Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-09-17
go EPWORTH LEAGUE.
Topic For the Week Beginning Sept.
22-"The Saloon Power Doomed"
Text, Ps. xvii, Ito.

"Fret not thyself because Of evil
doors" Fretting does more harm TO
the fretter than to any one else. 1t is
like dirt in the machine where oil is
needed, Injuries the machine and him
ders work. No cursing the liquor traf-
tic, however vigorously done, no de-
nunciation, however severe, ever saved
a drunkard or closed a saloon. The
fire was in the wrong place; it was in
the wood pile instead Of under the
boiler; combustion enough. but no
work accomplished. Stop fretting;
cool down; God is in His world; His
plans, not ours, are to succeed; His
plans will succeed. What are they!
Wait and see. Our fretting will not
hurry Him, and will hinder US.
"Neither be thou envious at the work
ers Of iniQuity."
No place for envy nor Jealousy here.
Perhaps that Is what has hindered US
30 much. The saloons so palatial in
fittings and the church 80 plain and
cherries in its prayer rooms! The sa-
loon crowded with young men full Of
life and energy, the church services &c
thinly attended and dull and destitute
of young men! The saloon with money
in streams and the church finances
parched as q result! The saloon keeper
and all the liquor dealing crowd SC
prosperous, with houses, horses, stocks
minister SO needy, with children TO
educate. 1t is hard work to keep from
wishing we had some of that cash for
church, schools. hospitals, etc. Is that
envy? Look out, 1t is perilously near
the line. Better look the other way.
The glitter has dazzled your eyes.
Trust in the Lord and do good; so
shalt thou dwell in the land, and verify
lin stablenessl thou shalt be fed
We have no need of anything which
belongs to them. God will provide for
His own all they need without taking
the devils secondhand furnishings.
Get rid Of all envy and jealousy.
"Evildoers shall be cut off"
That is prophecy and promise, and is
es certain of fulfillment as the con-
tinuance of the earth and the existence
Of God. When? He alone knows.
If He can wait, surely we can. His
investment IS greater than ours. What
can we do to hasten the work? Per-
haps 1t cannot be FASTENED. 1t is posi-
BILE that this is like many other evils
which must abide until the gradual
maturing Of the race and elevation in
righteousness cast 1t off as impossible |
to longer abide.
Commit thy way unto the Lord; |
trust also in Him, and He shall bring !
to pass"
Without doubt great good has been !
done by the total abstinence pledge /
movements. The social organizations
of various kinds which have for their
basis the pledge are Of value in the up
lift of society. The antisaloon leagues,
law and order leagues and kindred or
CARNATIONS for enforcement of good
laws have had a beneficial influence.
Political agitation and legislation for
suppression of the evil, public school
instruction and hundred other agen-
cies, not forgetting the W. c. T. Z. and
the temperance press, are assisting
toward q better day. But all these
combined have made little effect on
the fearful evil which holds this land
and a large part Of the world as in the
Icy bonds of arctic winter. All our
efforts have seemed like ice saws and
chisels to release an imprisoned vessel
Is the case hopeless, then?
Far from it. God has promised and
man needs, we believe. Up over ice
wastes comes q breath Of warmth,
glow Of color. Gods sun rises slowly.
but surely. steadily, untiringly, ever
up and up, and as it comes the noun
tains Of ice melt and run, and the sum-
ner of Gods grace works the miracle
Ill earth power and human effort could
lot master.