The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1886-12-31
Written for the Mo&IToR
THE COLLOSAL HINDRANGE THE
WAY OF CITY EyANGELIZATION.

There is a movement on foot in the city
of Philadelphia to bring the Gospel to
every man, woman and child within its
limits. The character of the men in the
forefront of this enterprise, both clerical and
lay, augurs success Just so far as mental
ability and sincere interest can advance
cause. The entire city has been districted
and in the prosecution of the work bust
ness tact and systematic methods have
been LAID under contribution and will
doubtless prove to be important factors in
the solution of the interesting problem
But we fear that a colossal kindrance, viz:
the organized liquor traffic ofthe same city,
is not duly appreciated. When it Is remem-
bered that there are over 5000 licensed
dram shops in the city Of Brotherly Love,
and not more than 500 churches, it goes
without saying that the hihdrance referred
to is no mere bagatelle. Consider the situa-
ton. Eight thousand places where, to use
language more striking than classic, dis
titled damnation" is sold under government
license seven days of the week, and in
many instances twenty-four hours of the
day, and 500 churches open a few hours
upon one day of the week, with possibly
few more hours of the remaining days
added. 1t has been pithily said that when
the Lord builds a church the devil builds
a chapel near by" and surely no magma
ton, however fertile, can conceive more
potent neutralizer of church aud Sunday
school influence than the modern bar-room.
1t is not only the home VS.. the saloen, but
the church VS.. the saloon. The most su-
perfical observer knows that just in pro
portion as men acquire the habit for al
eoholic stimnlants, just in that proper
ton do they dyerge from churchly and
hallowed influences. The testimony of
reformed men is unanimous to the effect
that nowhere is christianity more freely
and yulgarly attacked than in the saloon
of to-day. Now we submit, is it not suf-
ficiently reasonable as not to admit of
discussion, that to ignore the gigantic
hindrance to the evangeliZatien of the
masses, in the way of the legaliZed liquor
traffic, is absurd in the highest degree
The church is often spoken Of as an
army and its members as soldiers. What
would be thought Of the capacity of a
general who would practically ignore the
enemies strongest point ? What would be
thought of so-called merchant prince,
who maintained the most rigid economy
about the minute details of his establish
ment, whilst he winked at the gross
stealings, or in the polite language of
to-day, speculations, of a fayorte clerk
What about the observation-disclosures Of a man
who was intensely interested to get rid of
a slight cold, whilst he was utterly un-
concerned respecting 4 cancer that was
eating his yitals? And we respectfully
submit, that what the strong point of the
enemy is in The advancement of the OPP
posing force, what the big stealings of
the clsrk are i'll jeopardizing the bus
mess, what the cancer is in its relation
to the health of the individual, just that
is the licensed dram-shop to the prosecu-
ton of evangelization of the masses. And
to the feryent prayer that the eyes Of all
having this matter i'll charge may be
opened to see this key to the position,
LET all the people say Amen.