Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1898-01-07

EDITOR OF THE Press

] AOOh III UuG LluCbJOn lun. som
time since the agitation in the
church on this subject led me to
preach sermon concerning it and
about the same time you printed an
editorial having a similar origin.
Sermon and editorial were prepare d
independently of each other. As to
the main point at issue, we agreed
entirely, viz; That the b" grill
room, even though without bar.
and selling only malt liquors, was
not a satisfactory solution of the
liquor-seliing problem, but rather a
surrender of the true Temperance
principle and that Professor Shields
made a grave mistake in signing its
petition for license.
AT the same time 1 maintained
that this distinguished divine might
have been honestly persuaded that
his course was a wise one that he
was entitled to his constitutional
right in the church in any action
which might be taken against him ;
and that the deliverances of the Gen
eral Assembly concerning the sale
and use of Intoxicating beverages, ARE
not Presbyterian law, though they
do indicate prevailing opinion, and
may naturally be expected to guide
the Judgment and control the action
of the ministers and members of the
church.
The new information which you
lay before your readers is to the effect
that there is a bar in the " grill
room over which liquors are sold
indiscriminately that students re-
sort to the place for gambling and
that its whole inhuence-a thing
which goes without saying under
such circumstances-is demoraliz-
ing. In my sermon 1 stated what
had frequently appeared in print,
that there was no bar, and that the
sale of ale and beer to students was
under very strict supervision.
am glad to be corrected in this parti-
cular, while not hesitating to con-
denim the grill room" bar or not.
On the main point at issue we are
still in thorough harmony. But
when you go on to say: "If the
above statement is true"-that, viz,
in regard to the bar and gambling
cit would seem superhuous to de-
bate just what weight the deliver
ances of the General Assembly
should have whether they are
laws for the government of churches,
pastors and members, or mere ex-
pressions of a consensus of opinion,
is from the moral effect of the H.
cense of the grill room, wholly
immaterial, 1 do not agree with
you. For the question with refer
ence to which this point was intro
duced concerns the proper proceed
ure of the church in dealing with
its ministers - quite a different
thing. 1t is well known that the
late DR.. Howard Crosby opposed the
General Assembly in it's temperance
deliverances with all his might and
throughout his life bringing upon
himself in this way constant and
bitter attack by radical advocates of
temperance. think he was sadly
in error, and 1 always regretted it,
but the church never disciplined
him, nor would it have been wise to
attempt it. He was clearly within
his constitutional right.
Farther facts might be adduced,
but L will pass them. A communi-
cation on this subject should not
close, however, without calling at
tention to the fact that the trustees
of Princeton University have re-
Gently revived an old law forbidding
stu dents to visit any place where
Intoxicating drinks are sold action
which in my judgment is both right
and timely. 1t was mistake and
weakness ever to allow the law to be
nullified. 7. N.
(In the remark above excepted to
we only intended to place the mat
ter on a higher plane than the tech
nical defense of DIR. Shields by his
associates. He had the constitu-
tional right to sign the application
for license, and that strictly and
technically speaking was the only
question before the Presbytery at
which he rendered his resignation.
We regret if any misapprehension
arose as to our precise meaning.
1t would have placed the college in
different position had its President
and others at that time (as Mr.. Mich
OILS suggested in his Sermon gone
a little beyond the line of the narrow
question and stated their views in
regard to the general principle of
ministers signing such petitions.
They did not do so, and while they
were adhering closely to the issue
raised they Wore also leaving a
general impression of doubt as to
their position ON the mind of the
general public.-ED. PREss.)