The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-03-08
Training Schools OF He'll.

To the Editor: have read with some In
terest the late discussion upon the saloon
question. To say that am surprised" at
the stand which some OF oGr eminent
clergymen have taken In favor OF its pro-
pagation as workingman's club, and fos-
tering It as necessity" Is putting IT
mildly. To speak the truth, am shocked
completely.
How in the face OF modern progress I'm
Christianity and the advance in civilization
these unprecedented gentlemen can pub
licly state that the drinking saloon Is O.
"necessity"is Is preposterous In the extreme-
Yet they who have pledged themselves to-
the defence Of Christ end His gospel have
dared to sanction the continuance OF these
training schools OF hell" They are noth-
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 host more which do not ap-
pear In the regular category VI criminals,
but are Just as vile as the more hardenedl
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 paper.
These clergymen may as we'll teach the,
people that the gambling and opium
race course also necessity In modern
/ civilization. Yet St.. Paul distinctly states
in bis epistles "no drunksrd car enter the
kingdom Of God" Why then should these
so-called ministers OF God advocate thai
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 q necessity, then annul
the laws Furnishing the logical product OF
saloons, and let loose upon society q 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,
n1f1ed; less paupers, less labor troubles, an
improved condition generally In every
will become an example to other nations OF
standard Of morality never before at
tanned In the worlds history.
But It Is, natural assumption, and logt-
cal deduction or inference, that the clergy
men who defend the saloons and would dub
them "poor 'workingmen's clubs have
either their church rolls 80 full OF proprie-
tors Of these dens OF wickedness, or prob
ably good sprinkling Of brewers and dis
tlllere, tO8t tney arc olfoiu " soieo Suo
true feelings of their conscience. and to
maintein good salary for themselves pre-
fer to stlfe that at the expense OF their
own souls salvation. All I would say to
these "blind guides" Is, beware!
| The leaders Of the nation, though NOT
students OF Gods law, are wfserthan they,
for (God be praised for it) they have In
serted in the New Army bill q clause
prohibiting the sale Of the vile stuff
In the army camps. They have realized
the incalculable damage resulting from It
to the army. Down with the saloon! and
prosperity follows as natural result.
E. E. BRADCocK.
Huntsville, Ala.