Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-01-16


rious. Were that ten cents per dow
devoted TO the caues of missions m.
whole would amount at the end of on,
year to 1865, 100000. which would sup
port $4,000 missionaries at the rate of
$500 each.
These are serious considerations
Thousands of heathens are sitting 'in
darkness and in the shadow of death"
and II is the duty of Christians to care
Tor their souls and 10 furnish means
whereby the Gospel may be preached
to every creature" But, then. ability
to do this is greatly narrowed. and al
most cut off by their indulgence in
drink.
The need of the time is sound and
thorough instruction among all classes
on the liquor question. The people are
literally perishing for lack of knowl-
edge on this subject.
The usefulness of alcoholic liquors as
beverages and something of the extent
OF the inJury-physica moral and in
tellectual-which they infiict upon the
persons who use them in what is
called excess is matter of common
knowledge; but the destructive effects
or the drinking customs of our social.
economic and domestic well-being
ought to be far more fully understood
among all classes than II is at present.
on these points surprising amount
OF ignorance prevails, and, while Il is so.
the right legislative remedies of intem-
peranee will be exceedingly difficult to
obtain, and when obtained can only be
partially and fitfully successful.
The time. we repeat, has fully come
Tor an educational campaign of the most
vigorous character. For the success of
our movement this is essential And for
the future of our country the success of
the temperance movement is impera-
tive. But, by itself. education is not
sufficient. Legislation is also indis-
pensable. Both are necessary. The fol-
lowing facts will illustrate this: In
Sweden, half a century or so ago,
magnificent educational temperance agi-
tatlon took place. 1t had been inaugu-
rated by devoted temperance mission
aries from America, and carried on by
the intellectual and spiritual elite of
sweden. The people were much influ-
enced by the work of the mission, and
many Of them were thoroughly con-
WINGED of the evils Of the use of intoxi-
eating liquors. But the per-head con-
sumption of alcohol was but little re-
duced. The drink trade, with all its ma
chinery of popular temptation, was
maintained, and the people continued
to fall before it. In 1885, however. a To-
cal option law was passed. giving the
power to localities to suppress public
houses within their own borders: and.
drunken and drink-demoralized though
the people were, the law was so success
ful that out of about 2.400 public houses
which were in full operation when the
law was passed, over 1000 were sup
pressed within two years.
In fact. AS we are told by the Swedish
historian. DR.. Wieselgren, in whole dis
tricts where before the passing of the
law almost every second house had been
brandy shop, you might, after it had
been in operation for less than two
years, ride whole day without seeing
one, and the consumption of alcohol
for the whole Of the country was re-
duced to about one-third of what IL was
before the passing of the law" What
this shows is the vitality important fact
that men who could not stand erect in
the face OF the temptations of the liquor
traffic very gladly acquiesced in the sup
preston of that traffic. Education
alone, or legislation alone, would have
done but little for Sweden, but both to-
gether were it's salvation.
Fresh and paramount is the question
Of personal total abstinence, without
which abiding convictions are not to be
expected. Greater attention needs to
be paid to this foundation department
OF temperance work by all temperance
societies. 1t has been and is the back |
bone of the reform. Intelligent convic- |
tions as to the drink itself, and its
fects on the human system. are indis-
pensable If public opinion is to be made
strong and reliable,
The Lancet, the greatest medical au- I,
thority in Great Britain, wrote not long !
since that 1.-The most powerful and fas- |
means of degradation which |
human nature has found to debase it. !
self With is alcohol" That is pretty |
strong. but what does the nation lop
What do we as individuals dos We
rs part of the NAT Tn, are responsible as
far as it goes ror the government of the
nation.
What does the nation do? 1t main
tains the system; legalizes and protects
1t by establishing drink places in this
country with nc other object than to
supply the means of degradation and de-
basement And this it is claimed is
a Christian government See the re-
suits. If wou SOW the wind, you reap
the whirlwind, and if you spread drink
throughout the land. you reap the
prison, the poorhouse, the lunatic asy-
lum and the scaffold.-Nationai Advo-
cate.