The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-06-05
LEGALIZED EVILS NO. II.

uHUhUlAHU UIIuO NVs liz
The following prayer was often re-
peated by the late John b. Cough, the
| eminent temperance lecturer, who has
lectured in Canton in former years,
but is now gone to his reward
Almighty God, If 1t be thy will that
man should suffer, whatever seemeth
good in thy sight impose upon me; let
the bread of affliction be given me to
eat; take from me the friends of my
confidence; let the cold hut of poverty
be my dwelling place, and the wasting
hand Of disease inflict its painful tor
ments; let me sow In The whirlwird,
and reap in the storm; let those have
me in derision who are younger than l,
let the passing away of my welfare be
like the feeting Of cloud, and the
shouts of my enemies like the rushing
of waters; when anticipate good, let
evil annoy me; when / look for light,
let darkness come upon me; let the
terrors of death be ever before me.
Do all this, but save me, merciful God,
save me from the fate of drunkard.
Amen"
If the drink habit produces such hor-
rors, surprising all the calamities here
stated, what shall Gods dear people
say of ministers Of the gospel, or other
church members, who advocate or con-
sent to legalizing this unholy traffic? :?
Surely there can be no excuse except 1t
be that all such members are too stupid
or wicked for church membership, or
they would not do this great evil. The
apostolic injunction is to "have no fell
lowship with the unfruitful works Of
darkness"
The church of Christ often suffers
greatly from the i'll treatment church
members frequently exhibit towards
prohibition of the liquor traffic. This
Is especially true in cities. 1t would be
becoming that the citizens Of the United
States should hold day of fasting and
prayer that God would avert the calam-
ity of the continued legalized drink
traffic Of the greatest nation on earth.
Above all things, the living church of
Christ should be right with God" on
this great national question. The open
liquor traffic for beverage purposes would
soon become substantially suppressed
IL church members "voted as they
pray" Not one Of them dares open his
mouth in prayer that God would bless
the legaliztion of the traffic by tax and
license laws" Then why vote for it ?
When true christians of every name
stand firm that they will not cast an
other ballot for any political party that
upholds the legallzation of the liquor
: traffic, for beverage purposes, at any
price, then the day of the nations re-
demption from this legalized curse will
be at hand. But we have no right to
expect so great blessing, so long as
men wink at our brother voting for
these wicked measures. No difference
who may be the standard bearer of a
: tax or license party, all Christians
cannot vote such a ticket
The vast millions of wealth now vast
ed in dissipation would soon be turned
into channels Of useful industries, pro-
noting wealth and happiness; and our
churches would prosper as never before
Where hundreds are now spent for mis-
sions, thousands would flow into the
missionary boxes. The toiling mission
aries would feel that the greatest OBJ
stacle to their success had been re-
moved by the united and expressed
wishes of American Christian voters
and, verify, the time would then be at
hand, that Gods promise should be full
filled, that a nation should be born to
God in day." But it cannot come to
pass If Christians continue to vote to
legalize this great evil.
Political parties that champion any
cause in direct conflict with the teach
ings of the bible should always be
Stunned by every Christian voter. We
did that in regard to human slavery.
Then why not in regard to the legaliza-
ton Of the liquor trarlc, which is a
three-fold greater destroyer Of morals
and Of human life than ever was slav-
cry, as 1t at one time existed in the
United States? Who of intelligent
Christians would want slavery re-es-
tablished in the United States? None.
Let our general government cut loose
from all completely with the liquor traf-
! fic, not take revenue from it. and deal
|, with 1t as an outlaw, wherever found.
The saloon would soon cease to exist,
and no Christian would want our pres
ent tax and license laws for the traffic
re-established This is the greatest
moral issue of the century. and 1t be-
comes truly Christian men to see to II
; that they do not cast another ballot for
any political party that upholds any
form of tax or license law for this ru-
inous business.
, All intelligent citizens would say that
we were either crazy. or bad citizens
to advocate the crime Of stealing and
counterfeiting by taking a revenue
from such things and thereby give legal
existence to those enemies of good So
ciety; but I defy any one to show that
stealing and counterfeiting combined
have ever done half the evil to the hui
I man family that has the legalized
) liquor traffic for beverage purposes
Then why uphold any system of le-
? galizing this ruinous business? 1t IL
unreasonable and unchristian to do this
: thing. All Christians should stand by
, their principles, and IL they stoot
! shoulder to shoulder on this great mora,
! isue for five years at the ballot box nj
scheming politicians could ever agar
+, entice Christian voters to cast another