The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-23
REV. J. w. RoGAN IN BALTIMORE
He Stirs Up the Baltimore Presbyte-
rians on Temperance.

! He Stirs Up the Baltimore Presbyte-
rians on Temperance
Rev. J. w. Rogau, formerly pastor of
the First Presbyterian church in this city,
has been taking prominent stand
! in Baltimore. where he is pas
tor of the Westminster church, on
the temperance question. Rev. Mr.. Rogan
wa an out and out temperance advocate in
| Savannah. He Is chairman Of the temper
ancs committee Of the presbytery Of Baltt-
more, and his report " the presbytery this
week has created stir in Baltimore.
The report recommended that regular,
systematic temperen instruction be given
in all Sunday schools Of the pres5ytery
advises the organization 10 every oongI ega~
tion so far as practicable Of church temper
auce societies, suggests that the sessions Of
oaurches be directed TO send to the chair
man of the presby terial temperance COM
mittee before each spring meeting of the
presbytery an answer 20 the questions sent
down from time to time by the assembly's
permanent committee, and asks that pas
tors be requested to publish the resolutions
from their pulpits.
SO far no objections were received and the
resolutions were adopted. The discussion
was on a resolution which stated: I'VE en-
join our ministers and people Co abate moth
ing in their zeal and effort, in or out of the
churches, to check the drinking habits of
society, and by effort, voice and vote to op-
pose the traffic in intoxicants as a beverage,
believing with intensified conviction that
1t is direct. inexcussble curse 30 our coun-
try and our age.
One pastor, DR.. Leftwich, said he would
enter his protest against the letter and
spirit of the resolution. I'VE have no
right" be said, ITO enjoin our people as 20
how they shall vote. II is not our province
to dictate to them in political affairs. aud 1
hope the presbytery will pause before such
action is taken.n
Another pastor, Dr. Proudft, said that a
greater folly or mistake could not be com
mitted than by passing the resolution. "If
we do II" he said, ait will be simply laughed
at by those who differ from us. Why not
indorse temperance, without coming QUE
and saying our people must vote for itf
Mr.. Rogan said he expected that opposi-
ton would be made to the report. "Church
after church" he said, "has expressed itself
on the matter. / have closely examined
the positions Of twenty-seven denomina-
tions, representing 9000,000 voters, and all
of these have spoken virtually in favor of
prohibition Mr.. Rogan described the
stand taken by the Methodist Episcopal
church and other denominations, and
said the question was one that must
be settled at the ballot-box. "You
can talk about moral suasion,n he said,
Just as much as you please, but bear in
mind that it has been talked over for
hundred years, and has accomplished prao-
tically nothing This question will never be
settled anywhere but at the ballot-box." He
made his strongest point by the statement
that his resolution was quoted word for
word from the action of the general es-
sembly Of 1890. and read the assembly's
action.
An amendment was made to Mr., Rogan's
report as follows: while. as a church, we
neither advocate nor antaRonizs any pslit-
ical party, we earnestly commend to our
ministers and people as Christian citizens
such vigorous, persevering efforts as may
seem wisest 20 them toward the enactment
in every state and territory Of statutes
which shall hopefully secure entire pro-
hibition Of traffic largely responsible for
the bulk of the drunkenness, crime, psuper-
lam and social miseries which affiict our
land"