The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-27
THE WHISKEY PROBLEM.
ARE TIE PREACHERS IN LEAGUE
WITH TIE DEVIL? ,y.
Kov. j. H. Williamson tofseho Presbyterian
Churcl... zsiScusses tho Problem In an
Af1o SermOn-Opposed to the Traffic
In Every Form-Pnrtnisers In tho
Sin Whenever to any Extent
we Become Partners In tho
Traffic.

cred last Sunday night at tho union
service ut tho Baptist church by Rev.
j. L. Williamson, pastor of tho Pres
byterian church. Ho had boforo do
livered it at his own church. IT is a
strong and clear presentation Of tho
whiskey problem.
"Neitherbo partakcr Of othcrm
sins. "-I Timothy, V. 20.
The problom that is now domand-
ing and receiving moro attention in
this State than all others is thowhis-
key problem. In the struggle for
the solution Of this problom, upon
which depends the welfare not only
of this generation but of, generations
yot unborn, it is said that tho preach
"el's are in collusion with tho Devil.
Wo aro not surprised at this accusa-
ton; 1T only reminds lis of similar
accusation that was once mado
against tho Master himself. He was
accused of casting out dovils through
Beelzebub tho prince Of dovils; how
then could we expect less railing
accusation to be mado against his
servantsY But you will notice that
while there was no truth in tho ac-
cusation brought against tho Master,
there was this acknowledged truth
the Mastor did cast out dovils. And
SO while there is as little truth in
this accusation brought against his
servants today, there is I suppose
this much truth implied and acknow-
ledged, they are opposed to tho buy
ing, tho selling, and tho use of intox-
icating drinks as q beverage, I caro-
not by whom it is conducted. Tho
Bible of whose principles they are to
be living exponents, is SO plain in it's
teachings that drunkenness is Il
crime, and that he who aids and
abcts tho drunkard in any way and
to any cNtont, is pariicops criminis
with him that | do not see how any
minister of the Gospel can take low
er ground than opposition to tho IL
quor traffic in all it's ramilications.
The Bible not only teaches that
no drunkard shall inherit the king
dom Of God, but it also pronouncos
upon the whole class, woes that are
dense enough with tho wrath Of God
to sink them all down ten thousand
fathoms deep in adamanite chains
and penal fires. All this is 80 plain
ly taught that it moods no unfolding,
only announcement and enforcement.
| will therefore pass on to other
teachings along this line--teachings
that if not eglected are practically
disrogardod even by tho sober class
cs Of society. These aro to tho Of
feet that thero il danger that we will
q be partaKors along with tho drunl1ard
in his wiclsedness and in his punish
= mont. God has so arranged the laws
OF society, that none of us liveth to
himself, or dieth to himself; what
ovor touches one, touches all. We
share our neighbours joys and sor-
rows, his PROSPERITY and his adversi-
ty. And now tho solemn thought
presented in tho text is we may also
share his sins share them in such q
way that his sins become our sins,
aud his punishment our punishment.
I. In order thon to obey tho apos-
tlo's injunction contained in the text,
it becomes us to consider with the
utmost care tho ways in which we
may become partakers Of tho sins in
volvod in this liquor traffic. OF
course, L cannot in tho time allotted
to one DISCOURSE, montiOn all the
ways possible or evon probable All
that | can do is to call your atton-
tion to a few Of the leading ways,
hoping that you will take them as
suggestions along the line Of invosti-
cation.
1. We arc partnl1ers of tho sin
whenever we to any extont become
Eyrtnors in the traffic. This is 80
apparent that it has aIwa >en rec
ognizod in law. An accG.nplico or
accessory is always considered as
sharing the guilt Of tho principal.
This docs not mood to be proved, it
only needs to be illustrated and on
forced.
Suppose that I while on tho street
somo night should meet with three
men. One presents pistol to my
breast, another thrusts his hand into
my pocket and draws therefrom my
money, while tho other stands guard
watching lest tho police como upon
item while in tho very act Of dopre
dntion. Now which ono of tho throt
is guilty of robberyP There is not
one hore but would say they arc al
three alike guilty, and that they al
alike deserve tho penalty of the law
And if the penalty Of the crime is
fifteen years hard labor in the peni
tentiary, it would not be enough that
each serve five years, and 30 fulfil