Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-11-28


and better Sabbath observances today
than at any period in Christian his
tory?
That might be rash, but before we
become too doleful in our lamentation
let us make a broader study of this
great problem. 1t is true the early
standard of some sections of this coun-
try are not maintained, and those of
us born and reared under those inf1u-
ences and by those ideals are some
times led to feel that the whole Sab
bath question has been a tumult of
confusion. But before we go that far
let us stop to make one or two observ-
ances. One of these is that the New
Eneland Sabbath never was the nor
NAL Sabbath of Christendom for any
considerable extent. PERHAPS Scot
land did present a standard of observ
ance approxinatine this condition but
that is the only section of the church
that ever did am not disposed to
say. The New England standard in
its more wholesome elements was
hit too hish. but we must realize that
here has flooded this country millions
of reorle who never have heard of this
iaeol Sabbath observance till they set
their feet on our shores and are en-
tiraly confused with its restrictions.
This is true Of practically all who
core from continental Europe.
81 have snent Sabpaths in France,
German Swi.zerland Ttelv, Holland
end in Great Britain and in none of
these countries do thew have anvthine
anproxiuatine our observance evcent-
i,,e in the lost named country. On the
st~eats of Paris WOW nav eee every
l-ind Of eor''lnr trafF1", nreniselv as it
was on Saturday. Scarcely differ
ance evists between the day. In Italy
the dow is oiven to amusement. The
most brilliant disn1nv IF fireworks !
ever wit-9eeed was in Venice on Sun
dev evening where the whole CITY
turns nut . c rao~lnr affnir to witness
the gala everciees of this holiday.
Leavenino Process.
"Now let us realize that in the le"v-
erino process that is going on in this
ronntrv while we are losing much by
the contact with those from other lands
thew arc gaining very much. There
never was time when rs meny neo-
Mo wore brought rnaer the heneficent
i-e-enca of a Chrietian Sabbath as at
tbis verv tir,e hore in America, IF o1lr
IN etit,,tion ie e-lioc+ed to q considera-
bio etroi,, wr,ila this nrocass of edrca-
lion is rrogreseir.~ let rs not 'cse heart
ond hone vuri7o the Sabbath that
or-,, as o,t IF This f,'rnaca nj trial nov
MT be of eor',r c>lcnv dovs it will
ao,-b+lacs he tra one her+ suited to our
c,,onond copd lows. After all we mrst
rer,,o-,,t,er tba SohNo+h wns made for
M, po+ NON for TO Gahhnth Let us
~ ~, +ho,lr Cod t'-;s r,crnino for the
rresorro+io,, nrd extension o. this gra-
cious ire+'+,+icn.
Ten,-ersn-e Advance.
"kpother c~rsa for Thanksgiving
this morning is the progress we are
maI,ire in the tarorerance movement
in our land. kgnin I con see manv of
Won Mace an Incorporation before this
rupgect'on. You mav ask how about
the co-aitio,s in love-, have we not
heau goirg l,ackwara in the past few
veerso Possibly Bnt lot us realize that
all such maSemante 90 in waves. We
he'd wave of prohibition enthusiasm
bore that rose to considerable
haieht. nerhars higher than the sen
timent of tie state would sustain and
we have suffered something of the
encouragement of relapse. But
we must not guage the whole move
ment by the narrow conditions of our
own state. Looking broadly over this
question today feel that we have ev
cry reason for encouragement. The
history of temperance in this country
is full of interest. One hundred
years ago there was practically nc
=, fnr cnntirro nj
Drinking was well nigh universal
Wine was consumed at ordination and
baptism. Weddings were the occasion
for the freest license in the matter
! Liquors were distilled in every coun
try side and the strongest kind OF
| fire water was drunken in every neigh
borhood. Then followed wave Of
temperance reform known as the
Washington movement. This was
followed by tide of prohibition sen
timent. This was before the war
But more energy was spent in hold
ing jubilees over the victories at the
polls then enforcing the newly enact
ed laws, and reaction set in.
Drinking Custom.
"Then came the war with its demon
HllZdLlOu. FOllo"lu6 l.lS .Wno Wtlo lily
tremendous influx of foreign i'm
migration. Since that time all TEN
perance work has had to resist 6
tremendous hostility on the part o.
this class of citizens. Again 1 say
/ we canot realize the tremendous
difference of sentiment between the
two sides of the Atlantic on this
question: Do we realize that the
drinking custom is almost universe
in the old world. Let me give an in
dication or two. Take England
! which is in the forefront in this move
ment on the other side of the water
I Now we may suppose that the people
called Methodists ought to represent
the highwater mark of the temper
ance sentiment in that country, and
have no doubt that they do, but dc yol
! know that for years the radical TEN
perance people of that church have
been trying for years to pass through
conference resolution to the effec
that official members ought not to en-
4 gage directly in the liquor traffic
This resolution has been tabled yea
after year. There ministers do no
pretend to be total abstainers to an.
degree. 1t is no uncommon thing tt