The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-03-18
dealt With PLAIN FACTS
Rev. danes McLeOd'S FOrceful Ser
mon on Restitution.
THE DUTY OF ALL EVIL.DOERS
Touches on the Liquor Question and the
Subject OF License Granting-Wa
to Know How License Holders Are
Going to Make Restitution.

Rev. James Mcleod d. D., of the
First Presbyterian church, preached a
sermon last night in which he warmly
condemned certain evils which he
| enumerated. The sermon was pre-
eminent for the direct method in. which
the reverend gentleman expressed his
wholesome opinions upon the questions
discussed
Basing his theme on the words, Be
hold there was aman named Zaccheus,
which was the chief among the publ
cans, and he was rich" These words,
he said, would be read by millions that
| day, and their meaning explained.
They embodied the doctrine of "restitu-
ton" and the duty and necessity of
restitution was an important though
not prominent, topic. How many
sermons had they heard from the pull
pits of the day on this doctrine? Not
many. 1t was hinted at frequently,
but taking 1t as a topic they rarely
heard Il sermon upon the doctrine Of
restitution. Many people avowed that
1t was not a palatable subject, but
nevertheless it was a truth of the first
Importance. far-reaching in its effects,
touching many people and many inter-
ests and 1t was one which it was well
to think over, discuss and apply. Some
phases of the question was the work Of
casuistry, but ii was not intended in
that pulpit to devote the precious time
to questions of casuistry, but rather to
treat of the question of restitution in
its practical bearings
Duty to Make Restitution.
AS his first remark. he would say
that it was the duty of those conscious
of wrong doing to make restitution
and he appealed to each one in the
congregation not to leave that evening
with the impression that it did not
touch them, as he assured one and all
that the question affected each one
individually. All who knew that they
had done wrong or injured u neighbor
We're bound to make restitution, and
conscience. reason and the Bible point
ed this as the right and correct rule Of
conduct. The learned preacher then
quoted from the Old and New Testa-
ments in support of his argument.
After referring to the wrong doings
of Zaccheus. as stated in the text, of
erty illegally and in a wrong way, he
said that the question resolved itself
into What should they do? Make
restitution? and replied certainly, no
doubt of it,
DR.. Mcleod then said there was a
conspicuous instance of national i'm
portance which strengthened his argu-
ment. He had in mind the land of his
birth, the land of st. Patrick. This
question of restitution had agitated
Great Britain for many years in con-
necton with the tenantry of Ireland
where the unrighteous system of land
lordlsm prevailed. No Roman tax
gatherer ever treated the poor more
cruelty than the British landlords who
crushed and trod upon the irish tenants.
Were these landlords anxious to make
restitution? No. They were too proud
to bend their naughty necks. 1t in
volved self-interest and they would be-
come poorer, if the rack-rents were not
wrung and crushed out of the tenants.
Pointed an Example.
A reference was then made to GUM
ness, the great Dublin brewer who
gave S5OO,OOO for beautlfying st. Pat
rick's cathedral and was knighted by
the queen for his generosity. Guinness
had made many homes sad and desc
late and could not distribute his wealth
among all the houses directly, and
made restitution by the best way posi-
BILE under the circumstances. Restitu-
ton. however, he remarked, ought
! s,s,sl, hA IL HnH
the party injured. In an impressive
manner the reverend gentleman said:
There are people who say We have
done very wrong but We cannot bring
ourselves to confess to the one we in
iured but we will content ourselves be-
hind the Cross, trusting in Jesus Christ
and hope in Him for eternal life
Never, Ten thousand times | say
never If | am to believe this Bible.
The doctrine is satanic and the Bible
was never intended to protect liars, for
nicators and thieves. Restitution with
out confession is literally no saliva
ton"
Taking up another phase of the ques-
ton he remarked that he was deeply in
terested in reading in a paper on the
previous evening that in the twenty
one wards in the city 234 hotels were
granted licenses, most of them hotels
without accommodation for man or
beast, and he had made little calcula-
ton, which was u very moderate one,
by which he estimated that each of the
licensed places received SO day on an
average, which meant S2,340 a day, and
as nine-tenths of the hotels did not
particularly observe the Sunday law,
1t meant that in the twenty-one wards,
the sum of $754, 100 would be spent this
year In the sale of Intoxicating drinks
and yet they heard the cry of hard
times. The charitable associations
were busy at work, and as fast as they
relieved one, the liquor factory
| turned out another
The "evl gods were grinding con-
tinually and were never idle. 1t took
$75i, 100 to take care of the indirect re-
suits of the wrong doing. In paying for
| prisons, the poorhouses, police, etc.
and he was amazed to see man APP
pointed by the people ask the court to
grant licenses to some OF the people
but he presumed that he received fee
| for so doing.
Gale d the Fec Bribc.
Each saloon paid bribe of $500 a
year, and this went toward paying the
| bill of $754, 100. He was no Prohibitions
list and was not going to butt his head
against u stone fence If he knew 1t, but
1t was no use of attempting to secure
Prohibition In such cities as New York
and Chicago by the votes of the people
and on that point he would prefer to
be excused from taking any stock in
the movement, but, at the same time.
he condemned the misuse of power
which he had witnessed at the court
house during the past week, when
those intrusted In authority had