Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-07-17
RELIGION AND PROHIBITION
THEIR RELATIONSHIP DEFINED BY THE
PASTOR OF MckENDREE.
The Church as an Organization Must Not
Espouse Prohibition.
Or. Barbee Defends the Modern Church, and
Cites History.
Mondays American.

Mondays American.
At the IL O'Clock service at McKen-
dree Methodist church the Rev. DR..
Barbee discoursed upon the relations
Of the church to the Temperance ques-
ton, or more accurately with reference
to the churcues duty in the matter OF
civil prohibition. He took strong
grounds in opposition to any relation
ship at ali and pelted with merciess
scorn and sarcasm the Prohibitionist' s
assertion that they had aroused the
church AZ last to action in the cause OF
temperance. He argued with fearless
nerspicuity that the church has ever
been and is now the strongest OF all adj
yocates of this moral question. There
was, he said, much comment upon the
presence in the church OF members who
manufactured and dealt in liquor. This
he confessed, with shame, is true.
But is that the complexion of the
church in general? Whether in the
church or out of it there is a very small
majority OF men who indulge in drink.
The man who is profane swearer does
society a greater offense than the whis-
XIV drinker. Yet the church is never
without profane swearers and idolators,
those who substitute the worship Of
man for God. But do you dare say this
is the complexion of the church at Target
This is the exceptional few. Will you
arraign the whole church for this? But
you ask me-: Why don't you abolish
the liquor traffic and cure drinking?
Why, that is now and has ever been
the uniform purpose of the church.
You forget that in the apostolic church
more examples OF immoralities existed
than there are to-day. They actually
had a banquet whenthey celebrated the
holy communion, and they drank wine
to intoxication, high authority took
grave notice lit. Are you aware that
in the apostolic church polygamy was a
common sin and that men in high
places in the church had eight and a
dozen wiyes2 Do polygamists stay in
the church to-day? Are ,bachanalian
banquets nowadays a. part OF the cele-
bration OF the Holy Communion? The
church of the Methodists to-day is in
tinitely better than the church of old.
The church is engaged with all her
forces in curing the evil of intemper-
ance. But so great sin can not be
cured at once. Why does not God abol-
ish all wickedness at once from the
world? You can't save man against
his will. Let me tell you then that you
will imperil the safety of the public by
a wasteiul haste. Far better were it to
pursue a patriotic and long-sufiering
policy. Itell you this is the course, il
you set the example and work and pa
tiently wait. One other point, have
been meeting that fashionable danger
OF abusing the church. My countrymen
let me say to you that when you strike
there you will strike your mother
Spare her. The church is the source o.
all moral power in this world, and her
capacity as subordinate instrumental
ity. There is no reformation what
ever that could be accomplished with.
out the church. Annihilate her and
would not give fig far your civil laws
There isn't power enough in the State
to try man for crime without the
support OF the church. Where did all
these civil agencies get their power
from? 1t is peculiarly unamiable in
temperance reformers to arraign the
church and exclaim 10, the church has
awakened at last to the question of re
form. 1t is piece of ingratitude and
impertinence that deserves severer Ian
guage than ] can speak from this sacred
spot. The only authority the church
has is her moral force. She has no con
stabelarity, no standing army. Destroy
this and you weaken her only atrength
Suppose intemperance quite abolished
and with it public confidence in the
church. Your prohibition would be
come dead letter. Do not insinuatt
again that the church is behind in the
matter OF intemperance. She is before
But the church as church will never
declare herselfin favor of any mora
movement connected in any way with
a political movement. AS such | vii
veto against prohibition every time
The church cannot afford to do it. Lee
the church commit herself to politica
issue and she will drag her skirts in
slush and dirt. No sirs, she dare moi
do that. She must not do that. She
must keep herself clear of all politica
issues. Understand me. / don't care
to be misunderstood. l may be in THU
discourse. want 70 say again that
do not war against the movement in thC
cause OF temperance, but l do stanC
firm in my belief that the church hat
the only correct view of temperance
and that she should not degrade hel
high mission by lending herself to I
nlese political issue.
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