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ittg tiiat liis hour 1 of greatest trial was approach
ingl; He took three of them inside the gate, and
said to them, “Watch with me, while I pray.” He
went a little way, and threw Himself down on the
ground, and then began the greatest battle that ever
was fought by man. While He was going through
that struggle He wanted to feel that His disciples
were yonder watching and waiting for Him. He
felt the need of love and companionship' in that
struggle* so He arose and went over to where His
disciples were lying on the ground. But they had
dropped off to sleep, and that heart longing for hu
man sympathy was denied it* at the time when it
most needed it. He went away again to pray; and
again he sought human love and companionship, but
still they were asleep. Oh, it seems as though His
moans and the knowledge of what He was suffer
ing would have kept them awake, even though
they were fatigued!
But we must not too severely criticise these three,
for too often we are like them. His heart is
yearning and pleading today for men to come to
Him* and yet we see them go on, and do not try
to stop them. How often do you stop long enough
to tell some one who is down in sin of that great
Heart that is yearning for them; of that Hand
which is willing to lift them to their feet? How
careless, how indifferent, we are! Here is a minis
ter, fired with the Spirit of the Master, working and
praying for the salvation of a mother’s son, and
she is going on from day to day, scarcely giving it
a thought. Oh, beloved, does your heart not burn
within you when you think that you may be priv
ileged to have companionship with Him in service,
or in suffering?
*
The TLnchanted Isle.
By Ben R. Ivy.
Far away in a distant sea
Where the dashing waves roll high,
Beyond the vision of any lea
There the charming land lies.
All around the wild waves play,
And beat upon its shining shore,
And golden sunbeams fall at day
And vanish the mist evermore.
Then the green trees greet the skies,
While verdant verdure carpets the land,
And grand mountains upland rise,
And fruits and flowers are on every hand.
There birds of beautiful plumage sing,
And crystal streams go rippling on their wav;
And life there is, but the life of spring;
And the sweet voice of peace rules the day.
There nature with all its charm is complete
As made by the hand divine.
No evil footsteps upon the shores have beat
Nor voices of any kind.
Then upon the enchanted isle
Beasts, birds and flowers dwell.
No other shores are for miles
Know of its history to tell.
No discord there is ever found
To disturb its peaceful shores;
No cruel war nor bugle’s sound,
But peace and joy reign evermore.
There when the sweet flowers ever bloom,
And verdant vines ever twine,
At the blush of dawn and at noon,
There the fairies you may find.
Land of beauty and of bliss, *
Free from all the ills of life,
A Heaven on earth compared to this,
Full of tumult and of strife.
Then upon the lone enchanted isle,
The Spirit of God may be found
Though washed by the billows wild,
He is, and rules the world around.
There the stars of heaven ever gleam
Upon its bright and beautiful shore,
There where po eye has eye? seen,
Is the enchanted isle evermore,
The Goldem Age for June 18, 1908.
Trohibition in Louisiana
3y ( B. T. 'Riley
N June 3, the Avriter Avas called to
Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, to share
in the closing Aveek of the prohibition
campaign, which had been in progress
in that parish for several months. The
city of Lake Charles is the seat of
justice of Calcasieu parish. Several
years ago the parish had made an
effort to rid itself of the saloon, and
O
fell short of success by a vote of 300 to 400.
The effort was now renewed because of the in
creased interest in the question and partly because
other leading parishes had gone for prohibition.
Among those were St. Audrey, Arcadia and East
Carroll. The contests in these parishes were bitter,
the liquor men laying under tribute some strong
advocates to represent their cause. The utter over
throw of the saloon in these contests greatly demor
alized the liquor forces in Calcasieu parish. In
deed, their silence and inactivity were so notorious
as to be ominous. Some thought that it indicated
a change of tactics, and that methods unknown and
invisible were being secretly used, it was evident
that either this was true, or else they were demor
alized. Later developments proved that both
theories were correct. In a clandestine way, as
will be seen a little later on, the most infamous
work was done, while it was clear to the saloon
keepers, from the outset, that they were doomed in
Calcasieu.
The apprehension lest the saloon forces were
doing underground work spurred the prohibition
ists to greater diligence and vigilance, and doubtless
served largely to contribute to the immense ma
jority against liquor.
When this scribe reached the scene of action the
prohibition forces were well in hand, and thoroughly
organized. On the first night of my arrival at Lake
Charles, the ex-mayor of Crowley, a prominent
Catholic layman, delivered one of the most con
vincing speeches against liquor it has ever been my
fortune to listen to. He had been the chairman of
the campaign committee in the prohibition contest
in Arcadia parish, and came fresh and buoyant from
the field of conflict. He spoke to a large audience
in the parish court house, and was followed in a
brief speech by the writer. At this time enthu
siasm was at its height. Men and women vied with
each other in interest. The parish was resounding
with the notes of oratory. Business men, officials,
lawyers and ministers had dropped everything and
were working with a vengeance over the broad
territory.
Three or four years ago in a prohibition election,
Calcasieu failed to drive out the saloon, losing in
the contest by several hundred. In the meantime
the sentiment against the saloon grew apace, and
fresh snap was caught from achievements in other
parishes. Nothing was left unused to arouse the
people. Barbecues were had, and public speaking
was the order of the day. The result was that
prohibition grew apace, scores of men turning to
ward it with great vigor.
The efforts of the liquor men Avere confined to
work among the lowest classes of the races, and the
methods used were utterly devoid of decency and
shame. Among other things the vilest and most ob
scene pictures on cards were distributed here and
there, while labels on bottles of liquor bore the
most shocking pictures that diabolical ingenuity
could devise. One who should see these pictures would
readily understand the occasions of mobocracy in
the South. The pictures Avere intended to appeal
to the loav licentiousness of the depraved.
Some weeks ago Collier’s Weekly presented in
its pages the prohibition situation in the South,
and among oilier things called attention to Hie pos
sible source of the crime for which the spirit of the
mob Avas aroused. The writer of those articles
traced it largely to a certain vile decoction pre
pared by Lee LeAry & Co., of St. Louis, and sold
generally in the loav dives of the South. He gave
an account of the potion as one containing the most
destructive and exciting ingredients. Bottles con
taining this so-called gin and bearing a shocking:
label, together Avith other atrocious pictures, were
found employed in the Calcasieu contest. These
bottles bore the name of Lee Levy & Co. The same
means Avere adopted during the campaign at Bir
mingham, Alabama.
Os course no description of the corrupt pictures
can be undertaken for the public eye. They can
be alluded to only in a general way. But how it
is possible for any Avliite citizen, Avith these shock
ing facts before him, and in the light of this civi
lization of the twentieth century, to lend support
to a system that fosters an infamy like this, passes
understanding. It is folly to talk about decent sa
loons, for the Avhole system is a congenial tissue of
infamy, the sole object of which is ruin. If the
ambition of the saloon could be attained, the char
acter of every boy and girl in the land Avould be
Avrecked.
As the campaign progressed in Calcasieu parish,
the interest Avidened and deepened. The last day
before the election Avas set apart as rally day..
In the streets of Lake Charles a monster parade;
Avas had. All classes, all ages, all conditions, Avere
represented, from the grav-haired grandsire to the;
infant Avheeled along in its carriage. It is esti
mated that fully 2,500 people marched the streets
Avith songs and bands of music; Avith badges, ban
ners, mottoes and legends. It was a spectacle
the vividness of which, once seen,- would never
fade. The streets Avere literally choked Avith the
people who fell into the thronged columns in order
to express their opposition to the dramshop. The
judge of the circuit court at Lake Charles left his
office and joined a procession of little girls Avho
Avere singing prohibition songs. WindoAvs and bal
conies along the streets Avere jammed to look on the
mighty demonstration as it moved Avith slow pace
along the Avide streets. It Avas one of the most pro
foundly pathetic scenes human eyes ever rested on.
Though Avorn by the day’s march the people packed
the Lyric Theatre at night to hear the Texas guest
speak. Attention Avas never more calmly intense.
There was the glint of determination in every eye
in that sea of upturned faces.
Unable to remain in Lake Charles for another
day, I took the train on the day of election for
my home. When I arrived at Dallas the following
dispatch Avas received “Lake Charles, 144 dry.
Parish, 1,800 dry.”
O. A. Thrower.
Dr. O. A. ThroAver, the leading Methodist pastor of
Lake Charles, Avas the efficient chairman of the
campaign committee. When I left Lake Charles it
Avas thought that the parish would go for prohibi
tion by from 300 to 500, and feAv dared to predict
as many as 1,000. But the result was that every
box in the parish Avent for prohibition by over-
Avhelming majorities. It is one of the most signal
victories ever achieved for prohibition anyAvhere.
Calcasieu is the largest parish in the state. In
size, it is larger than the state of Vermont. Its
size may be judged from the fact that there is a
bill before the present Louisiana legislature to di-
A 7 ide it into four parishes. At present it embraces
perhaps about one-tenth of the entire state.
There is little doubt that the overwhelming vic
tory just gained in Calcasieu Avill hasten stateAvide
prohibition in Louisiana. The legislature, noAV in
session, Avas seriously considering the matter in ad
vance of this tremendous victory. Nor will the in
fluence of the election affect Louisiana alone; it
will be felt throughout the South.
No Avonder, then, Avhen the news of the victory
came to Lake Charles on Tuesday night, the army
of Avomen who had gathered to hear the result,
broke into singing, “Praise God from whom all
blessings flow.”
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