Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-06-03
CHURCHES AND TEMPERANCE.

Some of the large churches Of the
country have declared for prohibition.
Baptists, Presbyterlans and Methodists
seem to be united in the war upon the
liquor traffic. This Is evident from the
general tone OF their large conventions.
The Southern Baptist convention at
Little Rock, was declared TO he great
Prohibition jubilee from start to finish.
the enthusiastic and unanimous election
of Joshua lowering, q prominent Prohi-
bition leader, as permanent chairman OF
the convention, emphasizing the spirit
and conviction of the entire body.
The Northern Baptlsts held their con-
vention anniversaries at Oklahoma
City, the Prohibition metropolis of the
new state with It's constitutional bull
wark against the drink evil.
Before the General Assembly of the
Northern Presbyterians, ("The Pres
byterian Church of North America'D at
Kansas City. Mo, its permanent COM
mittee on temperance presented an ag-
Gnssive report, while the Southern
Presbyterians, at Greensboro. N. c.,
WY NNNaRiNu III GiSSS bis'bthhehNS W bN
Unanimous for Prohibition"
The Methodist general conference at
Baltimore. with Governor Frank Han
~ of Indiana as the Chairman of it's
Temperance committee, adopted a re-
port which reads like n call to arms.
The report adopted by this conference
reads in part;
I'VE record our deliberate Judgment
that no candidate for any office which
In any way may have TO do with the
liquor traffic, has a right to expect nor
ought he to receive. the support OF
Christian men so long as he stands
committed to the liquor interests or re-
fuses to put himself In an attitude OF
open hostility tn the saloon.
1--WE hold that 1t is the duty OF every
Christian voter to vote for IL reputable,
qualified, Temperance candidate, upon
another ticket, in preference to g. dis
reputable or unfit one. controlled by the
saloon, upon his own, to the end that
Righteousness, temperance and morali-
ty may become the normal activity of
government everywhere"
This Is we believe. tho sentiment of
very large portion of citizens who are
members of various denominations, in
Utah as well as elsewhere The trou-
BILE hero is that Christian voters have
been led to believe that their first duty
Is to down the Church, instead of the
saloon and tho den. and In their
eagerness 10 accomplish something in
that line they have become the allies
and supporters of political leaders who
depend on the saloon and kindred insti-
tutions for political success This is an
anomaly In Utah. Christian citizens
have wasted their energy in futile ef-
right under the Constitution that other
churches have, and suffered the low.
est element to become a controlling
power in public affairs. The conse-
quence is that this City rs far behind
other great cities in morality and A.
financially almost ruined IT Is a conse-
quence of the Internal war" that was
instigated by disappointed politicians,
and we do not see how conditions can
be bettered until tho decent citizens
regardless of creeds. unite for peace
and good. honest government. In the
temperance resolutions passed by so
many religious bodies in this country
there Is q call to all good citizens
everywhere to unite for the further
nnce of public morality which cause
must necessarily suffer when they arc
divided and quarrel over things Of mi
nor importance.