Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-03-24
German Ministers Act.
BY THE PRESS COMMITTEE OF THE


tBY THE PRESS COMMITTEE OF THE
ANTI PRoHIBITIoN LEAGUE.l
The German Evangelical Preachers
association of North Dakota, at its
meeting Feb. 2. 1908, adopted the fol
lowing address to the public:
During the past week is has, espa-
cially among the Germans, been wide
~ commented upon that the German
Evangelical Protestants so far have
not expressed themselves on the coun-
~ local option question. Having
awaited in vain an<expression on this
subject from worthier quarters, we
will herewith, without reserve, explain
our position in the premises, and are
canfident that the majority of German
Evangelical clergymen are in accord
with us.
1T may not be amiss to explain
why We have so far RETAINED from
entering into the discussion of the
subject. The reason is simply those
interested in politics say this, that
the average German Evangelical Pro
testant clergyman does not like to
NEEDLE in politics, especially in local
politics, as we do not think it con-
s:stent with our Office Furthermore.
io is very rare occurrence that poll
ticians give any attention to our judg-
ment, and we do not like to intrude
upon anybody.
6Onr nocifiop ~
question, commonly called local op-
tion,' is naturally in the first place
defined by biblical and therefore
Christian reasons, and we are in con-
sequence utterly opposed to any move
ment or laws in that direction. Our
reasons are. in short, as follows:
God, the creator of the universe, who
only creates what is good and neces-
sary, has created alcohol and put it
into the necessaries of life, such as
rye, wheat, corn, etc, as undoubtedly
necessary means for the protection of
our health.
"He caused wine to grow, as the
bible says, that it maketh glad the
heart of man. and for the strengthen
| ing of the health. With this the
opinions of medical men have agreed
for thousands of years.
Jesus Christ, the Savior of the
world, the founder of the Christian
church, the grandest and noblest ex
ample for all mankind, did often
maybe, in his three years of active
work, even daily, drink wine. After
| having on numerous occasions par
taken with His disciples in the Gar
| den,' of the supper, it is said of His
last night on earth that after the
evening repast he took bread ant
wine. and then and there instituted
the sacrament of the holy communion
with these means (bread and wine)
This proves to the unbiased observes
ecnclusively that He often drank wine
with His disciples. No doubt ther'
was also wine served on the occasion
when He associated with the publ
cans and sinners and when He wa
! at the house of good friends of His
Il for was He not called a 'winebibbeI
i by His enemies, the Scribes an,
Pharisees? Could the position o
Jesus toward prohibition be NOR
clearly defined than in the poetic mar
lrative of the wedding at Cana? Dix
He not there change water into wine
4 These and other statements ant
facts from the bible cannot be dis
puted or denied, and consequently W.
are fully justified in claiming that thu
present prohibition movement i
aimed directly at the bible. But ther'
are even profounder reasons agains
such laws. 1t is claimed for the pro
!, hlbitionists that not only are the,
doing a good deed but than on &C
count of their aims tthe Lord taketl
pleasure in them It even is SAT-
that it is their holy duty to conduc
this holy war against alcohol. Blu
by doing this they get away entirel
from the Evangelical Protestan
church, for according to the funda
mental principles of this church JEST