Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-02-24

Wcfo noWnerc 70 DC SEEM It's uu8l out
come was hid In darkness black as
right. It's promoters were laughed at,
jeered at and called very snchristian
names.
They worked on. Noble souls work
through sunshine and storm-neyer
stop working till their poor earthly
machine is worked to pieces and falls
in wreck. Through decades OF
years, through many mishsps and un.
pieasaptnesses, through many adj
vances and retrogressious, they talked
taught, exhorted and tried to persuade
men to reform themselves and CEASE
paying homage to the god of "unso-
briefly" The country was deluged with
temperance tracts, sermons, pam
phlets, books, which generally found
their way into the most convenient
waste-paper basket. Where else, when
they curtailed individual liberty" to
such an extent that a man is not al.
lowed to follow the suggestions OF his
own taste and appetite? That is
where they deserve to be, said they,
the wise ones.
But the temperance advocates plead
ed en-. More words, more tracts, more
sermons, more 'pledgesl" And now.
after nearly half century's pleading.
they seem to have acquired a not alto
gether despicable degree of success.
Missionary fathers, those who are con.
stantly trying to reform sinners, wills
per in our ears che astonishing words
that drunkenness" is not the "bcsct
ting" sin it used TO be. Men are not
thereby angels; they have bcsettine
sins by the score: but drunkenness is
rapidly ceasing 20 be one of them. The
youth is more sober than in former
times. 1t is all the result of temper
ance work manifCsting itself in al
most every department of activity; in
mercantile, social and educational cir
cles, in societies, organizations, and
solemn promises 20 God to worship nc
longer at the shrine of alcohol. There
Is yet much danger of going back to
the Ole idol. Many have never been
dragged away from his feet. But
hosts have been redeemed, and the
problem now is to hold. them in their
state of redemption. II Is easier to
keep a bad habit out than to drive il
forth when entrance is once secured.
The public conscience is aroused, and
what puts in motion that all-pervad-
ing, powerful soul-energy becomes
popular, and what is popular is result.
full.
There is much wisdom to be gath.
cred from the outcome OF this same
temperance movement. It is this:
Public wrong sentiment can be
changed to public right sentiment. An
evil, though it may be threatening and
all-pervading, can be lessened through
constant and heroic effort, 1t takes
long time, sometimes q whole genera
ton. sometimes two, possibly into the
third. Agitation against natural vices
produces little impression on the first
generation. Their disfavor is clearly
shown. 1t breaks out in taunts, ridi-
Guile and invective. After some years
OF fighting and taunts, ridicule and in
vective are silenced, and that is q
great advance, the first telling victory
The worsted will not surrender; they
think too much of their individual
liberty" to capitulate. But here the
workers of reform can take q most de-
cided stand against the young incom-
ing generation. They will listen, ar
que, weigh and finally consider. In
them is wanting the prejudice OF their
forefathers. They can be talked to
about blessings, results, consequences.
And although many, probably more
than half OF the whole, may be ire
formable, still the showing will be
good. Another stand is taken against
the third incoming generation, and it
is here that the lighters for the
right" may hope to gain decisive VIC
tory.
People may and do say: ''It will do
no good" where is the use?" 1.-THE
end will never be reached" etc. 1t
will do good; it is of use; the end will
be reached. It may take 90, 30, 40
years, but the final outcome is I'M
questionable. The criticism of the first
generation can be silenced; the atten-
ton of the second secured; and the
surrender OF the third guaranteed. The
most pessimistic can rely upon that
much gain. though in many cases the
gain is much greater. That is the
philosophy of the temperance move
ment. It might be used to advantage
W AASSS WIN are working IOr the
amelioration of humanity on other
lines, who are trying to lessen the
evils OF dishonesty, civic corruption.
literary monstrosities, educational de-
ception and such Ike. 1t takes time,
courage and perseverance. These
three tools viii make a man or re-
make him.
Work away, then, We artificers of
character. Raise high the hammers of
speech and thought and act and make
their merry voices ring throughout the
earth; heat the soul-iron into bright.
sparkling glow; make the red scintilla-
lions jump from anvil platforms, ros-
trums. chairs, pulpits, affairs; hit quick
and fast, but above all hit always. The
metal is rude, hard and unyielding, but
II will give and take the form of the
"smithy's" will. Through the labor of
years, through successive heatings and
neVer-ending sledge-hammer blows,
the rude, unshapely iron mass becomes
n thing of value, beauty and worth
Rt. Rev. A J. MeGayic. in Banner of