The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1884-10-02

To the Editor Of The sroolh.ven Leader;

To the Editor Of The Brookhsven Leader;
was Que who attended the Joint dis
cussion at Old Brook on the 18th inst,
and there were some parts connected
Herewith that were passed over by You
in general terms in your report last week, |
the nature Of which struck me with pecu-
liar amazement. sllude first to the di-
rect appeal Of Capt. Hoskins to the boys
aud girls present. Capt. Hoskins, am
told, 10 o member Of the Methodist
church, yet his advice on that occasion,
If adopted aud followed to its legitimate
end would sap the very foundations of
church and religion, as well as undermine
the moral fabric on which society rests.
Falsely assuming that the advocacy of
Prohibition by ministers and church
members is move in disguise to unite
Church and State, with the ultimate
view of building up political party, he
in terms admonished the young
to beware of what the Christian ministry
teach on this subject. Said he, ms now
recall his language, ~ would be almost
willing to give one Of my fingers i'll had
boy who possessed the courage, the
manliness, to say to one of these preach
ers who presents q petition to him to
sign against liquor, NO, sir, you can't
fool me with any Of your political tricks
such as this and religion don't go togeth-
err" This was the idea, if not the exact
language, and the whole tenor Of his adj
monition was that o persons religious
professions and obligations have nothing
whatever to do with shaping his every
day life and practices. Addressed to the
little boys aud girls by professor of re-
lIgion and church-member, could any
thing be conceived that would he more
mischievous, more corrupting, more de-
structive Of true Christianity and a
healthy standard of morals, than such
teachingi think not.
I was deeply impressed by another part
of Capt Hoskins' address and the keen
effect with which it was turned against
him by DR.. Galloway. He declared that
he had never sold whisky in his life
never rented a house to any one else to
sell it in, though he had rented hundreds;
never had any personal interest in the
traffic in any way and never expected to
have, but opposes Prohibition on general
principles of what he conceives to be
right and just. DIR. G. stated that he is
Chaplain Of the State Penitentiary, of
| xuhs ah - xIxak L.
breaches to, prays and talks with the
convicts, and fully two-thirds of them
tell him that they can trace their impris-
onment either directly or indirectly to
the use OF liquor. "Banish the sale of IL
quor from the State of Mississippi" said
the eloquent speaker, land tell you it
wouldn't he long before my friend Capt.
IIoskins over there would have to give
up his lease You wouldn't then SEQ 80
many men going round here through ysur
county, as you do now, wearing striped
Clothes This point would bear very in
teresting elaboration, but do not wish
to trespass on your valuable space.
One other incident Of the discussion
and will close. l allude to remark
made by Mr.. Williams while speaking Of
the Savior's miracle at Cana of turning
the water into wine. After describing
the wedding party as having indnlgetf i'll
the wine of their host until they were
about too "ful" to tell good wine from
bad, the wine produced by the Savior was
brought in, and it was so extraordinarily
good that the guests did notice the differ
ence nevertheless and questioned their
host as to why they hadn't been given
this at first. "Wish l had been there to
get some of it myself" said the speaker,
and his manner as we'll as his words indi-
Gated that he wOuld like to have been
present on that occasion only as wine
bibber, and not because of the glorious
presence and cOmpaniOnship of Jesus.
Mr.. Williams took occasion to state dur
ing his address that he is q member of
the church. 1t was good thing he told
it. Nobody would ever have suspected
such a thing from his speech or the cause
he is champiOning.
There is y very simple way for each
person to determine the Iightfulness or
wrong fhlssess Of Prohibition for himself,
whether he be a'professOr of religion OF
not. Let him ask himself what he would
think of preacher (whose teachings on
this subject Capt HOskins tells the boys
to beware OF if he should preach against
Prohibition in the pulpit and speak
against it on the stump, just as DR.. Gal
lOway and Others do for it. No one would
have any respect for the religious pseten-
sions of such preacher, and not church
in the State would have him for pas
tor.
| l attended the joint discussion as
near as possible in an impartial spirit,
hoping would hear at least something
from the fAnti speakers that might be
termed valid argument, but after all
the chaff and rot were carefully sifted, /
failed to find one single grain of wheat.
ArnITOR