The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1900-05-24

ness compared Wltn your own NeSN
and blood? Do you know where your
own son was two nights ago? In one
of the vilest of the vile holes in this
city, which you, a father, license to an
other man to destroy the life of your
own child! saw him there myself,
and my heart ached for him and you.
II Is the necessary truth. viii you not
join with me to wipe out this curse in
society?"
The merchant trembled, and his lips
Guivered at mention of his son, but he
replied:
IL cannot do what you want, Mr..
Strong, but you can count on my SYM
pathy IL you make the fight" Philip
finally went away. his soul tossed on a
wave of mountain proportions and
growing more and more crested with
foam and wrath as the first Sunday of
the month drew near and he realized
that the battle was one that he must
wage single handed in a town of go
kOO people.
He was not so destitute Of support as
he thought. There were many mothers
hearts in Milton that had ached and
prayed in agony long years that the Al
mighty would come with his power
and sweep the curse away. But Philip
had not been long enough in Milton to
know the entire sentiment Of the pco-
pie. He had so far touched only the
church through its representative pull
.
men, and the result had been almost to
convince him that very little help
could be expected from the public gen
orally. He was appalled, to find out
what tremendous hold the whisky
men had on the business and politics
him of their power. The whole thing
seemed to him like travesty of free
government and terrible commen-
tary on the bOasted Christianity of the
century.
So when he walked into the pulpit
the first Sunday of the month he felt
his message burning in his heart and
on his lips as never before. 1t seemed
beyond all question that If Christ was
pastor of Calvary church he would
speak out OAplain denunciation of the
whisky power. And so, after the open
ing part of the service, Philip rose to
speak, facing an immense audience
that overflOwed the galleries and in
vaded the choir and even sat upon the
pulpit platform. Such a crowd had
never been seen in Calvary church be-
fore.
Philip had not announced his sub
ject, but there was an expectation on
the part Of many that he was going to
denounce the saloon. In the two
months that he had been preaching in
Milton he had attracted great atten-
ton. His audience this morning rep
resented great many different kinds
oflpeople. Some came out Of curiosi-
tyS Others came because the crowd
vi going that way. So it happened
~ Phik faced u truly representative
audience Of Milton people. AS his eye
swept over the house he saw four Of
the six members Of his church who
were up for Office at the coming elec-
ton In two weeks.
For an hour Philip spoke as he had
never spoken in all his life before.
His subject, the cause it represented,
the immense audience, the entire occa-
sion caught him up in a genuine burst
Of eloquent fury, and his sermon swept
through the house like prairie fire
driven by high gale. At the close
he spoke of the power Of the church
compared with the saloon and showed
how easily 1t could win the victory
against any kind of evil If it were only
united and determined.
"Men and women Of Milton, fathers,
mothers and citizens" he said, this
evil is one which cannot be driven out
unless the Christian people OF this
place unite TO condemn it and fight it
regardless of results. 1t is too firmly
established. 1t has its clutch on bust
ness, the municipal life, and even the
church itself. 1t Is fact that the
churches in Milton have been afraid to
mke the right stand in this matter.
Members Of the churches have become
involved in the terrible ENHANCEMENT
OF the long established rum power I'M
I'll today you witness condition Of
a1airs which ought to stir the right
eous Indignation Of every citizen and
rather. What is it you are enduring?
An institution which blasts with its
POISONOUS breath every soul that en-
ters 1t, which ruins young manhood,
which kills more citizens in times of
peace than the most bloody war ever
slew In times Of revolution; an institu
tion that Is established for the open
and declared purpose of getting money
from the people by the sale Of stuff
mat creates criminals; an institution
that robs the honest workingman Of
MS savings and looks with Indifference
on the tears Of the wife, the sobs Of
'ne mother; an institution that never
gives one cent of Its enormous wealth
Duild churches, colleges or homes
LUZ the needy; an institution that has
'ne brand Of the murderer, the harlot,
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