Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1895-03-05

Is No Middle Ground For Chris
tians.
The following excerpts from recent
sermon preached by Rev. George Il.
DeKay of the Congregational church Of
Santa Monica, Cal. are well worth care
full reading. His text was Matthew
xvii, "a: "He took water and washed
his hands, saying, am innocent Of the
blood of this righteus person. See ye to
it."
We have in the United States an
army of $50, 900 liquor dealers.
And some Of them wear the uniform
of the United States army, and under
orders from United States officers deal
out liquor to fellow soldiers as federal
duty.
There are 245, 900 liquor stores and
saloons in the United States, including
the one run in our capitol building at
Washington for the convenience Of con.
gressmen and senator's.
Place these in line ON each side Of a
street, give each front Of 80 feet and
allow for cross street every half mile,
and the row would extend from the
boundary line Of British Columbia,
straight down through Washington, Ore
gon, and nearly to the border line Of
southern California and Mexico.
Sy 81
would extend 2, 400 miles-a horrible
street Of infamy and disgraoe-the road.
way to HE'LL
-
Seventy-five per cent Of all crimes
committed for which convictions are Sc
cured are the results Of intemperance,
and it costs us over $50, 900, 900 year
to defend the community against the
criminals.
Seventy-five per cent Of all the pau.
pers in our almshouses are there as
the result either directly or indirectly
of drink, and at least another SO, 00o,-
900 go to support them.
Twenty-Five per cent Of the insane in
public asylums are either there directly
or indirectly from intemperance, anoth.
er expense of Sc, 900, 900 or $1,000, 900.
Thus we have drink bill Of over ST.
900, 900, 900 and another bill Of expenses
to the government alone Of SIS, 900, 600.
And this takes no account Of the loss
of productive power or through sickness
caused by intemperance
~
It is our national shame and disgrace.
And some one is responsible.
| Who is it?
Is it those whose appetite leads them
to drink and others whose love Of mon
ey leads them to sell?
Yes, but only in part
They are the clamoring, maddened
Jews of this case, demanding Of the polit.
ical PLATE the crucifxion Of high and
sacred prinoiple-a principle old as the
world which God gave-the holy prin-
oiple Of love.
There are no unwashed hands in that
crowd.
The only apology ever heard sa.
loon keeper offer was, "There's money
in it," and II pay license"
The man who becomes drunkard is
morally responsible for his crime of be-
ing drunk, that is all.
And if I were judge on the bench,
and a man convicted before me Of
crime committed while he was drunk, I
would say if it were in my power,
"You have tried this man for the wrong
crime"
When he became drunken, he lost his
reason and manhood and sank to the
level of a real brute, not responsible for
his actions.
Make his drunkenness his crime and
try him for that.
The liquor seller cannot wash his
hands, although I believe he can get
them as near clean as the men who sign
his petition for a license or vote him his
license.
I am not fighting saloon keepers, but
saloon business.
I have known a good many saloon
keepers, and nearly all were big heart.
ed, good natured and kindly disposed
fellows.
Consistency, thou art q jewel"
which we wish were more conspicuous
in the crown of the church.