The Morris County chronicle., 1904-05-03
EPWORTH LEAGUE.
May 15s "EpvOrth League AnniveR-
anry."--special Temperance
Programme.


Programme.
to have infected the blood Of the whole
race. The appetite for alcohol is not
confined TO any one people or land.
The effect is everywhere and always
the same.
The time was when the frenzy Of
intoxication was held to be an inspira-
ton of the gods, and religious rites
and drunkenness were closely joined.
Christianity has done much to change
this. But drunkenness has not been
abolished even in the most Christian
Of lands, yet much gain is seen in these
last years. Not very many years since,
even in New England, no meeting
house frame was raised nor minister
installed without the bill Of expense
including a considerable item for rum
and brandy. That thing is past, prob
ably never to be revived.
Goodness is coming to be linked in
separably with total abstinence Some
branches of the church still refuse to
speak on the subject; some still coun-
tenance the use of intoxicants by their
members as common beverages, with
no word of protest or warning, but the
greater part of the church speaks
plainly against the danger. The Meth
odist Episcopal church leads the van
guard of Christendom in unqualified
condemnation of the manufacture, sale
and use Of alcoholic drinks as injuri-
Gus to individual and society, as evil
and only evil, and to be abolished as
speedily as possible
We are utterly opposed to license of
the sale of Intoxicating drinks by gov
ernment in any form and to any de-
gree. This we believe to be the only
safe and logical position for any one
who has the welfare of society at
heart.
The use of alcoholics in medicine,
arts and manufactures is an entirely
different question.
The right Of any person to drink
such beverages is also another ques-
ton. The right Of person to dress,
drink and eat as he pleases is to be de-
Tended But the exercise of such
rights must be and is greatly restrict
ed as society becomes more complex
In Maine and some other states during
most months Of the year any person
having deer meat or partridge in his
possession is subject to heavy fine.
M rt1n sNo+ se..,
hibited. But not because it does the
eater any harm.
Liquor saloons should be abolished
because they are prolific sources of
vice and crime. The young. the moral
ly weak and many foreigners reared
under different conditions and ideas
are in great danger from this source
and under the influence of the saloon
become peril and menace to the well
being of the community.
1t is not a right of government to
license and permit an evil. This prin-
ciple is well established and has been
declared by the supreme court of the
United States. If the saloon business
Is right and desirable and demanded
for the good of community, then it
should be recognized and protected as
any other business. If it is specially
dangerous, it should be safeguarded
as the sale Of gunpowder and eyplo-
sives and poisonous drugs Is now done,
by limiting the sale to properly quail
fed persons. No license, high or low
other than registration should be
exacted. To make the traffic source
Of governmental revenue IS fraud II
the traffic is legitimate and an unmiti-
gated crime If the traffic is wrong.
The saloon must be abolished Let
this war cry never cease.