第 42 节
作者:
谁与争疯 更新:2021-02-19 00:36 字数:9322
sentence for all law is wisdom。 It might have read: 〃All statutes not based
on wisdom; are a menace to the state。〃 Then at the base of the statue
of a soldier; on the other side of the entrance; was this statement: 〃We
do not use force until good laws are defied。〃 Which ought to read: 〃We
do not use force until laws are defied。〃 Such ideas as these are corrupting
courts; and biasing the public mind; and the injury is more than apparent
to the observer。 If law is not a standard; what standard can we
have? We must have one。 We repeat again: 〃Law commands that
which is right and prohibits that which is wrong。〃 Any statute that does
this is lawful。 Any that does not; is anarchy。
God is truly the author of law。 The theocratic form of government
was perfect and the only perfect government that ever existed; we need
no other statutes than those that God gave。 He said: 〃We must not
kill a bird sitting on her young; must not see our enemy's beast fall under
his burden and not help him rise。〃 And the refinement of mercy was
taught in the statute that said: 〃You must not kill the mother and lamb
in one day; must not seethe a kid in its mother's milk; must not muzzle
the ox that treadeth out the corn。〃 The use; and the only use; of law is
to prevent and punish for sin。 All law has a penalty for those who violate
it。 Governments that are the greatest blessing to its citizens are those
who can prohibit; or abolish the most sin or crime。 Crime is not prevented
by toleration; but by prohibition。 Nine of the ten commandments
are prohibitive and begin with: 〃Thou shalt not。〃
The success of life; the formation of character; is in proportion to
the courage one has to say to one's ownself: 〃Thou shalt not。〃 It is
not the man or woman who has no temptation to sin; who has the strong
character; but the man or woman who has the desire but will not yield
to sin。 Some people ask: 〃Why did God make the Devil?〃 The Devil
is God's fire。 Like an alchemist God is purifying souls。 The Devil is
an agent in salvation。 〃Every Devil in hell is harnessed up to push every
saint into heaven。〃
Those who are counted worthy to enter into the delights of that
heavenly land are those who have had their 〃fiery trials;〃 tried and made
white。 Man would have no credit and could not hear: 〃Good and faithful
servant;〃 if he had no temptations to do otherwise; man would be
but a mere machine。
God has never used for his work; any but those who prohibit evil。
The pilgrim fathers were forced from the mother country because this
principle of prohibition burned in their hearts。 When England would
oppose the colonies; it was prohibition that smashed the tea; over in Boston
harbor。 George Washington was put at the head of the colonial
armies that prohibited; by much bloodshed and suffering; the oppression
from the mother country。 Our Civil War was the result of the principle
to abolish or prohibit the slavery of the colored race。 Now we have a
worse slavery than England threatened us with or the poor blacks suffered
at the hands of their taskmasters。 This slavery of soul and body;
is one that leads to eternal death。 The forces of God are with the abolition;
or prohibition of wrong。 The forces of darkness and death are with
those who are willing to be led captive by the Devil at his will; and to
lead others under this grievous yoke of those who are trying to perpetuate
the cause of evil。
There are men who desire to be loyal; who are voting for license
or in license parties; because they do not stop to think。 The people are
generally right on all questions。 They go wrong more for lack of thought;
than for lack of heart。 Edmund Burke; the greatest English stateman;
said: 〃The people have as good government as they deserve。〃 Because
the people have always had the power; and in America especially; they
are sovereign。 The president and all others in office; are but servants
of the people。 In another chapter I have given what the supreme court
says about the impossibility of licensing wrong by law; or according to
law。
Hear the language of the Declaration of Independence: 〃We hold
these truths to be self evident; that all men are created free and equal;
that they are endowed by their creator; with certain inalienable rights;
that among these are life; liberty; and the pursuit of happiness; that to
secure these rights; governments are instituted among men deriving their
just powers from the consent of the governed。〃 The licensing of intoxicating
drink results in suicide and murder; whether or not the saloon…
keeper or state be held responsible。 Some one is。 Who? The man who
consents to or aids by his vote is most criminal。 It is said that drink
kills a man a minute。 Suppose that we had a war that killed a man every
five minutes。 Would there not be howling for an end of bloodshed。 This
is more than ten times worse; for the soul is more valuable than the
body。
Freedom or liberty in animals is following instinct and underlying
appetite。 Not so with man; to the reverse。 It is the freedom of conscience
and will; from the bondage of ignorance of the person; the gratification
of appetite and passion。 The body is a good servant; but a tyrant
when it is master。 A man must be master or slave。 One must first; like
Daniel; 〃purpose in his heart that he will not defile himself〃。 Liberty
or freedom is only attained by prohibition of opportunity to do wrong
to ourselves or allow any one else to do so。 Citizenship not only requires
one to obey law but must see that others do so also。
The principles of government are founded on liberty and self…control。
Drunkenness is a loss of self…control。 Anything that animalizes men;
is a menace to the life of the state and prevents the purpose of government。
Thus replacing the weapon of destruction in the hands of its foes
and the danger is great; because so many citizens are under the domination
of their own will and passion。 This class is being multiplied by
this licensed crime。 These willing classes are an integral part of the
nation。 By licensing rum; we are fostering a power that is increasing
the weakness; and preventing the self…control of its citizens。 This is
conspiracy; treason; black as night。 Some plead the revenue of our
wealth。 Our wealth is in our citizens。 The state can not add to its
treasury at the expense of its manhood without punishing herself。 The
state must guard the character of its citizens。 It can not make them
honest but it must punish dishonesty; can not make them humane; but
it must prohibit an act of inhumanity; and should oppose and forbid
every license that man would desire or try to obtain that which would
allow such gratification of the animal over the moral。
The nation is what its homes are。 The family first; then the nation。
Nothing can injure an individual or a family that is not an injury to
the state。 The fight for firesides means a fight for our national life。
Our revolutionary sires fought for this。 This is the fight that Carry A。
Nation is making。 It is the heart of love; liberty and peace。 Some of
these thoughts I have copied from an article I read on a few leaves of a
torn pamphlet; no name。 But the writer has the true meaning of government。
I am a prohibitionist because I am a christian。 I want to get
to heaven。 None but prohibitionists ever do。 Hell is made for those
who take license to sin。
HELL'S CONSPIRACY。
England has the same struggle that we have。 The government conspiring
against the people。 This article from the pen of Lady Carlisle
tells of the same vile plot the Prime Minister of England sustains; the
brewer against the people; just as Roosevelt and his crowd here:
THE PEOPLE'S STRUGGLE AGAINST THE LIQUOR TRADE。
(Spirited appeal by Lady Carlisle。)
Throughout the past year we have been face to face with a grave
crisis in the history of our temperance movement; but the present Session
of Parliament is the moment of our most imminent peril。
In March; 1903; the Prime Minister; surrendering to the threats of
the liquor trade; recklessly attacked the Magistrates because in the public
interest they had here and there reduced the number of licensed houses;
and he declared to the Brewer's Deputation that in so doing the Magistrates
had been guilty of 〃gross injustice;〃 and that 〃to such unjust confiscation
of property the Government could not remain indifferent。〃 In
April the Government supported Mr。 Butcher's Compensation Bill; and
in August Mr。 Balfour gave a pledge in the House of Commons that the
Government would introduce legislation 〃at the earliest possible moment
in the following Session;〃 which would put an end to the present 〃wide…
spread feeling of insecurity on the part of English license…holders。〃
Since the Prime Minister made these pronouncements; our forces
have everywhere set themselves in array to fight the impending legislation;
by which the 'Trade' is to be endowed at the expense of the nation's
welfare; and is to have its privileges and its powers greatly increased。
The government; having yielded to the dictation of the Publican interest;
indicated that either the Magistrates must be hindered from exercising
their ancient power