The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-07-08
A MINISTER'S INFLUENCE,
Always Weak When he Refuses TO Obe,
his Convictions OF Right.

all who claim lO Dt loillDi-
tionists voted with the Prohibition
party, it would not be lorg until the
saloon would be swept from the land.
Ministers of the gospel advocate
prohibition and vote an anti-prohl-
bltion ticket, as well as most other
professional piohibiticnists. They
vote the Democratic, Republican or
Populist tickets generally, which
parties do not claim to be for pro-
hibition; and those who control and
shape their principles deny that
they are for the prohibition OF the
|liuuor traffic. As long as bishops.
pastors of churches, preachers gen
orally, elders and deacons OF the
various religions denominations,
support whisky parties by their
votes, and their influence through
the religious press, and in public
and private, we cannot expect the
membership of churches to believe
i'm prohibition, let alone vote with
the party.
| have often heard Of ministers
who advocate prohibition and re-
fuse to vote with the only party
Itha at stands for it. They say these
ministers are false to the principles
they advocate, or they think more
cf their old whisky party than they
do Of prohibition.
When the feeling prevails that
minister Of the gospel thinks more
of his political party than he doe'
of obeyipg his convictions OF right
his influence for good has become
very weak, and when the impress
sion prevails that minister Q
the gospel does not believe what III
pr, aches, he had better quit th'
ministry entirely. So far as m,
knowledge extends, ministers wh'
vote whisky tickets, say much les
on temperance and prohibition thar
a few years ago. To advocate pro
Inhibition and vote against the Pro
Inhibition party, most persons cal
clearl; see is inconsistent, therefor
the only reasonable course for then
is silence.
| think il more honorable for
man to stand for and defend th
saloon, as the liquor dealers did il
their late convention at lndiarapoli
than like many persons do, profes
to be opposed to the liquor trafii
and then vote for ard with part.
that is in favor of the continuanc
of the saloon.
hear it said that the Republican
party has done all that has eve
been done for temperance and pro
Ihibition. If that statement wer
true, is that any reason why a pro
lhibitionist should vote the Republi
|can ticket? Is the Republican par
Ity for prohibi ion? No intelligen
man claims that it is. The run
Ielement controls in the councils o
the Republican party just as trul.
as it does in the Democratic party
Is the saloon business right?
lit is WHY should the saloon keepe
Ibe denied any Of the rights AM
privileges of the church, or VIII
should any CT the secret orders de
Inv him membership? Why shoul
heavy burdens be placed upon hi
bush ress? If it is wrong, and tn
,lchurches and secret orders so de
clare, in denying the saloon keepe
membership, and the state empha
'Isizes the same fact, when it impose
lIheavy burdens upon the business
then why not out law the evil
'IWhy not wipe from our statut
books all laws that license this In
auity? 1t will be done when Chris
titan men ard women stand for wns
they know to be right. But tn
rank and file of the churches loo
to their leaders for Instructions j
the line Of righteousness, in dealin
with the liquor haflic as well as
t all other lines Of duty.
n II the pastor Of a church is silel
lin regard to this, the greatest
evils, or if his influence is for
party that upholds this iniquit.
can we expect the membership
that church to rise above the il
huence and teachings Of their pa
tor? | do not claim that preacl
er should preach politics, but
has Just as good a right, and it
his duty to uphold righteousness
regard to the liquor traffic as he h
bin regard to swearing, gamblin
stealing, murder, etc, and he h
Just as good right to let the wor
know that he is voting Prohil
Zionist as the Republican preach
and religious editor has to ma