The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-04-26

..Ss-is;sSS55
count.
Putting politics aside-though !
hardly see how this can be done, as
politics isin most,eyerythipg g--I-clear-
.ly yhaye right to answer those who
have asked me questions as to what !
think is the worst evil that now con-
fronts US, and take itas an oppor1u-
nifty to give me along lecture OF tenn
perance and TO politely insinuate Ohat
al should Feel hardest against the
stsdrink evil. Twill dismiss this IN
sinuationS by saying TINT no man can
defend himself for drinking.
Now as to honest inquiries as to
what / take as the worst evil, 7 would
.,say thatlnoE one thing is responsible
FOR the conditions thatsconfront us to-
] day has taken thirty years for us
Z to- grow: to here we are. Slowly but
surely there las crept upon ssus a de-:
partnres from old time days which, If
they. had come at once and suddenly,
would have overwhelmed the world,
and the most of.this has been sdone9in
theiname Of religion or under the pre-
stense ST raising the human family to
!. higher plane off life, a.fner degree Of
culture and . better code Of morals.
/ Under one sort of fpretense and another
the home has been invaded, the old
sdaddies and mammies were made
3smal made to submit and join the
onward march Or stand as old fools
and be ,shed BY the pressure. This
was thssentering wedge. All else has
come naturally and will continue to
& ::come till this is asland without God
and without family unless we call q
halt and getYback to old times and old
time ways. How to do this is the
greatsp oblem.
s have my notions as to.how to start,
but ifa were to; tell it all just as |
feel shout il, they would crush me as
IAN old fool before morning, but per
haps ] will s5be allowed to say a few
things, rs. al stalter. 81.
Iswonid begin with;the preachers.
I On snextS Snaday morning Iwould have
every preacher in this broad land arise
IN his pulpit and announce to his.con:7:
.gregation that no more societies would
be- allowed. They should call up
every adjunct to the churches and
dismiss them forever. They should
then announce that lin, the future the
churches would depend. upon the Lord
as being able 10 take care Of His own
without getting up any kind Of chemes
to: raise finances Of to draw I crowds.
TEE they had done this, each in his
] own On, way, Il would haze them turn over
TO the hired s aoi;sand dismiss them
sandl then turn bac Z and join the whole
congregation in singing
All hail the power Of J Jesus naame,,a
and make ring like it used
! to ring. Then, after good-sermon:
they. should go among their; people and
!: tell the good sisters that hereafter
they; should be ::keepers Of the house
and the brethren should manipulate
no more political.sehemes through the
church and that every hypocrite would
be turned. out at the next meeting.
This. carried ont would look pretty
gloomy fora time, butsit is the way,
and Il believe that God would bless
them more.
Iapprehend thatin . movement like
this the greatest howl would come
from the women societies end the oily
tongued slick fellows who generally
make themselves sweet with these So
9cieties. Aud venture that the very
women who ,would make the greatest
!, fuss are.those who are forever on the
fad attending to other people s fami-
lies, while their own children are run
ming wild at home and more than apt
their husbands are entertained oftener
at his meals by some servant girl than
By his own wife. But the great howl
would come from these sweet, sleek
fellows mentioned above. There is
not but one greater curse to church
than these sweet, slick fellows, and
that is found in sweet, slick preach
er..
This society feature is the greatest
drawback we would find in getting
back to old-time ways. The truth IS,
that the churches have. come to b" q
small matter in religious affairs. Some
fifteen years ago | wrote some things
in connection with the Young Men
Christian Association of Atlanta
Some Of my bestfriends told me was
foolond q rose;mist and that If was