Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1904-01-28
Resolutions THAT Mean something,

Resolutions That Mean Something.
The Free Methodist church has
never more clearly defined itself upon
the saloon and liquor question then
at its last general conference which
was held at Greenyille, ILL.,, the last
week ia June 1903. Without dis
sentiug vote, and that is what has
characterized and won for this de-
nomination an unassailable position,
the following resolutions were unan-
imously adopted.
The saloon cripples the progress
Of the Christian church. 1t is both
the secret and open foe of the gospel
of Jesus Christ. 1t would bury the
Bible do away with the Christian
Sabbath, and strangle everything
that stands Ia its way. The church
would bring the heather to Christ.
Rum would force its way into every
heather land, often breaking down
one of the heathen's great virtues,
prohibition. We are opposed to the
expansion Of the liquor traffic and
4 the free coinage OF druukards. The
church is bampered in its opposition
/ to the drink evil By the Indifference
Of so many OF its members, and by
the compromising attitude Of many
in the pulpit
1--WE believe the position taken by
Bishop Potter, in his advocacy Of
the poor mans club which has
knocked down so many homes and
and ruined nations which have gone
before; also the position of DR.
Rainsford in seeking Of church sane
tion for some form Of indulgence in
alcoholic beverages, are doing untold
damage, especially to the young of
the nation.
THE saloon has the masses, and
as long as the church votes for the
saloon or with parties whose policy
is first, last and all the time is for the
perpetuation Of the saloon, so long
will the saloon continue to draw and
damn the masses. We believe the
church should vote as il prays or it
might as well stop praying, When
we look into the political world we
see the need Of reform everywhere.
The dominant parties will do any
thing to get into and retain power
A man in many cases, in order to
gain political position must bow
down to the rum oigarchy.
No borough political reform can
be accomplished in the political
world as long as the enemies of that
reform control the machinery
through which the reform must
come. Hence the need Of a party
that will make proper laws aud
elect men who will put these into
force The saloon is a political in
stitution. 1t is the voter, legisla-
tor, law and sovereign. Prohibi-
ton voters at one end Of the lire
will abolish the saloon at the other
end.
Local, state and national prohi-
bition is the solution Of this problem.
We are more than anti-saloonists-
we are prohibitionists. Regulated
evils and devils never die. We can
not vote with any party committed
to the license policy. While the
prohibition party has some defects,
vet we believe il to be for the pres
lent, The best exponent Of our prin-
ciples ON this question. 1t may not
come into national power under this
name, yet until something better
presents itself, we as a church will
give it our prayers, our sympathy,
our support and our ballots.
I'VE rejoice in the abolition of the
canteen brought about largely
th rough that great organization
known as the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union. We deplore
the efforts made for it's restoration
and the more because it was done
with the approval Of Secretary
Root. '-Searchlight.
The Kalamazoo police are cleaning
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