The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-05-05
should Ministers Drink Beerf


While synods and conferences have been
wrestling with the theatre and tobacco ques-
tions. another question OF at least equal in
terest has been patiently waiting its turn.
The indications are that it will not have to
wait long.
Some weeks ago Baptist preacher Of
Hartford, on his way home from revival
meeting, stepped into drug store and un-
blushipgly bought and paid for n bottle Of
lager beer. Whether he slipped it into the
pocket of his clerical coat or carried IL in
his hand is not stated. At any rate the
evangelist in charge Of the revival, brother
Baptist, heard Of the purchase, and at the
next meeting he uttered his mind about his
brothers conduct with great freedom and
energy. How was it to be expected, he
asked, that Hartford sinners would be con-
vcrtcd from the error Of their ways If Hart
ford pastors. ON their way home from his
meetings the words Of prayer aud eXhor-
tation hardly out Of their mouths stepped
Into drug stores and bought bottles OF lager
beer?
Instead Of accepting this rcbuke in a meek
and lowly spirit, the local pastor actually
went into his pulpit on the very next Sunday
and preached from an old text which says
that the Son Of Man came eating and drink
Ing, and was called a glutton aud a wine
bibber in consequence. As he boldly assert
bd his right as man and minister to buy
and drink lager beer whenever and as often
hs he might feel desire for that beverage, an
observation-disclosures seemed inevitable But
he soon aftcrward acc. ptcd call To church
In Boston. and H., matter blew over
hnt l, ID, Ia. Lao.
publicly taken to task for so simple and nat
ural an action as buying beer for his dinner
would be set down by the German clergy. II
they were ever to hear Of it, a. merely one
more Of the ineXplicable eccentricitics Of
American manners They would as soon
think Of going without bread as without
beer Evangelical, Erastian, nationalist
they drink II TO a man. The great lights Of
modern orthodox German theology. whose
learning and picty made such an impression
on our native clergy at the meeting OF the
Evangelical Alliance In this city, are no cx-
ceptions 10 the rule An unsophisticated
American minister on his travels was invit-
Ell to bc present at lecture which one Of the
greatest Of them was to give to class OF di-
vinity students on Sunday evening. What
was his establishment on entering the room,
10 see a huge beer mug IN front Of every man
In it, and n hug" pipe in every mouth the
professor mug being, IL anything, larger
than any OF the others. To the unaccus-
toned visitor this was shocking spectacle;
but TO the honest Germans the beer and to-
bacco were mere matters Of course.
1t does not necessarily follow, however,
because German preachers drink beer that
American preachers should drink beer too.
A variety Of considerations enter into the
question; there is n good deal Ia be said on
both sides; and We shall not anticipate the
decision of the syn)ds and conferences
The question j. more urgent than that of
the use Of wine on parsonage TALES, be-
cause beer il much the cheaper drink; n
hundred preachers can afford il where one
can afford wine, and it will probably be
cheaper ten years hence than II is to-day
One thing /. certain. If ministers cannot
get along without stimulant OF some sort
II II a great deal better on all accounts that
they should buy beer openly and drink it
with their dinner, as the Hartford pastor
did, than procure ii, or some stronger liquor
secretly, and drink it by stealth only let
them be careful To get good beer H. tine first
instance and then to be temperate IN thrii
potatioA-. Otherwise, they VIII soon find
themselves becoming fat and sluggish IN
mind as we'll a. in body; and It is only less
foolish in man. minister or layAan, t.
drcnch his brain with beer than to burn il
oct with brandy.