Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-29
Yesterday Observed in the Churches
as Temperance Sunday.
EXTRACTS FROM SOMEOF THE SERMONS
Result Of Request Made by the
Anti-Saloon League.
THE THEMES DISCUSSED

All the churches OF the District Of CO.
| lumbia were requested some time ago to
observe. SO far as might be practicable.
| the last Sunday Of October as Temperance
Sunday" for the presentation Of some
phase of the temperance reform. The gen.
eral circular letter to pastors appeared
| in The Star at that time. This invitation
| was issued by the Anti-Saloon League of
the District and was responded to yester-
day by large number Of the city pastors.
| Following are extracts from some of the
| discourses Of general interest:
Congregational.
Rev. E. N. Kirby. pastor Of Fifth Con-
gregational Church. preached on 1.-THE
Foundations of Death" and said, in part:
"Cetewayo. the old African chief, wit
Messing the ruinous effects of drink upon
his people, said to a British commission
! Your spirits and your intoxfcants are
death Can we Christians find for this
drink evil better name? Is it not the
foundation of physical, intellectual, moral
and spiritual death? Abstinence advocates
have grown weary relating the grewsome
details of physical ruin and death, .unques-
tionably chargeable to this habit. The
| rags and hunger of women and children,
the sorrow and shame, the utter wretched-
ness that abdes in many home because
the man drinks may well arouse our pity,
but the moral and spiritual ruin of which
this wretchedneSs Is the result lies deeper
In the foundation of death and is more to
be abhorred.
Lutheran Churches.
At all the Lutheran churches the three
hundred and eighty-third anniversary of
the Protestant reformation in Germany,
under Martin Luther, was being celebrat-
ed but several of the pastors took occa-
sion to express their sympathy with the
Temperance Sunday" observances.
At Luther Place Memorial Church the
pastor. Rev. ]. G.. Butler, D. D.. expressed
his hearty sympathy with the anti-saloon
movement, but explained that previous
engagement for his pulpit made 1t seem in
expedient for him to devote whole dis
course to what he termed this great and
growing reform, upon which the pulpit Of
this church gives no uncertain sound"
He babe all temperance workers be of
good cheer, and added: 1.-The public mind
is being rapidly educated and there are
encouraging indications all along the
line
At Keller Memorial Lutheran Church
Maryland avenue and 9th street northeast
Rev c. II. Butler. the pastor said in part:
'On this anniversary Of the Protestant
reformation Of the sixteenth century, the
words and deeds of Martin Luther are espe-
clally brought to mind, and the great work
God accomplished through him. Were he
living today he would be in the forefront
of the hottest battle against liquor and the
saloon Even in his day he inveighed strong
ly against the Saul Teufer Drink Devil,
that was causing such havoc.
Mr. Butler further emphasized the need
of total abstinence for the individual, and
Endorsed the work of the Anti-Saloon
League being the most sensible and
practical way of opposing the liquor traffic.
AtWest Washington Lutheran Church. 32d
and Q streets northwest, during the morn
ing services. the pastor, Rev. Stanley Bill
heimer, spoke of the observance of the
day as Temperance Sunday, and earnestly
commended the work of the Ant-Saloon
League. He said in part: II commend the
Anti-Saloon League to your sympathy and
co operation for three reasons. First, be-
cause it has shown itself to be the most
efficient agent by which to secure the aboli-
ton of the saloon. Second, because its aim
is specific 1t attends to its chosen work
and strikes directly a the evil. Third. be-
cause its work Is fundamental to that of
other reforms. Charitable. prisoners aid
and other like associations are all commend
able. But remove the saloon, and the oc-
casion for their existence will largely
cease
Methodist Episcopal.
At Hamline Church the acting pastor,
Rev. w. Steele, preached his temperance
sermon by request of the Anti-Saloon
League the closing address of It's Fifth
Annual Anti-Saloon Revival" held there the
past week. His theme was. 1.-The Removal
OF the Saloon Necessary to the Nations
Safety" and his text, Take We away the
stone" John II, 39).
Some OF his sentences were:
The saloon must go!' and 1t looks. so
far the District of Columbia is concerned,
like the saloon is going at pretty rapid gait.
Our city has banners swinging to the breeze
everywhere at this time, and the declara-
tons of some Of them mean much to me,
but the inscription on yonder canvas: The
saloon must go! means more than ALL Go
1t will, and go quickly, when public senti-
ment arises in Its energy and says 1t must
There never was time when the saloon
Of thta n or a nd 1aA
ant and aggressive as today; never a time
when 1t was OF such vital Importance that
all the enemies of the saloon should COM
bine their forces and engage in the great
life and death struggle. And every one
who loves his country and his neishbor
and his God should sound forth the rally
ing cry, The saloon must be destroyed"
Rev. Page Milburn, pastor OF Union NJ E.
Church. preached Sunday morning on 1.-The
Temperance Reform and the Church." and
at his evening service on THE Tempta-
tons of Youth" Following Is an extract
from the morning sermon:
The church needs not to apologize for
its interest in personal abstinence from
intoxicating liquors and In every measure
adopted for the repression and the prohi-
bition Of the liquor traffic. Christianity
stands for self-government personal purity
weakens self-control, is the forerunner of
vice and is constant impeachment to per-
sonal religion. The church stands for pro-
lection for the weak, sympathy for the
demption for the lost and rescue for the
tempted. The liquor traffic makes weak
and brushes. entices and bruises, enslaves
and degrades. draws away and enchains.
1t Is an enemy to body and soul, home and
state, man and woman child and widow.
Hence the church, the body of Christ,
stands unalterably opposed to the drink
habit and the liquor traffic"
At Foundry NJ. E. Church. Rev. Luther
b. Wilson. DID,, the pastor, preached at
his evening service on Keeping Rank"
Dr.. Wilson said in part:
IF the temperance forces are to win the
desired triumph over the saloon, three
things are demanded. 1t must be recog-
nized that the contest is not mere discus
sion, but moral warfare, and that there
must be displayed not so much of rhetor-
ical elegance, or logical acumen. as of that
heroic spirit which buys with sacrifice the
high privilege of service. There must be
the alignment of the temperance forces,
and the line once formed should be main
tanned. Men of different minds will see in
every political campaign different issues as
paramount. but the platform of the Anti
Saloon League offers plans for work which
may be adopted without disloyalty to reli-
gious creed, or political party worthy of life
10 n n Of