The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-09-15
TELLS WHY CHURCH
IS IN THIS FIGHT
THE ISSUE IN STATEWIDE PRoHI-
BfTrox CAMPAIGN Is
PLAIN.
WHAT Is CHURCH FOR2
REV. JOHN I. BRAY breaches IN
CLAY STREET METHODIST
CHURCH ON THE CHURCH
AND LIQUOR TRAFFIC.
WHAT IS CHURCH FOR2

Answering In convincing manner
euor interests that the question Of the
'LegalIzed Saloon" Is a political one,
and not one In which therefore the
church should not take "A part, Rev
John l.. Bray. pastor of Clay street
Methodist church, brought out very.
clearly the duty OF the church. In MS
sermon Sunday night on prohibition.
when he said: If a giant evil can thus
grow up In our midst. Staying its tens
of thousands, laying it's !mpIous hands,
with debauching touch, on the ballot
and the legislature, hurting defiance IN
the face of society and the church OF
Cod crushing the hearts and the homes
of the weak and helpless; IL the church
has nothing TO do with all this then
In Gods name what are We here forF
with all this before us the issue IL
clear" said Mr. Bray. in bringing out
very clearly the situation which now
confronts Virginia people. A large con-
gregation was out to hear Mr.. Bray
who spoke In part as follows
BE II known TO all men that between
the 'iegalized liquor trafic ana the
church Of God there is an irrepressible
conflict. The "legalized liquor traffic
and the church cannot survive the con-
aict much longer; one must go doNh'
which one will 1t be? We must recog
nizn the fact that this fight against
the liquor traffic Is great religious
movement. and the principles that an
deriic II are the fundamental principles
of Christianity.
The "Legalized liquor traffic" is the
manufacture Of criminals, and therefore
cannot be legalized save by an act OF
suicide on the part OF the stare No
omen saloon is the rendezvous OF GRIM
tnals. criminals against government and
outlaws from society. 1t Is the nome
Of red handed anarchy. There are
number of schools in the great cities
OF the land where anarchy ia taught ac-
cording to the Gospel of John Most ana
others Where are these schools hcto
In the saloons. No other roof ~oulh
give shelter to such devilish brooo.
The "I.egaIzcd saloon" Is the school IN
to which our foreign population IS llFst
drag eed- ana taught to curse -rellglon.
tbe Bible. the sabbath. 1.-THE home. and
all law The "IeRalized saloon" is the
omen slaughter-pen in which are hutrh-
( cred wofnanhood, honor, ambition, ana
all love Ia 1t right for the church OF
God to help by the vote of her MEMBERS
to lega1ize such an institution, or Of
fer a premium for its management
Want To Make 1T Crawl.
GU tell me tnat GU tftAttitN iHNNN
( men sober by legislation. | have heard
/ This crv on every hand for the last
] few weeks Perhaps 1t is true, but in
| the name of God ! for one protest
I against making men drunk by legtsia-
! ton. II YOU cannot make man soher
( by law, then, In the name of the law,
give no more legal permits to make
men drunk. If you cannot legislate 10
make them sober. do not legislate to
~, VIM
! admit that public sentiment can never
ebe educated in the true temperance SEN
I tinent while the saloon is open ana
I protected by law. The liquor business
is too respectable by far; these people
are too often received in society IN
which good and true people mingle.
How the whiskey man groans that pro-
-hihition drives the whole business 10
low down channels, that mean low
I down men are then engaged In It
Exactly So only mean men are fit TO
engage In the business. the meaner the
man the better qualified is he for the
business we want to drive 1t into back
/ alleys. celIers and dark holes. where
only the desperate and devilish Will
sneak to get It, We want to make II
/ bite the dust and crawl in the dirt.
mud and filth-make it crawl crawl
/ In the ditch in the gutter. In the sewer.
! and on INTO hon where r. BELONGS.
/ Jesus Christ, our great teacher. In
speaking to His followers on one oc-
I casion. said "Ye are the salt of the
earth"-''Ye are the light Of the world.
! May 1t not be truly said of the Chris
/ tlan church that 1t Is the salt of the
! earth that IT is the Light Of this
worldo salt To save this world from
corruption and death Every member
of the organized church of God is a part
/ of that Salt" and is in honor bound
/ 10 help save this world from corruption
and death Every Christian man must
/ admit that the 'Legalized liquor traf-
/ fic" is the most fruitful source OF
/ human misery; that 1t is the worlds
chief death trap; that it is the center
! of diabolism on earth. Every Christian
man viii admit also that the existence
of this chief death trap has been au-
/ thoriYed by municipal, state. and fed
eral laws, and that the Christian church
4 is responsible to a degree for the ex-
/ tstence of the "Legalized liquor traffic"
| Denounced ny the Church.
Tho denominations, through their
I conferences and conventions, have
passed resolutions condemning and
denouncing the 'LeEalized liquor traf-
fic as the arch enemy of our CIV
the Cody membership of their re
spective churches to use their best
endeavors to prohibit this most mi
quitious Institution.
! suIfous Tnst1tutIon.
The other day 7 passed on one of
the principal streets OF this fair and