The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-02-24
A Terrible Indictment.

Referring to the devastating ruin brought
upon native tribes by the introduction OF
Intoxicating liquors on the part of Chris
tian nations, the Rev. Mark Guy Pease
says; ~ o.,, e o,,n oo,,
trv, must bow down with an awful shame
at the thought of it. All that England has
done and is doing to advance the welfare
of the nations, is undone, and worse than
undone, by the curse of strong drink. 1t
hurts one, indeed, to think of it, but 1T
is Just the awful and terrible truth that
in spite of our Bible societies and OF all
our great missionary societies, the world
would be better to-day If there were no
England. -, o.;,,,
converted to Christianity, 100 natives are
made drunkards. When the natives see
a drunken man, they are accustomed to
say: He has left Mohammed and gone to
Jesus Now that Burmah is annexed,
says a missionary. it has become place
of cheap drink and great crimes.
IT have only once been near Moham.
medan town, and this Is what l saw:
had not landed five minutes before l was
surrounded by a group Of Arab boys car
rying bottles of spirits-Mofamm
strong drink-and We were assailed with
cries in broken English: Master. buy
bottle orandy-three-six.' Miss, nice bot;
tie brandy-three-six.' My heart prayed
God that these lads might be kept sober
Mohammedans rather than become such
Christians as they are accustomed to
see. Little wonderSthat one Of the most
enlightened Brshmins cried: Oh, that We
had never seen European face; oh, that
we had never tasted the bitter sweets OF
your civilization, rather than that 1t should
.,f dVnnkarhl
brutes.' :.
Thus writes Arnold White, who has lived
among the natives:
1.-The Indians of America and Hindo-
stan, the wild races of Australia, the KAT.
frs, the debased Hottentots;> the West
Coast negroes, the effeminate Cingalese,
and the sinewy aborigines OF Canada, have
bitter reason to rue the first day of their
communication with the Angllo-Saxon
and honeycombed with foul disease the
lives of those races who still survive a
contact all unsought by them. When our
countrymen return from Eactern lands
they tell us that for every missionary sent
out there 90 also some 5000 gallons OF
rum; that it is better to carry ont Mo-
hammedanism than Christianity, because
Mohammedanism is temperate and Chris
tianity is not
MI. NackaJ, Oh tns -NS aH|o -4iaoioii'
writes:
"'Oh, how often shall l write in my
journal as l pass through many tribes,
Drink is the curse of African 90 where
YOU will, and you will find men, women
and children reelnG from the. effects OF
alcohol. The vast West CT AFRICA Is Tu-
ined with rum
Few men had snch opportunities OF
seeing the world as Sir George Grey. His
life has been spent in constant contact
with savage races in Afrca. with Luius
and Kaffirs, in New Zealand with, the Ma
oris. He declared that when he came
sights more shameful than he had seen
during all those years among the savages,
and it was all through strong drink.
"Rev. p. j.. Ritchie, OF Queenstown, IN
IN address delivered as chairman OF the
Congregational Union. said, ,
is It not clear that the spread OF
drinking habits among the natives must
inevitably tend TO render them unfit for
any useful service, to deprive them of the
means OF honest livelihood, and consequent
ly to drive them into criminal courses,
until they are good for nothing but to be
cast out and trodden under feet OF men
The voice oil their blood will cry from
the ground unto heaven against their
white destroyers. Our boasted civiliza,
ton has given them the Bible with one
hand and the brandy bottle with the 9TH
er. It brings all heaven before their eyes
in the mission church, aud opens hell Tor
them in the canteen. 1t gives the mis-
s;onary the opportunity to put upon them
the pressure of moral suaslon for their
salvation, while it gives its legislators
power to take off the excise duty ON Cape
brandy for their damnation.