The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-30
CHRIST OPPOSES INTEMPERANCE
The Theme Of Rev. Mr.. Nutting's Last
Nights Prelude.

At the Union Congregational Church
last night Rev. Wallace Nut ting said in
the prelude to his sermon:
i want to say something upon the
question of license or no-license. III our
Lord Jesus CHRIST were here upon earth
today aud saw the evils of intemperance
and how little OF good was connected
with the use of liquor In any degree, SO
far as my insight goes, He would engage
Himself strongly to stamp out intemper-
ance of every sort, and think lie would
even go farther than that, and would es-
tablish As His rule that TO use liquor at
all as a beverage was intemperance.
III we could have now such wine as lie
made on one festive occasion, and IL we
only drank it when we went TO weddings
IL might not hurt us so mucn, especially
weddings in this church.
The question arises as to what we shall
do in this matter. In America everybody
is sovereign and he cannot depute his
responsibility to anybody else. Suppose
you were king, what would you do
about it? You might, / suppose, stamp
II out il you could. You would be per-
sistent about it, and would not split hairs
in the matter. There might be many
good-inetntioned people who would at
tempt to mitigate the evil, but 1t is very
much like surgical operation; IL you
have to bear 1t you do. but II you can re-
move the cause Of the disease, 1t Is so
much better.
Owing TO the overwhelming nature OF
my pastoral and pulpit duties in this
church and the spring temperature coming
npon us my thoughts and body have been
so occupied that have not been able to
join in the crusade on this question, but
] wish to say for the benefit OF everybody
who Is glad OF that because they suppose
4
mistaken. would go out every night IL
could. A man cannot do too much
work of that kind, providing he talks
sense and Is not actuated by some uiterior
object.
We ought always to cast our influence
against any public recognition OF the
legality of such trade as that of liquor
This preliminary word is merely for the
sake of possibly influencing somebody,
and letting it be known where we stand.
There is what seems 10 me to be a good
way, a way which hops will be followed
i'm Providence in the future, and n work
in which shall be glad to help all in my
power-and that is to see what we can do
toward enforcing the present liquor
laws. The present law may be little and
weak, but II II can be administered prop
erly nothing will do more to tone up
public sentiment. That has been my ex-
perience In other places where have been.
1t seems to me good way, not as prac-
ticable. more like forlorn hops, to
endeavor to make further laws before we
enforce what we have. You cannot en-
force laws that are above public sentiment
and the present laws are not ahead OF
public sentiment.
Inslstence that the officials charged
with the enforcement of the laws should
keep their oaths of Office would be thought
in time to change public sentiment
that II would be feasible and practicable
to secure the better laws now desired.
This city, be it said. to its shame, is
away behind In such matters. We ought
not to allow many portions OF England
and states in this country TO so far sur
pass us in this matter, which has touched
this church to the quick since have been
here and also some who have attended
here