The daily sentinel., 1906-11-26
IF THE PEOPLE AROUSED
The Local saloons Would Have to Go
Declares. Rev. Becker--Pro-
tected by Politicians
Forceful Sermon.

One OF the strongest sermons on
the question of temperance deliver
ed in Grand Junction was heard last
night by a union meeting composed
of the congregations Of four of the
churches Of the city. at the Method
ist church Rev James A. Becker.
pastor Of the CONGREGATIONAL church.
was the speaker.
The congregation was of large size
the church auditorium being com
pletely filled and the Sunday school
room containing over one hundred
people.
That the discourse of Rev. Becker
made an effective impression on hts
hearers there can be no question. He
held their closest attention and much
comment on the sermon has been
heard on the streets today Many a.
so called Christian moved uneasily ia
his seat when the speaker declared
in no uncertain terms that It was the
apathy and Incidence of pretended
Christians that was responsible today
for the liquor traffic.
Rev. Becker took for his text. THY
Kingdom Come Thy VIII be Done on
Earth as it is in Heaven The lead
ing thought Of the sermon was prac-
tically this: III every man or woman
who uttered this prayer did his or her
part to make the kingdom come ON
earth this would be a different world /.
there could be no liquor traffic, no
carnivals Of crime" He declared tha |
most people uttered this prayer in
mechanical way and without al
tempting to live up to it in any way |
He charged that to pray this prayer
or any other and not attempt to live
that prayer, is mockery of the rankest
kind.
There are too many of us who say
Thy Kindgom Come. Thy VIII be
Done If some other fellow will bring
/ It about. not us. we don't want To-
take the lead. We don't want to bear
I the yoke or the cross Let some other
man live the prayer and make a fight
for the right and we will pat him on
the bacA and encourage him"
with cutting but clean sarcasm.
telling ridicule and pointed iuustrn-
tions Rev. Becker proved his state
ments along this line and showed
wherein great proportion of church
people were passive. unenergetic and
sighting in their duties to their God
He did not mince words and 1t must
be said that the charges the speaker
made are true.
Rev. Becker asserted that 1t was
only the apathy of Christian people
that permitted saloons to be licensed
and operated in this country today
If there was q concerted. a sincere ac-
tion to do away with them on the part
of the people they would have to go
and that quickly.
In giving illustrations of the ter
rible work of the drink fend Rev.
Becker remarked that he would go
from home for an illustration in or
der to keep from shocking the nerves
of sensitive people" IF preachers I
pour hot shot into people of some
other town or country IL Is all right
but we mustn't say anything about
the people at home 1t is all right for
us to give it TO the wicked Egyptians
of old but don't talk about Grand ,
Junction people
Touching upon local conditions for
a few moments. Rev. Becker de
clared that there ARE eight saloons
in Grand Junction. each paying a
license OF $1,000 yearly. every one
of which has forfeited It's license"
Speaking of the crusade made
against vice by the ministers of the
city two years ago he declared that in
the dead of night two pillars OF
churches came to the few making the
fight and asked them to let up on this
fight for election is coming on soon
and # might hurt Well they hushed
it up" said he "and it has stayed
hushed pretty well hasn't it?" He de-
ciared that the people are willing to
see the fight like that made If a few
would make II. He warned the peo-
pie against the scheming politicians
that come around to blind them about
election time. "In the last sampaign
during certain primaries what was
the great question that was agltatinG
the voters?-Was it question in the
interest of fight against liquor traf-
1c?-No. but II was the GREAT ques-
ton of what bank shall get the county
deposits