Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-16
CHURCH AND PROHIBITION.
There is Nothing in Common Between the
Church of Christ and
state Politics.

The copy of the GAZETTE containing
my good Sister .Clardy's reply to my
letter came to the Office on Sunday, and
as 1 never open my mail on that day, did
not get the paper until Monday, when
had so many exchanges to look through
missed that GAZETTE and never saw the
letter until to-day, hence the lateness OF
this reply. L was not looking for any re-
ply, especially from any member of the
church, as what had written was de-
signed merely to correct mistaken idea
then prevalent, to the effect that the NJ.
+. church, South, had made wide de-
parture from her traditions by assuming
to dictate the politics of her members.
The good sister did not even attempt to
prove that had made false presenta-
ton of the case, and inasmuch as 1 said
nothing disrespectful of her or of anyone
who holds like political views with her, 1
am at loss to know just what it was
impelled her to write as she did.
As to Sister Clardy's insinuation that
1 was ''cooing to the liquor dealers, -
that appears to me to be entirely gra-
suitous, as there is not one word in my
letter to Justify such language upon her
part. Possibly she had learned from
other sources that l was Democrat. If
to, 1 will say she has been correctly in
formed, and If prohibition was an issue
in Texas politics at this time would
very cheerfully give her my reasons for
voting with Democrats instead of with
the Prohibitionists. AS it is, L will say
this much. Prohibitionism is an i'm
practicable effort to engraft the theo-
cratic doctrines of the church upon the
Democratic government of our free re-
public, and could my worthy sister and
her coadjutors succeed in their efforts,
they would surely destroy not only the
freedom of the government, but the
spiritual purity and power of the church
as well.
The Master says: "My kingdom is not
of this world.'' Mark you "is not"
that is, there is nothing in common be-
tween the church of Christ and state
politics. What was it made the Master
say to Israel, overly, L say unto you
the kingdom of God shall be taken from
you and given unto another nation
bringing forth the fruits thereof?'
Israel had formed an unholy alliance
with the nations of the earth; in other
words the church had gone into politics.
What caused the Roman Catholic church
to lose her power with God and her in
fiuence with men? She had prostituted
| her priestly power to political purposes.
What was it chilled the life blood and
| drove the Holy Ghost out of the Epis-
| copal church? She allowed herself
clasped in the leoherous embrace of
Henry VIII. in order to gain political
| power. Those churches have repented
| in sackcloth and ashes, and to-day they
are bringing forth 'fruits meet for re-
pentsuoe, - by avoiding all political
| Affiliations at last in this country.
American society has been sorely
cursed by strong drink
/. The deoanter on the sideboard, the
| Jug under the bed and the barrel in the
cellar.
3. The crossroads doggery.
8. The saloon in its various forms
| omen in states where the license system
prevails, hid away in "blindtigsrs, -
| hav lofts and manure heaps in prohibi-
| ton states. But in spite of all this, edu-
cation and religion have kept up th cir
work of adjoining the mind and purify
| ing the heart. But what would befall
| us if the political influence of the Meth
| odist Episcopal church, South, could be
| dictated and controlled by the senior
! bishop of the church? The thought is
| to me, only the more appalling DecAuse
of the fact that so many good people, like
| my good sister ClarlSy, are not afraid OF
the result.
am willing to make trade with Sis
! ter Clardy to this effect: She can talk
prohibition and 1 will continue to work
and vote with the Democrats, and we
won't say anything ugly about each
other on that account, but will try and
help each other and everybody else to be
good and to do good, and we will try to
| be satisfied with the church and the
government, and after awhile we will
get to heaven, where there will be no
politics and nothing to drink but water /,
| and where we will find ever so many
| people that we will be very much sur
| prised to see, and can realize in all its
| glorious fuIlness that Scriptural declara-
ton: s'Where sin abounded grace did
much more abound, that as sin had
relgned unto death even so might grace
| reign through Righteousness unto eternal
life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
JOHN s. BAIRD.
Santa Anna, Tex, June IL, 1890.