The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1899-09-29
w. C. T. U. COLUMN
CONDUCTED BY MRS. NJ. L. HOBBS.
The Dragon OF the Ages.

Nearly three thousand years a-'
there stood upon the banks Of the
river Euphrates one OF the grand
est cities the world has ever known
one whose lofty towers seemed al
most to pierce the skies, and whose
magnificence and grandeur has
never been surpassed. Built by
lNebuchadnezzar, adorned by pala
ces and hanging gardens, wilder
ness of splendid architecture, and
surrounded by a stupendous wall
which became one OF the sever
wonders of TIE world and wa
thought to be impregnable To al
the attacks of the ancient world.
For many years they were in
structed in righteousness by the
captive Daniel. The riches Of theii
city was largely made up of the
booty wrested from conquered ma
ltions and other sources OF i'll l-gotten
gain. Inflated with the pride Of
conquest, arrogant and boasttul OF
sell security, with pomp and splen
dor and mixed wine they opened
the flood gates OF vice, and laughed
at the oncoming deluge Of their own
obstruction.
Warned by la years OF prophecy
vet they went 10 destruction by
whip and spur at full gall0p. A
Thousand lords banqueting with
their voluptuous king, until they
reel with wine; city in revelry,
sentinels OF guard; a city in ruins
lis people slain; given over To the
conqueror, is the fulfilment Of pro-
phecy and the story OF a night.
Her cup Of iniquity was full. No
y nnder the prophet cried out, "A
sound of battle Is in the land and
Of great destruction. Call together
the archers against Babylon" "
History has carefully saved the les
son, and Babylon, looking down
t h roug b twenty-five centuries,
bresthes from her very dust and 81
lence an eloquence OF warning.
The sun does not shine on a COM
monweaIth bearing greater provid
ences than our own, but within her
borders are the elements of Belshaz-
zer's feast. The story il so com
mon that it has lost its power to
move, but "a sound of battle Is in
the land and of great destruction"
The old Washingtonians raised
the war cry Of moral suasion; the
women's crusade stormed the
Istrongholds with prayer; the anti
saloon league have raised bonn
bardment submission, and the
white ribboners have raised the
truceless banner of total abstinence
for the individual and prohibition
for the state. The battle is gather
ing force, and gathering baitalions
are coming up to save the Republic.
Let he enemy fall into line and
show her colors. Form solid bus
iness street from New York to san
Francisco, and every tenth door on
each side will be a legalized, licens-
ed saloon. Take your stand along
this street and see the procession 90
BY. Here comes five million tip
pliers, men, women and children.
Here is every grade of humanity
rich and poor, silk and satin, rags
and tatters. Put them five abreast
and hurry them up and they will
pass by in twenty-eight days. They
are followed by more than half
million drunkards reeling on to fin
al ruin. Two al reast VII fill the
street. Look on these for forty
eight days, if you have the time,
and the last rank of maudlin wrecks
will bring up the rear. In their
wake comes d bundled thousand
made such by drink; all
handcuffed-some are going TO pris-
on, some to the gallows. Seven
days you may here the click Of the
prison bolts and the drop of the
gallows, and they are gone. Two
hundred thousand children, all
bearing the reproach of drunk
ards child; in rags aud destitution,
hunger and want, driving them to
crime When they are gone will
begin the funeral dirge, followed by
the bodies Of ten thousand innocent
men, women and children. Here
are some whose bodies are charred
to crisp by the home burned over
them by drunken father. Crowd
ten Of these funeral professions into
a mile, and look for forty days for
the procession to pass by, but only
to turn and behold a greater horror
the funeral procession Of one
hundred thousand dead drunkardsl
Look on their faces: some OF them
died OF delirium tremens hideous
snirits frightfnl uhouls vr;,n;nc,