The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-12-21
w. C. 7. U. COLUMN.

The rum traffic in West Africa is
the curse of the country. 1t both
hinders and counteracts our mission.
airy efforts. As rule, our native
Christian men cannot find employ.
ment with the white traders unless
they are willing 90 accept rum in part
payment for their services. Christian
natives engaged in the rubber and
ivory trade are required TO take rum
to the interior tribes in exchange for
these articles, making the evil nature
OF the heather even worse than before.
1t is sad to see the increased degrade
ton of the natives in their villages
caused by the white mans rum.
Whenever speaking to some of the
natives about drinking rum, | have
invariably received the answer: eve
do not want rum in our countries, and
we wish you ministers or missionaries
would send letter over the big sea
and tell them not to send us any more
rum. Mrs. p. Menkel, Batanga.
West Africa presbyterian Board.
The above clipping, taken from the
Union Sign al tells us all too plainly the
power that King Alcohol is gaining in
foreign lands. Wherever the blessed
gospel is sent, there too, even on the
same vessel oftentimes, which conveys
our missionaries to these fields of
labor is also sent the death-dealing
poison which the poor heather has
rightly named fire-water. We, who
boast of being an enlightened Chris
tian nation, how long shall King AL
cohol sit enthroned in our land?
How long to the heather nations at
least shall the name "Christian" be
synonymous withrum? Wherever the
Bible is sent, wherever the Stars and
Stripes wave as an emblem of liberty.
there, too, is established curse so
blighting, tyranny so revolving, that
the poor deluded people awake to find
that they have only been liberated
from bondage to fall into the clutches
of still greater thralldom fostered
and perpetrated by the very nation
that had essayed to liberate them.
laundering down from the summit of
Mt. Sinia and from the prophets of
to the worshippers of Baal comes this
ringing command: "Choose We this
day whom ye will serve, if God be
chosen God serve him.
The time has come when Christians
individually and as a church, cant no
longer afford to maintain a SILENT at
titude on this great question. We are
commanded to cry aloud and spare
not that we be not partakers in this
great sin. II is no longer question
as to whether this liquor curse shall
undermine our best interests as ma
ton, our best interests as a church
and as citizens, that time has gone by.
Any Christian, any logical thinker,
cannot fail to see whittier we are drift
ing. The monarch Rum sits enthroned
in our land! Shall we bow down and
worship this strange God? Or shall
we break down his affairs and declare
as a church of the living God we will
not have this monarch to reign
over us?
How much longer shall the lips of
profeesed Christians be padlocked be-
cause of their political allegiance. or
party affiliations?
If sin is sin let us denounce it as
such even though it should be COM
mitted 10y the highest potentate of our
land. Let us declare against it that
the guilt of their transgressions be
upon our souls.
Who is to blame The tide flows on.
That carries thousands to the sea:
The tide of sin of crime, of death.
Into "A black eternity.
who is to blame? The stalwart man
Becomes drunkard sad to see
wreck of manhood noble, good,
Is it, oh Christian, you or me.
Who is to blame: The starving wife.
Wretched and wan, sinks down to die.
In poverty and misery
While round her helpless children cry.
Who is to blame? An only son
Is lured into the haunts of sin,
WHY others do IT, let him 60
The worlds no time to think of him.
Who is to blame; The tide howson.
This sixty thousand to their grave;
Oh hear their cries of agony.
Oh Christian, reach your hands to save
Who is to blame? An, pause to think,
We VINO your brothers keepers are:
What answer win you give your God
When called before His judgment barr