The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-10-20

4 Temperance Sermon.

Richardson, pastor of the First Methodist
Church, preached an unusually strong
and impressive sermon on the temper
ance question. and in it gave his views on
the dispensary. AS an orator, logical
.reasoner and deep, impressive speaker,
Mr.. Richardson has few equals in the
South Carolina Conference, and the man
ner in which he handles any subject
shows him to be close student. On this
occasion the large congregation present
gave4 4im the closest attention, and it was
very evident that mis- eloquent words
were having good effect.
After reading the rules Of the Methodist
Church, Mr.. Richardson said that he
would take two texts, enc from the
Bible--I Thess. 500, "Abstain from al
appearance of e7il,"-and one from the
Discipline, the rule which forbids
drunkenness, or drinking spirituous
LIQUORS unless in cases Of necessity"
He said ia substance:
ssThe lesson the Apostle teaches is total
abstinence, not only from what iS really
evil, but from things which might have
an appearance Of evil to Others. Two
facts must be taken into consideration in
determining what s. Christian may
or'may not do: First, his own spiritual
profit or injury; second, the spiritual
profit or Injury Of others. There are
many things which.I might DO without
injury to myself, bnt my example might
be hurtful to Others, and II have any re-
gard for the teaching Of Christ | Will
practice self-denial. It is often said that
there III no harm in moderate drinking,
and even q Christian may indulge to
certain extent without any detriment to
his spirituality. The assumption Is false.
But how about the example? Does not
the moderate drinking church member
put a stun bling-blocll in the way OF
others? Does he not-ifh he be q Metho.
dist-yiolate the solemn VOW hetook at
the altar Of his church when he promised
Obedience to the discipline Of the Church.
One rule laid down in the discipline for
bids drunkenness or drinking spirituous'
LIQUORS unless in cases of necessity. 1t
has been said hat,uecessity is the mother
ofinyention, and it does seem that some
Church mem bers ara inventive genluses
when it comes to inventing an excuse for
drinking. Now, shall discuss the evils
of intemperance under three PROPOSE
tions: -,
sI. Intemperance is an evil financially.
It is useless waste Of money. Most OF
the pauperism in this country is caused
by intemperance. It has reduced many
family from financial independence to
abiect poverty. There are many young
men who, instead of saving their money
until they accumulate capital enough to-
begin business on their own account, are
sq1andering the whole of their salary in
the saloon.
.'II. Intemperance is domestic evil
It is the greatest curse that has ever in
vaded the home. When we think ofthe
fearful havoc wrought in the home by in
temperance it is not wonder that the
Christian women OF our country have
banded themselves toget.. for the pro
lection of their homes against this ruth
less foe. But, you may ask, what can
woman--to whom the right OF suffrage is
denied-do for the cause OF temperance?
If had it in my power l would give
women the right to vote on the temper
ance QUESTION, and they would settle the
question right, and would not be long
about it either. I tell you what you can
do: throw the whole weight Of your in
fuence cn the side of temperance, teach
e,by precept and example, the princi-
pies of tenn perance to the chilGren in
your homes, in the Sunday School, in
public and graded schools, and in the
social circle, and everywhere creating
and developing such strong and moral
sentiment against intemperance that
when prohibition does become q law
there will be. enough moral force in So
ciety to sustain and enforce the law.
That is the work which Christian women
are called upon to do in this conflict.
''III. Intemperance is an evil viewed
from moral and religious standpoint.
No Christian can attain high standard
OF piety who habitually indulges in
strong drink. It blunts mans usual
perception, weakens his moral convic-
tions, impairs his will power, destroys all
the finer feelings and nobler sentiments
OF his better nature, drives out Of the
heart all desire after goodness and purity,
and expels from the soul that hungering
and thirting of righteousness which is
ever the characteristic of the earnest, as
piripg Christian. Besides, it destroys
mans influence for good. No one has
any confidence in the religion of drink
ing Church member. have yet to find
one whiskey- drinking Church member
who knows anything about experimental
religion. Ihaye yet to find one temperate
drinker who cares anything about ex-
perimental religion. But more than that,
the example OF the temperate drinker is
more pernicious than that of the con-
firmed drunkard who reels along the
street and falls into the gutter. 1t is not
the sot, but the moderate drinker, yes,
often the temperate drinking church
member, who makes drulDkards. How
many fathers have wept bitter tears over
the fall of Eheir sons, whose ruin could
be traced to the fathers example as
temperate drinker? The temperate
drinking processing Christians have done
more to hinder the progress of Christi.
anity than all the opposition of outside
enemies combined. And, therefore, it
becomes every Christian 10 practice total
promising opposition to the whole liquor
remedy is prohibition.
81 have often been asked why am op
posed to the Glspensary. will state the
ground Of my opposition in few words.
It is just this: the selling of Intoxicating
liquors as q beverage is either morally
right or morally wrong There is 10
neutral ground. If selling intoxicating
liquors as a beverage, whether by the
State or by individuals, is morally
wrong. no legislative enactment can
make it right, and it is not question of
police regulation. but of suppression.
On the other hand. if selling intoxicating
liquors as beverage is morally right,
then any legislative enactm ent which dis
criminates againstit it is an Injustice, and
it ought to be put on the same footing as
selling drugs or dry goods. or groceries,
or any other commodity. l challenge
any man to show me any other position