The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-05-23
A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE.
Rev. P. F. Kilgo Defends the Chris
tian's Proper Attitude Toward the
Liquor Evil.
published by Request.)

In his sermon on last Sunday even
ing Rev. P. F. Kilgo touched on the
duty of Christian citizenship, espec-
tally in reference to the dispensary
issue. He spoke as follows:
'The Christian man is a citizen and
is called upon to perform the duties
Of citizenship. Our government is
what we make it. If bad men get in
/ to Office, it is because we put them
there. If these bad men make wicked
laws we can blame no one but our
selves. T am sure there needs to be
ouickening of Christian conscience at
this point. What right has a Chris
tan to vote for an ungodly man? We
| have had enough of that in South
Carolina. There never was more
rotten political motto than that which
saws, measures not men" What is a
measure worth with bad man be-
hind it? And yet many a Christian
puts a bushel over his light and walks
up and casts his ballot. You hear
the cry, do not mix religion and poll
tics.' What is politics without relig-
ion? It is a foul stream, a filthy pool
| in which the vile wallow.
would emphasize these truths,
for we are now on the eve Of another
political campaign in South Carolina.
You, as Christians, are going to be
called upon to help decide some I'M
portant moral issues, chief among
these the dispensary question. This
is a question which cannot be decided
bv any laws of expediency. A moral
principle recognizes no expediency.
Nor is it a question Of dollars and
cents. For a man to argue the
dispensary helps to run the govern
ment is nothing less than an insult to
our Christian citizenship. God for
bid that we should have reached the
point where we will sell the charac-
ters and damn the souls Of our men
to get money to run the government.
Nor is this question Of choosing
the less of two evils. We are never,
as Christians, called upon to choose
any evil; but we are exhorted to es-
chew all evil. Show me where Christ
ever chose the less Of two evils and
will vote for the dispensary. Suppose
in his great temptation He had chosen
the less Of two evils, where and what
would Christianity be today? Stand
ing there on the strength of His man
hood He placed His foot upon all
evil. And Christianity is what it is
because of the stand He there took.
Norris it a question who is voting
for prohibition. 1t is a favorite cry
with the supporters Of the dispensary
that the preachers are arms in arms
with the whiskey men. That is SIM
ply way in which they would seek
to destroy the influence of the minis
try. All the answer I would make to
such charge is this, if the dispensary
crowd can stand many who have fig
ured prominently in the operations Of
the dispensary then we will try to
stand any who may be in our crowd.
The prohibitionists are not afraid of
comparison in this matter.
What is the right stand for you to
take on this whiskey question?
maintain if whiskey selling is wrong,
it is wrong and no power under the
sun can make it right.
.HThe curse Of God rests upon this
traffic; and it is ridiculous for a set of
men in the legislature, or for the ci-
tizenship of a State to attempt to an
null Gods moral law. We but play
the part of fools, when We do it.
81 challenge any man who votes for
the dispensary to pray for the success
Of it. Can you imagine man pray
| ing, %, Lord, let the dispensary be
grand success. Let it bring many
dollars into the treasury Of the gov
ernment. Let it debauch the manhood
| and bring misery to the womanhood
Of our land No, you can not vote for
the dispensary and pray for it to sue
ceed Then do not ask me to vote for
something for which I can not pray.
I can vote for temperance and follow
my vote with an earnest prayer that
the manhood of our country may be
saved from the awful evils Of intem-
! perance. I beg you to be man enough
to have Christian principles and let
your ballot be an expression Of those
principles.
DOMESTIC TRAGEDY.