Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-11-27
THE METHODIST CONFERENCE
AND THE INEBRlATE ASYLUM


To the Editor OF The Journal:
In this age OF progress. this age OF
Christian philanthropy, when the Wnoie
world is irving to help fallen mankind,
the Methodist conference refuses TO neip
forward a cause, the purpose OF when Is
to try and restore our fellow man from
one of the most helpless conditons-that
of inebrity.
The question Of an inebriate asylum, as
IS we'll known, has been agitated from
time to time and just at this propitous
time. when not only the legislature out
public sentiment generally is faYoring
such an Institution, a body OF men who
have told the world by their acuons
that they are called mot to save the
righteous but to bring sinners 10 repenl-
ance." have turned their backs on the
moor inebriate who is today fighting, with
a helpless hand, the crave for strong
drink.
The man who is sick with any ordinary
disease can send for his family physi-
clan and through his kind attention and
medical skill soon be restored to healtn
again, or If he is stranger within our
gates he can be admitted to our nos
pitals and there receive the necessary
medical attention and soon be himself
again, besides receiving all the little
kindnesses from hts attendants that make
him feel, not only grateful to all, out
thankful for the means of restoring nm
from sickness to health.
But how is it with the poor inebriate?
His family physician cannot cure him.
the hospital will not take him In, MS
weeping wife, who would willingly give
her life for him, cannot help him, his
friends efforts to help him only mock
at their futility to be of assistance to
him. and he, in his wild delirium, hides
hts eyes to shut out the visions that 10
him are real, OF the kissing snake and
tantalizing devils that meet him at every
turn. and as he cries help. help, there Is
no help for him.
To provide this help for such an I'M
fortunate is the object of the inebriate
ASYLUM for the state of Georgia. It has
been demonstrated that while inebrity
from whiskey and other narcotics Is not
a disease in the strictest sense or the
word, vet ii is a condition that Is more
deplorable than disease, for in every dis
ease a germ is usually located, and not
only is this germ Identified, but we have
specific serums and medicines that Will
arrest it's progress, destroy 1t and cure
the disease.
There is only one way to combat with
the condition of inebrity, and that Is TO
kindly provide hospital suited Tor TINS
purpose, with ample grounds, where the
inmates can have not only medical treat
ment when indicated, but exercise also'
which, has the tendency to woo them
back from their abnormal condition, and
which medicine alone would utterly fail
to do. a
And why a Methodist conference should
fail or refuse to cast their mite in favor
of a means that is about to be 1naugur-
ated, the only object Of which is 70 try
to save an unfortunate class Of human
beings from a drunkard's grave and q
drunkard's curse, is more than an un-
worthy Methodist can possibly conceive.
One great reason why an ineDriaue asy-
lum is needed now more than ever before
is that there are more ways for making
inebrfates today than ever before In the
history of the world. For instance, the
National Whiskey association, in one OF
their meetings recently, appropriated half
a million dollars and turned 1t over to
a committee. with instructions to ex-
pend every dollar in educating the young
to drink, and, as they well knew, whiskey