HINDRANCES.
BY REV. DANA SHERRILL, SAVANNAH, GA.
The hindrance occasioned by intemperance in connection with our work, in church and school, differs only in intensity from similar evil found elsewhere. The social and spiritual atmosphere is depressing to our work, because of drinking habits. Total abstainers number less than ten per cent. of our population, all colors. A well-informed colored man assures me that not one in a hundred among men between 18 and 45 years of age are, in his judgment, total abstainers. Of arrests by our city police during the year 1882, 1,460 were for offenses usually arising more or less directly from drink, against 538 for all other crimes and 536 for drunkenness only. Drinking on our field is not yet driven to the dramshops, but is common in homes. A father is known to drink every day in the presence of his children. His name is Legion. The shops are closed in many country places hereaway where there is little total abstinence. The demijohn is all-present. The way-trains out of our city are whiskey trains. Of fourteen men in a car with your missionary recently, twelve drank spirits from one to four times in an hour.
At present the great majority of influential people are not only not total abstainers, but by example and often by precept teach our colored people, who naturally pattern after the ruling class, that drinking is the correct thing. This is a sample hindrance. A promising convert was found to be giving intoxicating drink to wife and children. When remonstrance was made he asked: “How can it be wrong when my employer, a good church member, makes me pass it to his guests every day?” It is needless to say that he is still outside the church.
Here the general church opinion does not demand total abstinence; in fact, rebels against such a doctrine. Until very recently the ministers of our colored churches in no case known to me would be able to enforce anything like total abstinence however earnestly they might desire so to do. This, then, is the atmosphere in which your agents and a very small but earnest band of fellow-helpers are attempting to build churches and schools demanding total abstinence. An ignorant, but careful mother, said only a few days since: “I don’t know but I must leave my church and come over to you, there is no other temperance church here.” This after one of our usual monthly total abstinence meetings, and she added as reason, “I never knew drunkards could not go to heaven before.” Standing, then, as our church has, as the only religious society refusing continued membership to drinking men and women, and that in the presence of the spirit and customs named, it is not strange that we have been opposed by the uninstructed as interfering with their liberties, and righteous over much. One at least of our small churches finds the “social unions” and similar societies, which are very numerous, almost breaking up their Sabbath service once each month. The charm in these society meetings is the wine provided.