New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-17
RECTOR RESIGNS TO
FIGHT PROHIBITION
The Rev. w. a. WATSON Bitterly
Attacks 'FaISe temperance
in Leaving Ministry.
LETTER TO BISHOP BURGESS
Long Island Clergyman to Give
His Whole Time Combating
Threatened Prohibition
Reign of Terror.

Riverhead, Long Island. Nay 16.-A
letter written by the Rev. William A
WATSON, rector of Grace Episcopal
Church here, in which he sends his res
ignation TO Bishop Burgess. of Long ISL
and. was made public to-day. The res
ignation is to take. effect on September I.
In his letter TO Bishop Burgess Mr..
WATSON said he had contemplated re-
signing for some time, not because h
had less regard for the Church than for
merly or less appreciation of his duty
and privilege asa rector. but that on
the contrary it was these very consider
atoms that had determined his course.
L see an ampler opportunity" he wrote.
than a local pastorate can afford OF
preaching the Gospel as this church
has received the same" Practically the
whole letter is an attack on the attitude
of the Church toward temperance and a
defence Of his own views regarding that
question.
MIR. WATSON mas long been prominent
in attacking prohibition. which. in an
address he delivered to the convention
of the Wine, Liquor and Beer Dealers
Association of New York in 1909. he
characterized as the worst enemy Of true
temperance that has ever been known in
this country" In April Of this year he
appeared at an excise hearing in Albany
and made an impassioned speech against
the Holden Gardner local option bill
Many of mis- brother ministers strongly
criticised him for his action on both OF
the above occasions. During his River
head. rectoTship he has frequently taken
leading part in the local fights over
.he question as 10 whether the saloons
should be licensed or not. and has al
ways actively aligned himself with the
faction which favored license. His let
ter of resignation in part follows:
The supreme immortality that confronts
and threatens the Christian ChurCh IN tniS
country is that which masks and mlSre-
ports itself under the guise of that noble
word temperance" The proh15lt1on move
ment is more dangerous than commercial
ism. for the latter. at least, makes no pre-
terce. If it demOraifZeS 1t does not 0e-
Ceive. The poisonous influence or thlS nuit-
bug temperance" is more disastrous than
that of drunkenness. for the latter Is seen
and Ioatbed for what ii is; whereas the
prohibition propaganda Parades IN the' ~
cry. OF heaven
This spurious temperance Siulcs nOt o.
Wa IS eoveTtIy. our Lord Jesus Christ be-
Gauss IN His own words he came arms
irg.' a copy of The Prohibitions: the
official orqan-Gf the N4tlOnaI FfOnlLittoil
arty is before me. containing an editorial
in this very strain, the glst or WHICH i
that if Jesus did drink VINE re vas X
the fact that He was setting a PAD eN-
ample to ali future ages -,
our own branch of the one uniVerSai
church. in agreement with ali the other an
Gent divisions Of the same, expressly anu
FORMALLY places the wine cup in the hands
Of every communicating member ana com
many words in the cateehism, teaches that
wine land by analogy other alcOhOhc pew
erages that may be more dangerous than
Urine1 has an even stronger claim than
that of legitimate Indulgence How 1ar. or
whether at all. the lndlvIdual InsIllDeE b.S Or
the Church shall commonly use these PEI
ersges the Church leaves to the conSc1ence
and the good sense Of the member
The moral influence OF this tyrannlCdl.
I'm -scripturaI and un-Christian prohibition
nrepa ganda is wholly and nany-StoedIy
had While the masses OF It's adneIellS
are no doubt sincere and honest. It's pro-
IA sonists as a class. assault all VINO ar
fer from them with savage ana VenOrn9ds
100 Even TO question their wisdom ar
CUES moral deprav1tyS IN doQl1lVh rSIZ
Sander and faIsify. They browbeat Ine5
set wicked traps to ent1ce % SID " H i
4bs,- DrevaI there begins an orgy OF ny.
nocrisv and law breaking. and the lsSt
State of the community is worse tnaA INC
III + p believe there is a great and urgent
work for the Church and her Master 70 pc
cone in exposing and combating MS
tSrsa+ened reign Of terror. Hencefortn
sIaIi Give nv time and thought 70 nghtlns
tenpeTance falsely sO-called and advoea,-
ing the true temperance which means HUI
Grafton and self-cOntrol-
MIR. WATSON was born in Napanee.
Ontario. Canada, in 1851 Early IN ne
he was a telegraph operator. His hrse
rectorship was that Of 81. Andrews
Church. Norwich. Conn. He subsequent
w was rector Of ST. Paurs Church.
providence: St. stephens Church. Mill
burn. N J.; st. Georges Church. Brook-
lyn. and finally Grace Church. at River
head