The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1881-04-07
ouas tHuiss
SAML. ID. LECOMPTE.
Gam the Church Admit the Sacrament.
Under the Present Temperance Law ::

DEAR CHIEF Some of your temperance patrons
would like TO express their views through your col
umns in reference to the prohbiory law of Kansas,
and especially of its oppressive character. And in
doing this, We do not want to be misunderstood
holding any malice toward any one who may disa-
gree with us. 1t is said that the present Constitu-
tional Amendment abridses the right of the church
partake Of the Lords Supper, or in other words,
that the sacrament not be administered by the
ministers of the gospel. This we fail to We
claim that the lawmakers wisely made reference
to the church; the law does not interfere with the
rights of the church at all The church can admin
lister the sacrament under the law without violating
tine law. The church administers the sacrament,
and not the minister, nor any other individual. 1t
is church ordinance, administered by the church,
through her agent, the preacher, to herself, each
communicant being a part of the church. The
church has the right under the law indi
vidual; it can, under the law, purchase or order
from outside the State saeramental wine and use
for itself in the sacrament. And. in case of m in
divual, if it does get drunk does not sell nor
give it any person outside ii does not violate the
law. There is another way for the church TO give
the sacrament, land this is preferable to us,) and
that is this: Almost every good farmhouse, well
the family grocers, have canned grapes at all
times in the year: these canned grapes can be had
at any time, and pressed, and the church the
juice of the grape in its unfermented state, without
violating the temperance law. Now, we fail to see
where the church has any right to complain Of the
wise of the Legislature. But it is alledsed that
there is a class of persons representing themselves
s ministers of the gospel of Christ, who openly de-
clare that they will administer the Lords Supper, in
spite of the law and We openly say, such men
will stand watching and should be dealt with ac-
cOrlng 10 the law.
So much for the church. and its rights. Now. let
us see who are hurt by this terrible and oppressive
Temperance law There is certain class Of persons
accustomed to their drinks whose health requires
that they should not quit drinking too suddenly;
but under the law they must stop mt once. This We
fail to soc, also If we understand the law, pub
lished in the chief such persons order their lq'
from outside the State and Mt great deal less
cost than under the old law; and they drink all
they want-provided they do not get drunk, give it
away sell it. Now, the consumer is not injured,
and who is it that is so badly hurt As far as we
can see, no is injured, unless he wants to sell
and traffic with liquors, or, you will allow us the
expression he wants to get drunk to raise old Ned
generally.
But what was this oppressive law passed fori Is
it possible that the people of Kansas have become
corrupt that necessary to pass stringent
n law as thisl We presume there never time
in the history of the United States but what there
more less said and published in reference to
the destructiyeness of liquor. Alcohol is good
thing in its place. but it is in its right place
when taken into the stomach as a beverage. We
glad of one thing, and that is this: The rising
generations will he tempted TO drink, those Of
the present day and, oh, young men, be glad that
this temptation is taken away from you. The emf
grafton Kansas will be of better class of persons