Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1884-07-31

JuIY 81 1884
Messrs. Editors--In the Estfferigs o{ IA
10th instant appears a communiension fsoas
Rachab. Barring certain expreseiahs think
1t will meet the hearty COMMENTATOR q All
the prohibitionisis Of the county, md We earn
estly hope that the majority Of these who read
II will do II carefully, ponder over Iisnd aci
according to his advice. Certain remarks
made by him towards It's close have been Used
by our opponents against US. He aiatesSthat
the Md. 8. T. A. has directed minislers oftho
gospel TO denounee all who vote against pro-
hibitIon from their pnlpits. viii simply ask
Rachab II he ia sure of his facts7 Ifso, would
IKE to know II such denunciation Was DE-
manded by the N. s. T. A. as an organized
body or by some individual meuabes ofit. i
have read great many tracts. beard many
Of It's speakers, read much Of its proceedings
aud have heard nothing like 1t elnanaling
from any source. Ministers are citizens end
amenable to our laws as much 50 as laymen,
and consequently have oil the rights 81 cili-
senship the same asSothcr men. II rests With
themselves 70 exercise those rights as sui.
them best. In fIeir ministerial capacity tho;
are justifable In denouncing sin in all lis
forms, but should they attempt TO use their
ministerial authority against those who differ
with them on public measures they will soon
find that our people will not brook such pro-
ceedings. ! do not believe there 10 q church
of auy denomination 10 this county whose
pastor would dare to intermeddle In such
manner in such affairs. II some crank who
has become member Of the NJ. s. T. A. has
made this assertion, let II be known, and do
not saddle the Alliance with the remarks Of
individual members. ! am not a member Of
the NJ. s. 7. A., and never expect to become
one, and do not wish TO be considered as
trying 10 defend 1t. believe In melting out
exact justice to all men and all organized
bodies For this reason and this only would
would like to hear 1t all.
No intelligent man can or will for mo-
ment deny that some Of our ablest and pur-
est statesmen have been men who occasional
ly INDUCED in the social glass: Now we
would much, rather they did NOT but are we
as citizens to confne our choice only to those
who do not3 Are we to ignore all else n
Must we throw aside all principles, abandon
all other issues and cast our votes perhaps for
much inferior man merely because he lie
total abstainer2 This would be temperance
faaaticism and the mixing Of Temperance in
politics with vengeance. We propose to
crush the liquor traffic and perform our full
duty as citizens at the same time. In 90 do
ing we will endeavor not to be dominated by
any one idea, but to support the men who will
best serve the public, whether total abstainers
or not. This Of course will not include those
whose excuses may endanger the public SER
vice, and any alliance, minister or any one
else who talks Of denouncing us for 90 doing
will be very promptly land perhaps not very
politely requested to attend TO bis own busi-
ness.
Can't tell which Of US Is the honorable ex-
ception to the rule, that ''those who are so
extensively engaged in this outside paper tenn
perance work either wholly divert or with
hold or are very sparse In their contributions
to the financial support of gospel Temperance
and other legitimate church work" This
matter 10 wholly foreign to the question Of
prohibition and am somewhat at a loss to
know why It should be dragged in. His as
sertion very naturally suggests another ques-
ton concerning the respective duties Of min
listers and laymen which it is unbscoming to
discuss 10 this manner. Cant speak for the
others concerned and regret to have to speak
of myself But judging that the others are
governed by the same principles as myself,
win simply say that have sndeavored con-
scientifically to perform all the duties of life,
whether church or secular, faithfully and tru-
", according to the light had, and that
when promised to govern my life according
to the rules and regulations of my church
did not promise to accept as part of such
rules the vagaries ofevery commentator there
Of. Very respectfully yours, 60,
JuNIus.