Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-09-15
,,Hlisfellanenus 8rading.
TEMPERANCE is MODERATION.
Able and Thoughtful Discussion of Al
ways Important Subject.

Able and Thoughtful Discussion Of Al
ways Important Subject.
This able and interesting report on
the subject Of temperance, prepared for
the committee by Rev. John Knox Hair
of Rock Hill, and submitted to the York
Baptist association at Union last Fri
day Is we'll worth careful reading:
This is an old subject, and to the
minds Of many people, somewhat stale.
When Paul reasoned with Felix of
temperance in the dawn Of Chris
tianity, the subject was not new. 1t
has been a problem for the Christian
and moralist during all the intervening
centuries, and an entirely satisfactory
settlement is not yet in sight.
Perhaps, it may help for us to keep
in mind the principles involved in the
discussion. The word temperance,
really means moderation, and this idea
is derived from the Greek word used in
the New Testament, which means self
control (revised version). Horses, cat
tie and other animals are untitled to
exercise self-control in governing
themselves, but man must needs be
lord of himself that he may be lord Of
all other living things.
There are four stages in the process
Of acquiring the sovereignty over self.
These are not easy, but "he that ruleth
his spirit is greater than he that taketh
a city" If we are ever to acquire self
control, we must first learn how to be
controlled by proper authority. We
must learn this lesson in youth or we
will never learn it we'll, and our pa
rents and teachers must teach 1t to us.
The failure of many of them to do this,
causes more trouble and expense to
government than all other causes COM
bined. Grown men cannot learn this
lesson we'll, though a policeman try to
beat it in!o their heads with club.
If the boy has learned to be controll-
ed during his tender years, he may
then easily acquire the lesson Of self
control under favorable conditions.
Such a one becomes useful member
of society, good citizen Of the state.
The officers of the law have no diff
Guilty in controlling those who were
controlled by parents and teachers in
childhood. They are not needed at all
for those who have acquired the habit
Of self control.
The one who has passed successful
ly the first two grades in the school OF
life as already indicated, being controll-
ed, and controlling self, is eligible for
the third grade in which he learns to-
control others. 1t Is fatal mistake to
put beginners in this grade. They will
make no progress themselves, and de-
moralize the other scholars.
There is a fourth grade in the school
of life, which is offered to the pupils
who wish to excel. Any one may en-
ter this grade, but all need to have
finished the first two grades In order
to study to the best advantage in the
fourth, and third grade work is needed
II one aspires to the highest efficiency.
The fourth is the one in which one
learns to put self (now under ones
own controD under the control OF Je-
sust Christ, who alone is thoroughly
qualified to rule his own creatures.
The one who successfully passes these
four grades will achieve character
worthy Of the admiration Of men and
angels in this life and the life to come.
This is the final goal Of the human
race, individually and collectively.
How shall the members Of our
churches help in this matter?
l. Let parents set themselves to
teach their children these lessons of
lf-control.
2. Let every one conscientiously seek
to control self on all occasions, and re-
frain from the use Of all stimulants,
narcotics, ETC., which tend directly to
injure and eventually to destroy self
control.
8. Let all discourage by every right
eous means the use Of those stimulants
and narcotics which wreck the lives of
others. To this end we should seek by
proper agitation and education to have
laws enacted favorable to temperance
and to have these laws upheld by a
strong public sentiment.
4. We should seek to elect men to
office who will faithfully uphold such
laws in their official capacity, and ex-
emplify the virtues Of self-control in
their private lives.
5. We should encourage all citizens
to uphold the officers in their efforts to
enforce the law against those who
would destroy our laws and our boys
at one fell stroke, by furnishing them
every evidence at their command to|
secure the conviction Of the offenders.
It is to be feared that law breakers and
their sympathizers have been dominat-
ing public sentiment, when we
hear it said frequently and openly that
the man who reports another for SELL
ing whisky Is meaner than the seller
himself, whereas Gods law as well as
the law of the state unite in declaring
the man who witnesses a crime and
keeps it secret to be guilty as an ac-
cessory thereto. Shall a man see an
other openly set a snare for his own
boys and his neighbors' boys to stran-
gle their manhood and destroy their
lives here and hereafter, and be res
trained by such maudlin sentiment
from reporting the recreant to the ofh-
GERS of the law? No, thousand times
no. Let such sickly sentimentality not
be once named among the soldiers OF
the King.