DISTINGUISHED CLERGY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1296, 27 November 1911, Page 6

DISTINGUISHED CLERGY.

THE CHURCH TEMPERANCE SOCIETY. FORCE AS A MORAi FACTOR CON. DEMNED. LET MODERATES CONSIDER. It has already been shown tliat most of tho higher typo of tho clergy denounce in no unmeasured terms Prohibition and its twin evil, Jfo-Licens-'o. It must bo admitted . that, tho sensationmonger among the Prohibitionist parsons is ready to cast aside the calm regenerating influence.of the Gospel for the loud-sounding, big-drum power of Prohibition, and No-License. Behind nil this i'umo and fury the Prohibition parson thinks ho is doing something for the good of tho people. Ho. is deluding himself and those ho would guide, and the truth is not in him. How do we know? Is tho petty, ped« dling Prohibitionist, parson, right and tho. distinguished clergy, tho leaders of religious thought and opinion in th« world, altogether wrong? CATHOLIC CHURCH PRELATES. To begin with—Cardinal Gibbons sayst "lam persuaded that it is practically inipossiblo to put Prohibition into effect in any large community." Right Rev. Mgr. Franz Gollor 6ay«t "Tho Pope certainly does believe in temperance; that is, moderation in all things; but not absolute Prohibition. \ That is not the spirit.of freedom, but of autocratic government. Tho Holy Father himself takes a glass of wine, and believes thai men should bo allowed to uso their own judgment in what they should eat and what they should drink, and not have other men decide such matters for them." • « • • Pope Leo. XIII, in a letter to Arcb> bishop Irelaud, said: "A Catholic priest cannot lie, strictly speaking, a total abstainer, Ixwuise ho must drink alcoholio wine at every mass ho says, and that may bo almost daily. lie could not sanely advocate Prohibition, which, strictly carried out, would make the procuring of wino—materia sacremcnli—an impossibility. And yet, outside oi this sacramental use, which is of necessity, hundreds of priests lead a life of abstinence, and -by thcir personal example and evangelical labours, become veritable apostles of ternperancc."

THE ANGLICAN. CHURCH. At tho General Convention of the Anglican Church, Protestant Episcopal Church Tcmporanco Society tho following declaration was made: "Recognising temperance. s tho law of the Gospel, and total abstinence as a rule of conduct, essential in certain cases, and highly desirable in others; and fully ana freely, according to every man tho right to decide, in the ex. crcise of his Christian liberty, whether or hot he will adopt said rule, this society lays down as the basis on which it rests, and from-which-its work shall be conducted:, union and co-operation on perfectly equal terms for the promotion of temperance between,those who. use temperately and those who abstain entirely from intoxicating drinks as beverages." This is consistent with the law of the Gospel, but it is opposed to the principle (?) of Prohibitioi. ■* . y , . » • The late Bishop Potter, a leading American Anglican, said: "Our prohibitory laws, whether wo put them in operation on one day only, or on all. days, arc aa stupid as they ore ineffectual." . Bishop Webb: I believe that the general tendency of- the Episcopal clergy is to favour, rather than oppose, the well-regu-lated hotel. Tho hotel, when at its best, certainly has many things in its favour. It is a gathering-placo of people, and in many places good people." Bishop Morelaud: Another false notion is that tho abuse of wine prohibits the use of it. Some people are injured by drinking coffee. Must all tho world, then, givo up. its morning cup? It never helps any cause lo raise false ir-siios (.bout it, or defend it with unsound argument. The Rev. D. Rainsford does not mince matters. He soys boldly: "To drink is no sin. Jesus Christ drank. To keep ft saloon is no sin." Bishop Grafton: "I caunot see the benefits lo be derived from compulsory abstinence Rabii temperance workers have accomplished very little."

OTHER LIBERAL CLERGY. Dr. Lyman Abbott, formerly of Plymouth Church, now with ox-President Roosevelt, editing "The Outlook," speaking against compulsory methods to enforce moderate drinkers to give up the use of alcoholic beverages, said: "It whs not the method of Jesus. Ho lived iu an age of total abstinence societies, and did not join auy : of them. Jesus emphasised the distinction between His methods and those of John tho Baptist; that John came neither eating nor drinking; the Son of Man eamo eating and drinking. Ho condemned' drunkenness, but never in a single instance lifted up His voice ia condemnation of drinking. On the contrary, He commenced His public ministry by making, as a rule, wine in considcrabla quantity, and of fine quality, and thi« apparently only to add to the joyous festivities of a-wedding." "Rev. Dr. Howard Crosby, of the bytsrian Church, goes so far as to say (hat 'Prohibition is the greatest enemy to a much-needed, reform.'" '.* » * • Tho Rev. Carl Eissfeldt, of the Lutheran Church, speaking as its representativo at tho annual conference, Wisconsin, said: "We cannot join hands with the prohibitionists, because their principle is wrong, insofar as they mix good use and misuse of things, that in themselves are gift! of God. We regard this as a wrong principle, to prohibit on account of misuse tho use, manufacture, and sale of anything that in itself is not bad." 6 « <s e Tho late Rev. Henry Ward Beechcr put Uio caso for tho Moderates in this language: "If you say to me that I ought not to drink, perhaps 1 would agree with you j hut if you tell mo that I must not drink I will drink, because I have a natural right to do so—to drink what I please." * < « it Now, in the face of all the foregoing declarations, will any honest render affirm that the uotoriety-hunting prohibitionist parson is to be compared in point of sanity, learning, ability, and devotion to religion and love rd humanity with any of the groat names mentioned? Then why follow them. Tho prohibition parson is a misleading porsoJ. Voto to display your determination to bo free, and striko out the bottom lines on bath voting papers.*