The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-08-23

An encyclical letter from the bishops
of the Protestant Episcopal church
was read in st. Marks Episcopal
church, Dunmore, yesterday by Rev.
e. j. Haughton. The letter will be
read in every Protestant Episcopal
church throughout the world. In part
1t is as follows:
Intemperance still continues to be one
of the chief hindrances to religion in the
great mass of our people. There are
| many excellent societies engaged In the
conflict with 1t, but they need steady
and resolute perseverance to effect any
serious Improvement. 1t is important to
lay stress on the essential condition of
permanent success in this work, namely,
that 1t should be taken up In religious
spirit as part of Christian devotion to the
Lord.
We desire to repeat with the most
earnest emphasis what was said on the
subject of purity by the last conference,
and we reprint herewith the report which
| that conference unanimously adopted.
We know the deadly nature of the sin
| of impurity, the fearful hold 1t has on
| those who have once yielded, and the
| fearful strength of the temptation. The
need for calling attention to this is great
| ly increased at present by the difficulties
| that hamper all attempts to deal with
| the frightful diseases which everywhere
| attend 1t. We recognize the duty of
| checking the spread of such diseases, but
| we recognize also the terrible possibility
| that the means used for this purpose may
| lower the moral standard and so, in the
| end, foster the evil in the very endeavor
| to uproot it. We are convinced that the
| root of all such evil is in the sin itself,
| and that nothing will in the end prove
| effectual against 1t which does not from
| first a Ia w
| that the sin Is a degradation to those
| who fall into 1t, whether men or women,
| and that purity is within reach of every
| Christian who, trusting in the grace Of
| God, fights the battle of his baptismal
| vow.
sANCTITY OF MARRIAGE.
The maintenance of the dignity and
| sanctity of marriage lies at the root of
| social purity, and therefore of the safety
and sacredness of the family and the
| home. The foundation of it's molly secur-
ity and honor is the precept of our Lord,
| What, therefore, God hath Joined to-
| gether let no man put asunder." We
| utter our most earnest words of warning
| against the lightness with which the
| lifelong vow of marriage is often taken;
| against the looseness with which those
| who enter into it's holy estate often re-
| gard its obligations; and against the fire.
| quency and facility of recourse to the
most solemn bond. The full consldera-
ton, however, of this matter 1t has been
| impossible to undertake on this occa-
| sion.
The industrial problems of the present
| day present themselves under the double
| aspect of justice between man and man,
| and sympathy with human needs. 1t is
widely thought in some classes that the
present working of our industries is un-
just to the employed and unduly favor
able to the employer. 1t is obviously not
| possible for us to enter upon the con-
sideration, of such a question in detail
| But we think 1t our duty to press the
great principle of the Brotherhood OF
| Man, and to urge the Importance OF
| bringing that principle to bear on all the
| relations between those who are con-
| nected by the tie of a common employ
ment. Obedience to this law of brother
| hood would ultimately, in all probabil.
ity, prevent many of the mischiefs which
attend our present system. Upon this
aspect of the industrial problems wise
and helpful counsels will be found in
the report.
The other aspect of these problems con,
Germs those classes of the community
by our Lord to the loving care of His
disciples, the poor. 1t is undeniable thai
poverty Is so far from being regarded r
the New Testament as a hindrance tc
the acceptance of the Gospel that 1t is
on the contrary, the rich as such thai
are warned that they will find serious
difficulty in entering the Kingdom Of
Heaven.
TEMPTATIONS AND TROUBLES.
STILL the poor have temptations ant
troubles from which the rich are
temptations and to lessen these trouble.
is one of the special duties of the Chris