The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1908-05-14
ELDER COLDS VIEWS
The Principle on Which He Propos.
es to Cast His Vote.
THINKS THAT PROHIBITION is RIGHT.
Ones Course Should Have Reference
to the Good Of others.
(News and Observer, May 5th.)

sturdy dependence, there is "a cnurcn
| that in all its long life has stood firm
against any encroachments upon the
rights of the Individual or any posi-
BILE connection between Church and
State. In their adherence to true per-
sonal liberty, the right of every man
to worship God in accordance with
his own views, and faith in the Bible
as the only light for men the Primi-
tive Baptists set an example to men
of every church. 1t is the right of
every man to vote as he thinks right
and to be free in his religious liberty
No church has or should have con-
troll over these inherent rights of
man. Therefore when preachers go
into politics they do err, for they are
called to preach a higher gospel than
any political party ever created.
More than hundred years ago,
when certain "religionists" attacked
Thomas Jefferson because he won the
fight for religious freedom and put
an end to all connection between
Church and State, the Kelmkee Bap-
tist Association of Eastern North
Carolina passed resolutions Of thanks
to Jefferson for the signal service he
rendered to religious liberty. One
Of the best of the many good letters
written by jefferson was to the
Kelmkee Association in which he ex-
pressed his appreciation of the action
Of that body. From that hour to
this good day the Primitive Baptists
of North Carolina have. been fore
most in standing for the true Jeffer-
sonian principles as citizens, but
they have never permitted politics
to enter their churches.
When the question Of State Pro-
hibition was first presented, its oppo-
nents sought to secure the powerful
support of the Primitive Baptists by
pretending that the bill had conceal
ed in it an attack upon personal lib
erty and looked toward church con-
troll of politics. They well knew that
if any bill, no matter how good its
purpose, would imperil either Of
these principles it would be attacked
by the members of that church and
by thousands of other good men in
other churches and not members of
any church. 1t was a shrewd bid to
try to get good men to fight the bill
on principle while they could buy up
the purchasable voters and, hiding
behind good men, get a respectable
ity for their cause which advocacy
Of the liquor traffic could not Sc
cure for them.
Some days ago the editor of this
paper addressed note to Elder +.
D. Gold, the editor of lions Land
mark and the ablest leader of the
Primitive Baptist church, asking mis-
views upon the pending State Pro
hibition proposition. Everybody who
knows Elder Gold knows that ne
stands against whatever is Wrong
and for what he conceives to be TO,
the Right. and that ne does so with
federation and charity for others
Answering that letter, Elder Colo
writes as follows, giving PERMISSION
to print his view:
ELDER COLDS VIEWS.
"To the Editor: From my youth
have considered whatever encourage
drunkenness damaging business, t.
good morals, and to everything els
that is praiseworthy. Therefore,
have never from the outset of thi
prohibition campaign intended t
vote for manufacture or sale of in
toxicating drinks.
"While l do not consider that Pre-
hibition, as it is called, will exterml
nate the evil of drunkenness, yet
cannot give my vote for what Nigh
seem to encourage the great evil G
drunkenness.
81 would love to live in a countr
where every man is sober. 1t
good neither to eat flesh, nor to drin
wine, nor anything whereby tn
: brother stumbleth, or is offended
|. is made weak Rom. 14:21.
"Let every man vote in this ma
J ter as seems right to him, or M
: vote. Bitterness should not be el
). couraged, but liberty of conscien'
$ should be allowed. Let your mode
d alton be shown. do not desire
: = control the votes of other. desl
q to preach the Gospel which contain
4 every good thing and prohibits evel
evil.
: Respectfully,
, P. D. GOLD,
: "Wilson, N. c., May 2nd."
, Tn this brief letter Elder Gold h