Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-08-30
BATTLE FOR PROHIBITION.
The Temperance Day Episode at
Brandywlne Summit.

Analysed FROM Prohibition stand
point--The Strength OF the Saloon
Within the Church.
Editor Tho Gazette: It is evident
that more than ohe person has
troubled conscience over the Brandy
wine Summit Campmeeting temperance
day and the heterodox proceedings of
the trustees, and it is also clearly in
evidence that the ones who are apologia,
ing are not the Prohibitionists. Accord
ing to the Sunday Star some nf the
sanctiiied trustees objected, among
other things, to the manner of taking
up of collection, on the ground that it
was wiclkcdly irreVerent. | never yet
went into church in Wilmington
where the hat was not passed around,
and many time have had the strong
suspicion that some of those engaged
In collecting the toll had far deeper
interest in the saloon trade than they
had in the sanctuary. Church people
should not be so critical about the mode
Of raising money in vogue at the Sum.
mt. The air of injured piety which
the trustees Of that camp now assume
must certainly cause loud exclamation
in the sulphurous halls of Taphet every
time his Luciferian majesty hears one Of
them interview o newspaper man with
the purpose of keeping his sanctimoni-
BUSINESS well in the foreground. What
is wanted just now at Brandywine
Summit is Il new board of trustees--a
board that understands the meaning OF
Christianity, and not Il board of hyper
critical professional pietists who arc Re.
publican politicians first, before they
are servants OF God, who are supersatur.
ated with rum politics that are born and
nurtured in the saloons, until their Sun.
| day robes smell louder of the fumes
from the still than they do Of the incense
arising from honest PRAYER and true
| worship in the house of God.
1--WE feel no antagonism towards
| legitimate temperance work." our
worthy says in the Star. No doubt the
| saloon readers of the above Sunday
paper rejoice AT that. Probably this
trustee groans aloud from the amen
corner whenever Pastor Sypherd in
Weighs against the ultra wickcdness of
| SUNDAY papers, but yet, when it suits
his purpose to insult Prohibitionists and
Prohibition clergymen he gets himself
, and his religious fustian ventilated
through its hsbetudinous columns.
What does he mean by Legitimate tenn
pcranceg" Does he mean the sort of
temperance workers who berate tie
saloonkeepers all the year round, when.
ever or wherever they can get hear
ing, and then on election day cast the
| same sort of ballot in the box that the
objects OF their abuse dOI Probably such
men are the ones this trustee considers
] "a hn, tH,V - Z,
fitting IN the "temple of the Lord" ii
he understands the meaning Of the term
"templo of the Lord" But this trustee
who pretends to talk for the rest of his
narrow minded associates, has made O
mistake. 1t is no longer considered
good form, in protesting the Christian
religion, to give ones heart TO the Lord
and his vote to the devil
Having heard that prophet is moi
without honor save in his own country
this trustee keeps himself discrcetly
from view while he bewails the wicked
ness of Prohibitionists generally, but he
thrusts forward in his stead the presid.
Ing elder, the Rev. MI Sypherd and the
Rev. Mr.. Burke, as men who are right
or who believe the trustees are. Does
our "unco guild trustee, the latest addi
ton to Methodist camp grounL
hagiology, mean by this that they are
what he calls legitimate Temperance
advocates, men who preach temperance
and talk temperance at every .oppor,
tunity and then descend to the level anC
political association with the Delaware
saloon keepers If this is what ouI
eclipscd trustee means it is proper ant
pertinent to say TO these reverend
gentlemen that while IL is not necessary
for them to take politics into the churcl
II has become absolutely necessary, il
the name of our common humanity, il
the name Of political decency, and 70
the sake of the Christian church, tina
they should take their religion into thei
politics. Between taking politics int
religion and religion into politics Their
is distinction aud q difference which
has escaped the notice OF the truste
and his favOrlte presiding elder. We ar
not turning our attention to the saloon
but We are paying our respects to it
next best friend the voter in the church
am not afraid OF successful contradic
ton on this point. Far from it.
There is story told that once upon
time Jupiter sent Sisyphus to hades 70
his political crimes against the pro
prietics Of high Olympus 1--WE vot
such into office now Here for his sin
poor Sisyphus was condemned to roll
huge stone up bells hill all the da,
long, only to have the stone roll baci
upon him at night. How like the i'll
requltcd toll of this crstwhile friends .
tue gods are the labols OF "legitlmat
temperance advocates. All year ruun,
they lnveigh against the wickeiness 0
tEe saloon and with wuefui measure
tell Of wan despair" while they struggl
up the hill with their work, yet 81
election day they put license vote i
the ballOt-boX and thereby knock Iii
saloon boulder back upon themselyG.
to begin the rolling-up process again Q
the next prayermeetng. The diiTcrenc
between the ancient SisyPAus' and til
! modern campmCGting deacon variety
that the former was compelled to labC
i fruitlessly, while the latter tolls d
, voluntarily and attains the same Gmpt
results. If the fayurtc presiding eide
o. our AaZy trustee is IF this species, l
u plain Methodist myself would adVis
, him to either hand in his parchment {
J get his politics converted, for he "stant
Iii the way of sinners" There il not
1 Prohibitionist in the land to-day bt
4 who knows that the strength Uf IL
| saloon is not within the saloons wall
/ but within the walls Of the church. Ii
g the CALLED foals of Baalum's beast
1 burden vince They condemn then
& selves, "Ihey do protest too much
: sanctity. The saloon voter and hencl
! man may belong to church if he wan
/; TO and the church allows it, but whc
4 lie raises his head III front of the ait
I there is no law, human or divine,
/ prevent doubtiug Prohibtionists fro
shielng brick Or two at il.