The temperance movement was a social movement against the consumption of alcoholic beverages. It emerged in the early 19th century in the United States and eventually spread to other countries. The goal of the temperance movement was to discourage people from drinking alcohol through education, legislation, and religious teachings.
The roots of the temperance movement can be traced back to the late 18th century, when various groups spoke out against the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption. However, the temperance movement really began to gain momentum in the 1820s and 1830s, when reform movements were popular in the United States. Groups like the American Temperance Society argued that alcohol consumption led to moral decline and promoted teetotalism, or complete abstinence from alcohol.
Many temperance supporters believed alcohol consumption was responsible for poverty, crime, violence, and other social ills. They saw drinking as an immoral act that destroyed families and careers. The movement attracted women who were concerned about the effects of alcoholism on families. The American Temperance Union, formed in 1833, advocated total abstinence and worked to change public attitudes about alcohol.
Religion played a large role in the temperance movement. Many Protestant Christian denominations in America took up the cause of temperance reform. They believed drinking alcohol went against Christian morals and values. Groups like the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union held public prayer and hymn meetings outside of taverns and liquor stores. They also taught children about the dangers of alcohol and rumored bootleggers to authorities.
The temperance movement achieved success through voluntary abstinence pledges, but also worked to enact legal measures against alcohol consumption. Maine passed the first state prohibition law in 1846, ushering in a wave of state and local prohibition laws. By 1855, 13 states and territories had prohibition laws. The Prohibition Party was formed in 1869 to work for national prohibition legislation.
The Anti-Saloon League, established in 1893, led one of the most successful political lobbying efforts in American history. The group’s efforts led to the passage of the 18th Amendment in 1919, which prohibited the manufacture, sale and transportation of intoxicating liquors. Prohibition went into effect in January 1920 and lasted over a decade.
Despite the movement’s political successes, prohibition was extremely controversial and difficult to enforce. Bootlegging and speakeasies flourished during prohibition years. In 1933, widespread opposition led to the passage of the 21st Amendment repealing prohibition. However, many temperance movement values lingered and lay the groundwork for future regulations on alcohol advertising and consumption.
In summary, the temperance movement was a widespread social campaign against the consumption of alcoholic beverages. While it was especially prominent in the United States during the 19th and early 20th centuries, the temperance movement had supporters throughout North America and Europe. Through moral suasion, education, political lobbying and legislation, temperance reformers sought to reduce the social problems associated with excessive drinking. The effects of the temperance movement lived on even after prohibition ended in the 1930s.
The Bible does not explicitly discuss the temperance movement, as it occurred long after the Bible was written. However, the Bible does address issues related to alcohol consumption and drunkenness. Here are some relevant biblical teachings:
– Drunkenness is severely warned against. Bible verses such as Proverbs 20:1, Isaiah 5:11, and Ephesians 5:18 warn against the dangers of excessive drinking and drunkenness.
– Leaders are held to high standards regarding alcohol. Scripture advises spiritual leaders like priests and kings to avoid alcohol when performing duties (Leviticus 10:8-11, Proverbs 31:4-5).
– Alcohol has potential for abuse. Passages like Proverbs 23:29-35 describe the addiction and folly that alcohol can lead to.
– Drinking alcohol is not forbidden. Jesus’ first miracle was turning water to wine at a wedding feast (John 2:1-11). Most biblical warnings are against drunkenness, not alcohol in moderation.
– Christians should avoid causing others to stumble. While Christians have freedom in Christ, passages like Romans 14:13-23 and 1 Corinthians 8:9-13 warn about not causing others to stumble by abusing our freedoms.
– Alcohol has medicinal value. 1 Timothy 5:23 recommends using wine for medicinal purposes.
So while the Bible takes a nuanced approach to alcohol, recognizing its dangers if abused but seeing a place for moderate use, temperance supporters used biblical arguments to advocate total abstinence. They focused extensively on scriptural admonitions against drunkenness and the potential addictiveness of alcohol.
Temperance advocates also argued that the Christian values of self-control and loving one’s neighbor were in conflict with abusing alcohol. Groups like the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union emphasized the importance of Christian morals in combating social problems linked to excessive drinking.
While temperance reformers sometimes used selective literalism or proof-texting in employing the Bible, they saw calls for sobriety and warnings against drunkenness as justification for the prohibition of alcohol. The Christian emphasis on concern for family, community and public welfare was an important foundation for the temperance movement.
In the 1800s and early 1900s, many churches fostered the temperance movement. Temperance reformers were largely driven by the Christian values of the era. Concerns about families, morality, public order, and community aligned with many churches’ viewpoints. Because of this, the temperance message resonated with large segments of the American Christian population.
The following are some ways that Christian churches and organizations advanced the temperance cause:
- Preaching against drunkenness and advocating abstinence
- Allowing use of church buildings for temperance meetings
- Temperance hymns and songs incorporated into worship services
- Publication of temperance literature and pamphlets
- Denominational alliance with temperance organizations
- Sabbath schools taught children temperance principles
- Prominent clergy lending endorsement and leadership
- Declaring support for prohibition legislation
- Withholding communion from frequent drinkers
- Formation of temperance societies within congregations
The Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Congregationalist and other evangelical Protestant churches were leaders in the temperance crusade. They saw abstinence as a personal path to moral perfection and societal reform. Catholics and Lutherans were initially less active, seeing temperance as a matter of individual choice, though some eventually aligned with the movement. The ecumenical nature of the temperance movement reflected its widespread appeal among American Christians.
In the early 19th century, prominent Presbyterian minister Lyman Beecher delivered “Six Sermons on Intemperance” which became legendary throughout the movement. The sermons warned of the dangers of alcohol abuse. The Presbyterian Church passed a resolution in 1811 requiring abstinence from distilled liquors.
The Methodists were at the forefront of the temperance effort under the leadership of the denomination’s bishops. Hundreds of Methodist ministers preached temperance sermons. Methodist churches excommunicated members engaged in liquor trafficking and distilling. Annual conferences regularly passed temperance resolutions. Prominent Methodist leader Justin Edwards wrote extensively against alcohol abuse.
Among Baptists, free will and temperance were closely linked. A number of Baptist associations required abstinence for church membership. Baptists saw temperance as a means to achieve salvation and self-control. The American Baptist Publication Society printed a large volume of temperance literature.
The Congregationalist Minister Lyman Beecher co-founded the American Temperance Society in 1826. Many Congregational ministers delivered temperance sermons. State temperance societies were formed in Congregationalist church buildings. However, enforcement of abstinence requirements was not as strict as among Methodists and Baptists.
Among other denominations, the Unitarian Temperance Society organized as early as 1813. The Swedenborgian Church of the New Jerusalem, the predecessor to the New Church, also formed a temperance society. Both Lutherans and Catholics had temperance advocates among their clergy, though high numbers of German and Irish immigrants in these churches moderated denominational support.
The Woman’s Christian Temperance Union grew out of prayer crusades led by pietistic Protestant women against saloons and liquor stores. Under the leadership of Frances Willard, the WCTU became the largest women’s organization of the 19th century. With departments organizing children, youth, immigrants and other groups, the WCTU advanced both temperance and women’s suffrage.
While not all churches directly embraced the temperance movement, the crusade found widespread support from most evangelical Protestant denominations. Temperance reformers succeeded in mobilizing large segments of the American Christian community. This played a pivotal role in driving social, legislative and moral support for the temperance cause.
The temperance movement declined in influence after prohibition was repealed in 1933. However, its effects continued through state and local restrictions on alcohol. The temperance crusade also helped strengthen the political influence of evangelical Protestant groups like the Methodists, Baptists, Congregationalists and Presbyterians. It provided an early model for churches organizing politically on social issues.
The temperance movement has had a lasting spiritual legacy as well. Many evangelical denominations continue to preach against the dangers of alcohol abuse. They urge followers to practice self-control and moderate use of alcohol. While prohibiting drinking is rare today, many churches continue to see abstinence as an ideal. They also encourage members to avoid tempting struggling Christians recovering from alcohol addiction.
So while broad social movements calling for prohibition have faded, the temperance spirit lives on in evangelical teaching about the responsible use of alcohol. The ethical and moral arguments the movement made continue to impact how churches counsel members about drinking. This legacy has made many evangelical Protestants more cautious about alcohol than society at large.