The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-11-20
THE CHURCH AND ENFORCEMENT"

III
aoer has called in conference the ministers OF
the churches of Kenosha in an effort to mar
shall behind movements for the enforcement OF
the law the greatest single element OF help IN
sacuYino an improved moral condition IN Ne
nosha It is to be regretted that larger IN
terest was not shown in this movement oy the
ministers of the churches Of the city.
The church, dormant, will not be OF great
value in working toward better condltlons IN
Kanosha and Kenosha county, but the church,
militant. can go a long ways toward bringing
about the conditions to be desired. A united
effort on the part of the more than twenty
thousand men and women and children con-
nected with the church organizations Oh the
city of Kenosha county could bring about any
moral or economic reform which this great
power get behind.
The church stands for the very thing that
is sought, but the church sometime is hesltant
to get its full power behind such movements.
The church stands for something definites5 1t
stands for a religion, age old and proven good
by ages.
That religion, if it means anything, means
an aid.to the moral uplift for the nations and
the communities in which it exists. 1t is the
greatest power for good in the world and there
is every reason that this greatest power should
be militantly behind movements for the gen
eral good.
There is no considerable disagreement
among the leaders of religion as to the de-
STABILITY of law enforcement. The ministers
of every church stand for such law enforce
ment in their private life. AS leaders of men
and women they must stand for these better
things or surrender their leadership. The in
fluence of a church is largely dictated by the
influence of it's leaders, and if the influence of
Ion.J in a
nosha can be thrown into the movement for
law enforcement, there is not going to be any
question as to where the rank and file of the
church membership will stand.
There must be some boring from within. I"
Before any church organization can reach the
acme of influence in moral suplift it must have
uplifted it's own membership to the plane de-
sired. There must be distinct understand
ing that it is inconsistent for a man to be a
pillar of the church" on Sunday and patron
of the bootlegger on Monday. The church,
among it's own members, must take strong
stand for the enforcement of law. The man
who hides behind the pillars of church to
violate the law, must be driven out of the
temple just as the leader of all great religious
organizations drove the money changers from
the temple centuries ago.
The greatest aid to law defiance is the fact
lations. The most active abbettor of the crime
of the bootlegger in some cases is man who
on Sunday is a respected member of church.
There is no suggestion that the church con-
dones his offense but there is the certain
knowledge that he continues to offend against
the law and still remains in the church His
presence weakens the church in the eyes Of the
public and weakens it's influence in the general
movement for the moral .uplift
The repentant bootlegger may have his pro-
per place in the church, but he should prove
his repentance by service before he is accepted
too cordially Many of them may seek to use
the church pew as a market place for his
wares.
There should be no lines of division in this
great work No matter what denomination
you may belong to, the cardinal principal of
your religion is the betterment of humanity
That betterment can be best served by the in
sistence that the law be respected and en-
forced There should be in Kenosha closer or
ganization of all religious bodies in order that
the full value of their work might be secured.