The freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1886-18??, 1886-05-12

| Gu6 DdVlOl VI VIC WOlios AS
question as to whether the drink
ing a glass of wine is sin or not
has no more to do with the Prohl-
bition of the manufacture and sale
of intoxicating liquor for beverage
purposes, than the question
whether the construction of wooden
dwellings is a sin or not has to do
with the Prohibition Of building
frame houses.
1t is Just here that this discussion
touches the political relations of
Prohibition; for many good men
have been beguiled into voting
against Prohibition by the sense
less cry that "it makes that a
crime which Gods Word does not
make a crime" This has been
shrieked through the press, as if it
ended the matter, whereas it would
be difficult to crowd into as few
words as much nonsense. Gods
law makes nothing whatever a
crime. Human law makes nothing
whatever sin. But Gods law
makes many an act a sin that
human law does not make crime !;
and human law makes many an
act crime that Gods law does not
make a sin. Witness a thousand
pages of the statute books. Driving
horse over six miles an hour in
our cities is a crime. Building
brick walls less than a certain
thickness is crime. Following
some useful, but Extensively odor-
Gus trades in city is a crime.
Does the human law say these are
SINS, because it forbids them? No
more does the human law make
the drinking of wine or even
whisky sin, because it forbids the
manufacture and sale of liquor.
Let the ground of Prohibition be
kept in view and the absurdity is
palpable.
II. The Object Of Prohibition. This
is another point where much fog
has been made to gather. And
multitudes of men refuse to vote
Prohibition into politics because of
widespread, but false, notions as to
its object.
(D One misconception is that
Prohibition aims to Smoke people
good BIZ ldaV." The changes have
been rung upon this charge until
many actually believe that Prohi-
bition's object is Ito coerce men TO
virtue )" "to reform men from with
out - "to purify the streams to
the neglect of the fountain )" and,
thinking the method false, they
shout, Away with itP On the
con trary, there is not man among
Prohibitionists cherishing this de-
lusion-not one! The object is
neither expressed nor implied in
action or platform. l. is not in
fact nor in effect, either in the
principle or policy Of Prohibition.
Law is protective and restrictive,
not reformatory. Its aim is to
guard rights, not to produce
righteousness. No advocate of
Prohibition supposes that it is
going to make man virtuous by
taking the liquor saloon out of his
path. 1t is not framed to reform
the man, but to protect society.
Reformation will come through
other processes and agencies, but
the law will gjve reformation q
better chance.
Are we to be told, because we
advocate a law prohibiting gam
bling houses, that we are seeking
'to coerce men to virtue" and "to
reform men from without, and not
from within ?" Does my advocacy
of the civil enactment concerning
the Sabbath expose me to the
charge of seeking TO make people
good by law" "to purify the
streams to the neglect of the foun-
tain ?" Who expects to take the
love of money out of mems hearts
by shutting up the gambling sa-
LIONS? Who expects to make men
holly observe Gods day by Sab
bath law? That is not the object
in either case; nor is the making
men "good" the object of Prohibi
ton of the liquor traffic.
o. A second misconception OIL