Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-09-05

1t is most interesting and instructive
to observe how all the patent methods
that have been adopted outside of, or in
opposition to, Christianity, for the refor-
nation of society have, one after an
other, gone to the wall, or gone to the
dogs. A dream and few futile or dis
astrous experiments, are all that ever
comes of them. Societies, communities.
organizations melt away and are lost;
and all that remains of them is their
history. Yet the men who originated
them fancied that they were radicals,
while they never touched the roots eth
er of human nature or human society
These words of DR.. ]. @. Holland, the
ablest editor that Scribner's Monthly
ever had, are as true now as they were
thirty years ago whe- they first APP
peared in that excellent periodical.
Who among us that is above fifty years
Of age can not name scores OF reform
societies which arose, f1ourished for
season, promised milA--iiums OF good,
lectured the churches for not surren-
dering the whole direction of moral mat
tiers to them. and then died, leaving no
permanent effects for good behind
them? How many temperance societies
have flourished and failed in our coun-
try during the last fifty years. What
salaries they paid to professional organ
izers and lecturers, some of whom never
tired of derouncing the churches for be-
ing in league with the liquor interests
because the preachers would not turn
over their pulpits to the harangues of
these peripatetic reformers and stop ali
christian services in order to fall into
professions commanded by these fussy,
Tuning .eclaimers! What now has be-
come of those men and their screech-
Ing temperance reform schemes? They
are gone, and the work of temperance re-
form must rest with the churches,
where 1t has always found the only sup
port that is reliable. persistent. and
powerful. The churches have made
drunkards sober by the regenerative
power of the new birth. and they have
quickened the consciences OF thousands,
who for religious convictions strong as
life, refuse to vote for open saloons in
the land to make merchandise. out of the
diabolical business of tempting weak
people to fall into debauchery.
A story is told of a traveller who
came into a certain town in the north
of England, where he could not find\ a
man under the influence OF intoxi-
cants nor a shop where he could buy a
drop of Intoxicating liquors. He met a
mechanic in the street, and inquired the
reason for such state of things there
and received as the explanation of the
blessed condition. "A man named John
Wesley preached here often a hundred
years ago, and his followers fill the
place now"
We may observe the same truth ex-
emplified In the present condition OF the
temperance cause In the Southern states
In the South there are more church
members in proportion to population
than in any other section of the coun-
try; and in the South there are wider
areas of prohibition, less drunkenness,
and more sobriety. The one city of Chi
cago consumes more liquors In a year
than does all the states which once com
posed the Southern Confederacy and
which now compose the Prohibition Con-
federacy.
The sobriety of the South is not the
result of reform schemes and reform
ers. Its prohibition sentiment has not
been produced by temperance societies
anti-saIoon leagues, or political parties
All this has come from the prevalence
of orthodox, evangelical christianity
here. The reformers themselves know this
is a fact; for as soon as they launch
and the churches for support and COM
fort. They know who buffers their
bread. i@ tGse
These facts both the friends and foes
of temperance reform should take ac-
count of. Some candidates for office
fancy that they can attack the prohi-
bition laws because in a few cities those
statutes have been set at nought. But
they are reckoning without full knowl-
edge Of the situation. If they fancy they
are resisting a mere squirt of spasmodfc
reform in Georgia. They may as well
take notice that they are fighting
sentiment born of religious conviction
and nourished by prayer and faith. They
are fighting the churches, and they are
going to lose, leaving to their children
the hard task OF explaining away
their infamy to the next generation of
Georgians who will be even more reIig-
ious than is the present generation.
There is not a revival meeting. nor
camp-meetfng, nor a prayer-meeting
being held in Georgia which does not
augment the sentiment in opposition to
the saloon and it's apologists. If man
could win even a temporary victory over
this sentiment today. he must prepare
for utter condemnation at the hands
of the people tomorrow The churches
and the saloons can not live together in
Georgia. and the churches are not going
to die. All hands can depend upon that
being true
The rural districts in Georgia are filed
with pious people. If an arc light were
placed wherever family prayers are held
tonight in this commonwealth there
would be a great white way from the
mountains TO the sea. Let the politi-
clans take notice that they can not
bride. discourage. intimidate, or manage
the praying men who are worshiping at
these affairs.