Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-06-29
LutheranS and Prohibition.

There is a widespread erroneous
impression that tie Lutheran Church
or as much of it at least as COM
poses the Eastern District Of Joint
Synod of Ohio aud other States
has come 10 the rescue of the saloon.
Press reports of the Synod which
met at Youngstown recently are re-
sponsible for this. A sensational re-
porter, one who caters to the vitiated
taste Of the masses, might have seen
through his magnifying glasses some
thing in the proceedings which ap-
peused thus-an ordinary mortal
could not.
The cardinal facts in the case are
briefly these: The temperance ques-
tion had been deferred from last year
and was first on this years calendar.
Rev. Cronenwett, pastor of the Ger
man Lutheran Church of this place,
opened the discussion by reading an
able, lengthy, and outspoken paper,
exhibiting the liquor traffic sans its
delusive habiliments. He showed
and proved by the evidence of med
icai experts, by the testimony of men
OF science, by the records of aims
houses and prisons, by Government
statistics and census reports--that
the liqaor traffic destroys life, curses
posterty and Injuries our country.
He deprecated that black iniquity-
the expectation of rum to savage
Africa; nor did he silently pass the
baneful, domineering influence which
the liquor tralli: exerts in party poll
tics La fine, the paper was q search
ing exposition OF tke drink cnrse.
The discussion which ensucd was
by no means such rs would please
every radical Prohibitionist VITO is
unacquainted with the ancestry and
environment of the dehaters The
drink evil was declared to be the
great st curse of our land and it
was conceded, by most, that the Gov
ernment possesses the right TO pro-
hibit the manufacture aud sale OF in.
toXicating beverages whenever its in.
terests demand it. TO state it plain
ly and terseiy they held the making
or vending of intoxicants to be no sin
per Sc. but that it could nevertheless
be made q crime. Prohibition was
viewed as political question. The
| line of demarkatiol between the work
of the Church and that of the State
was clearly defined, and all that tends
to confoqnd the dqty Of one with
that Of the other was condemned.
Much was said hostile to Prohibl-
ton Perhaps tbs asPerity with
which individuals handled the ques-
tion gaye rise to the current reports,
but the Synod did positively not
come to the defence of the saloon.
The theses adopted on the occasion
are as follows:
an the prc,eut temperance movement we
cannot as q Churcb the il lies are miDeI par
ticipaCe
II. Because it eonfognds spiritual and sec
ular government.
ia. It is the duty Of the SECULAR govern
rnent or State to oppose (sa acekae y the vice
"b. The mission of the Church is to liber-
ate man, throlgh faith in Christ, from the
bondage of sin.
"II. Because it does not dstin guish be-
tween the abase aud the use Of the creata re :
"a. No creature oil God is in itself TO be
condemned;
%. Every abuse of creature is siu and
leads 10 lcin."
How they can le construed in fe.
fence OF the saloon is beyond ny ken.
Another thing is that the Church
does not dictate the laity'5 politics
and forbid Prohibition voting. Ole
Of the best authorities Of joint Syn
Cd has repeatedly said tha. a man can
vote for Prohibition aad as the same
time be a good Lutheran. | am ac-
ouainted with ministers Of this
| SYNOD who vote the Prohibition par
ty ticket and know OF others who
soon will
Many Lutheran bodies haye come
out lat-footed for Prohibition, and
when a Rev. Schneider appeared
before Oongressionel Comm'.tee
and protested against Prohibition in
the District of Columbia, they
promptly exposed his unenViabie
record. DR.. Funk, editor OF the
greatest and most powerful ProhibI-
tlon journal on enrth-The Nedo lorA
T0jce lis a Lutheran.
You may pas this in your hat as
verify Men and women worthy
I of Luiher's name are not around dc
tending traffic which admits
through its paper, The Hre'oer's
Journal, that it is responsible FIR 10
Ler lfnt. of the insane, 10 per cent.
OF the idiots, 40 per oent. OF the
paupers and 40 per cent. of the Grim
in ais Good Luthcrans are net built
TINT way. a dERMAN
RuTLER, PA June 2Gth, 1883.