The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1905-09-22
TWICE A WEEK. 81 50 YEAR

wards the liquor traffic is. in the ma
ture OF the case, one Of unceasing. un-
relenting and uncompromising oppo-
sitiOn. Things, as we'll as men, are to
be known by their fruits. 1t would be
impossible in a paper like this to
enumerate the evils direct and in
direct. which flow from the Use OF in
toxicating liquors. Its fruits are all
bitter. The individual. the home. bus
mess. society. the state. the church,
each and all. suffer. The traffic in IL
quor has at no time and in no way
brought to the human family any
thing but suffering and sorrow. Its
habitation and the theatre Of its oper-
ations have been the valley Of the
shadow Of death. Its realm is that
Of darkness. despair and death. Its
appeal for support has never been to
the pure. the high, the noble in men,
but always to the opposite. 1t is
thus not from choice, but from neces-
sity. 1t is business which does not
possess single redeeming quality
1t appeals to the low and the TN
worthy in men for the reason that that
is it's nature and that the leading ten
dency and character OF its work.
The best, the very best, which can
be said for it is that thereby some men
become rich-rich in dollars, rich in
houses and lands, in stocks and bonds;
rich in material things, but poor, and
oftimes distressingly poor, in every
other sense. It adds nothing to mans
wisdom, reputation or character. No
man ever was or ever will be respect
ed, trusted, loved and fondly remen1-
liquor. The man who commits him
self in any way or to any degree to
the support of the liquor traffic is to
that extent, whether consciously or
unconsciously, an enemy TO himself,
his race and his God. This is fear
full arraignment 1t is made in the
fear of God. The question is not is
the picture a dark one? That speaks
for itself; but is it true? If so, let it
be repeated with all possible empha-
sis thar the Christian attitude is, and
can but be, one of unmistakable and
unmfaltering hostility. Bear in mind
that what we are saying is concerning
the liquor traffic Itself and not the
method Of dispensing it to the peo-
pie. The business is essentially the
same, no matter what the method is
or NAV be. If we are what we claim
to be, and ought to be, there is no
room for discussion as to methods Of
conducting the sale of liquor. We are
all agreed that the business Of max
ing selling and drinking liquor is an
unholy one. There is. there can be.
no righteous method of conducting an
unrighteous business. The spirit and
principles of Christianity demand
nothing less than the entire abolition
of a business which degrades men
and would dethrone God. Ours is
not to regulate, but to annihiEate, this
demon of unrighteousness. We be
protbitionists. Our religion de-
mands nothing less. The only ques-
ton is, are we prepared to accept it
with all it means now or may mean in
the future? Are we willing to preach
it. t. practice it. TO stand for it and
stand by it, cost what it may?
Time may have been. and possibly
was. that owing to the conditions
then prevailing no legal restrictions
were placed upon the manufacture
and sale of Intoxicating liquors. But
about that we today are not specially
concerned. As the evils of the traf-
fic became manifest legal restrictions
were placed upon it. In the eye OF
the law the trade in liquor was re-
garded as an evil and he who sought
to engage in it did so under legal