Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-05-09
OLYMPIA. SATURDAY MORNING. YAY ., 1874,
PRAYER AS A MEANS OF COERCION.

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AS A MEANS OF COERCION.
On Sunday afternoon, no little ex-
element was created in this place by
the appearance Of a dozen or more ladies
in front of Mr.. Pray's saloon, accom-
panied by Judge Greene, allintentup
suppressing the whisky traffic, by the
latest of modern devices of coercion,
song and prayer. A large crowd of
course congregated to witness the novel
proceedings, and few, if any, to engage
in worship, the object of all religious
exercises up TO the beginning of the
"Ohio crusade" The Rev. Mr.. Greene,
(for surely it is improper for us to al
lude to him in his judicial character
while engaged in his sacerdotal calling)
Immediately opened services with prayer,
the cudgel he had assumed as most fit
ting his peculiar training in the tactics
of war. After brandishing his weapon
aloft, o few moments to determine its
weight and put his muscles in play, the
blows fell quite as heavy and fast as did
the strokes of the crazy knight upon
the inn keepers wine-skins, although,
to complete the simile, We looked in
vain for the sanguinary flow said to
have resulted, or for some good priest to
hold his hands and finish the battle.
The ladies weapons were far more to
the liking of the crowd. Armed with
the potent influence of music, their ef-
forts were like aromatic balm poured
over the wounds and Commissions pro-
duced by the blunt weapon of their
valorous knight. They served the pur-
pose as we'll of giving him breathing
spell, to recuperate his exhausted ener-
gies and prepare for another onslaught.
This came in the form of an exhortation,
and lasted nearly an hour, during which
time the ladies were obliged to stand
on the dusty sidewalk and endure the
criticisms which their conduct elected
and q no small share of the odium
which attaches to Judge Greene for his
imprudent course.
It is far from our intention to scoff
at true piety, OF to ridicule those things
which we have ever been taught to re-
gard as sacred. What personal infu-
ence we possess and that of our journal,
has been uniformly exerted towards
promoting freedom of conscience, and
the right of every individual to choose
his own religion and he governed by it.
But we believe it to be duty to re-
prove fanaticism, even though it come
cloaked in the garb of piety, and to
express the prevailing sentiment on
this as well as all other questions. No
one will dispute our right to do so,
when the acts of the crusaders are in
tended to arouse and direct popular SEN
timent in new channels, and are there
fore legitimate subject for criticism,
and fall under the immediate province
of the press to note and comment upon
a. matters of current history.
But we do not expect to escape un-
scathed. Should we discharge that
duty, ever so conscientiously, we doubt
whether the lampooning we receive
will be one whit less severe, or in any
wise stinted, because uttered by tongues
used to the formula of public prayer.
Hood laments the rarity of Christian
charity. and the Christian crusades fur
nish instances of the extent to which
pious zeal may be carried, when mis-
directed. or urged on by bigotry that
dwarfs every other passion of sentiment.
We do not seek notoriety, nor are we
desrous Of wearing the martyrs crown,
but have. nevertheless, duty to per-
form. . Emission" to fill, quite as i'm
perative upon us as that which impels
. judge to cast aside the ermine or wo.
men to take their station in dram-shops.
The absurdity Of the plea that the
end sought justi6es the means in all
instances. even though good is sure to
follow. is apparent upon reflection. 1t
opens the door too wide, and the license
given is far too sweeping, for it to be
swallowed like many other sugar-coated
pills of pseudo evangelical origin.
What act may not be justified by such
means2 What crime might not be
stripped of its horrors by this method
OF sanctifcation The idea was car
RED to such an extent in one noted in
stauce of church history. as to call'forth
the protests of the civilized world. vet