The Penn's Grove record., 1899-03-03

To the Editor: l have read with some In
terest the late discussion Upon the saloon
question. To say that | am Surprised at
the stand which some of our eminent
~clergymen have taken in favor of its pro-
pagation as a w~orkingman's club, and fos-
tering it as q necessity" is putting 1t
mildly. To speak the truth, l am shocked
completely.
How in the face of modern progress in
Christianity and the advance in civilization
these unprecedented gentlemen can pub
liely state that the drinking saloon is a
necessity" is preposterous in the extreme.
Yet they who have pledged themselves to
the defence of Christ and His gospel have
dared to sanction the continuance Of these
training schools of hell" They are moth
ing less.
Here are trained, by the agents of Satan,
men to become murderers, thieves, assas-
sins, burglars, liars, swindlers, suicides,
wife-beaters, inhuman fathers and hus-
bands and n host more which do not APP
pear In the regular category OF criminals,
but are just as vile as the more hardened
ones. The list of professional and other
criminals directly traceable to the drink
saloon is too extensive, and too we'll known
to yourself as editor of u paper.
These ~clergymen may as well teach the
people that the gambling and opium
dens" are a necessity, the bookmaker or
race course also a necessity in modern
civilization. Yet st. Paul distinctly states
In his epistles "no drunkard car enter the
kingdom of Cod" Why then should these
so-called ministers of God advocate the
continuance of the resorts which produce
drunkards? On the face of 1t, they prove
themselves not ministers of God, but of the
evil one, for they are traitors to Gods
cause in advocating the saloon In any way
whatsoever.
II the saloon be a necessity, then annul
the laws Furnishing the logical product OF
saloons, and let loose upon society a horde
of criminals of every class. Saloons make
criminals, and are responsible to society
for overcrowded prisons, insane asylums,
poorhouses, ETC., etc. Close the saloons
and society will be the better and more dig
nitied; less paupers, less la Dor troubles, an
improved condition generally in every
branch of civilization. The nation, too,
will become an example to other nations OF
q standard of morality never before at
tanned in the worlds history.
Bat 1t is, a natural assumption, and a logt-
cal deduction or inference, thatth clergy
men who defend the saloons and would dub
them poor Eworkingmen'S clubs" have
either their church rolls so full of proprie-
tors of these lens Of w~ickedness, or prob
ably a good sprinkliDg of brewers and dis
t%illers, that they are afraid to voice the
true feelings of their conscience, and to
maintain a good salary for themselves pre-
fer to stifle that at the expense of their
own souls salvation. All would say to
these "blind' guides" is, bewarel
The leaders of the nation, though not
students OF Gods law, are wiser than they,
for (God be praised for it) they have in
serted In the New Army bill a clause
prohibiting the sale Of the vile stuff
in the army camps. They have realized
the incalculable damage resulting from 1t
to the army. Down with the saloonl and
prosperity follows as a natural result.
E.. Z. BRADDocK.
Huntsville, Ala.