The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1882-10-05
{ BsTABLIsHBDH IN
3 MARCH, 1S4J.
Down With the Churches.

| LII udS COue TO CndG. LII mas been
long apparent that this would be the
cry at last. There is an irrepressible
conflict between the advocates of free
beer and no Sunday and the princi-
pies upon which churches are founded
and sustained. It remained for the
Hon. Chas. Reemelin to sound the
keynote. The occasion was the meet
ing Of Albert Schwill's independent
party at Prices Hill on Sunday last.
Mr.. Reemelin is very apt to say what
he thinks. Here is what Mr.. Reeme-
lin is reported to have said:
'The trouble growing out of the
observance Of the day is all the fault
of the Puritans, who sought and are
seeking to-day to enforce their relig-
ious principles. 1t has so deeply root
ed itself into both political parties of
to-day that neither can be trusted.
The speaker said the influence Of the
Church was too great. In 1870 the
census enumerated 6,48S churches in
the State of Ohio, worth millions Of
dollars, and membership of over
100000"
In the way of free beer and no Sun
day, according to Mr.. Reemelin, there
are in the State Of Ohio 5,4S8 churches
and membership of over 100000.
This includes all denominations.
There are $4,000 saloons in the State
OF Ohio-more than two saloons for
each church. Puritanism is the cause
of opposition to free liquor and no Sun
day. The Church is the bulwark of
Puritanism. Therefore, down with
the churches and up with the saloons.
Therefore, down with the influence of
religion in order that the saloons may
be free on seven days of the week to
fill the poorhouses, asylums, and i'm
poverish the people. This is what
Mr.. Reemelin calls liberty from his
standpoint, and this is what he ad-
vances as German ideas. He would
have these supplant American ideas.
But has it occurred. to Mr.. Reeme-
lin that in leveling the 1000 churches
in Ohio, and suppressing the 2,000,-
600 members, he would knock out the
props upon which our benevolent in
stitutions stand? What influence
sustains orphan asylums and relief
unions? That which proceeds from
the saloons or that which proceeds
from the churches2
Who populates the orphan asylums,
the poorhouses, the workhouses, the
insane asylums, the penitentiary?
The church or the saloon? Not the
church certainly, while the official
figures show that Is per cent. Of all
the crimes committed and all the pov-
erty that affiicts society is traceable
to the saloons-to the intemperate
use Of intoxicating liquors. Yet in
the face of all this Mr.. Reemelin
speaks Of the 1000 churches with
100000 members as an evil, while
by his presence and by his voice he
upholds and encourages the cause Of
free beer and no Sunday.
In order that there may be no
doubt as to what Mr.. Reemelin means
by Puritanism, we quote the follow
ing from his speech:
classified as Puritanism were the
churches Of all the different sects, the
Theological Seminaries, the Young
Mems Christian Associations, the
Temperance Unions, and the fanatical
women who persist that the fall of
Puritanism would lower morality"
This is clear enough. All the
churches of all the sects are Puritans;
also the Young Mems Christian Asso-
citation and the Temperance Unions.
Added to these are the fanatical
women. There is no class in the
community that suffers. .more from
the saloon business than the women;
but because they lift up their voices
on the side Of temperance they are
fanatical, and must be suppressed.
They may pillow in the field with
horses and asses; they may suffer in
they may see the men who
should be their protectors spend more
money for drinks than they do for
food and clothing for their families;
but if they protest, they do so at the
risk of being denounced by such ad-
vanced thinkers as Mr.. Reemelin as
fanatics.
If this is the kind Of civilization
that Mr.. Reemelin proposes to intro
duce into America, we beg leave to
say that it is not the civilization that
made this country what it is, and
when such leaders as Mr.. Reemelin
shall have leveled the churches and
made free beer and no Sunday the
of civilization, America will
be what Germany is-a good country
to escape from.