The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-11-21

Presbyterian minister should take q
decided stand on the subject. He was
an earnest temperance man and ne OF
ten preached temperance In his pulpit.
But he refused to advocate prohibition
In his pulpit. Prohibition 20 him was
a political measure. ana as ms churcn
did not favor the union of church ana
state. he did not like to preach poll
tics in his pulpit. A prohibition meet
ling was held one night at the court
house The minister referred to was
present. and ne was called on to say
something. He arose and In a short
speech declared emphaticaily that ne
would support a prohibition move
mont. But he emphasized the fact
that he supported prohibition as q
man and q citizen and not as a MIN
lister I have often thought on tne
distinction that was thus drawn by
tbIs venerable man, the late DR.. c.. A,
stiliman, one OF the gsepdest men IN
the pulpit of the South. The writer
has made many prohibition and dis
uensary speeches in churches, ana ne
has done this both In the city and IN
the country.
He, however seriously doubts the
wisdom and soundness of the prac-
tice, especially when the speaking Is
to be- done on Sunday and by persons
niKu IN duLnOittJ an 49, 1890 $50
fact. he is of opinion. after much
consideration. that. as a general prop
osition the practice Is unwise and not
In harmony with the general theory
of the church and the teachings OF
Christianity. An occasional speech on
a political subject in church on
week day may Thy iayman when IT
is raining and there Is no other shell
teri be permissible. Just as an occas-
-. a. - n ntFV4
But acts OF each, OF the two kinds are
liable to lead to harm. We may be
about to enter upon q long and Sc
we're. political campaign. little i'm
posed restraint may now be proper.
We DO not know whore and when the
lsidef Fight now stis question as to
! wiiethefs during tnesnsxt twoTors three
years thsa church. ass arehqrch. win
carry on the war. Let US start
There Il no need FOR this scomming-
hing Of church and stAteai Ayfew years
ago we had terrible political tenn
pernnce, struggle in, Tuscaloosa coun-.
~ The saloons, and their friends
contributed from ten to twenty
Thousand dollars to the campaign Sew
enty or eighty speeches were made IN
lthis. county during the contest. Every
man and every woman In the county
was on one side or the other. But
tha churches, as churches did not
take sides. They wisely kept aioof.
Nearly all the ministers. as men and
citizens, advocated the dispensary
side. and rendered active and valuable
lasslstance j Neither side criticised the
other in the pulpit. At the Sunday
service this Temperance struggle was
mot mentioned on that sacred day
the cof1ibatants were not invited to
take up arms. either In the pulpit or.
out Of it. When the vote was count
ed the saloons passed away. and the
dispensary was established. But the
church remained undivided and un-.
hurt. Each member OF the church felt
that no advantage had been taken OF
his position by the other members or
by the minister. A large part of the
state of Alabama Is now prohibition
territory. Another large part OF the
state is dispensary territory. Nearly
all Of the prohibition laws and dis
pensary laws that prevail In Alabama
had been secured without putting the
church into politics. We see no rea-
son why we should now do violence
| to the traditions and teachings Of the
churches IN order to bring the balance
of the State under wholesome in
| fluence.
Frank s. Moody