The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-03-08
CHURCH OFFICERS
ACTION IS ENDORSED
Penn Avenue Baptist Congregation Takes
Arising Vote.
AGAINST THE SALOON LICENSES
DIR. Dixon Presents II Set of Plainly
WOrdcd Resolutions Which Are
Unanimously Endorsed - Four
Blocks in the Vicinity of the Church
Building Contain 26 Drinking
Led Astray in These Places.

The members of the Penn Avenue
Baptist church at the regular morning
service yesterday arose and indorsed
the action of the officers of the church
in opposing the granting of licenses to
several liquor establishments in the
vicinity of the church structure. A Sc.
of very plain resolutions read by the
pastor, Rev. DR.. Joseph X. Dixon, were
endorsed as follows
While this church as an organization
depreciates the existence of the great
liquor evil it recognizes that the laws
also exist and that certain franchises are
granted by the courts to those who obey
the laws under which licenses are given
for the sale of intoxicating drinks, never
theless
BE it Resolved, That the Penn Avenue
Baptist church in public session assem-
bled does hereby announce the firm con-
Niction and does emphatically protest
against the continuation in business of
those places wherein the law is not heed
ed and where the Sabbath is desecrated,
and where disorder gaming and lewd
practices are permitted We believe that
the wellbeing of this community and the
personal safety of those who worship
here demands it. We believe that the
time has come to extend a strong arm
of protection around the hundreds of
ouludS StHOOl Cnllufen VINO come mere
from time to time; that the pupils of our
kindergarten and industrial schools as
well as the attendants upon all our meet
ings are exposed to great danger morally
and physically by the insult and even
attacks of drunken men under our Very
doors:
IT'S ACTION COMMENDED.
Resolved, That we commend the action
of the advisory committee and the trus
tees in demonstrating against those places
where the violations of the law are so
tiagrant. and pledge them our hearty sup
port. That in our judgment the most lib
eral construction of the law does not
show the necessity for any more hotels
in this block than those against which no
remonstranCes have been filed.
DR.. Dixon introduced the reading of
the resolutions by a brief talk in which
the methods of conducting some of the
saloons in the vicinity of the church
We're roundly scored,
Estimating the number of services
and various gatherings at the church
during one year and the number Of
young people who came to and depart
ed from the meetings, q total of 95. $50
persons identified with the church
passed before the saloons every twelve
months aEd We're insulted or made un-
willing witnesses of the drunkenness
and other vices allied to the liquor
traffic. 1t seemed rather ironical that
the congregation had contributed 500
last year to the Rescue mission whose
candidates are, in part, made by the
saloons.
There were, he said, twenty-six sa-
looms in the four blocks north of Lacka-
a N nf n la pnc
twenty women We're found on a recent
Sunday night AS many as 709 appli-
cations, the largest number in the citys
history, are now waiting action before
the courts. There are, he said, 1000
licensed and unlicensed places in the
city limits.
THOSE OBJECTED TO.
The Penn Avenue Baptist remon-
strances are against John c. Weichel
whose wholesale liquor store is sepa-
rated from the north side of the church
by only a space a few feet wide; Frank
Nj. Amsbry's saloon which immediate
ly adjoins WeichePs place, the two be-
ing separated by a partition; Michael
Bannon, whose saloon is on the north
east corner of the block opposite the
church, and Christ Gomeringer, whose
saloon is across the street from the
church and almost opposite it at No.
235.
1t is claimed that not only the gener-
al effect of the saloons is bad, but that
| in the case of several boys who attend
| Sabbath school, the boys have been di-
| rectly contaminated and led astray. 1t
was told a Tribune reporter by an of
| ficer of the. church yesterday that sew
| eral of these boys had been detected in