
pnlpits, our discipline and our organi-
cations solidly against the liquor devil.
If, therefore, as church or as q
citizen simply, we would repudiate the
dishonor brought upon US by the state
of which we are citizens, there must
be an open and declared hostility to
the liquor traffic that means a war of
determination, at least so far as selling
it for beverage purposes is concerned.
This declaration must go beyond
mere words, resolutions and such like.
The church must organize on lines of
opposition or use her present organiza-
tion and discipline, and work actively
against this demon that proves the
greatest hindrance. Otherwise she
will by her silence and inactivity in-
crease the measure of her completely
with the state in this foul wrong and
eventually be robbed of her spiritual
power.
There are others without church
affiliations their obligations and re-
sponsibilities are equally great. 1t is
likewise their duty to be organized
against this evil if they would be ef-
fective in meeting their responsibility.
We believe it is the will Of God that
Prohibition should be the watchword
of those organized, and that prohibi-
ton should mean no compromise with
evil.
The committee will seek to secure
the passage, at the next session OF the
Legislature, of an amendment to the
present laws of the state that will pro-
hibit liquors being sold for any purpose
other than medicinal, mechanical and
scientific. They earnestly request the
cooperation of all good men by prayer
and work to aid them in bringing to a
successful issue the task before them.
To the ministers of the Gospel especi-
ally, do they extend the request for
their invaluable aid by discoursing
upon and. otherwise laboring for the
prohibition of the liquor traffic as only
a Christian minister can do.
The committee will be charged with
great burden involving many duties.
They will certainly need the encour-
agement and help of all who are with
them in this righteous war.
(Signed) L. D. Childs, G. D. Stanley,
Rev. G. H. Waddell, T. ]. Lamotte,
F. II. Hyatt, Rev. J. G.. Dale, COM
mittee.