The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-12-21
ANSWERED PRAYER.

IL. LII Slld1l OC NOIAS LII UliSAd.
The members Of the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union Of
W., godly women, ;sagreed" to
pray for the overturn Of a Ger
tain saloon every time they pas
sed it! 1t was situated on a
prominent street and they would
pass it often.
Now for the story ana its re-
markable sequel.
Application had been made to
the county commissioners for a
license to sell liquor on Church
street. The good people of the
city were simply astonished and
indignant, for in all the liquor
history of that city no saloon
keeper had been audacious en-
ough to apply for a license to
sell LIQUOR on Church Street.
It seemed an unusual desecra
ton, for it was where the Gospel
had been proclaimed for the sal
vation Of men for sixty-three
years, and this saloon. organized
not 10 save, but 20 destroy, was
to be allowed to open its doors
within one hundred and fifty
feet of our church edifce! 1t
must not be tolerated..
The commissioners were petl-
toned to give a hearing"
where both advocates and pro-
testants could present their argu-
ments. This was done, hope
inc that when the good people
of the city bad shown themselves
and made their appeal, the COM
missioners would grant their
petition, and refuse the license.
We had been warned that our
protest would do no good, as the
commissioners were not above
taking a bribe from the applicant
for the license; and, that, IN
short, it was known that they
had already been fixed"
Nevertheless, we determined
to make a mighty fight to win,
and we laid our plans according
ly.
The day for the hearing" ar
rived, and the forces were mar
shalled. All liquordom was in
evidence; and the church, the
Catholic priest, and the W. G. I,
u. were arrayed on the other
side. The pastor of the church,
the writer, was summoned to
testify. arose from a sick bed,
appearing at the court room,
urged that the license should not
be granted in view Of it's near
ness to the church edifce; in
view of it's being street where
women and children passed IN
large numbers; in view of the
narrowness CT the sidewalk, and
so giving special danger to pas
sersby; in view Of it's being next
door to a boys reading and game
room, which was open afternoon
and evening; and in view of the
fact that the church had the
right of way in that street, for so
many years, and in view the
most respectable gathering of
protestants present.
Father D., the Catholic
priest, followed, with plain
Statement of law and right, fol-
lowed by an eloquent plea for
his own people, who were so
susceptible to saloon influences.
The "liquor interest" was then
heard, with the stock arguments
of rights" and revenue" and
the hearing was declared closed,
decision reserved! The commis-
sioners waited a few hours, just
long enough to satisfy the claims
of decency, when the announce
ment came that the license was
granted, a foregone conclusion
from the first.
And, now, what should be
done, what could be done:
In a. few days, the store where
groceries had been sold, was va
Gated for the liquor dealer. The
rental he was to pay far exceed
ed the income received from the
man who had sold flour and
sugar!
With the defeat Of the forces
of no license. the devoted and
determined women of the ". G.
T. u. entered into a compact,
that every time any one of them
passed that saloon, they would
breathe a prayer to God for di-
vine interposition for its over.
throw. They went to main street
by the way of church street Of
ten; and on Sunday to service
and Sunday school, and SO the
prayers ascended like a cloud OF
incense to the Throne.
Somehow the saloon did not
prosper as it's friends thought
| # would. ::Trade" diminished
instead of increasing. One day
the writer was passing. The
The door was closed and the
curtains drawn. All seemed quiet,
except an occasional groan from
within. What did it mean: In
| ,,;,,,- ,,o1,ao o1o6 tho faot that the