Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1907-06-21
Rev. T. D. Richards Explains.

Editor Of the Sentinel MANY have called
my attention to an article which you pub.
lished on April 10th, copied from the
Washington Star, on the subject OF the
Presbyterian Church In politics.. l under
stand that this was correspondents YER
sion Of an action OF Washington City Pres.
bytery which he himself did not witness but
obtained from second. hand sources; hence,
1t is not strange that your publication OF the
article has given wrong impression as to the
attitude OF the Presbytery on the temper
ance question. The action referred to was
upon the report of the Temperance Com
mittee, Of which have the honor to be
chairman, and upon this occasion was the
only member present. In order that your
many readers interested In this matter may
know the exact action of the Preebyterys
submit the full report for publication ana
indicate just what action was taken on the
report and it's recommendations:
"Your committee has no information to
add TO the knowledge which each pastor
possesses of his own field along temperance
lines. II Is the common experience OF as
all that the most formidable foe In the Chris
tian minister's warfare against sin Is met on
the field of intemperance. The scout OF the
enemy Ia always on the lookout for vantage
grounds, and seems never TO slumber while
the Lords hosts are often surprised and over
whelmed. The artful spy of intemperance
often gains admission into the best and most
influential family, and there, clothed as
friend and dined as guest, he betrays the
host and ruins his home. The pitiless pow
or and the dastardly deeds of this monster
foe know no equal In any other warfare ever
waged. No laws of honorable warfare are
obeyed; no flag of truce Is ever honored;
no mercy is ever shown; no widows moan
Is ever heard; no orphans cry of distress is
ever needed and no death Is too dreadful to
be planned In the councils Of war held con.
stantly by this arch enemy of immortality.
To say nothing Of the loss OF souls, OF
life, of peace, Of happiness and OF prosper.
ity in our country, the expense incurred In
this conflict by direct contribution to the
cause OF the enemy is, on an average, $3.50
per annum for each family In our landau
appalling sum when We compare it with the
contributions for the opposite cause.
Sympathy and action give strength to any
cause. Apathy and sloth are characteristic
of neither true friend nor real foe. We
are, therefore, aligned with one side or the
other In this great conflict whether we are
active or not. If the people Of the church
would rise up In one solid phalanx to with :
stand this evil, the enemy's lines would soon
his army be disbanded and robbed of real
power. The people will arise when they
are aroused they will follow when they
are led, and they will fight when they are
commanded by an earnest, fearless and
faithful captain-the pastor of the flock.
The General Assembly's Permanent Com
mittee on Temperance is doing great work
along this line, az their report to the last
General Assembly will show. We should
be loyal in our support OF the work in their
hands. Last year (1005.6) only 10 churches
Of this Presbytery contributed to the work
Of this committee, giving an aggregate sum
of $211.05.
Seven of the fourteen suburban churches
having total membership of 1893 gave $113 !;
while five of the seventeen city churches
having membership of 3,065 gave $9805.
This Is very wide OF the mark OF ability In
these churches. Can 1t be because the city
churches are less aroused while they are
more directly exposed TO this evilP Can IL
indicate an influence over the church con-
tributors by the liquor INTEREST," We de-
voutly hope that there is some other cause
for it,"
We recommend:
81. That our churches not only renew,
but also increase their efforts towards sup
pressing the sin OF intemperance within the
we'll as 10 contribute as literally as possible
TO the general Iemperancelwork of our church
In the hands OF the General Assembly's Per.
manent Committee on Temperance.
2. That we approve the work OF the Gen.
eral Assembly's Permanent Committee on
Temperance, as outlined In its Tract No. 8,
entitled "A New Era In Gospel Temperance.
3. That the plan Is approved Of forming a
National Inter-Church Temperance Coun.
Gil to promote temperance strictly along
church lines, leaving the political phase Of
the question TO organizations formed for and
adapted to that work."
The report and the first recommendation
were accepted, but the second and third
recommendations were laid on the table.
II Ia true that DIR. Radcliffe led the oppo.
ton, but that is a very ordinary occurrence
In Washington City Presbytery when re-.
port is offered by the Temperance Commit
tee. On this particular occasion he secured
bare majority in tabllng the above two
recommendations by adroitly appealing TO
the interests of the Amt. Saloon League. A
sufficient number in the Presbytery to carry
the motion was led TO fear that the new
organization proposed might handicap the
work of the League, Notwithstanding the
specific purpose stated in the third recon-
mendation.
The vote, therefore, was q practical en-
dorsement of the Anti Saloon League, with
all its work In politics, ETC., rather than an
endorsement of DR.. Radcliffe's very peculiar
ministerial views on the subject OF temper
ance.
T. ID. RICHARDS.
Germantown, M d., June IL, 1907.
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