Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1886-08-20

i
wife, the Boston mission, and gen.
eral and foreign missionary boards
have been literally remembered,
and they have never owed me one
dollar for single hour. This
much for those who think l am
neglectlng my church work for the
temperance work. The only diff
ference between these few critics
and myself is that / do all the
church work they do and my tenn
perance besides.
Again, the great trouble in or
ganiz:ng these camps was the fact
that / had to overcome opposition
not only from political parties and
whiskey powers, but from church
members and sometimes preach
ers of the gospel, be it said to their
eternal shame One of these, by
most outrageous misrepresenta-
ton, did all he could to keep Sam
Jones from filing his engagement
with me. Upon him and his con-
duct | have no comments to make,
but leave it to him and his God.
1t was objected ON the part of a
few preachers and many members
of churches that we ought not to
charge gate fees for moral lectures
that, if free they would literally
sustain them. To these l wish to
say, first, that they have to pay
for gospel sermons and why not
for temperance sermons. Second,
did they really expect me to pay
$4,000 to give them these camps
and the best array of talent the
state ever heard in a single week
Third, there is not temperance
nor religious camp in America,
that [ know of, that does not
charge gate fees. I asked Sam
Jones If he knew of one and he
said NO" They all charge on
Sunday and every other day.
Fourth, these brethren are mista-
ken in themselves. We tried them
with Bro. Jones at Carrollton, and
the contribution to this free lee
ture would not much more than
have paid his hotel and travelling
expenses. / wish the plain truths
he told these GROWERS at Carroll
ton could have been heard by all
the rest.
The preachers at Macon gave
me their hearty cooperation dur
ing the camp. but could not refrain
a parting salute through the col
umns of the Globe-Democrat on
account of the Sunday camp and
charges. [ know that the fact that
this is universal wherever camp
meetings of any kind are held ex-
cept, perhaps, at Ottawa Assembly
does not prove it right, but should
at least quiet the conscience of my
good brethren up at Macon.
We preached ON that Sunday the
gospel of temperance and prohibi-
ton and took up the contribution
at the gate instead of the stand. I
hope the resolutions passed by
these good brethren will ease their
conscience, and can assure them
that mine is perfectly at rest. I
can afford to wait. They may not
be there yet, but will be when they
see and learn more about temper
ance camp-meetings.
! Some good brethren were very
much shocked because some good
Ipeople rode on the cars on Sunday
to attend these meetings. OF
course they never 60 to church in
carriages and on street-cars. /
was foolish enough to think the
change from Sunday picnics and
beer gardens to temperance camps,
where Christian men and women
preach the gospel of temperance,
was in the interest of religion and
good morals.
But the camps were glorious
success, and l am happy: have a
clear conscience, can aford to wait
for universal justification, which
will surely come, and now extend
universal forgiveness to all op-
posers and critics, and special
thanks to the great mass OF
preachers and others who gave me
their support. JOHN A. Brooks.
1t is the intention to give Mis-
souri, a series of temperance
camps every year. The success
of those this year in the face of III
difference, SANDER and misrepre-
setation, emboldens the temper
ance people to try again. Those
who never read Sunday newspa-
pers, nor take Sunday drives in
their buggies, nor ride in street
cars on Sunday, nor pay anything
into the church treasury on Sun
day, of course will not attend
these camps; but we will try to get
along withouttheir presence.
SIMPSON ELY.