Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-06-09
WHY SHOULD A CHURCH MEMBER BELONG
TO THE W. G. t. W

WHY SHOULD A CHURCH MEMBER BELONG
TO THE W. G. T. u?
DO not the regular lines of church
work sufficiently include work for tenn
p%erancep Why should a busy church
member belong to the w. G. T. up
We answer, we belong
l. Because we believe that the saloon
and its allies are the greatest obstacles
which lie in the way of the triumph of
Christ and His church in the world.
The open saloon is blockading the
highways along which must come the
King and His beauty, and His trium-
phal reign a not be ushered in until
the dramshop is cleared away and in
stitutions for mans elevation are sub
stituted. The affairs of our church are
pitiably devoid of young men, and the
pitfalls of vice in our large cities are
crowded with them. Thus they are
drawn further and further away from
purity, the influence of a mothers
prayers and the restraining and help.
full ordinances of the church.
We belong because there is a stulti-
flying lethargy on the part of the aver
age church member regarding the
evils of the saloon, and a disposition to
evade responsibility. Consequently, the
aroused and consecrated worker for
souls must organize, agitate and cry
aloud in behalf of 1.-THE slain of the
daughters of my people," 1t is not
enough that we offer q prayer occasion
ally for the downfall of the drink traf
fc; not enough that we have quarterly
temperance Sunday school sessions,
and once or twice a year a good tenn.
perance sermon; not enough that the
church periodically pass strong resolu-
tions agains. the sale of intoxicating
liquors. All these are good, but radi.
cal evils must have radical remedies,
and the rank and file of our churches
are conservative and slow to adopt any
such measures.
.. We belong because, while the evil
of the saloon is almost universally
acknowledged by the churches, yet
there are weapons which must be
welded against the saloon before it is
abolished which now can not be freely
advocated under the auspices of the
church without d~issension, which
would be d%eplorable to many, even of
our own white ribboners. The church
has not washed its hands from COM
plicity with the saloon, and while de-
claring that a liquor traffic can not
be legalized without SIM" a majority
of the voting membership sanction its
perpetuation by their ballots, thereby
insuring to the traffic the protec ton of
government. In Johns second epistle
we read: HE that biddeth him god
speed is %partaker of his evil needs"
Does not government license bid god
speed to the saloonp 1t is clear to us
that the liquor traffic must be outlawed
by the vote of the church, but these
subjects can not be freely discussed
under her auspices without a pitiful
outcry of political preaching, restrict
ion of mans personal liberty, etc.
a. We belong because the W. c. T.
U. wipes out UNCONVENTIONAL lines in
Christian work against this common
foe to all, and realizes the Savior 8
prayer that they all may be one."
This blending of the women at the
mercy seat has brought to them such q
revelation of the Holy Spirits power,
such depths of love and peace and joy,
that they are conscious that His favor
crowns their work and that HE will
finally subdue all enemies under His
feet"
8. We belong because the missionary
work of all our churches is handicapped
in foreign countries BY the rum sent
out from this and other SO called Chris.
tian lands, to the natives whom our
missionaries are making every sacrifice
to reach and save. Contracts are made
with citizens of this country to send
thousands of gallons of rum per day to
the Free States of the Congo, that gain
may come into the unsanctified Golfers
of the rum trade. Mrs. Mary Clement
Leavitt, u first round the world mis-
sionary, found whole villages drunk
with run sent from Christian England
and the United States, when. she ar
rived with her message of gospel purity
and love. God have pity, for the blood
Of these natives is yet upon our gar.
ments.
8. We belong because the w. G. T.