The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-10-15
REV. BRUCE Y. BLACK MOULD STOP
ALL DRUNKENNESS, URGES DIVINE LAW

Duluth, Oct. 9.-Rev. Bruce V. Black
pastor of the new independent church
which holds its meetings at Knights
of Pythias hall on Superior street
and which accepts the teaching that
there is efficacy in restoring health by
mental or divine suggestion, fully be-
lieves that the drunkard is diseased
man rather than a criminal and that
he can be cured by mental treatment
if he is willing. He thinks that most
drlnkards want to be cured.
Rev. Mr.. Black is prohibitionist
but he is alarmed at the countless
number who will become drunkards
before there is national prohibition
and he asks what is to be done with
the vast number who have formed
the drink habit and the others who
will continue to form the habit as
long as liquor continues to be sold.
He says the law should carry more
of the idea of reformation and less
of the idea of punishment.
Visit to Municipal Court.
On the subject of curing drunkards
Rev. Mr.. Black said yesterday:
Last Monday 1 visited Judge
Cuttings court. The usual grist
of minor offenders were called up
for hearing. Drunks, of course,
headed the list. The judge used
the only means at his disposal.
Fines and sentences were imposed
with mOnotOnous regularity. But
we all know that 'One dollar and
COSTS or ten days in jail does
not solve the problem of drunken
ness.
There is, however, a way that
might be employed which would
lessen the number of DRINKS to a
remarkable degree. Mental or
divine suggestion has been fire.
quently used with Marvellous re-
suits. Psyche therapy has been EN-
ployed and as yet it has failed in
a single instance on record to bring
about a reform that was perma-
nent. The difficulty with many
cures now in vogue lies in the
fact of their being only temporary.
Is Mere Mental Disease.
'Tn Syracuse, n. Y, there is
reformatory which regards all
forms of criminality as mere men
tai disease and holds the offender
in the attitude of patient to
be treated. A letter addressed to
this institution will bring the de-
sired information in this line. |
understand that other cities have
taken up this suggestion in solv-
ing the problem of the durnks
with much satisfaction. OF course,
this treatment must constitute
part of the sentence To merely
recommend that the offender take
this cure, will not accomplish
much. Here in the Jail l am in
formed that there are DRINKS con-
fined for a certain period. WHAT
a wonderful opportunity to employ
this suggestion on the drukard,
lOi TIC lHuSG ltHldIu away llOHl
liquor for the time of his COM
mitment. When his sentence is
finished he could go out into the
world having mastered an appe
tite that was his undoing.
at is a shame to class the
drunkard with the thief and law
breaker. He is the victim of an
appetite that no amount of pun
ishment can stop. Is it not the
wiser plan to endeavor to use that
method which will restore the un-
fortunate to manhood, than to
merely impose heavier sentence
for each additional offense. Law
ought to have not SO much the
idea of punishment as reformation.
Great Field for Work
"The work that rescue mis-
sion can do in this line must con-
fine itself to those men who
chance in the way of this work.
The superintendent of a mission
has no leverage to use on that
great class of drinking men who
shun a mission of any kind. If
it were made a part of the SEN
tence to receive treatment each
day for the habit, then no diff
Guilty of approach to the unfortu-
nate would be experienced. He
would have no alternative but to
receive the treatments.
'The great field for such a
work is obvious. 1t is the prac-
teal way of answering the pray
ers of suffering wives and chill
dren. Much serious crime that
later in life results from this
habit would be averted. Most of
the men brought up last Monday
were comparatively young. felt
sick at heart as I saw them file
out to suffer for a habit that
could be removed
Prohibition Won't Do 1t.
~'lt is waste of time to urge
that prohibition will bring the
only solution. No one prays more
earnestly for such a prohibition
than /, but in the meantime what
is to be done with the countless
number that are forming the habit
and blasting useful lives because
unable to master the habit?
"The virtue of the treatment
that | have suggested lies in the
foot tbot thay boVa M good tho