The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1895-11-09
The cnurc,, Not a FAD Factory.

WOonsocket News:-Our friend Kidd,
OF the Aberdeen Star, is huilt of the stuff
Of which martyrs are manufactured and
is doing lots of good in the world. He
is little off on one thlng-lhat is III
berating the ministers and laymen at
the late NJ. E. conference for their lack
Of enthusiasm in the prohibition move
ment. These ministers have many of
them prayed and preached prohibition
almost exclusively for the past ten years
in this state, and they ara naturally a
little weary, considering the results.
Mr.. Kidd and others take the ground
that if a minister or a church member
is not roaring, radical prohibitionist
--one who believes that is the way and
the only way to blot out the liquor traf
fic, then that person is necessarily a
hypocrite and scoundrel and should be
turned out of the church. This is all
wrong. The church does not force a
man to be a prohibitionist as understood
in this state. They may believe there Is
better way than legal enforcement,
and many of them. both ministers and
laymen, i: they would express themselves
freely, are coming to the conclusion
that legal force and man-made laws can
not do the work of moral reform and re-
generation. and that as a matter Of fact,
when the church, as church, goes into
courts to compel morality, it is Il loser
every time.
Different churches have been used by
people with reforms and fads greatly to
the disadvantage of these societies as
churches. The reform may be all right
and the fad all right, but the church
has another and broader mission. and
when it stops its regular business and
takes up this fad and that fad and runs
them exclusively, it becomes WEAKNESS
to all flesh.
| Brother Kidd, who is no doubt familiar
with the scriptures, will remember the
story Of the man who came to Christ and
complained OF his brother who had not
properly divided the inheritance. Here
was an excellent chance for good work
the work Of judge TO divide the
share Of goods belonging to each, and
Christ was qualified for the work, but
didn't do it. He said: "Who made me /,
divider over thee" and told the man tc
beware Of selilshness.
Now, the above is good lesson for
the church today. 1t is not to usurr
courts nor governments nor enforce its
ideas with law and imprisonment and
Jails. 1t is in the world to save and moi
destroy. 1t may not be taking up my
] fad or your fad so much as we would
like, but Individually we can 60 on and
advocate our theories and do all the
good we can in our way and let the
church do all tho good 1t can in its way
| We are quite sure that our own churcl
the Methodist church--has done tot
much rather than too little hobby-ridina
here in South Dakota. Its ministers
have fought for prohibition at the polls
.
and in the courts and fought for thu
Republican party, when they had better
I! attended to their legitimate business
Now, we don't care especially to hay,
them fight for Populism as a party, WI
don't think politics nor prohibition th,
| legitimate field Of the church. Its worl
is higher ana more important. Letit d,
| its work we'll in its own field and thes
reforms Will tag a.ong in due time.
church is not fad factory nora roaring
Republican rally, and the less it is o
that kind Of thing the better. II th
Methodist ministers and laymen at con
ference are showing hetter judgmen
than usual. we are glad Of it.