PARSONS AND PROHIBITION.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9005, 18 January 1895, Page 3

PARSONS AND PROHIBITION.

TO THE BDITOB OF THE PBESS. Sib, — Apropos of the invitation which has been issued by the Chriatchuroh Prohibition League to ministers of all denominations to discuss what eteps .ought to be taken to check the ravages caused by strong drink, there is an expression of opinion on the Bubject by an eminent; Anglican - divine which I would commend to all interested,. and more especially to the leaders of the local prohibition movement. It is to be found in that charming book "The Memories' of Dean Hole," to which reference has recently been made in your columns, and runs as follows: " There is a class,of men, sadly too numerous, who cannot believe in use where there is abuse; who, if they see a, withered branch on a tree, call for an axe inscead of a saw, and cut it down instead of pruning it; 'who iegard decapitation as the. only cure for headache; and who, if they were rigidly consistent with, their creed, would go about naked, because some people spend too much upon dress ; would-abolish horses because some jockeys won't let theirs win ; and would burn the vines, the barley, the oats and the hops, because some fools put an enemy into their mouths to steal away their brains. 'They make a desert, and. they call it peace. , " - , Receut developments in the Prohibition plan of campaign have done much to alienate the sympathies of those who, while not accepting the whole programme, could yet admire the courage and earnestness of the men who advocated it in the face of hostile audiences, whose dissent' was often expressed in language as objectionable as the aroma of the eggs with which their remarks were punctuated. > ° History repeats itself, however, and we have now another example ot the tact that, intolerance and fanaticism thrive on persecution. . ,