Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1892-06-03
THE CITIZEN
MISC ELLANEOUS.
A SHORT STORY.
lrR1NrFn RY REQuEsr.l }

AFklNIEb 81 kEC1 EHA-f
The Newman NJ E. Church is the largest
in the CITY Of Bloomsbarre. having over
500 members.
The Official Board Is in session.
A very animated discussion is going on
over the withdrawal of twenty seven ofthe
members of the church.
DR.. Williamson, the eloquent pastor, Is
speaking:
a'I admit that in point of numb bers twen-
ty seven out Of over eight hundred would
make but very little difference, but see
who the twenty seven are-thc very ones
who cany on oHr prayer meetings aud at
tend the spiritual affairs Of the church.
1t is true tkat they are not the wealthy
part Of our church. but church cannot be
run with money alone.
"Brother williamson spoke up the
Hon. Charles Smith, member of the Leg
islature, "1 say let them 90; we will get
along much better without them, They
have grown crazy over the Prohibition
party and right here in our prayer meeting
some of them have grown so bold as to de-
clare that any man who did not vote their
ticket was supporting the liquor ffitrac.
Now. | claim to be as good prohibition
ist as any man in the Prohibition party,
and indeed, better prohibitionist, for the
reason that | had the honor OF voting for
the enactment of our present high license
law, which has done more for temperance
than the Prohibition party will ever ac-
complish."
Then Judge Grant, one of the county
Judges, spoke up: Gentlemen, this re
cent diseussson about the church being the
bulwark of the liquor traffic isnothing short
of blasphemv in calling the faithful follow
ers of the Lord Jesus Christ the upholders
of the rum traffic, the greatest curse the
world has ever seen. l agree with Broth
er Smith, let those Prohibition cranks go.
and our church will then go on in peace.
(Applause from the other members of the
Board.)
"Of course, said Dr. williamson, I'VE
will have to give them their letters, for We
can find no fault with their Christian char
acter. But we have none to take their
places in the public prayer service. This
is Que of the evils of bringing politics into
religion; they won't mix. The Grand Old
Republican party is good enoughtemper-
ance party for me, and while it is not up
to the standard on the temperance ques-
ton that | would like to see it, yet | am
not going to throw away my vote on a
party that hasn't ghost of a chance of
electing its candidates" (Applause.)
Il don't understand what these fanat-
cal Prohibitionists want" said the Hon.
Mr.. Smith '0ur church Us a church has
declared that the liquor traffic cannot be
legalized without sin, and nothing strong
er than that could be uttered. The man
who sells liquor for a living is worse than
a"
Just then there was a sharp knock on
the door.
"Come in" responded the double bass
voice of Dr. Williamson.
The door opened and the pOrtly form of
the saloon-kceper across the street appear
ed in the doorway. lie was the first to
break the oppressive silence:
"Genteman, knowing this to be your
regular meeting night, | decided to come
over and inform you that | and my family
have made up our minds to join your
church and help along the good work you
are doing"
This speech was greeted with dumb
astonishment by the members of the
Board. DIR. Williamson was the first to
speak
"HaYe you given up the saloon busi-
ness"
"No Sir, replied the saloon-keeper
care you going TOT"
"No sir; | am conducting respectable
place and see no reason why should"
"W-e-l," slowly replied the Doctor,
"our church rules prohibit US from taking
in dealers in liquors, and for that reason,
we must refuse you.'
ooh, . said the saloon keeper, flush Of
anger coming into his already horid face,
IL was not aware Of that. On what ground
does yonr church refuse to admit saloon
keepers"
''On the ground that they are engaged
n luyiuncs that sands suuis "A hpll y
replied Dr. Williamson. "Thc Bible say
that no drunkard shall inherit the kingdom
of God, and therefore no drunkard maker
can More than that our. Board of Bish-
ops has declared that the liquor traffic
cannot be legalized without sin.
The saloon keeper was thoroughly
aroused by this time and in suppressed,
angry tone he asked: "Do you know that
a great many of your members are regular
customers of miner
81 have heard that some were, - said DIR.
Williamson.
"Do you know that two Of this official
Board, now in this room, are among my
regular customersl'
No reply, but two very red faces showed
who had been hit.
"Do you know that | got my license
from Judge Grant, who sits right here for
which | paid the regular license fcei'
"Hold on" said Judge Grant, lyon are
going too fast, my friend; | do not make
the laws, and | am compelled by the
license law to grant licenses; therefore l
am not responsible"
"Well, the law was enacted by Mr..
Smith, there, and other Republicans.
"You can't place the responsibility on
me-" said Mr.. Smith. 81 carried out the
wishes of those who elected me. Had |
been elected on Prohibition platform
would have voted for a prohibitory law.
NY party stands for high license and |
voted for the law"
Il understand that fully" said the
saloon keeper, ''but | voted for you; so did
Judge Grant; so did DIR. Williamson; the
rest of this Board and the great majority
of the voters in your church. l took it for
granted that all who voted for you believed
in license. Now, | am politely told that
cannot join this hearer-bound band and
that shall go to hell DR.. Williamson
here, voted for you, Smith, to pass a
license law which compels Judge Grant to
give me q license-to go to hell / am the
fourth party to the agreement and without
the consent of you three | could not en-
gage in the whisky business. You three
are bound for heaven, where you will wear
crowns and play on golden harps, while /
am to suffer the torments Of the damned !
Gentlemen if your bible is true, and ] go
hell for selling whisky, you will Sc with
me to hell for voting to give me the legal
right of doing so. Good Night.
With that he vanished, closing the door
behind him with a vigorous slam.
The members of the Official Board look
steadfa fastly on the floor, each one seeming
ly afraid Of breaking the silence. They
we're Christian men; believed they were
doing their Christian duty. But the sa-
loon keeper in his fierce arraignment of
those present, had placed a tremendous
responsibility on their shoulders. Each
one was doing some pretty serious think
ing when DIR. Williamson ended the silence
by saying slowly:
'Brethern, that saloon keeper told US
some terrible truths. Brethren, our hands
are not clean nor our skirts unspotted. Let
us go home and pray for light"
The following item, clipped from the
FIT. Madison, Qowa,) Democrat, contains
information well worth remembering:
''Mr. John Roth OF this city, who met with
an accident few days ago spraining and
bruising his leg and arm quite severely,
was cured by one 80 cent bottle of Cham
berlain's Pain Balm" This remedy is
without an equal for sprains and bruises
an should have a place in every house
hold. For sale by.
d. II. Wuller, Butler; A. Bowers, Pros
pect; Broaden & Allison, w. Sunbury.