Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-02-28
ROMANISTS BECOMING PROHIBI-
TIONISTS.

out in the New Orleans Christian
Advocate, edited by that stalwar
Prohibitionist, Chas. B. Galloway
Chairman of the Executive Board o.
the Prohibition Union of Mississippi
and are we'll worthy of careful
reading. Wheneverall the churches
go into this, in earnest, the traffic can
not live. 1t only remains for each
individual churchman to back up
his convictions at the ballot-box,
and the plague will be stayed.
We have no disposition to with
hold commentator from any one or
any class when deserved, 1t, there
fore, gives us pleasure to note the
improved attitude and more pro
nounced utterances Of the Roman
Catholic Church on the temperance
question. The unparalleled agita-
ton the past few years has affected
that great organization to such an
extent that her Bishop and councils
are speaking out on the subject in no
uncertain sound. When we remem-
Der that large majority Of those
engaged in the liquor business in this
country are Immediately or remotely
connected with the Catholic church,
their movement against the traffic is
most significant. In all the public
declarations of her Bishops. temper
ance has been urged, but all insisted
that moral suasion was the most eff
fective and proper means of reform.
Their appeal has been made to the
drinker, with scarcely a word to the
seller. But now there is a change,
and their efforts are being directed
against the business. Cardinal Man
ming, of England, said recently: Il
impeach the liquor traffic of high
crimes and misdemeanors against the
commonwealth, and | ask you, in
the name of common sense and com
mon justice, can you withhold from
those entrusted with the high re-
sponsibility of the ballot the power
of applying their votes in the form
of a veto when it is proposed, with
out consulting them, to put in the
midst Of them these places for the
sale ofAntoxicating drinks 2! These
are strong words but the disti-n
guished theologian advances to even
higher position and ranges himself
with the most pronounced and ultra
Prohibitionists. He concludes
cit is mere mockery to ask us to
put down drunkenness by moral and
religious means when the legislature
facilitates the multiplication of in
elements to intemperance on every
side. You might as well call upon
me as the captain ola sinking ship,
and say, why don't you pump the
water out 2 when you are scuttling
the ship in every direction.
That paragraph will do to show to
your Catholic nelghbor who has been
denouncing all this fanaticism and
folly.
But even more significant is the
formal deliverance of the PIenary
Council, in recent session in the city
of Baltimore. Composed of all the
Archbishops and many other leading
representative prelates of the church
in America, it spoke by authority.
Read the following:
"And we not only direct the atten-
ton of all pastors to the repression
of this abuse, but we also call upon
them to induce all their focks that
may be engaged in the sale of liquors
to abandon, as soon as they can, the
dangerous traffic, and to embrace a
more becoming way of making liy-
ing"
Now, if that admonition has back
OF it sufficient conscience for its en-
forcement, We may expect whole
sale closing of saloons. Indeed, if
the Romanists can be induced to re-
tire from the business, it will at once
almost cease to be business. And
this we affirm on tue authority of
Father O'Connor, of New York, who |
says that of the 1000 licensed saloon
keepers of that city, $500 are Irish
and German Catholics.
At the formal opening of the new i
Roman Catholic church of the Paul /
ist Fathers, few days ago, there
was grand temperance demOnstra- {
ton. All the Father Matthew To-
tai Abstinence Societies, numbering
thirty-three, were in attendance.
There was congregation of between
six thousand and eight thousand |
people, and three of the most emf
nent prelates in America we're pres
ent by special invitation to address
the meeting-Bishop Keane, Of
Richmond, Va, Bishop Spalding, Of
Peoria, ILL.,, and Bishop Ireland, Cfl
st. Paul, Minn. The last named dis
cussed the liquor traffic and its effect
upon politics and the Sabbath.
Right eloquently did he plead for
rigid prohibltory statutes and their
vigorous, impartial enforcement, He
closed his powerful, impassiOned APP
peal with these words:
9'It cheers me to see six thousand
to eight thousand citizens of New
York here, showing their interest IN
the work of temperance. The Cath
olic church has spoken we'll her wish
on this question, and the mandate
has gone forth from the Plenary
Council that the Sunday laws must
be observed, and Catholics must
nool. 20 sno,,,.o arrnn rnorn stri N nnnt