Mexico weekly ledger., 1901-10-31
REV. J. B. HAWKINS
Writes the Ledger a Letter on the
Question Of Temperance.

0A ~ LlAtiN ID UUltlIU
! new under the un,andyet for all things
there Is a time. Taking this view of
the subject we suppose there is still
time to be heard in a short review
OF some of the features of this all-im-
portant subject, the whiskey traffic.
Yet we are somewhat at a loss. n O so.
much about what to say as what not
10 say. For In the discussion of SO.
great and vital issues, vital in its as
pect as to the moral religious and social
relation and political freedom and the
B welfare Of all the people, we have to
DC guarded, lest 10 our earnest con-
~yictions, conscious enthusiasm, we
overstep the bounds Of proprlety and
trespass upon the rights Of others who
honestly differ with us and have equal
claims upon the public to be heard.
Let US remember, Mr.. Editor, we are
engaged In a discussion Of some Of the
most vital and ~far-reaching questions
In which, as citizens and neighbors,
we have a common interest. And in
the scramble for the victory in this
contest upon which We have opinions
widely divirgent. The great Apostle
Paul said, "Knowing the terror of the
Lord we persuade men. nIf we want to
win men to our way Of thinking, per-
suade them. Don't be 100 harsh in
your criticism. "a soft answer turn
eth away wrath, but harsh words
stirreth up strife" Let your commu-
nications be yea, yea, nay, nay. "For
what is more than this cometh of
evil
Our zeal or enthusiasm forany cause
however Just, ought TO be seasoned
with moderation. "Render unto
Caezar the things that are Caezar's,
and unto God the things that are
God's,h was the admOnition Of the
great teacher. The sharpest reproof
that Jesus ever administered to his
friends was when they assumed too
much authority, attempted to dictate
to them how certain sinners should be
dealt with. On one occasion you re-
member the loving John and James
asked for permission to call down fire
from Heaven upon the wicked cities
that stood in the way Of progress.
Impulsive and backsllding Peter
drew his sword and cut of the ear Of
Malchus, but the master said, put Ill
up" "He that takes the sword shall
perish by IT, And to this afterwards
brave and loyal disciple who had de-
MED his master with oaths and curses,
the loving and tender Jesus gave him
but one tender and %reproving look.
That drove him TO bitter tears Of re-
pentance.
| heard the preacher Sunday, in
speaking Of mans persistent rebellion
against God and his authority, say
that the great ruler Of the universe
could In Justice sweep the whole hui
man race as with a beasom Of destruc-
tlon from the face Of the earth, but in
His infinite goodness He had chosen
10 do otherwise, and 10 win man back
to Himself by the instrument Of love,
tenderness, forbearance and forgive
ness. To reconcile sinners TO God.
Yes, "While we were yet sinners
Christ died for us.n You remember
on one occasion the self-righteous
brought into the presence of Jesus a
sinner, a yiolator OF the law and said
Moses law would stone her. What
sayest thou, He said "Let he that is
without fault cast the first stone, ''and
there with his fingers wrote in
the sand and their guilty conscience
drove them from his presence and
none was left but the accused to whom
He said, $50 and sin no more, and
His last words to His disciples and
through them to us were: $50 teach
make disciples; be wise as serpents and
harmless as doves" Confess to one
another, reprove, rebuke, exhort with
all long suffering, with gentleness and
meekness, and on these conditions
SO / am with you to the end of the
ages.n This, brother editor, is a pre-
face to what we wish to say to all, and
especially to those who hayelasked us to
write something on the saloon question
that has been agitating the minds of
the community for some time. Nine
teen hundred years ago Pilot asked
the rabble "what they would do with
Jesus who is called Christi and anti
dating that interrogation a thousand
years Solomon said "Wine is a mocker,
strong drink is raging and whosoeyer
is deceived thereby lsnot wise These
vital issues have been the absorbing
theme for all the ages and the Siamese
twins OF the present generation.
There has been more blood shed,
more lives lost, more money spent,
more kings and rulers beheaded and
dethroned In the crusades against the
wiles Of the one andin the defense of
the claims OF the other than all other
great questions that underly the very
foundation stones Of our religious and
solitlcal liberties.
The principles evolved in the ques-
ton propounded by Pilot have cost
the world It's billions Of dollars, its
millions of human martyrs, its rivers
OF blood. Its theme has been the
the burden Of Gods gracious message
TO man. The power Of prayer the
elegance Of song, the music OF
Heaven, the JOY Of angels.
"What will we do with jesus" Is
answered to-day from tens OF thous-
ands OF pulpits. 1t echoes from every
hill and glen, swelling to the tops OF
mountains, sweeping the bosom OF the
ocean and echoing back from the
lshores Of the darkest isles of every
land, and yet strange to say two-thirds
of the inhabitants of the globe stand
arrayed In oppositionNto the Christ OF
1.-The Bible, and, Mr.. Editor, this other
, great question, the whiskey tranic,
"What will we do with the saloonY
;This the incubator, the prolific source
|. LOT almost all crimes that crowd the
docket OF every court, the Belzeoub
Of the greatest sin, the great viii, the
whitening, blithing curse, the slime OF
1.-THE serpent, the poison of the aspes,