The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1904-05-06
w. G. T. u. NJ.
CONDUCTED BY MRS. NJ. L. HOBBS.
THE DOUBLE STANDARD.
Church Sentiment on Paper and at ths
Polls.


held by the average religious pro
lessor OF nur country, as a rule, i
the question under consideration il
this paper.
BY the average professor is mean
those who unite in making up wha
may be called the censuses Of opin
ion.-
To determine wha. their opinion
is, we must refer to the utterances o
the religious bodies when in off
cial capacity. The general sum
mary OF their declarations is called
tae consensus Of opinion on the sub
ject.
The declarations of the various
bodies in their official capacity, both
Catholic and Protestant, are SC
nearly alike on the saloon question
that aggregate of opinion may be
called the consensus or agreement
OF opinion On that question. These
religious bodies substantially agree
on the saloon question and this a.
greement or conaensus of opinion
forms the religious standard on that
question, considered sentimentally.
As proof of this let US quote a few
stereoiyped declarations from some
OF the leading denominations.
The Methodist Episcopal Quad
rennial Conference, the largest Pro-
testsnt b dy of Christians on the
globe, declares: "That no political
party has a right to expect, nor
ought to receive, the support of
Christian men so long as it stands
committed to the license policy, OF
refuses to put itself on record in an
attitude Of open hostility to the sa-
LOOM"
The Presbyterian, in official ca
pacity, have substantially the same.
So have some of the Quaker confer
ences. The largest body of Quakers
on the globe officially dsclare that
License exchanges souls for reve-
nue.. 1t is red with the blood OF
millions -
Without cumbering this paper
with church declarations against the
saloon or a license system, it is suf-
ficient to state it is read and known
Ct all men that all Christian demon
nations are on record as condemn.
ing the saloon, and all have the
same standard on the saloon ques-
ton so far as paper standard sig
An intelligent heather on reading
our church utterances on the ques-
ton, would conclude "Chrislian
America" is anti-saloon; but when
our election returns show that in 10
CT 20 Of church voters cast their bal
lots to keep in power political par
ties pledged to the license system,
and to keep political party pledged
to the destruction Of the system out
OF power, the double Christian stan
dard becomes apparent.
The religious standard on paper
is anti-saloon; the political standard
at the polls is for the saloon.
On Sept. 1st, 1862, our present
rational liquor policy, adopted by a
administration, went
iuto effect. At this time the per
capita consumnation of liquors was
about three gallons. Forty years
Iater-Sept. 1, 1902-32 years of
rule and s years of
Democratic rule, the withdrawal for
consumption was seventeen gallons
per annum. At this rate how long
will it take for praying license vo-I
.er, voting with the saloon-keeperI
'or license, to prevail on the Lord to
answer his prayer and blot out the
saloon protected by human statute
made by Christian men? The
church nobility has approached the
hrone with solemn supplication for
redemption from the drink curse.
These have been directed heaven
ward. and their ballots hellward, un-
i'll all knees are weary waiting on
he Lord to answer prayer. Why
las not a prayer-aEswering God an
wered these solemn and oft repeted
appeals for deliverance from this
curse?
Let the Lord himself thro bis
prophet Isaiah: "When we spread
orth your hands | will hide mine
yes from you; yea, when ye make
many prayers | will not hear; your
lands are full Of blood"-Isaiah /:
3.
That the saloons are here by the
onsent and voluntary assistance OF
Iinety-fiye per cent Of church voting
membership is fact too well known
0 be called in question.
These temperance (O voting
nembers tell us they don't want to !