Evening journal., 1907-07-01
SAYS SALOONS
ARE NOXIOUS
Rev. DR.. c. T.Wyatt in Sermon
Asserts That mo License"
Will Not Hurt Business
CITESSALISBURY ASEXAMPLE

In Harrison Street NJ. E. Church
yesterday morning. the Rev c. II.
Wyatt, the pastor, preached on the SUBJ
ject "The Noxious Spring." from the
text second Kings ?, 1922
It was stainless Flag Day" SER
mon. dealing with the temperance
question and in the course Of 1t Pas
tor Wyatt said
Elijah, the stern prophet Of the
desert, has suddenly quit the field Of
toll and ascended to heaven in a char
lot OF fire, Elisha, his successor, in
herits his mantle, his spirit and his
God. on his way home Elisha spends
few days at the school Of the pro-
phets in Jericho, a city conspicuous
in history. for it was a large and inn
portant city when the Israelites entered
Canaan. 1t was surrounded by palm
trees and was beautiful for situation.
only six miles west of the Jordan
river. But there was a noxious spring
there which rendered the ground un-
fruitful and even caused death The
men TO Jericho came to Elisha and
said. The water is naught and the
ground barren. The man OF God said
10 them: Bring me a new cruise and
put salt therein. The order was obeyed
and the prophet oast salt into the
spring and the waters We're healed
Henceforth there was no more death
or barrenness. The miracle was para-
bolic.
"rhe spring was the cause OF the
desolatlon The streams which flowed
from 1t blighted everything they toucn-
ed No flowers bloomed or golden
fruitage hung from the boughs Of the
trees in the land touched by the
springs influence.
THE men of the city would have
been culpable If they had been indN-
ferent to an evil IN their midst that
was a menace to the prosperity and
health of the people, even if the own
ers had been willing to pay q license
fee into the city treasury. But tho iner
of the city deplored its existence ano
endeavored to get rid Of IL. They weni
to Elisha and sought bis help.
We have a city beautiful for situa-
tion. destined to become a great in
dustrial center. But there are In it IL;
licensed saloons which pay a license fee
Of $500 each to do business. Eron
these noXious springs flow influences
which blight the lives Of many whit
would otherwise De useful and virtuoui
citizens-judges, police officers an,
those I'm a position to know testify tha
so per cent of the crime and pauper
ism is traceable TO the drink traffic
,, We can give no just estimate Of 5h
evils which flow from the saloon.
There are homes in this city tha
would be happy and prosperous. bu
for the saloon which consumes III
wages Of many a toiler whose meage
( income is needed 10 supply the want
of wife and children. II the none
spent weekly in the saloons was spen
! in purchasing clothing and grocerle
the honest branches Of trade would
great benefited.
False Cry Says Pastor.
This cry that closing the saloon
will injure business IS false. We asl
whose business? Not the business
the GROCER or clothier True IL woll
e put the saloonist and brewer out {
p business, but this would be for Il
: public veal
/ Take Salisbury Nd. one OF Il
= most progressive business towns 9
the shore for example. Ninety-five pl
cent of the business men Of Salisbui
will tell you that all the propheci'
about a falling off in business. II n
town went dry, have proved falls
e They are doing more business tina
r ever before and the town is better O
p In every way. For every 81 Of revent
the saloon yields in license. It tak'
e S5 TO correct the evils growing out
. the business. If the saloons were clio.
y ed in Wilmington there would be .
need of increasing the police fopce an
thousands Of dollars would be save
to the taxpayers. From an econom
= standpoint the argument is against II
saloon.
but there is a moral side TO tn
y question which must be reckoned wit