Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-26
Lutheran Churches.


The following Evangelical Lutheran
churches observed yesterday as Temper
ance Sunday: Memorial. Church northwest.
Rev J. G. Butler. D.. D., pastor Keller
Memorial Church northeast, Rev. c. H.
Butler pastor; Church of Our Redeemar
northwest. Rev D. E. Wiseman, pastor.
81 AT Foundry Church.
At Foundry Methodist Episcopal Church
morthwesD Rev. Robt M. Moore. pastor,
preached at evening service on the text:
Ezekiel, xxxiii:G But If the Waterman see
the sword come, and blow not the trumpet.
and the people be not warned; if the sword
come, and take any person from among
them he is taken away in his iniquity; but
| his blood will l require at the Waterman
hand"
This text" the preacher said, may be
accommodated to apply to the temperance
reform, 1t is n repetition of the principle
of the solidarity of the race: One for all
and all for one;' principle that God insists
upon. Men must defend one another from
the common enemies of the race. What
greater enemy has the race than the sa-
loon? AS Gladstone suggested. creating
more woe than famine, war and pestilence
combined. And. ii the figure of the text Is
to be followed, how like an invading army
this saloon is-banded together, in united
ranks, by strategy and stealth, using the
most determined methods, and not regard
ing the welfare of the race, SO their cause
succeeds.
'I Notice that these words suggest mans
| need of defense. So many people are I'M
able to see danger. This may be due to de-
fective education or lack of perception, or.
worse than all, a spirit of Indifference to
the perils of life. Or another glance shows
! us that many men realize the dangers OF
temptation. but are overconfident Of their
ability to resist evil. Sometimes a man
| must be defended against himself. But the
supreme need of mans defense is grounded
in mans inhumanity to man. That there
are those who willingly make gain Of men 9
| weaknesses; turning into profit fellow
! mans failure to master his appetites or
passions.
! protection. As the Waterman was set upon
| the wall to warn men of evil that threatens,
| it Is ours to warn; to make and preserve
| public opinion at healthy standard upon
| these great questions of reform. Line upon
line The duty Of the Waterman Is to
| watch though others sleep. The church as
great Waterman set upon the walls of the
ages. must not sleep. Though the COM
munity may be Indifferent, the church has
no right to yield to the tempter of the age.
And seeing the evil, 1t Is not merely to
warn in feeble call those who may be will
ing to hear, but to marshal all the forces.
and smIte with death the enemies Of God
and man.
Momentous responsibilities.
iii. But the responsibilities are momen-
i
pet. and any person is taken away in his
iniouity, his blood will require at the
| watchmans hand God is speaking. There
fore my right Of interference when a man
is being smitten with shame. The state in
terferes and sets up the quarantine when
epidemic threatens the bodies Of men; sure
ly we have the authority of God to inter-
fere when the black; blight is threatening
their souls. Moreover; If we who profess
to have the knowledge of the truth are
silent, those about usoare justified in con-
Guiding that there istgao danger. If the
church does not warn. the age, by whom
will it be warneda Sometimes it seems as
though rebuke was Incoming lost art.
Henry George said 4 am for men, and
voiced a high ideal forbany man to reach in
the sociology of the times. But in that dec
laration is involved the other great truth
that to be for men We must be against
everything that is harmful to men. The
great Atlantic coast from Maine to Florida
is patrolled by the hfe-saving service. In
the darkness of the night and the roar Of
the storm the faithful watcher follows his
spray-Wet path until he meets the man who
patrols the next beat to be certain that no
part of the beach Is missed, in their effort
to save the wrecked and sinking mariner.
So in Gods name ana as his watchers We
should join hands and patrol the streets
and highways to see that men are not lost
In the tempests of life
Epworth M. E. Church South.
The Rev d. L. Blakemore. the new pas
tor Of Epworth NJ E. Church South, took
as his theme 1.-THE Liquor Traffic" and as
HIS text, Woe unto him that giveth his
neighbor drink,'-Hab. 2:15.
1.-The text" he said, is comprehensive,
and includes every person who dispenses
intoxicating drink to any other. no matter
what the consideration, friendship, social
demands or money.
There are great many reasons for
cEaracterizing the modern liquor traffic as
fad afraf n