St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-08-28


law from such friendship as some OF
these men occupying high positions
in church have for it. In his lnaug-
ural address, Gov. Woodbury., who
is a member of a Christian church,
took high ground in favor of an hon
est enforcement of our prohibitory
laws. The general public will judge
whether his public utterances then
were consistent with his conduct in
the management of his hotel or the
drug store in the building of which
he was IT least part owner. 1t is
very Inconsistent for Christian
church to allow regular communi'
cant to rent property that he knows
will be used for the illegal sale OF
spirituous liquors, and yet this is
done in some of our larger towns.
There are very few, if any, churches in
the state which are willing in any
other way than by passing a resolu'
| luton, to take stand in favor OF an
impartial enforcement of the law in
their communities There is always
the excuse that some member will be
hurt, or some members friend or
friends will be hurt, or some sup
porter of the church will be offended
and alienated. The statement may
be denied, and doubtless it will be by
some; but the simple and honest
truth of the matter is that the Chris
tian churches OF Vermont are not
ready for a God-learing and impair
tial enforcement of our prohibitory
law. They are neither willing to be
themselves active in its enforcement,
nor are they willing that the officers
OF the law should impartially enforce
it, for if they should, in some instan-
ces at least, their own membership
would suffer, and in other instances
their financial support would be ma
terially lessened. Whenever a tenn
perance reform is going on in COM
munity and the enforcement OF the
law is loudly called for, the churches
that are going to be unfavorably
affected by its enforcement will begin
to hedge and apologize for the
wrong doors. They will advise eau
ton, talk charity, plead this ex-
cuse and that, ask that the
offender be reasoned with and given
another trial; seldom, if ever, are
they willing to say ives, the law
should be enforced fairly upon all
alike, and we are ready to do our
part" The churches by such incon-
sistencies and make-shifts place them
selves in a most unfavorable light
before that class of citizens who are
not disposed to take much stock in
religion or churches. 1t is really too
bad that what we commonly call the
worldly portion of society has so
{ little confidence in the temperance
principles of our churches; but when
we take into account the incon-
sistency of the churches in regard to
temperance and prohibition we
ought not to wonder at this lack OIL
, confidence.
Do we doubt that the vices of So
ciety would wither and die under the
blazing sunlight of an awakened
opposing moral sentiment of the
entire Christian church When tn,
entire church of the North began, by
, pulpit, press and vote to Oppose
| instead of apologize for the sin o
q slavery. the time was at hand for th'
? downfall of slavery. Do you say
= that it was the war that freed TIL
: slave? Was there not moral senti
j ment in the hearts of the loyal peopl
e of the North that supported the wa
l. and carried it forward TO a success
. full issue? But how very slow wer
h the churches, through all that long
0 dreary, anti-slavery agitation, il
# coming up to a firm and united SUP
e port of the anti-slavery cause? TIL
h wealthy and arstocratic churches @
q the North had, many of them, rio
q members who owned Southern plan
:. tations and slaves. This fact mad
e them cautious, conservative, an
ready to denounce the abolitionist
O as disturbers OF the peace. Slavery
e they said, was wrong and 60
le would destroy it in His own goo
,e time; but what was the use of trvin
# to forestall Divine Providence !? VIII
!. keep up an eternal agitation of tn
re- subject that could do no possibl
,. good, but most certainly would d
-, much hurt in dividinU churches an