The Washington herald., 1915-01-04
A Lesf from the Past.

Leaf from the Past.
In looking over the pages of his
tory, especially that of Europe, the
conviction is forced upon us that
the encroachmcnts of the Church
upon the State were invariably made
under the cloak or preteNt OF some
moral or religious movement
These movements began in all sin
cerity and would have accomplished
great good if they had remained
within the domain Of the Church.
But in every case where political
agencies were employed. the real
moving spirit behind the proposed
reforms became CXtinCuished and
the cause was used. at first Cauti-
ously, then boldly, as a means
through which the political ascen-
dency of the Church over the State
might he brought about.
Unfortunately. these moral move
ments were seized upon by, unprinCi-
pied sChemers to fOist themselves
into the political arena. Having
once gained a fOothold, it was a
comparatively simple matter to OBJ
tain the financial and political re-
sources necessary TO entrenCh them
selves more effeCtually and to eN-
tend their political powcr-always
under the cover of this moral move
ment-until the whole nation was
under their control
The most dangerous feature OF
such a poIitico-reIigious movement
is that it fastens itself slowly and
secretly. but not the less securely,
like a cancer. upon the whole pOliti-
cal system of a nation and requires
frequently heroic measures, some
times even a revolution, to get rid
of ii.
Prohibition in the United States.
The prohibition movement in the
United States. broadly speaking, IS
simply a repetition of the same old
story of Church domination, enact
ed and re-enaCted through centuries
of history.
The fact that it has proven a com
plete failure wherever tried does not
discourage fits advocates. They are
not worried about the failure, be-
cause they stand for prohibition on
account of the political power which
II brings them. The results of pro-
hibitiOn are a secondary considera-
ton with them.
Turning From the Pulpit to Politics.
The constant effort of the
Churches to gain the aid of the
State in their work of alleged moral
uplift is practically a confession
that their church work has lost its
effectiveness and needs the stimu-
lating care of the State. For this
reason so many preachers who are
failing in their church work turn
to politics to secure through that
agency what they failed to attain in
the pulpit.
No longer do we see these sanity
churchmen going about among the
weak sinners and confirmed drunk
ards to give them their sympathy
and aid toward reformation, to work
with them and lift them up when
they fall. to visit their homes and
bring hope and consolation to the
families. Oh no! Not they. On the
contrary, they despise the drunkard
and keep aloof from him, knowing
that they can do nothing for him,
because they lack for him that sym
pathy which is the first qualification
needed by the worker for human up
lift.
A far different plan appeals to them.
They prefer to take the drunkard by
the throat through legislative enact
ment and choke him into reluctant
compliance, which lasts only as long
as he is deprived of his favorite bev-
erage, the desire for which increases
in exact ratio to the difficulty en-
countered in securing it. And right
here a kind word of sympathy from a
real minister OF the gospel, imbued
with the spirit of Christian charity
and love, would do more than a thou
sand prohibition laws.
These preacheT-politicians claim to
teach the religion of Christ, the Re
deemer of mankind. But, If this re-
ligion does not redeem, it has not a
single redeeming feature. If, how
ever. it does redeem, why rely on
legislation?
A correspondent, who is a minister
of a church in Virginia, writes to US
as follows:
The pathos Of Prohibition is that
it has now reached the point where
people are asked to look to Caesar to
do what only the Holy Spirit can
do"
Religious OIIEarchy.
Recent developments in the Prohi-
bition movement give strong indi-
cations that the whole propaganda Is
carried on by a powerful religious
Oligarchy which is gaining rapid as
tendency in many States of the Union.
Talk about religion in politics, Why,
that is all there is TO It and in it.
Practically all the national officers
of the Anti-Saloon League, for in
stance, are clergymen, from Bishop
Wilson down to the Rev. Dinwiddie,
their legislative representative or wire
puller.
The beginning.
The prohibition movement began
with the agitation for town or county
local option. Certain unsatisfactory
conditions OF the saloon business
gave 1t impetus and a reason for eN-
istence. These unsatisfactory saloon
features have long been rectified or
are being improved at the present
time by the saloon men themselves.
When the churches went into this
movement they were probably ac-
tuated by the laudabls desire to Grad
icate an evil To accomplish this
they departed from the injunction of
their divine Master to go out and
teach all nations and, instead, ap-
pealed to the legislatures for local op-
tion laws,-and this brought them first
into politics It would have been far
better. not alone for themselves, but
Tor the country generally. had they
never made that first fatal step. But,
having taken il, the inevitable result
followed: the gradual interference of
the Church in the politics Of the na-
lion.
While they were still uncertain Of
their ground, they approached candi-
iates for office with true Christian
zentleness and mild inquiries about
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