The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1908-05-21

| IllIH III HIS last lllneSS, ne SalQ,. Snun
wine as you would shun the Devil" 4"
Elder Thomas Leland, of Massachu-
setts, (born 1855, died 184D, during
the most of his life drank no spirits,
but in his last years, on account of
his advanced age and infrmities. he
drank about gallon a year, never
taking more than a spoonful at a
time, and that not often. My faith
er, Elder G. B. Hassell, made, in his
eighteenth year, five excellent reso-
lutions, to which he steadfastly ad-
hered through life-to abstain from
the use Of intoxicating liquors, gam
ing, and profanity. and to be strictly
truthful. honest, and upright in all
his dealings. | myself never go into
saloon for any purpose, and never
drink spirituous liquors. o that all
human beings would do the same
1t would make them far healthier,
saner, calmer and happier, and en-
able them to improve their material
condition, and to do more to relieve
the widow and the fatherless, the
destitute and the afflicted, and to
devote more to education and reli-
gion. Societies, oaths, and laws are
far less effective than the knowledge
and proper consideration of these
momentous facts.
1t is said that there are 114,00
more saloons than churches in the
United States, and that nearly two
thousand million Of dollars were
spent last year in this country for
alcoholic liquors-more than enough
to pay all the expenses of the Feder-
al government, executive, Legislative,
judicial, navy army ,postofice, treas
ury, and every other department.
About fifty years ago wave of pro-
hibition swept over many of the
Northern States, but nearly all of
these States after while abandoned
State prohibition, and adopted the
license system or local option. A
wave of prohibition, in the form of
either State action or local option, is
now sweeping over the South, so
that, of the twenty million people in
the fourteen Southern States, seven
teen million in the North, or thirty
six million people in the entire Union
occupying two-thirds of the territory
of the United States, are under pro-
hibitory liquor laws. Ten million
have expelled the saloon by State
action, and twenty-six million by To-
cal option. 1t is claimed that con-
science, education, economy, and
social peace and progress are the
motives urging on prohibition in this
country. Local option, being aided
by public sentiment, is more effec-
tive than State prohibition. The
Committee Of Fifty(eminent sociolo-
gists) in New York have thoroughly
investigated the matter, ascertained
that rigid efforts to enforce prohibi-
ton laws generally lead to hypo-
crisy, bribery. corruption, and law
breaking; and these evil results are
likely to continue unless the laws re-
fleet public sentiment, and unless
Congress prohibits the importation
of liquor from wet" into dry
territory, which the judiciary Com
mittee in the Senate thinks to be un-
constitutional, as restricting inter-
state commerce. But all the South
ern States seem determined to try
prohibition. If enforced, it may
cause a decrease of drunkenness and
Of the poverty, disease and crime re-
sulting from drunkenness; but only
the abounding grace Of God in the
heart can cure the thirst for strong
drink and the love of other sins, per-
fectly and forever. Temperance i.
not total abstinence, but is the mod
crate and lawful use of the gift OF
Providence. All who can not use
spirits temperately should never use
them at all.
A drunkard is not fit to work, to
live, or to die; and habitual mod
crate drinker of alcoholic liquors is
on the dangerous down grade to dis.
ease, pauperism, degradation, crime
and death. But let it not be supposed
that total abstinence from spirituous
liquors, though excellent in itself,
will make a man perfect here Oh
earth or prepare him for heaven
The Mohammedans are, according
to the laws of their false prophet,
total abstainers from alcoholic
drinks, and yet they are hypocrites
thieves, robbers, debauncherS, anC
murderers. Every kind of virtue is
good in its place; but true religion
the religion Of God. is in the heart
and blossoms in the speech, and fruit: