Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-02-14
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR.


Topic For the Week Beginning Feb.
1S-Comment by Rev. 8. III. Doyle.
ToPIc.--The sin Of liquor selling. How end 1T
-I1ab. ii. lis. Quarterly Temperance mseting)
Habakkuk was one Of the most
graphic and pointed writers among the
Hebrew prophets. He incidentally in
this chapter describes the enormity OF
what we may cali liquor selling today
BY using it figuratively to describe the
havoc and devastation caused by the
triumphant and eonquering Chaldeans-
The figure was pointed In his day, but
today 1t may be reversed. The devas-
tation of the Chaldeans may Illustrate
to US the enormity and cruelness of
the liquor traffic, only that the latter
is a thousandfold worse. and the woe
Of God pronounced upon the Chaldeans
may be looked upon as Gods woe upon
those that give their neighbors strong
drink and put the bottle to their lips.
The saloon Is the most dangerous
factor in American national life today.
II is often an outlaw and the harborer
of outlaws. 1t is a lawbreaker and an
educator of lawbreakers. 1t ruins
homes, hearts, lives and souls by sell
ing to man that which robs him of rea-
son and Judgment.
How is this traffic to be ended? No
one but God knows. When we face
this gigantic evil, we feel like crying
out, "How long, o Lord. how long?"
Two possible ways Of ending liquor
selling suggest themselves:
l. The manufacture and sale of all
intoxicating liquors as beverage
could be prohibited by law and the
law enforced. This would soon end
liquor selling. Men could not sell
what they did not have. Prohibition
win prohibit il those who execute the
laws are faithful to their VOWS. 1t
has never had fair trial, but wher-
ever tried has been more Of success
than most people imagine. Prohibi-
ton has come the nearest Of any other
and II 1t were law In all our states
would reduce liquor making and selling
to a minimum. License is q failure.
It neither reduces the amount made
nor the amount sold, but simply in
creases the revenues Of the few who
secure licenses.
2. Men may be SO educated that
there will be no demand or sale for in
toxicating drinks. This will also stop
liquor selling. Do away with liquor
buyers, and there will soon be no
liquor sellers. This Is the distinctive
work Of the church and of Christian
Endeavor. The church is not a po-
Ntical machine, but school for educa-
ton and training. The task seems
hopeless. but @all things are possible
with God" Liquor selling will never
cease until liquor drinking ceases or
until the public conscience is so arous-
ed against this gigantic curse and evil
that its determination shall be de-
manded. Public sentiment makes laws
and enforces laws. In this campaign
the church should take the lead. 1t
should teach the young the enornity
Of the drink evil. 1t should earnestly
strive by the power of the gospel TO re-
claim the lost and by every means
should try to arouse the sleeping con-
sciences of men against this evil and
create such strong public sentiment
against it that the saloon will have
to 60.
THE PRAYER MEETING.
Let the good citizenship committee
have charge of this meeting. Get a
temperance speaker, IL possible, to de-
liver an address. II not, have brief
addresses: a. 1.-THE Open Saloon" (2)
The Licensed Saloon" ca 1.-THE Pro-
mbited Saloon" "a Education and the
Saloon"
Bible Readings.-Ex. Xxx. IS; Lev. x.
3, 3; Mum. vi, LA; Judg. xiii, ia;
Prov. Xxx. L; xiii, 1892: Math. xviii.
Z: XVI, Al; Luke l. 1916; Rom. xiv.
7-23; l Cor. Ill, Is, II; vi, 10; Gal. v.
1925.