Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-18
Abstracts from Sermons Delivered on
the Subject Yesterday.
OBSERVANCE OF TEMPERANCE SUNDAY
Suggestions by Washington Pas
tors in Interest of Moral Reform.
CHURCH AGAINST SALOON

| In many OIL the churcheS throughout the
District yesterday was observed as ITEM
| perance Sunday and the sermons and ad-
dresses had reference to the drink habit
| and drink traffic, or one or the other of
| these subjects. ar invitation to this effect
| having been sent out by the Anti-SaloOn
| League, as mentioned in The Star of Sat
| urday.
The following are verbatim quotations
! from a number of representative speak,
ers of different denominations who pre-
| scented their views various phases of
the practical questions involved:
'Am 1 My Brothers. Keeper.'
| AT Vermont Avenue Christian Church
| Rev. F. D. Power, DID,, the pastor, in the
| course of a sermon from the above text,
said:
| Tke devastation, sorrow, want and
crime wrought by the liquor business see
every day among my neighbors. Do not
| we owe it to God, our fellows and our
| selves that we put fol tn our best efforts
| to check this fearful work of desolation ?
| May we not only withhold our signatures
from applications for license, but arouse
! others to do this, circulate protests against
| the issuing of such licenses and work with
| those who oppose this satanic business?
| II we have power in any degree to
| check this murderous work and do not ex-
ercise it, are we not to that extent sharing
| with the Gains who commit the deed? And
| If the rum seller comes up before God to
| confront his victims, and the question is
| PUT: What is this which thou hast done p
| and he brings in his trembling fingers the
| license, duly approved by the authorities
| of the District of Columbia. as his plea for
| 1ustlhcation and boldly places it before the
| eye of the Judge, what will we have to
| say, who have made his diabolical traffic
| possible, either by Cur apathy o. positive
| heip?'
ENsf0
Rev. John ]. Cornell of Baltimore SPOKE
| at the Friends meeting house on 1 street
I'm attempting he said, ito eradicate
an evil so radical as that of the use of al
| cohoic liquors as a beverage, we have to
| take into consideration the causes from
which the evil had its source and still has
| its sustenance." He cited as two of these
the widespread idea that such beverages
are stimulating, and hence healthful,''
and their use in the treatment of many
forms of disease, and then gave some in
| teresting facts and statements from emf
| nent scientists to show that alcohol is
never stimulant. but always a narcotic .
end that it is mot only unnecessary but
positively harmful in the treatment of dis
ease"
In conclusion, he advocated "crystalizing
Pubic sentiment against the liquor traffic
by combining the efforts Of all the temper
ancc forces, and recommended for such
alliance the Anti-Saloon League
At the Friends meeting ORTHODOXY, in
the Y. NJ. c. A. rooms, New York ave-
| nue., at II am, Prof. Robert B. Warder
said, In part:
| I'm consideration Of the ruinous effects of
alcoholic liquors, including wine and cider
Friends believe in total abstinence from
their use. except for mechanical or med
1cinal purposes. The effect of example in
| leading others astray should determine the
| course of those who may think that mod
crate Indulgence would be harmless for
themselves. We further believe it wrong
to contribute to our great national evil by
| importation, manufacture or sale of intoxi-
| cants and by the rental of property or sale
| of produce for such purposes. This is es-
sentially the present position of the church;
| and while membership may be forfeited by
continued violation in any respect, Chris
| tian consideration is extended toward any
members that may fall below this stand
about US, both preventive and reforma tory,
| is also recognized as the duty of the
| church,
Methodist Sentiments.
| At Mt. Vernon Place NJ. E. Church South
| Rev. j. w. Duffey, the pastor, after speak
| ing of the evil Of the saloon, said:
I'VE cannot stop it by denouncing it. nor
by whining against it. nor by high license;
but by putting men in Office who will en-
force our laws and who will themselves be
enforced by a healthful public sentiment
! that sentiment which has driven the evil
from the sideboard, driven it behind screens,
| driven 1t from respectable neighbOrhoods
| stamped it with high tax and low dishonor
and branded 1t as the most Infamous traf-
nc that ever cursed the race. II all Chris
| tians were fully enlisted in this cause and
fired with heroic purpose to hew down
! this monster, the saloon would soon 60
| Meanwhile we must get the liquor demon
out of the individual and the gospel angel
| into him, and so make every man to be a
Tenn a o1lrR ,txs,ft ov, lit.
At Foundry NJ e. Church Rev. Lucien
Clark, d. D., who, like DIR. Duffey, is one
| or our new pastors, preached at his even
| ing service on Pulling down Strongholds, :"
| and said in part:
THE gospel and strong drink are direct
ly antagonistic to each other. There can
be no peace, no compromise between them
| But some will say, this is a question for
| politicians, political economists and lesis-
| lators. What has the church to do with
| IT! We answer: 1t is the business Of the
! church to pull down the strongholds Of sin
ana to destroy the works Of the devil. This
| Is stronghold of SIN, a work of the devil.
| what can the church do in this reform ?
| !. 1t can arouse men, and especially Chris
tians, from the apathy which is painfully
! apparent. 2. 1t can show the evil Of moder-
ate drinking. 3. 1t can fortify children and
| young people against the evils of intemper-
| ance, ana equip them for successful war
fare against this foe of God and man. L.
| 1t can secure better legislation
| What right has the church to meddle
with legislation? 1t is the legitimate bust
| ness of the church to utter it's voice and
exert its influence to the utternost against
every social and practical abomination.
| This voice must come from ecclesiastical
organizations. conferences and councils,
| from the pulpit, the religious press and
individual Christians. and must give no un-
| certain sound Not long since an attempt
was made in Louisiana to secure an extern
| sion of the charter of the infamous lottery
| scheme, which for ten years had cursed
| that state and the whole nation. Had the
| church kept silent doubtless this iniuuitous
| attempt would have succeeded Some
years ago law was enacted by the legis-
| lature OF New Jersey legalizing race-track
| gambling. Had the Christian press and
pulpit altogether held its peace the law
| would have gone into effect. But the
| thunders of the gospel defeated the pur-
| pose OF the wicked. These were political
questions. They were also moral and re-
| iisious questions. The Equalization of the
| rum traffic Is similar question. The ar
| tillery of the gospel must be turned ON this
determination until it shall cease
Congregational Advice.
Rev. s. NJ. Newman, DID,, at the First
Congregational Church, said. in part:
Il desire to join with other pastors today