the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第47章

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There　are　but　these　two　kinds　of　people。　God's　crowd　and　the　Devil's
crowd。　The　first　law　given　and　broken　in　Eden　was　a　prohibition　law。
God　said：　〃Thou　shalt　not。〃　The　devil　tempted　and　persuaded　the　first
pair　to　disobey。　He　did　it　by　deceiving　the　woman。　The　fact　of　redemption
now　is　to　bring　them　back　to　the　law　of　God。　What　is　law？　God
says　that　sin　is　a　transgression　of　law。　Blackstone　says：　〃Law　commands
that　which　is　right　and　prohibits　that　which　is　wrong。〃　Law　is
one；　as　truth　is　one。　It　is　not　possible　to　make　a　bad　law。　If　it　is　bad；　it
is
not　a　law。　We　have　bad　statutes。　Law　is　always　right。　Nothing　is　wrong
that　is　legal；　and　wrong　may　be　licensed；　but　never　legalized。　I　find　lawyers
who　do　not　understand　this。　I　often　hear　the　term　〃legalized　saloon〃。
When　I　was　passing　the　building　of　the　supreme　court　in　New　York　City；
on　Madison　Avenue；　I　read　an　inscription　on　one　of　the　marble　statues
representing　a　judge　with　a　book　on　either　side　of　the　door：　〃Every　law
not　based　on　wisdom　is　a　menace　to　the　state。〃　This　is　a　false；　misleading
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