Mexico weekly ledger., 1916-09-21
DR.. WILLIAMSON OH WAY
BACK TO ST. LOUIS CHURCH
-F1end6eSt NzR in St LOUIS COmes
Back After Trip 20 Colorado TO
Overcome Drink Habit
NAK NO EXCUSES
His Friea6s Maintain That His Sens$
of Guih MAEniseA His Wroag-
DOizgs in His Own Eyes

J. williamson. well known IN Mexico
to questions about the facts behins
his resignation last April from tn
Third Baptist Church Of St Louis
and his frank statement at the time
that he had become addicted 10 drink
Doctor williamson vas at TIE Unioa
Stat50n He had just arrived from
Colorado, where he has been recupcE
ating for two months. The former
Kansas City pastor did not look like
a chronic alcoholic; far from it. HIS
face was tanned ard his eyes hrigh;
ard clear. He walked with a strong,
vigorous step, and greeted friends
who had come to meet him with 4
quick, hearty kandclasp.
without hesitation or embarrass-
meut be repeated the confession he
made in St Louis last spring on his
resignation from the p~astorate of
what is said 10 be the largest church
west of Chicago. He admitted drink
had been largely responsible. Only
when the conversation turned to
events which had led up to drinking
did he become uneommunicative.
Il don't want to talk about that, "
be said my friends would think /
was only making excuses. Drink
ing is wrong. It can't be excused and
| don't intend to try to excuse it in
myself any more than / would IN
anyone else - not so much, in fact.
The days to come | hope will reveal
that the message | have found through
suffering is not less vital than the one
{ had before.
What led me to make such a frank
and complete confession? 1t was tha
only thing | could do. 1t was the on
y honest thing, and the only thing
which h~aFmonized with the teachings
Of Christ. | had done wrong, and my
enly salvation was to confess it
From that moment | had peace, and
since then it has only been a question
pf getting back my physical health
a statement, originating in st
Louis, 10 the effect that frequent at
tendance where liquor was prominena
On the menu contributed to his Difficult.
ties, were repeated to DR.. Williamson
and he laughed at it.
Il hated the stuff, " he said. Il hay,
always hated it. You couldn't Undue,
me to touch ii under any circumstanc
es. No, it wasn't that. Sociability
leads some men to drink. A cravin,
for liquors leads others. But in m,
ease it was neither. 1t was bu
I'd rather not say any more on tina
point.
I'm not going to have it said
played the baby act. / have no excuse
did wrong. Whatever my medicin
is, I'm ready to take it. I've got t
show that I'm a new man by acts, no
words"
1t remained for a friend to volun
teer the explanation which Dccto
Williamson 80 steadfastly refused.
The truth of the matter" said tn
friend, who, incidentally, also is on
Of the pastors old Kansas City pash
ioneers, sis that drink was only
slight factor in Doctor williamson
trouble His sence Of wrong-doing ex
aggerated his guilt in his own minl
In twenty years DIR. Williamson ha
not taken a single vacation. He ha
been the hardest working man of m
acquaintance. It was not ambition -
he refused several f~iattering offer
from the East. He loved his gorI
But he loved it to well. The inevita
bic breakdown came two years ag,
and Doctor Williamson did not hay
the vitality to meet it. 1t was the
he took to drink.
Il don't think he ever drank /
public. He took it as a stimulant,
don't think he drank a great deal
not nearly SO much as his own candi
confession would indicate. His trog
BILE was nine tenths nervous breal
down and perhaps one-tenth drinl
His imagination did the rest. | an
all Of his other friends are confidei
nothing of the kind will occur agaiI
$50 is he, but you couldn't indut
him to say so. He realizes that
isn't an occasion for talk. He's simp'
going back to pick up his work,
near as possible, where he left o.
an, IN his W words, make goo.
And I'm only one of thousands of h
friends who are ready to forget ever
thing which has gone before, and e
behind to stay"
When some of this was repeated
DIR. Williamson, he only smiled.
Il can't stop my friends from ma.
ing excuses for me-" he said. / wou
not want to. But I'm making MOI
for myself. All ! can do is to
ahead and show in my own life Il
power Of the Christ / preach. If
can't do that, I'd better quit alt
gether."
When DR.. Williamson was taIkii
someone offered him o cigar.
"No, thanks" he said. a" z
along better without them"
"Lately?" raj inquired.
YES" said the pastor simply.
quit them while ! was in Colorado.
used to smoke a good deal befoI
I'll never do it again" 49, he hesitatt
and added, a little painfully, "eitheI
This morning and tonight DIR. w
hanson will preach in the church
Twelfth street and Bales avenl
which inside Of ten years he convert
from a small mission into one Of I
largest churches In Kansas City.
Williamson's old congregation car
nothing for the misfortunes viii
have beset their former pastor Of la
1t is said that overtures have be
nnnho "a him In cnao hn nhni,Id !,