New-York tribune., 1911-09-25
Pastor Reads Many Letters Fa-
voring Total Abstinence.
TAFT'S AMONG THE NUMBER
Lord Mayor of London, General
Grant, Hobson and John
Mitchell Go on Record.

with a SllITlUE argument dhh'l'oN ''''N
| and intoxicating drinks, Dr. Christian r.
Pelsner pastor OF the Grace MethodISt
Episcopal Church. in West lVth stre'l
read last night from his pulpit letters from
President Taft, General Frederick -
Grant the Lord Mayor OF London Repre-
sentative Richmond Pearson Hobson ana
John Mitchell the labor leader, written III
reply to a series Of questions when were
sent out by Dr. Reisner some time ago IN
circular form.
This circular asked It's recipients to say
whether they were total abstainers, ana u
so. how they came 10 join the blue rio"ou
ranks. They were also asked II they hao
ever noticed that total abstinence had cut
of their fellowship with high grade men,
President Tafts reply is as follows
The White House, Washington D. {.
The excessive use OF intoxicating Iq!oi
is the cause OF a great deal OF poverty;
degradation and crime Of the WorlI' ldlu
ore who aostains from tine use Oh si"D'
liquor avoids dangerous hlptao,ul,, pltSto,.i5
Abraham Lincoln showed thal He Leietttn -
this I'm writing out for his boy iuends lne
p,edr, OF total abstinence 50 often puOle,,.
Each person must determine Tor uliI5t!'
the course he viii take I'm reference 10 lu9
tastes ard appcttCS, but those VINO fNei-
cise tho self-restraiut 70 avoid StoSeIhcI
the temptation Of alcohonc liquor are on
the safe and wiser side. Sincerely yours
WILLIAM u. TAIL.
The Lord Mayor Of London was liberal
i'm his answers to Or. Reisner's questions.
! he said he had been total abstainer Tor
the last thlrfy-dye years and had tound
such II course productive OF great ao-
vantage" As 70 the reasons which led him
/ 70 nursue such course hls memory failed
| him, but he said he supposed he had
! eschewed alcohol I'm every form because ne
I thought it was the safest thing 10 90. IN
/ his answer TO Dr. Reisners second ques-
! ton. as to whether such policy had meant
ostra cism among high grade persons, ne
cited an incident which he evidently be
Iieved covered the point IN all it's phases
II Is as follows:
Your second question. q s. - whether tnis
/ nractico has cut of my fellowship Win
| arv higb grade men" can be best an
J Swered bv stating the fact that WIlle, l
] have the honor Of knowing most OF W
| leading men I'm this country and ot enJgGS
! ing tho privilege Of the friendship 81 ~
| very great many. / have had only tnlS
! week the great distinction Of entertain .
! ing as the representative Or tne 'ly "a
! London. their maiesues, tne hlns an ar
/ Queen, at luncheon. when they pald an
! official visit 10 this city, as one or ""
! great official events associated WIN il7
| celebration Of their coronation may III
| form Won for the informal tton ana encoul -
| sgemert Of your membership, tnat on thds
! oTcesion T had the great distinction or
proposing in their presence the healIn ~
| their msiesties the King and Queen, anu
! in doing that drank myselt ho'ilH5
I stronger than lemonade.
General Frederick n. Grant said that
when he was a very young man he had oo-
served that many crimes were committed
apparently on account Of the use Of LIQUOR
and that much sorrow and trouble pre-
vailed among those who overindulged IN
alcoholic drinks He said his habit Of not
drinking haE never embarrassed him IN
any wav. nor cut him off from association
with the best people In fact, the general
suggested. it had sometimes seemed as If
the habit had brought him i'm contact with
people whose friendship ne valued more
than that of the Incorporate ones
Representative Hobson sent an impas-
stoned reply 30 the doctors letter, In which
he qualified absolute, ironclaid abstinence
as the only course possible 10 life Of the
\ highest success and usefulness, lie said:
There was a period when | would take
/ n little of alcoholic beverage at dinners
| banQuets. etc. so as not To appear CON
! SpicuOuS. When | learned. upon lhNeSugd'
! ton that alcohol is the toxin, the loath'
some waste product Of the yeast or fer
mant germ, and is d poison to all lvlnf
tissues. destructive and degeneraung
! striking at the health, life and character
OF the individual blasting TO ones OIL
spring vet unborn. realized that tota
Eabstinencc is the only rational life for d
man or woman and ! cut out absolutely
| every beverage containing any alcohol.
John Mitchelrs reply was little more
than note, I'm which he simply said h'
thought the use as we'll rs the abuse o
intoxicants was often the cause OF muci
demoralization and distress, and for tha
reason he had always abstaned.
The reading Of the letters preceded ~
address, I'm which Dr. Reisner severely At
tackled the liquor evil congregation o
about 600 packed the auditorium.