The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-04-12
TEMPERANCE SUNDAY A
GREAT DAY IN COLUMBIA
Steps Taken to Organize a Law En-
forcement League.
Eminent Speakers Deliver Strong, Practical Talks

. he had known long years ago That
he could remember a visit to this
town when it was cursed by the pres
ence fthe saloon, and he returned
TO find it free from that most wither-
ing blight; but when he referred to
his note book he found that it was
only last year he was here and that
this wonderous change was not an
Gent history, butt the work of few
short months. When he was here
last few people dared hope to see this
fair city swept clean of the most de-
moralizing and powerful influence Of
modern times What hath wrought
this mighty change? can remember
when there were saloons in every
town and county in Tennessee, and
when there was no aspiring politician,
who dared to raise his voice against
them. Today, or soon, liquor can be
sold in only three cities in the State,
or at most four, contingent on the
Legislature passing the LaFollette
bill over the Governors veto, and
there are none so low as to do the So
looms honor. What hath wrought the
mighty change? There are esveral
newspapers of statewide power, who
claim the honor: political parties, a
number of politicians and some special
bands Of men will tell you that they
are responsible But what really
brought It about? God did 1t. God
working through the Christian church
and the Christian people of the
churches was omnipotent and all-pow-
erful and to God belongs the honor
of freeing His people from this stain
and blot ON civilization. OF course.
there had to be some organization,
some leadership, but that leadership
would have been weak and powerless
without the help of God and the spir-
it of the christian churches and chris
tian epople. And the story Of the re-
demptfon of Tennessee is amazing.
Tell it where you will and your aud
fence can scarcely believe it. told
II last week to an audience OF 1,2OO
at indianapolis and they went wild
almost with the telling. The church
did it, and / am here to congratulate
the people of Columbia on their won
derful victory The AntiSaloon
League has always been weak and
small, but because it represented the
organized church, because God was
on it's SIDE because it represented the
idea, 1t has been the lead
err In this sweeping victory. 1t bound
the churches together and directed
their irresistible force.
And now you are confronted with
a new peril and a new problem-the
peril of the unenforced laws and the
of how to ma Ike the laws eff
'ective. During the fight for the abo-
ition of the saloon the most frequent
objection heard from the friends and
,ympathizers of the saloon was, You
cannot enforce the law The plight
Il Kansas and Maine and other states
las been given as an illustration The
challenge has been laid down at the
eet of the Christian people that they
,annot enforce the law and 1t is now
he duty of the christian people to /,
AXE up the gauntlet and fight the bat
lie for law enforcement The people
ire on trial, and unless the saloon
men of Columbia are more sanity
ons and sisters than they are else
vhere. the christian people will be
confronted by a battle Of prevarica-
ion. You are going to hear great
eal about the violation of the law and
bout the law being ineffective. Are
ou going to permit the law to be-
ONE ineffective? Are you going to
e timid and careless and unwatchful
nd allow the law to come into dis
epute? There Is no middle ground.
is right Violation and
linking at the violation is wrong.
Int you are going to have some help
ou little expected. Some OF the men
tho opposed the abolition Of the sa-
IONS will come to your aid in enforc-
lg the law.
There are four essentials in the
olving Of your Observation-Disclosures,
ltegrity, industry, indefatigability.
"First-Intelligence. You must
now what is going on. You've got
, become an organized band OF med
ers. You must know what the
h,.kav naonIa are doing. where they