The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-12-24

Why Not temperance Christmas?
Editor Virginian.
Sir,-Christmas Ia the testing time
of a modicum Of temperance" folk.
The pretty season hallowed by the
birth of the Prince OF Peace Is seized
upon as an occasion of license at
other times not deemed defensible
And yet, If the principle of total alb
stinence from Intoxicating beverages
Is wise and sound; If 1t finds such
endorsement in the realm of con-
science as to cause one to be a disciple
Of this school of thought either from
considerations of personal safety or
personal influence with others, or yet
both OF these considerations, by what
process of crotchetty reasoning can
such an one make of a wrong indul-
gence a permissible thing at Christ
mas time? And yet We now and then
hear the remark made, Il only in
dulge a little at Christmas time or
I'm bound to have my egg nog at
Christmas time" If thing is
wrong or unwise, the season of good
will toward men" certainly does not
transform that wrong into right. And
when the temperance" man or wo-
man who excerpts Christmas in his alb
stinence considers how Incorporate
are the observanoes of the pretty sea-
son by so many OF the dram drunken
and how the peace and good will
season Ii perverted to Bacchanalian
reveiry and rowdyism ofttimes. 1t
would seem that they would be care
full to throw the weight of their in
fiuence and example in behalf Of a
sober Christmas 1t is a strange thing
that any man should have to resort
to artificial good cheer anyway
There's quite enough beauty and JOY
tvs 81 4r
essary to seek to pump up a flow Of
good spirits by pouring down evil
spirits
And many a housewife-oh! Tenn
perance" all right, OF course. will buy
or in some way get whiskey. brandy.
wine or something Of the alcoholic
family TO season her Christmas cakes
and sauces. They wouldn't be quite
the Christmas variety unless they
were more or less spiked. And the
plain truth is that 1t Is not at all
necessary to spike" Christmas or
any other dainties as the teeming
Thousands of women know who have
Just as toothsome and elegant holi-
day pastries as can be found and
without resorting to the fad OF alco-
hol seasonings.
The genuine temperance tide Is ris
ing higher and higher and men and
women who have given many years
Of toll and effort to inculcate tho
principle of total abstinence now re-
joice in the wide endorsement Of
total abstinence. The one-time IA
natics and Missionaries now have tho
backing of the scientific medical
world. Alcohol is no longer regarded
as a food or stimulant, but as
deadly, poison us drug. AZ the liquor
~ 49, mia ~ - MT M ylf
be prohibited, 80 1t has been found
necessary to propagate the doctrine
that to insure the safety Of the in
dividual total abstinence IL necessary.
And In propa9ating that doctrine
there IL no room for compromise on
the part Of any disciple, and the tenn
pernnce man or woman who lets down
the bars at Christmas time Is weak
ening his or her influence. No. this II
not fanaticism nor crankiness. The
fanatics and cranks are on tho other
side of the proposition. The safe.
sane and consistent course to pursue
is to throw the weight OF your in
fuence unreservedly against the use
of and traffic In alcoholic beveraEe&
Those who do not profess to be
total abstainers (and many OF them
are mighty clever. though mistaken,
peOpieJs CaoSc I06iVtv pOt III SUI ~ 400
when they have their Christmas egg
nog and glory in their alcoholic lean
ings, but the normal temperance man
or woman IL reasonably expected to
he consistent at all times and GER
tainly not to lower tho standard OF
their influence by contributing even
remotely to the intemperance Of the
Christmas season. It IL plain prop
osition that tho Christian family that
serves toddies or eEg-nog At Christmas
or any other time does not exert the
spiritual influence II would otherwise
exert There are worse things than
tsose thus condemned" Is a parrotal
exclamation But that doesn't make
these particular bad things any better
and II Is Of these We are now speak
ing.
W. NJ. BICKHR6.
Richmond. Doc. ~.