The western sentinel., 1894-02-15
THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.
UTTERANCES OF THE LEADING
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.
Their General Conferences on
the TVhiskey Sue stion.


Since the ''liquor question" is now
being agtated in ouramidst, I have
put myself to the trouble to gather
some of the published utterances of
the leading religious denominations
in our land, which may be construed
as the voice of this denomination on
this question, as these declarations
were made in their general meetings.:
THE BAPTIsTs (NoRTH)
The American Baptist Homo Mis-
sion Society in session in Chicago
May 9th. 1890 adopted the following
resolutions:
Whereas, We recognize the liquor
traffic an enemy of satanic and appall-
ing force, menacing the purity Of the
christian church, the virtue of society
and the safety of government, and
Whereas, we believe it true policy,
principle and duty to antagoniZe with
uncompromising zeal It's presence and
ravages, therefore,
Resolved. That we declare our
selves among its most pronounced and
relentless foes, believing that it has
no defenSible right to exist, and that
il can never be reformed, and that it
stands condemned by its unrighteOuS
fruits as q thing, unchristian, I'M
American and perillous utterly to
every interest of life.
Resolved, That we profoundly de-
piOFe the results Of tie recent Su-
preme Court decision (relatIng to the
interstate liquor traffic. whereby pro-
hibitory laws in Maine, Kansas. South
Dakota, Iowa and other States are
rendered less efficient and extremely
imperiled, and We sincerely hope the
Congress Of the United States may
speedily rise to meet the eX;gency of
the last estate OF the liquor traffic
may be worse than the first.
Resolved, That we stand pledged by
every legitimate means to work and
pray (aS God shall give lis wisdom and
light) to vote for the absolute aboli-
tion and overthrow of the Ubiquitous
traffic in State and nation.
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION.
In May, 1889, the Southern Baptist
Convention in Memphis, Tennessee,
adopted the following:
Whereas, The liquor traffic is most
powerful hindrance 30 the gospel of
Christ, and an aggressive enemy to
social order, and
Whereas, This traffic is steadily en-
croaching upon all that Christian men
revere and the human heart holds
dear; and
Whereas, It seeks to destroy the
Christian Sabbath and annihilate
public morals and the public con-
science: and
Whereas, All christian bodies should
speak out in no uncertain tones on
this question:; therefore, be it
Resolved, by the Southern Baptists
in convention assem- bled, That, we
favor the speedy and entire prohibi-
ti0n OF the liquor traffic; that we op
pose license for this in any aud all its
forms, through which men buy the
right, destroy human rope and happi-
ness and blight human souls, as an Of
fence against public morals and
a sin against God.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL, NORTH.
At the session OF the General Con-
ference held in New York, May 1888
the following report was adopted:
"The liquor traffic is so pernicious
in all it's bearings, SO inimical to the
interests of honest trade, so repug-
nant to the moral sense, SO Injurious
to the peace and order of society, so
hurtful to the homes, to the church
and to the body polite and so utterly
antagonistic to all that is precious il
life, that the only proper attitude
toward it for christians is that o. re-
butless hostility. 1t can never be
legaliZed without sin. No temporary
device for regulating it can become a
substitute for Prohibition. License
| high or low is vicious in principle and
poWerleSS as to remedy"
METHODIST EPISCOPAL, SOUTH.
At the General Conference held in
st. Louis, May 1890, the following was
adopted; .2IH = , pro,;h ;h,t,on
church. We stand out squaTely and
before the whole world certainly in
| theory, and for the most part in
practice, for the complete suppression
| OF the liquor traffic. We offer nc
| compromise, and seek no terms from
| a sin of this heinous quality We are
| opposed to all forms of license of this
| iniquity--Whether the same. be high
or low. 1t cannot be put so high that
the prayers of Gods people for its sup
| preston will rise above it; no so low
though it makes its bed in hell, that
| the Shrieks of the souls lost through
its accused agency will not decend be
| Meath it,
State and District Conferences il
vast numbers have spoken out lr
equally as strong language.
METHODIST PROTESTANT.
! At the General Conference held il
1890 the following was adopted:
"We rejoice in the success Of an,
effort and.any measure used to Grip
pie and finally destroy the traffic il
alcoholic drinks, and will gladly joil
in any effort for its restriction whicl
will not compromise our christian
character; but as every form of S
called restriction by license Or taxa
tion tends to entrench the traffic be
hind the cupidity of the tax payer, an
renders US ipateS participenS to th
crime of its confluence, we therefor
believe that the only successful wa
of destroying this dydra-headed NOR
ster is by constitutional Prohibition
State and National: and that the onl
, efforts in which we as christian peopl
t can engage are those which look tt
ward this end-therefore
: Resolved, That we are unalterabl
Z | opposed to any form Of license, hig
or low, as being wrong in principl
| and perniciouS in practice.
( Resolved, That any minister {
2 member who makes, buys, sells {
2 signs a petition for license to sci
] uses, or gives to others as beverae
r any spirituous or malt liquors, is gui
ty of immortality and shall be dea
Q with accordingly.
Resolved, That we believe the tin
q has fully come when christian me
y should rise above party prejudice an
sectional jealousy and give sufferag
y to any party which has for its obje,
J. the protection Of our homes by I'll
e destruction of the unholy traffic"
LUTHERAN CHURCH.
The General Synod of the Evangel
cal Lutheran church in session
. Omaha, Neb., June, 1887, adopted Il
loiloWtns, n,