The Monitor-register., 1897-02-05

people have the vacant lots in cities on
which to plant vegetables and who re-.
duced the street car fares for working
men to two cents, has recently been
elected Governor of Michigan, and when
his time came to assume the duties of
that office he quietly went to the capital
city with his family, walked into the
office OF the chief justice and was sworn
In. There was no procession, no ball. no
banquet; the Governor entered on his
duties as the kingdom of heaven is ex-
pected to come, without observation.
About the same time Governor Mount. of
Indiana, gave out the news that he could
not, as good Presbyterian, walk at the
mead OF the procession at the inauguration
oail, which it has been usual to organize
IN connection with the ceremonies of TAX
ing the oath Of office,
The great Christian EndeAvor move
ment, whereby our young people have
oeen stirred up on the temperance ques-
| tion, has caused their elders to look more
carefully to their goings and eomings
than has been their custom. The work of
unnumbered philanthropists and reformers
ls beginning to tell through the pulpit
aud the press. The declarations of
science are going hon e to the oonsciences
of intelligent people. There is new
spirit In the air.
A pointed illustration Of this is furnish
ed in the following off-hand letter just
received from our treasurer, that mother
hearted woman, Mrs. Helen NJ. Barker.
She did not dream that would publish
what she wrote, but. l have gained her
permission to do 80 Tor the good of the
ca uses. Mrs. Barker writes:
Some time ago conducted our daily
prayer-meeting in Willard Hall, and
afterward u man came to me and said.
1 want you to do me favor l have a
friend, brilliant, grand man who has
been reformed aud has been sober for two
years. He holds an important position
with an insurance company. A banquet
Is to be given in couple of weeks a,
Delmonico's, Now York. They always
serve wine and champagne, aud l know
If my friend goes (and he is goingl be
will be surrounded by liquor and by those
who are drinking, and he will surely
drink, and if he begins, down he goes; be
will lose his position, ruin his family and
go to the dogs Now l want you to
write to the president and heg of him in
tie name of the National w. G. T. U.
served" He was in earnest and l said,
Yes, l will write, but l dare say the
menu is printed and the wine ordered,
but it will do no harm Tor the w. G. T.
| U. to protest. So l wrote at once to the
president aud gave him the name of this
bright man 10 his employ, who wanted to
be sober aud true, and added, This may
be only ono III a hundred of similar
cases, aUd pleaded v ith him in behalf Of
the mothers, wives, daug hteIs aud friends
of these young men that no intoxica ting
liquor should be served to them. Well.
as Josiah Aliens wifi, says, 1 was as
eloquent as could be- for my heart was
stirred. heard nothing more unti
yesterday, when this man came up again
and said, Did you ever hear from tina,
letter. said No, l did not really expect
to- But he replied, L did Then be
| hot r;
him aud told him all about it. - He said,
| When we were seated at the bang let
the boys began to whi"per, Where art
the wine glassesP What does this mean?"
No wine was served and at ,hs close tbs
| president announced that hereafter al
long as be vas at the head of the COM
pany, no intoxicsnt would be offered.
This announcement was cheered by the
men. We learn that tie letter wal
received aud read and trust that it helped
to the good result. Lot us trust in the
Lord and do good and the promise i.
sure"
Now the question is, whether, in view
of more enlightened and brotherly
public opinion, the inauguration ball, OF
reception, with its punch bowl and
campagne might not we'll be discon
tinued. Has not the strategic time arrived
in which Christian people, and especially
the Christian press, owe a duty to the
nation, to speak their mind freely, bu,
with all due respect and good will? A
new President is soon to be seated in the
chair OF Washington; he is man OF
noble character, an active me nber of the
Methodist church in his own town, par
taker of the communion, and if we re-
member correctly he is or has been.
superintendent of the Sunday school. Nc
church holds him as dear, or has done sc
much for his election, as ''the church oil
his choice" which has from the begin.
ming stood at the forefront 10 the te II per
auoe battle, and which declares in its
discipline aga inst the wine glass and the
dance. The coming Presidents lovely
and earnest hearted wife agrees with him
we have reason to believe, in his high
sentiments.
| Why, then, does not the Christian
public through its press and pulpit make
it plain to our brother and sister so soon
to staud at the head of the social world,
that they would have the hearty sym
pathy of the churches in simplifying the
inaugural arrangements, and in letting
the light of pure and homelike hospi-
tality shine from the conspicuous
windows of the White House,-a light
for the tempted and fallen, light that
should help to confirm in his sacred
resolution the man whom President
Hsgeman did his utmost to confirm in the
path of sober living?
We have been grieved to see a state
ment widely made to the effect that "for
magnificepce this Inauguration would far
excel any other ever known in the history
of the United States" But is this wise.
is it right, at a time of financial stress
and depre ssion, when so many of our
wage workers are out of employment and
the rising tide of discomfort is unmistake-
ables
| Slow of heart. indeed, are we if we read
not the signs of these times. May the
prayers and hopes of millions find ful.
| fillment in the new President. Union
| Signal
God be with US every one.
RUTH.
Creamridge, % Mo. 1st, 1897.
| s---- .l