The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-08-01
The Church in Politics.

lLc dtllOll Oh jne (Itcl!N lIlt i'lH'iiNo
Conference. or rather the action OF the
committee on temperance. calls tor crit
iciSm. With all due respect to those
who composed that religious body, II
really seems 10 me that the committee
on temperance are not altogether con-
SiStent in the position they have tai ken
on the whiSkey question. 1t Is evident
that Il boost for the so-callcd Frohlbl-
lion candidate has been attempted I'M
der the sacred cover OF the church. but
in doing this the committee have GER
tainly lost sight of the moral and chris
tian side OF this question. as regards the
National Importance of such a ques-
ton. The committee. in preparing
their report. were not content with set
ting forth the evils OF intemperance,
bat actually adopted. aS a means OF con-
trolling the whiSkey evil. the same
plan proposed by the Prohibition Con-
vrntion. word for word: that Is. that
the sale OF SpiritiouS liquors be restrict
ed to ''mcdicinal. sacramental and
scientific purposes. Now. Mr.. f.dltor
| don't believe that our people are such
fools that they cannot discern the re-
li"ious clubbing indulged in by this
committee. It is all right for lawyers
TO indulge in legal bubbles and hair
splitting. bat when it comes 70 the
church of God lending its influence 10
political party composed OF the Ola
bar room whiskey element and lot OF
political SchemerS, under the SulSe OF
Prohibition. such an act on the parl OF
our church representatives Is 4 shame
ful lowering of the church'S influence.
The report of the committee says that
the sale of whiskey '.as a beverage IS 4
crime against the State, as well as
against God that ought to be suppress
ed. vet this same document would pro-
vide for the manufacture and sale OF
whiskey by restricting it to medicinal.
Sacramental and scientific purposes.
So the intelligent and discriminating
reader will perceive that the committee
does not propose to absolutely prohibit
the manufacture and sale OF whlsker.
but simply TO make a change in the
manner of dealing with it. which. IN
the committees opinion, would be q
better way TO deal with the liquor buSl-
ness than as at present managed. %
serve. however, that the State would
still have 10 maintain dlSpensary or
else. make diSpensaries out OF the drug
store From 4 religious Or christian
point of view. why have whiskey at all?
If the handling OF whiskey by the State,
as j. now done, IS So demoralizing and
home blighting. why provide for It's
sale in any form: Why not abolish it
altogether and prohibit its manufac-
ture: Why practice deception by pro
posing TO restrict its sale tomedlcinaI.
sacramental and scientific purpoSes::'
For how easy it will be TO get whiskey for
medicinal" purposes? How easy for
scientific" purposes? And in the name
of God what earthly use can the church
have for Spirituous liquors for Sacra-
mental" purposes? The wine that
Christ made. it has been contended,
WAS the pure juice OF the grape and un-
fermented: and if this be so. why not use
that kind of wine for ''Sacramental'
purposes. without having to provide 4
place to keep fermented wine for sac
ramental purposes: And then again.
Nj. Editor if the sale and manufac-
ture" of whiskey is crime against the
State, is ii not just as great 4 crime
against the entire nation. and Just as
much subject TO restriction Is a crime
against the nation as against the State:
Yet these good preachers never said a
word along this line. Notwithstanding
there is Il National Prohibition and
anti-whiskey party that has put up can
didatcS for President and Vice PreSl-
dent. bu, these good preachers Will
never vote for them they Will vote
either for Mckinley or Bryan. without
so much Is 4 word of encouragement
forthe National Prohibition nominees.
Now where is the Christian and moral
incentive or duty that they claim ac-
uatcS them in their fight for the re-
str;c,ion of the liquor evil? is it possi
ble that these good preachers can feel
such deep religious concern for the
hcathen in foreign lands Yet be in
different TO the whiskey evil beyond
the borders OF their own State: Dear
reader the reason IS plain. AS no SIM
liar action was ever taken by like
religious body previous to the Reform
cl.S Of the common people getting con-
troll Of the State government and es-
,ahlishiny the diSpensary in place Of
the old bar rooms. you can safely put II
down Us an effort 10 restore the same
olG state of political affairs that existed
prior TO 1890.
And furthermore. it is acknowledged
by few good pastors in our city church
eS. thar IN overwhelming majority OF
our leading preachers and church mem
berS are more In sympathy with the
wealthy and society classes in the
church tnan they are with the labor
Ing classes and the poor and humble
portion of the church's membership.
Such Christian organizations that
would seek to accomplish a political
purpose by appealing to Christian SEN
timent. vet is not broad enough TO in
clude the whole world in its scope. GER
tainlv does not deserve to be counte-
nanced. When the preachers can show
that they are as much Interested IN
saving the souls of the masses OF com
mon folks. instead of regarding the
church as Il kind of select religious club
that is permitted to put aside Christ 5
teachings as regards the poor, then and
not till then can they expect to exert
very much influence in State politics.
1t is :. sad commentary on the teachings
OF the great and holy Friend OF the
poor but nevertheless q fact that the
church. in this day and time. does not
stand for the poor. CIVIS.
-e-os