The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-05-28

n Writer who Thinks fhe Church IL
Failing I'm Its Duty.
qat%rsu Wssh Nav " fSf0

SEATTLE, WASH, May n, $50.
To THE EDITOR: Ia view OF the terrible
evils wrought by strong drink throughout
christcndom In the form OF drunkenness. ilcen-
tsousnew. innacy. murder and crime Of every
description snd the ancaiculabie amount OF
misery growing oat OF thcsc ID IL not tho duty
Of every phiianthropsst and every Christian to
do everything Ira his ard her power TO remove
from society this dreadful curse Daring the
last half century many societies have been
formed having this phsianthropic end in view
aud much good has been done by these. both In
staying the alarming increase OF the plaguc and
In bringing before meas minds and consciences
the enormity OF this giant evil end their duty
and responsibility in regard to H. To me. tho
most iamensabie fact in regard to the temper
snce reform ~ the false position which the
Christian church has hitherto held on this
momenseus moral and religious, as well a so
eiai aud political question.
For considerable time after tho temperance
reform had started the church locked upon il
very much in the light Of an anti-chrisfian
movement ~ II Gods remedy for sin. the Cos.
meuted ar superseded. Most oil the churches
have nos been educated out OF that false idea,
but they are NOS yet whore they ought 10 be--in
the van OF tho temperance army An article sp-
pcsred In your columns last week subscribed by
three ministers Of Christian congregations In
this city. protesting againss temperance meet
Ing which had been advertised TO be held on
sunday evening last, as Dissertation OF the
Sabbath. and also complaining that "there is .
tendency to put alliances and nuions In the
fIont and the churches In the background on
the temperance question" Why Il this, would
ask. Il II not because Is IL fact that hitherto
the churches have been keeping In the back
ground ia this aliimportant movement The
church Of Christ Is acknowledged by all Chris
h.. 3y..ixs
the desiyerancc OF the human race from
the curse OF sin. and II has been furnished with
IN all sufficient means Of accomplishing this
end. through the preaching of tho glorious
gospel OF the grace Of God. How Ia IL then that
at the close Of the Nineteenth ceatnry, By far
the greater portion Of this worlds inhabitants
are stlil In the dismal darkcss OF heafhenism,
and chfistcndom 30 such an alarming extent in
. state of moral degradation worse than
heashen1 II the divinely appointed missionary
sseiefy church-hsd been faithful to her
commission We into all the world aud
preach the gospel to every cresture,"-would
missionary and Bible societies outside the
church ever have been organized or, II the
chufch--the divineiy appointed temperance
society had been faithful 60 the other part Of
her divine commission, namely, "teAc hing
hem 10 observe all things whatsoever / have
commanded you"--would there ever have been
termed temperance unions and prohibition
alliances and the Salvation Army, seeking 10
save the lapsed mssses OF chris.endomg ssAIl
Scripture 10 given by inspiration OF Col and IL
profitable for doctrine tor reproof for correction
and Tor instruction in righteousness Are No,
these words oil the wise man and the inspired
book 50 plain that che may run that reads
thsm9'
"Wine II y roeker, strong drink IL raging and
whatsoever IA deceived thereby Is not wise =
Lock tot upon the wine when il is red. when
giveih his color In the cur. when II rnoyeth
i:seli Alright. al the ins; II bi;eth ike serpen,
and siiusesh ike an adder" Thine eyes shall
behold strange women aud thy heart shall utter
psrverse things" la tho light Of this pain
passage OF the Word al God Is not the ar.nkins
OF alcoholic liquors a violation az both the sixth
aud ssyeata commands of the dsesIogue as .x
pieinsd by Christ IN his Sermon GA the Mount
"gof this puF the Son OF God MAS ma AMI.
tested tass he might destroy the works Of tbs
devil" Bat What Is there on earth thas ha,
wFnaghk sneh works os the devil rs strons
drtnhs Wae. thea. can honestly pray. "rhy
kingdo.a come" without doing ali ia his powe,
o. overthrow an agency which il foing more
than snytAlng es everything else in opy,osins
aud Frustrating shs eosni OF Caris,'s ksngsiom1
And what ahcnt those Christians who are act
lively supporting this ascaey of the asvi.f Haa,
rssny pselessing Christians are aeng shss a,
The present mafaeutf sad how NAM fasrs
and sellers es Intoxicating ii9nos tAas keep al
thss agency. hat tine consaracrx IL IL IS bad Il
maze and ssli il Is wnrse 10 dginx IL ths
drinking that works the saiscAlc1 or tie o,he,
hans. II q IL right 90 drink strong drink n can
nos be wraag - make ard sch H. so loue as :
majority 81 the people helicvS Ia AMI prsrtics
drinking, : L nes islc 10 TAX es pFehihition !.
make and sellF or. y prohibition could 10 80,
~ tissse circumstance veald 4 he uanstsrn
tionai or just under representative government
The divine aFskeg II tkinxs alike In ina sns
teflsl snS moral wcra Is gradual aevc,snsa.u.
ircu the seesi "a he iruiI fsfss SOW. then rcan
flrss SOW sae seed oi truth. ami Afterwards rear
the harvest OF Eigascoasness- First eda easr
tAea lsx.s'stss
IL ny sesasan the N C, r L. ADD ,thsr ,eFn.
reFsace soctetlrs wNa,s sg<ne< attain fhe s.sr.,
Aasi grand eaa taey have ia vsew. Il. fusseaa a.
eskUaS wisA nesss4csaas &c p1oAieislas.. shev
Waald eeasssts setf efforts in ssssscsf,nr ~
ellefea who III ~ the pasifss ans ~ he :,
ssaeEa'saal IN tee seripsaF.l aaa phsieSo.hlcxl
tssaetaies 81 tossl shsssaenee Il al ,Ae ebfl
sfaa vsTe assassees ~ tas saas as fiate thpy,
voa.8 lie here asg bssh Ire ehurea sra -
wef2&- tssazEeaS sktngs arr sgeksa al zt.-
watch We nrnis s=satove wsa vet te ii. an 49,
fxsA hnt tAsse thinxs are sal; faaars -
ra1ren u tie p~ss is fgly reprwseats. u Casrss,
hssases IA iae psssssle al TIE a@rren "a tree
FxgSxn ey sNx CwuxeH.
Estate er Mrs Kate NAssl.soawA-