The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-08-31

CONDUCTED by MRS. NJ. l.. HOBBS.
SPIRITUAL PARALYSIS.

EDITOR iHALANN - mere IL III
editorial in a recent number of thu
North Western Christian Advocate
that ought to be read and re read
by every Christian, and especially
minister, in this republic. JUS
now the great Methodist church il
discussing the philosophy Of its
slow progress and its lack Of old
time revival power and conservation.
Various reasons are offered for this
sad state of things. The editor OF
the above paper raises the saloon
issue and the relationship of the
christian voter to this business.
The burden of the argument seems
to be to the effect that one Of the
great causes of lack Of power is the
consent given by the Christian peo-
pie to this diabolical saloon bust
ness. Some of the paragraphs are
as follows:
"Nothing is clearer than that
Christian consent, and Christian
consent alone, legalizes that traffic
and puts its bloated prophets at the
head of its columns of progress.
Since legalization cannot be without
sin, consent and legalization dem
onstrate the presence of sin-known,
identified, and consented to sin.
Were it any other sin, the whole
issue would be beyond controversy
He who harbors known preferred
sin Instantly becomes conscious of
spiritual paralysis. Two men who
are companions in sin become u
pair Of paralytics. Ten or a hun
dred partners in identified sin are
but a larger group Of sinners in
bonds. A thousand who go hand
in hand even to permit iniquity
constitute congregation of trans
gressors. A million or two millions
who consent to that which curses
their fellow men must expect to for
felt the blessing of God and stumble
in conscious darkness. A sin that
must remain unlegalized so long as
Christian people refuse to legalize
it, is sure to curse and snarl at stur-
dy servants Of God and man. An
infamous traffic, already convicted
of all manner of uncleanness, cru
city and moral anarchy, which
mounts to legalization through the
sinful acquiescence Of men who
pray, gets more comfort from the
gospel than do those who continue
to pray and to legalize the sin.
''But what shall Christian men
do? We do not say-except that
anything is better than legalization
under the terms Of abnormal sinful
consent. We name no party or
parties. The one now in power long
ago ceased all qualms about legal
izing the traffic, sin or no sin, and
now keeps silence when the attorney
general squarely abrogates a law
while the wet ink drips from the en-
actment. The traffic is king.
1--WE should break pen to atoms
that dared to assail the church in
terms that seem to gloat over the
fall Of Zion; but what reply shall be
given to holy, devout, sincere, lib
eral, intelligent and consecrated
men who on their knees weep be-
cause they think they identity the
scarlet beast and the ruthless mon
ster that is gnawing at the heart Of
Christ's church? Is it all an open
question? If so, let us be honest
before God while we compile the
proofs and prepare the indemnify
ing arguments that release this aw-
full suspect and bring the real CT
fender before the tribunals Of suf-
fering men and justly-o offended
God.
at may be a political question.
If two parties are recreant, where is
the reserved third or the fourth, or
the fifth? Like an army that fights
with its face to the sea, the coming
party surely must hear the roar OF
the breakers. If the foe is not
driven into the sea, he will gain
ground and drive good men inshore
and into the wilderness"
These sentiments so thoroughly
embody my own convictions, that
instead Of writing an article thought
TO quote at length. Not only so,
but it is a sign Of progress and ulti-
mate victory when we see the lead
ing church papers talk like the
above. There is no doubt in my
mind but what the prohibition sen
timent is everywhere growing.
There are more voting prohibition
lists than ever before-men who
have settled, clear-cut convictions
and they will not backslide.
Their tribe will increase.
w. II. HICKMAN.