Democratic messenger., 1894-06-23
The Prohibition Party and
the Presbyterian
Church.
MSsrs. Eiitor<:

terrain hurch and the Prohibition
Party:
|. The Presbyterian Church sus-
tains absolutely no relation to the
Prohibition or any other political
party. 1t has never officially recog-
niZed even so much as the existence Of
any particular political organization.
,. The General Assembly Of the
Presbyterian Church, being body
composed of delegates invested with
purely ecclesiastical powers, cannot
make any political deliverences, enter
into any political compacts. or pass
any legislation which is binding upon
the conscience except in IN ecclesias-
teal or religious sense.
AT its last meeting in Saratoga the
Assembly approved report presented
by the Committee on Temperance,
which report contained recommends
ton that the Assembly indorse the
view that no party which maintains
or tavors the license system, or which
does not place specific disapproval oil
the saloon in its platform should re-
the sutirages of Christian men. Every
Presbyterian recognizes the fact that
this is not law for the Church. Before
legislation which passes the General
Assembly becomes law il must. accord
ing to the rules of the Church, be
approved by at least two thirds of the
lresbyteries. Until this is done il
remains merely in the position of a
recommendation or overture.
Neither can the above report be
construed into a political deliverencc
indorsing the Prohibition party. 1t is
to be presumed that il the Assembly
had purposed to indor>e any particular
party that organization would have
been specifically designated in its
resolution, hut so far is this from being
true that the resolution bears evidence
on its face that its trainers were care
ful to avoid the possibility of any
partizan political construction being
placed upon their words. What does
the resolution really say? 1t declares
that no party which maintains the
license system should receive the
sufrages of Christian rnen. This is Il
condemnation Of certain vaguely des.
ignated parties, but it is by no means
an Endorsement of any particular party
which does not favor the license sys.
TEN. A simple illustration will make
this clear: Suppose a young lady
should declare that she would not
marry man worth less than one
hundred thousand dollars. This would
effectually exclude men worth less
than this from pretentions to her hand,
but it would in no sense mean that
she proposed to marry the first man
worth this amount who should propose
to her. In the same way a resolution
not to support one political party
does not imply a purpose to support
any other political party. 1t is there.
fore mistake to suppose that the
resolution of the General Assembly is
in any sense an Endorsement Of the
Prohibition party.
). Even if the General Assembly
should so far exceed its delegated
powers as to pass political deliverence
its action, being subversive Of funda-
mental Presbyterian principles, would
not be regarded as binding upon the
Church. The Presbyterian Church is
strenuous in its advocacy Of the rights
OF the individual conscience, both in
religious and political matters. 1t is
one of the peculiar boasts and glories
of this Church that it does not attempt
to dictate to its members and it also
proclaims the principle that its mem.
bers have a right to ignore or resist
Fsuch dictation in any matter in which
the conscience of the member is con
cerned. Now there is no doubt that
Il formal Endorsement Of the PrO.libi.
ton party would be just rs subversive
of this Presbyterian principle rs an
official Endorsement OF the Republican
or Democratic party.
1. The Presbyterian Church, there
fore. does not and cannot have d
formal alliance with the Prohibition
or any ether political party. lndi
vidual me mbers OF this Church NAV
and do. in large numbers. favor the
Prohibition party and vote its ticket
This is matter of opinion and con
science, with which the Church ha.
nothing whatever to do. Every Pres
byterian, so far as the Church i,
concerned, has right to vote whatever
ticket he pleases, and nobody has an,
moral or ecclesiastical right to call hi,
vote in question or even to inquir,
how he voted. Ifa Presbyterian favor,
the Prohibition party he ought to vote
that ticket, and is untrue to his own
manhood it he does not vote it. The
Presbyterian Prohibitionist, like the
Presbyterian Democrat or Republican
has perfect right to insist upon the
principle that the Church must no,
attempt. by ecclesiastical dictation, to
control his vote.
). The Prohibition party, through
its official organ, the Voice. has often
made virulent attacks on the Presby.
terian Church, accusing it Of being in
league with the rum power and an
ally of Satin. because it refused to
violate one of the fundamental prin.
ciples of its ecclesiastical life and
formally affiliate with the Prohibition
party. In view ofthe above statements
the unwise and illogical nature oi
such attacks may readily be seen.
6. The Prohibition party, for n
long time, has cherished the idea that
the Presbyterian Church, through the
eyes of n large majority of its members