Prohibition and Religious Liberty

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http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/AmSn/AmSn18881001-V03-10__B/index.djvu?djvuopts&page=2

The American Sentinel and the Prohibition Party.

NOT long since one of the editors of the SENTINEL made a speech in San Diego, Cal., on religious legislation in general, and Senator Blair's proposed National Sunday Law, and

religious amendment to the Constitution, in particular. We gave a sketch of the theocratical workings of the church, the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, and the Prohibition party, with the National Reform Association, and the aim of the National Reformers to hand over the whole thing to the Papacy as soon as the Papacy is ready. The San Diego Sun stated 'that in this we " assumed what every member of these organizations will promptly deny." We do not think that the statement of facts can rightly be considered assumption. As to the Woman's

Christiaii Temperance Union, we gave our position in regard to that in our issue for September; we wish now to show that when

we name the Prohibition party in the same category we assume nothing.

It cannot be denied that the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and the National Reform Association are pledged to the

establishment of a theocracy in this country. Nor can it be denied that the Prohibition party is inseparably connected with both the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and the National Reform Association. The Woman's Christian Temperance Union demands the ballot in the hands of women, in order to establish a theocracy; the Prohibition party is pledged to secure the ballot in the hands of women; therefore the Prohibition party is pledged to the establishment of this woman-made theocracy. In order to establish a theocracy," the National Reform Association demands a constitutional amend-

ment empowering Congress to legislate in religious things; a leading Prohibitionist—Senator Blair—proposes in Congress just such an amendment, accompanied by a bill legislating upon things pertaining to God; and the Lever, in commending the " moral element" in the make-up of the Prohibition party, " the foundation" for which is laidin the recognition of "Almighty God as the source,of all power in government," says:—

"At this point the Prohibition party stands out in bold contrast with the old parties. It recognizes the authority of God in human" government, and proposes that all legislation shall be in harmony with, Christian morality."

This is precisely what the National Reform (phrase not scanned)the Prohibition party and the aim of the National Reform Association are identical. And besides this the National Reformers have pledged themselves to join hands with the Catholic Church as soon as she is ready.

More than this, this is only that at which the Papacy itself is aiming in this country. Pope Leo XIII. commands that,—"All Catholics should do all in their power to cause the constitutions of States, and legislation, to be modeled on the principles of the true church."

Senator Blair's constitutional amendment and religious legislation are modeled exactly "on the principles of the true church;" and the Prohibition party is pledged to such legislation; therefore the aim of the Prohibition party and the aim of the Catholic, Church, so far as religious legislation is concerned, are identical. And they are working together to secure it. At the county Prohibition convention for Tulare County, Cal., held in Tulare City not

long ago, a Catholic priest was introduced by a Methodist minister, and made a strong speech and offered the Catholic Church free to the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, at any time, to hold their Prohibition unions in. About the same time a Catholic priest spoke in a Prohibition convention in Los Angeles, in which he made most prominent the necessity for religious legislation, particularly in regard to enforcing the observance of " the Lord's day," as Senator Blair's Sunday

Bill provides. These things greatly please the Prohibition party, the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, and the—Catholic Church.

Now we would like for some Prohibitionist to tell just about how much any advocacy of Prohibition by the Catholic Church is worth, while everybody knows that there is not a saloon keeper in all the land who cannot keep a saloon and be a member of the Catholic Church as long as he lives, and (if he pays money enough) go straight through purgatory without even getting scorched, when he dies. We can tell what it is worth, and that is, just what influence and support the Catholic

Church can get out of the Prohibitionists in accomplishing the Papal scheme of causing "the constitutions of States, and legislation, to be modeled on the principles of the true

church."

That is what it is worth, and that is all it is worth. But if the Prohibitionists think that a safe investment, they have vastly more confidence in the wheedling charms of the

Papacy than we have. For we never can (phrase not scanned)" The experience of twelve hundred eventful years, the ingenuity and patient care of forty generations of statesmen, have improved that polity [of Rcme] to such perfection that,

ajnong the contrivances for deceiving and oppressing mankind, it occupies: the highest place."—Essays Von Ranke.

"Rev.""Sam," Small, the associate1.revivalist with " Sam " Jones, was Secretary of the National Prohibition Convention, held at Indianapolis. And what he wants to see, as stated in his own words at Kansas City, last winter, is this:—-

" I want to see the day come when the church shall be the arbiter of all legislation, State, National, and municipal; when the great churches of the country can come together

harmoniously and issue their edict, and the legislative powers will respect it and enact it into laws."

- Was ever the Papacy more than that? Did ever the Papacy ask more than that? Could it ask more ?From these evidences, it is plain that the Prohibition party, as it is, is set for the establishment of a religious despotism of which the Papacy, shall be at least a part. And whoever works for, or votes, the Prohibition ticket, works and votes for the establishment of such a despotism.

The following letter, from a prominent Prohibitionist in an Eastern State, but who does not work for the Prohibition party as at present constituted, is sound and to the point:

"The church may adopt any form of government for itself that it chooses, but must keep hands off the civil Government.

The worst despotism the world ever experienced was under a theocracy. The church party, misnamed Prohibition party, seeks to proselyte and carry on a religious crusade under the guise of a so-called political party. Put that party in power, and the priest and minister would supersede the judge, the jury would disappear, civil courts would give

place to ecclesiastical courts, the public court room to the star chamber, the ordinary jail to the inquisition.

"My vote, and my voice, shall ever be for a free, civil, enlightened, and progressive Government.

"I am a dyed-in-the-wool Prohibitionist, and daily practice what I preach, but do not belong to the clerical party."

This letter exactly expresses the views of the SENTINEL. The AMERICAN SENTINEL is entirely and consistently in favor of Prohibition; but it |s not in any sense in favor of religious legislation. What we here say is not against Prohibition, but against the religious legislation element, the Church and State element, in the Prohibition party and in the Prohibition platform. Opposition to Church and State was hissed and yelled down in the California State Prohibition Convention of 1888. And a consistent Prohibitionist told the Prohibition party in that same convention, that if they went into the campaign with the platform as it is, "they would have to pass half the time in convincing the people that it was not a religious movement." The Prohibition party, both State and National, have gone into the campaign with that very platform, and that party may spend all the-time in the

endeavor/ but it can never convince any thinking person that it is not a religious movement. The Prohibition movement as it is now manifested in the Prohibition party,

and under its present platform, is nothing else than a religious movement; and that is only what the majority of the preachers, whether Protestant or Catholic, have in view who are making themselves so prominent in behalf of Prohibition—they are only making Prohibition the stepping-stone to religious legislation, and the establishment of their own power by it. And in view of the ecclesiastical engineering of the Prohibition party, Dean

Milman's weighty words are of living importance to every American citizen: "In proportion as ecclesiastics become co-legislators, heresies become civil crimes and liable to civil punishments."

The AMERICAN SENTINEL is in favor of prohibition everywhere and all the time; but it is not in favor of religious legislation anywhere at any time. We would shut the saloon

everywhere and forever, not because it is irreligious nor because it is violative of the law of God, for with such reasons the civil power can have nothing to do.

A. T. J

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Now go back and reread, please, substituting 'abortion' and 'gay marriage' in place of 'prohibition'.