The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-05-06
s REMSsI2IERlleg
FIGHTING RUM.
1t Is No Dress Parade-Every One
Can Help.

There is a fascination about refor
work which attracts earnest souls Who
want to do some great thing to over
throw the saloon. Whenever l talk
with people of that kind, writes Rev.
Albert Sidney Gregg, in Christian
Work, / always show them the seamy
side of the undertaking Fighting rum
or any other evil is not all dress pa
rade, or mass meetings or big crowds.
There is much to dishearten, aside
from the intrenchments of the enemy.
So when We engage in this warfare
We must know ourselves. count the
cost. and then go ahead. The fool
hardy man rushes in without counting
the cost while the really brave man
makes the attack
The name of Ethan Allen. com
mander of the Green mountain boys.
is inseparably associated with that OF
old fort, Ticonderoga. On May 10,
1875, he captured the fort with little
hand of SO men, and then captured
Crown Point, gaining large supply
OF cannons and ammunition which
were afterward used by the CONT
mental army. Just as Allen and his
men were about to make the attack,
Allen addressed them thus:
Friends and Fellow Soldiers: You
have for number of years been a
scourge and terror to arbitrary
power. Your valor has been famed
abroad and acknowledged, as appears
by the advice and orders to me from
the general assembly Of Connecticut
TO surprise and take the garrison now
before us. | now propose to advance
before you and in person conduct you
through the wicket gate, for we must
this morning either quit our preten-
sions to Valor or possess ourselves OF
this fortress in a few minutes. And
inasmuch as it is a desperate attempt.
which none but the bravest of men
dare undertake. | do not urge II on
any one contrary TO his will You
that will undertake, voluntarily, poise
your firelocks"
1t is almost needless to say that
every firelock was instantly poised.
His speech was the kind that would
turn a coward into a hero We need
more of that quality in our speaking
on temperance questionable quality
that will stir the Indifferent 10 action.
The great batteries of the temper.
ance army are the pulpit. the platform
and the press. Then we have com
to-, - II. II
ters. Every man has some weapo
that he can use if he will look arour
and he can use that weapon better
than anybody else. David used a
sling; Gideon planned clever strata
gem and Carrie Nation swung a
Ratchet.
| have heard of women who could
turn hatpin into a deadly weapon.
One man or woman going about a
community talking a person up or
down will do a great deal of good or
a great deal of harm in the course OF
year. Very few of us realize the
extent of our influence We hesitate
to act because we are not always to
trace ont the effects. In the very ma
ture of the case it is impossible
physically impossible-to trace out the
effects of our acts. But rest assured
as sure as we say or do anything in
the interest of a better social order.
results will be sure to follow. If we
could convince the friends of reforms
that 1t was worth while to send letters
and petitions to the legislature or CON
gress touching reform legislation, il
would be possible to get larger num-
Der of reform bills passed. Letters
and petitions are the most powerful
weapons we can use next to the ballot
box.
THE TRANSFORMATION.