Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1902-08-20
A Reply to Rev. Swan.

defending BELDEN REV. and the traf-
fic. These men have been slngularly
both In their church rela-
tions and in their relations with the
whisky traffic. yet both claim to be fol-
lowers of the meek and lowly Christ.
Each has examined the scriptures and
has found and proclaimed himself and
the other a pure christian. No doubt
the same was true of John Calvin after
the death of Ceryetus and of Henry the
VIII after bis second marriage. Mr..
Swan says that to sacred history fails
to record that the decip.es who were
first called christians at Antioch WENT
DRY" Now what does Swan mean by
this statement? Does he mean to say
that sacred history records that they
WENT WET. or that it so intimates?
Come, Swan, and tell US what you
Bible raises false issue on the liquor
question and that it teaches that
DRUNKARD CAN ENTER the Kingdom
of God or that Jesus Christ and his dis.
ciples did take their beer occasionally?
Then what does Swan mean when he
says ''can man be christian and not
vote the prohibition ticket?" Does he
mean to say that anyone has said or as
serted that he could not be- christian
unless he voted that ticket? Does he
want to raise false issue, if not, why
doesn't he tell us who made the state.
ment, or does he think he can whip a
man of straw easier than a real man?
Ii Swan and Belden assume propOsl.
tion for the other fellow that he has
never taken and then proceed to destroy
that proposition, they are simply befOg
ging the real question and not treating
their opponent fairly. Now, mere men
who call themselves REV. and wear
the cross of Christ on their breasts
can't afford to attempt to deceive in
this way. Again, what does this REV.
Swan mean when he says THAT many
of these Immaculate saints-pardon me
Il should, say christians-are to be
strictly avoided as social lepers in this
life" Who are these persons? Give
their names. What have they done?
Is there anything cowardly about this
insinuation, All! Don't use irony come
out and meet these men with the truth
II this man "dOes not want to belittle
temperance" then why did he get into
this fight? Why does he attempt to
ridicule the advocates of temperance If
he believes in and teaches itp If tenn
perance is 1.-The keynote of christianity"
and this man Swan is preacher Of
that religion, why does he rush into
print against those who claim and be.
lleve the same thing. or does he believe
in the christian religion? It seems
that Rev. Swan owes it to this commun-
ity to come out and tell them where he
Is. Ii Swan knows anything he ought
to know that in Kansas prohibition is
in the constitution and that no man or
set of men have the legal right TO Ii
cense the liquor traffic. Yet he cites
the caee of one of his liquor friends, a
jointist withwhOm he Was expOstuiating
for voting the dry ticket as saying,
why, 1t is the best thing for us. High
license would cost US 5000 a year or
more. Prohibition pulls us and fines
US $25, so If we get jerked every month
WO dI0 ctIli SOUO LII I'LL S6rl.
BUSINESS We doubt the above statement
about this jOintist working for prUhi.
bltiOn. and would like further infOrma- =
tion. Will the REV. Swan give this
mans name and place OF residence and
state for whom he voted and when?
Also state how the REV. came that
year to vote against his ''frlend?" And
whether he intends to do the same
thing this year? "(AH.)"
One can hardly blame Rev. Swan for
standing up against the constitution of
Kansas and against the principles of
the christian religion and against the
| bible itself when he thinks of the cata.
logue OF crime and rapacity that Swan
has charged up against these MORAL
LEPERS" who "bend the right hand oc-
casiOnally and who draw the line
around the whisky Jug" Here they
are, ''they imagine that voting for pro-
hibition is the sum total of being tenn
| perate. or that their vote will more
than balance intemperance of speech
mercilessly denouncing the other fel
| lows doxy.'; 1.-The most intemperatt
people on the face of the earth.'' "In
temperate in their words, their actions
and their judgment" 1.-The join
keeper more temperate" "Guilty O
the most unlawful proceedings.
"Breaking the laws of the land. ,
"Destroying property" Breaking tn,
law of God" bearing false witness.
.Engendering strifes and feuds" ..Set
! ting wife against husband" "Paren
| against child"
/ tx Is. hok =