THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT.
By James White
On returning to this city we find a very praise-worthy movement in progress among the better portion of the citizens of Battle Creek upon the subject of temperance. This movement embraces the Battle Creek Reform Club, six hundred strong, and the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, two hundred and sixty strong. God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Bible are familiar words with these earnest workers. Much good has already been accomplished, and the activity of the workers, the system by which they labor, and the spirit of their meetings, promise greater good in time to come. On the occasion of the visit of Barnum’s great show to this city on the 28th ult., the ladies of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union of this city struck a telling blow for temperance and reform by organizing an immense temperance restaurant to accommodate the crowds of people who gathered in from the country to see the show, and thus prevent them from visiting the saloons and groggeries where they would be exposed to temptation. The mammoth tent, employed by the Michigan Conference for camp-meeting purposes, and capable of holding 5,000 people, was tendered for the occasion. Beneath this immense canvas temple were erected fifteen or twenty tables for the accommodation of guests. By invitation the Sanitarium of this city erected a large table in the center of the great pavilion, which was bountifully supplied with the delicious fruits, grains, and vegetables which constitute the dietary at the institution named. This table really formed the chief attraction of the entertainment, and was more largely patronized than any other, notwithstanding the popular prejudice against the hygienic mode of living. Although the table was more than thirty feet in length, the attraction toward it became so great that it was necessary to annex another about two-thirds as long, which was also thronged. It was really encouraging to hygienists to see scores of hungry citizens and country people turning away from the side-tables, laden with their favorite pork and beans, roast beef, salads, tea, coffee, etc., and crowding about the Sanitarium table with an almost childlike eagerness to secure a square hygienic meal. Not a seat was left vacant a moment, and there were usually a score or two of persons standing behind the long lines of diners, ready to drop into a seat the instant it was vacated. The popular prejudice, usually expressed in such terms as “bran bread,” “starvation diet,” and similar epithets, melted away “like mist before the rising sun;” and words of commendation were in the mouth of every one. The whole affair was a grand success. More than one-third of the tickets sold at 25 cents each were taken up at the Sanitarium table. The managers of this table, with their friends, express sincere thanks to the public for the cordial manner in which their effort was received, and the marked attention bestowed upon their table. On the evening of the 30th, J. H. Kellogg, M. D., of the Sanitarium of this city, gave a popular lecture at the mammoth tent on temperance from a medical and scientific standpoint, under the auspices of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union and the Reform Club. The subject was illustrated by charts and diagrams, showing the physical effects of alcohol upon the human body. The citizens of Battle Creek gave the doctor a liberal hearing, and were highly entertained for more than one hour. Handbills, great and small, had been posted in and around the city, and profusely scattered among the crowd at the great show, stating that a temperance mass meeting would be held in the big tent on Sunday, July 1, at 3 and 7 P. M. But at 3, the high winds made it necessary to use the Methodist church. The house was packed, and some could not find even standing room. The afternoon session was deeply interesting and held about two hours. Speeches were made by Mr. Harbeck, president of the Reform Club, Mrs. L. H. Pearce, president of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, Mr. L. D. Palmer, Baptist minister of Battle Creek, Mrs. N. G. Austin, and Mrs. Dr. Meachem. Good singing by an efficient choir, and the ready and gentlemanly management by Mayor Austin, added much to the occasion. The session closed by the circulation of the pledges, which received 150 signatures. The evening was delightful, the winds were still, the mammoth tent was up and well seated and lighted. The evening air became agreeably cool. And not less than three thousand people listened with marked attention to the addresses of Prof. Stone, Supt. of Public Schools of this city, Mr. Reed Stuart, Presbyterian minister, of this city, and Mrs. E. G. White. The immense audience was held in almost breathless silence until 9:30, when the pledges were again circulated, and 85 more names were obtained. The accessions during the day and evening sum up as follows: 235 in all, of whom 170 joined the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, and 65 joined the Reform Club. The friends of temperance in this city are very happy to-day over the success of the Temperance Mass Meeting of yesterday. A deep impression is made upon this community, and Mr. Barnum’s big show seems quite forgotten. J. W.