The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-04-01

Conference OF New Jersey. denouncing
President Mckinley as a tippler and a
.-w,ne-bibbcr'' because he occasionally
drank a glass of wine at banquet, we
said that in the estimation of conserva-
tive people this extreme action had
brought the temperance cause into con-
tempt. In reply we have received COM
munnication from Mr. w. NJ. Bickers,
the cist of which is contained in the
following: president McIlinley's church
forbids the use Of intoxicants as a bev-
eragc. privately or publicly. He is sub
feet to its rules
The Times would not uphold President
Mckinley or any other man in wllful
violation of the rules of his church. but
we cannot agree that President Mckin-
ley has violated the spirit Of the Metho-
dist rule against the use of into1icants.
OF course the Methodist Church is against
dram driking as a habit, as is every other
reputable church. but if MI. Mckinley
has violated his church temperance pledge
why does not the church in Washington.
of which nc is a devout member, can
him up before the proper tribunal and
try him? If President Mckinley were In
fact "wine-bibber" in the true sense
Of that term; If he were in the habit OF
freGuentinE saloons and drinking liquor
to excess; If he were in the habit OF get
ting drunk and making a spectacle OF
1t oil no
ject of church discipline. But so far as
we have been able to learn, and for many
years his life has been an open book, ne
is man Of high.Eh-istian character and
thoroughly consistent in his religious
life. We say it in all reverence that this
charge against Mr.. Mckinley, that he is
a "wine-b ibber,' is as groundless and
as unjust as was the SANG charge which
was brought against our Lord when he
was on Garth
There is a Methodist rule against Sing
ing those songs and reading those books
that do not tend to the knowledge or the
love of Cod; against "the putting on
of gold and costly apparel. Mr.. NC
kinley might with as much reason and
justice have been publicly denounced for
singing secular song or for wearing
gold watch and chain.
There is another rule in the Methodist
Discipline against "uncharitabie or I'M
profitable conversation. particularly speak
ing evil OF magistrates 1t seems to US
that those members of the Methodist
Conference who spoke eviT' of their
brother. Mckinley. and with so little Of
justification, are quite amcnable to this
rule, and that Mr.. Mckinley has good
ground for pleading it against them.
The Times is no champion Of President
mckinley as a politician. We do not like
his politics and we do not admire his
political course. But we say that his
character as a man, as 4 husband, and as
Christian. so far as we have ever heard
TO the contrary. is absolutely beyond re-
proach, and that his character should
have been assailed by brother Methodists
for the tritling offence charged was to
our mind at least at variance with that
charity which ''thinketh no evil and is
kind.
Moreover. we reassert it as our opin-
ion that for these representative Metho-
dists at the North to have passed over
the many. noble Christian traits which
President Mckinley has eXemplified in
his distinguished career, and to parade
ad nauscam as some great and unpar-
donable sin the fact that he occasionally
drinks a glass of wine at public func-
ton was to belittle religion and to bring
the cause of temperance into contempt.