The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-05-29
Who Slew ALI These.

To the Editor of The Republican:
Jehu passing out of his palace gate,
saw the CORY head of seventy slain
princes in two piles and asked who
| slew all these?'
Were savages to enter our town some
night and as the result of their massacre
pile in our public square two heaps of
CORY heads, you would not be satisfied
with asking who slew all these. -
Steps would at once be taken to hunt
down the guilty parties. The whole
town would be in fever of excitement,
and up in arms.
But we have seen the dav when far
greater slaughter IS carried on in our
midst, when CORY heads and bleeding
hearts are laid on our streets, az our
doors. in front of our churches. yet we
pass by unconcerned. Legislators as
they enter their halls, pass by the heaps
of slain princes. Students as they pass
through the campus to halls of learning
pass by heaps of slain comrades.
Bacchus with his cheap poisoned con
coctions, branded "Old Rye" Gam
brinas with his Lager" are busy fling
ing their shafts with poisoned tips. |
need not speak of evils of the rum
traffic. nor give statistics, for we have
become Indifferent to these things. We
can pass by the dilapidated homes and
peer through the broken windows at
poverty that sits within; we can pass
the ragged children on the street, or the
care worn, discouraged wife. as she
tolls for the family that drink has de-
frauded; we can talk without word of
sympathy, of the gray haired mother
who weeps for and pleads with her boy
who is rushing headlong into the abyss
of drunkenness;we can read the accounts
of murder, suicide. and crime of all
kinds that weigh down the columns of
our papers, with feelings akin to inter
est. They are fascinating and make
the paper readable. We can read with
little concern, and no regrets; may be
say, well, I'm glad it is not my boy.
When, however, we are startled by
heartrending scenes of murder or sui
eide, we turn pale, the lips are COM
pressed as in balf-bated breath we say.
Awful"
We pity, condemn and dispise IN a
breath the poor culprit, but do we ever
ask the question that that Jehu did,
"who slew all these?" 1t seems to
make but little difference that an army
of 10000 are yearly going down through
a drunkard's grave to hell of eternal
misery; or that 100, 600 are annually
consigned to poverty, and $500, 900, 000
worse than wasted.
The processing Christian reads in his
Bible or is supposed TOY the woes
against the traffic and the man who puts
the cup to his neighbors lips; reads, too,
that no drunkard can inherit the king
dom of heaven; then prays, lead US not
into temptation, but deliver us from
the evil; then folds his hands in cool in
difference regardless of the fate of
10000 souls perishing from drink in our
own land, but stirs not a finger to re-
move the temptation from, or to save
them; but on the other hand. thinks,
or tries to persuade himself, that the
traffic is good thing for farmer, as it
will increase the price of grain, and SO
for the few cents he may gain, votes
and works FOR that which opens the
flood-gates of evil, and thus uses his
influence against right, morals, temper
ance, good citizenship and religion, and
helps slay the 10000 of his fellowmen.
1t does not take long to answer the
question of Jehu.
1t may not be pleasant ito have the
thought that we are implicated flash
through our minds, but let us like men
and christian citizens face the truth.
who slew all these?" | answer, the
minister who is too coWardly to preach
and LABOR for temperance and against
the saloon, is guilty of the charge OF
killing them, to the extent of his oppor-
tunity and responsibility to save them.
1t is said, minister has enough to do
without dabbling in politics. Does not
every one know this is question of
morals?
If our religion has not to do with
morals and all the great social questions
of the day; it is not concerned with
making better homes; better men, hus-
bands and fathers; better citizens and
government, then lido not know what it
is for. The minister who hasn't courage
enough to stand up tor the principles of
the Bible, who is afraid to work for
temperance because some forsooth,
who call themselves Christian presume
to dictate his policy for him. not only
helps to Stay these but is false teach
er, man pleaser, a recreant, parasite:
The cry, Better let it alone" that is
heard seems to come from the pit
When under the shadow of our
churches it is destroying homes, break
ing hearts. Impoverished children, nursing
crime, educating criminals, keeping
scores out of the church, blocking the
way to heaven, and peopling hell, how
can ministers be silent lest the Lord re-
quire the blood of the lost at their
hands.