The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-11-29
THE NATIONS PERILS
ARE VERY POWERFUL
Rev. Duncan Salmond Delivered Sermon
Before Joint Congregations on the
Eve of Thanksgiving Day.

! Union Thanksgiving services, in which
several of the city churches participated,
were held in the First Baptist church
Wednesday evening at 7 80 O'Clock, Rev.
/ Duncan Salmond, pastor of the First
Presbyterian church, preaching the SER
4 mon. Other clergymen We're also identi-
] fled with the services and the idea Of
holding the religious observance of
Thanksgiving on the eve of the holiday
met with the hearty approval of many
cliurchgoers, judging from the congrega-
tion present.
Pastor Salmond chose as his subject,
Ancient Israel's Message to Modern
America taking his text from Amos
III, which reads: "The words of Amos,
who was among the herdsmen Of Tekoa."
He spoke in substance as follows:
'.There is lesson here for our own
country and our own times. We love
the stars and stripes, as we love no
other flag; we rejoice in the great educa-
tional. philanthropic and benevolent in
stitutions that find nourishment and
protection beneath its folds we pride
ourselves in government and in natural
resources that are fast making of this
land an asylum for the worlds OPP
pressed. But we must not allow the eN.
eelleneies of our nation to blind us Ia
her defects. 1t is not as pessimist
nor as a fault finder, but we trust as
a prophet in the true sense of that word
that we speak of the perils that threat;
EN- our national life.
Il believe that it was an ex-president
who gave expression to the sentiment
that our country could not suffer the fate
OF the nations of antiquity because the
conditions that ruined them do not now
exist. We challenge this statement. Isy
rael under Jeroboam was relatively
greater than the United States is to-
day Before the rise of Assyria she
ranked first among the world powers.
her greatness aud Sc
curity, she fell by the very sins that
have gripped the heart of our own eoun-
try.
Israel was drunken nation; SO also
: the United States. We are one of the
most drunken peoples on the face of
he earth. 1t takes 50 ,5o0.000,000 annu-
llly to pay the direct and indirect cost
# the liquor business. The city of New
FORK alone spends 81 100000 per day
or intoxicating liquors; and Barre in
pite of her big no-license majority is
rinking it by the carload. In defiance
4 our laws, beer is being sold under the
cry shadow of our churches and little
hildren are being damned by our law
essness. Only last Sabbath afternoon,
n a spot not 10 minutes from our city
all ] saw four BOYS on a spree. Not
ne of the quartet was over l3 years OF
ge and two of them were not more
han ten When ! came upon them un-
NpectCdly they ran. leaving their bot
les OF beer behind them. What Barre
eeds more than auto fire trucks or any
hing else az the present time is an
public conscience 90 the evil
rat is in our midst. and determina-
on to stamp Il out without fear or
IvOr.
Again. let me say that in spite OF
! her excellencies. we as a people are
orally unclsan Vice was one of the
airing sins Of Israel in Amos day. and
j. one Of the Characteristic sins of
e twentieth century. The United
.ates j. one 81 the vilest nations on
c face Of the earth This Is q terrible
atement to make but We base il upon
cts that cannot be gainsaid. An ex-
llent and authoritative statement %
T. danger NAV be secured from the
refully edited book. A Report on Our
stional Vitality compiled BY Irving
sher and published by the United
aies government in 1909.
in this DR.. Prince A. Morrow. the
nous specialist. Is quoted as follows: