The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-11
DIR. MERRlMAN's ADDRESS
He Spoke of Temperance and Coun-
sells Help to the Untortunates.

! He Spoke of Temperance and Coun-
sells Help to the Unfortunates.
Rev Daniel Merriman, D. D., spoke
on Temperance" at Central church,
last evening After telling some Of
the evils of the drink habit, he said in
substance:
The strength of the open saloon is in
the men v no have no homes or whose
homes are dirty, two-room tenements.
The saloon attracts the homeless,
friendless man. the one who has no
place to go, where he win meet con-
| genial companions. There he finds
company with story and song, and all
there is on his level the elemental
level. which we might call low. We
should not. if we put ourselves into
contact with these men, wonder that
| they flock to the saloon. We who
could and do not provide other places
for them, are to blame for this to some
extent. These men realize themselves,
| in their deeper consciousness that they
| are on the wrong track, and would get
on the right one. They may rail
| against those who seek to save them
but they really wish to be saved 1t
| is surface hatred for deep down they
are asking for deliverance.
| afforded them? First from the point
of view of the patron of the saloon.
The help must recognize and admit the
facts of the case; that the man wants
a place to spend his leisure time; that
he wants an abstract right to drink
when he pleases. If he does not make
himself a nuisance to his neighbors.
Absolutely prohibitory laws almost in
variably fail in support, for we are a
V17hn oh IN
tain all our rights. You must admit
to these men that they have a right to
drink, but you must make them admit
their danger If a man does have a
right to go to the dogs, it is not good
for him to do so. nor is it good for
society. This liquor drinking business
has always gone on, and almost al
ways with the same results in the way
of poverty and sorrow. No matter
If portion of society can go on drink
ing in moderation and suffer only the
minimum of evil, the great majority
of the people cannot do this
Second, we must approach the ques-
| ton not from the side of the law
alone. I shall be told that moral sua-
sion has been tried and has failed. But
| no one means has ever succeeded, nor
has any one means ever entirely failed
Not law only, but education, counsel,
sympathy, provision of a substitute for
the saloon. The law has a very i'm
portant function in the matter, but
Just what it should be and how exc
| cuted, is a much discussed question. I
believe it is the duty of the voters in
Worcester to do what they can to close
the saloon. / do not deny that evil
will come from drinking in secret
places, even if the saloon is closed but
do not believe the evil will be as
great as the temptation of the open
saloon
I believe that every voter should vote
for no-license, in spite of the draw
backs to it, But we must not place
too much reliance on the law Law is
not power in itself 1t is a machine
that must be moved from without. If
no-licefse is carried by only a, small
majority and the machine is left to
run itself, it will be useless; but | be-.
lleve with the work being done by the
Temperance Federation Of Worcester.
not only for this year, but for wears
to come, that no-license law will be
a power in Worcester.
Third, we must try in affording this
help, to let our example tell by showing
that we are on the side of temperance.
not obtrusively or affectedly, but nat
urally, as individuals. The tempta-
ton to US church people is to isolate
ourselves from those of other levels. It
is the old story of the priest and Lee
Vlte passing by on the other side. We
should get close to the tempted VIC
tim of the saloon, and make him feel
that we are with him as individuals.
not officially. Let us do what we can
to help these men, and transform them
INTO citizens of the heavenly king
dom.