The Glasgow courier., 1916-02-04
would have more drunkards un-
der prohibition than it has now.

der prohibition than it has now.
Prohibition will not enlarge
church membership. That is
what prohibition pulpiteers
think it will do. 1t has done SO
nowhere. Ii will not do so in
Butte. Prohibition drives people
away from church and religion,
because prohibition thinks it is
wiser than the Bible; in fact,
wiser than omniscient God Him.
self. Because God has never for
hidden the moderate use OF
liquor. If our ardent prohi-
bitionists think that prohibition
will bring an era of prosperity
to our churches, let me quote
what Frederick E. J. Lloyd,
D. d., LII. d., a prominent di-
vine of Chicago, says:
II am abundantly convinced
that the prohibition movement.
by its latest developments, and
the astonishing hold it has Sc
cured ON the country preacher.
has done more than any other
single agency of modern times
to weaken the influence and null
lily the appeal of the rural
church, and as in numberless
cases to completely close its
doors. Another plague that as
sails it, and with its poison saps
its life, is the .anti-saloon league.
and nothing can stay its ravages
on its main sources of revenue,
unless the more enlightened, de-
termined and fearless preachers
are given the wisdom to recog-
nize conditions as they are
Prohibition will have the same
blighting effect on the city
churches that it has on the rural
churches. People do not want
to hear prohibition TRADES, but
the gospel.
According to the census of
1910 Kansas had a church men,
bership of 2S.4 per cent. Forty
one license states had a greater
membership, Montana being
among them, with 1926 per cent.
Prohibition will not change
Butte into a more prosperous
city, nor into a more desirable
place, nor into a city without
criminals. Nor will it close the
doors of its poorhouses, its pris-
ons and its hospitals, nor will it
increase wages. 1t will do none
of these desirable things, as can
be amply proved by the expert
cnce "dry" states have had.
Let me now give a clear con-
ception to those who believe and
hope that Butte will come under
prohibition. Let me show them
what the result would be.
Prohibition will deprive our
citizens of that glorious gift
which God wants every human
being to enjoy, for which our
forefathers died, which is vOuch-
safed to us in the constitution,
without which existence ON this
world would be abject slavery,
and that is liberty, that is the
privilege to live according to the
dictates of your own conscience.
as long as you do not interfere
with or infringe upon the liberty
or happiness of some one else.
Prohibitionists have every right
to abstain from certain foods
and certain drinks, but if they
by law desire to enforce their
opinions on the whole commun-
ity, am one of those who resent
the attempt as an infringement
on my personal liberty. God
has given every man his own
conscience. and He wants him to
use it. If it is right by law to
tell the citizens what they shall
drink, it is also right by law to
tell them which church to at
tend, which religion to espouse,
Prohibition will stamp the
Bible a book of falsehoods. and
Jesus Christ an impostor and a
hypocrite. The Bible is en-
phatically, unalterably and cter-
nally opposed to prohibition
Jesus Christ never once said that
liquor is poison and the mod
crate use of alcohol Il sin in tho
sight of God and crime in tho
ewes of man. Jesus Christ made
wine; He drank wine; and II'
uscd it at the last sacrament
He only condemned the immod
crate use of it, and called tha'
a sin.
Prohibition will destroy al
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