THE SPIRIT OF THE BEER GARDEN.
By William Nelson Glenn
A CASE recently occurred in St. Louis which shows the demon-like animosity of the liquor traffic toward anything of an opposing nature. A small band of street evangelists, members of the World's Missionary Association, had been holding Sunday meetings in the vicinity of a beer garden in St. Louis. The proprietor made a complaint against them, and had them arrested. The Good Way, of Chillicothe, Mo., gives an account of the affair, which it says the St. Louis dailies refused to publish, and from which we cull the following:— The band, consisting of Francis A. Smith, Mrs. Carrie Sherwood, and Miss Ida J. Sipprell, were first taken to the Forest Park police station, where the officers in charge extended to them gentlemanly courtesy. About midnight they were removed to the Market Street station in a patrol wagon. Here the two ladies of the band were thrust into a cell with a vile, drunken woman, and suffered indescribable and violent abuse at her hands. These defenseless women were left for an hour and a half with life imperiled and obliged to listen to the most obscene and blasphemous language, without police protection. About 2 o'clock A.M. they were taken in the "Black Maria" and for two hours were driven from one police station to another, gathering up the criminals. The handcuffs were put upon Mr. Smith, while some of the worst criminals went unshackled. Arriving at the Four Courts, they were put into cells covered with filth and vermin. Mr. Smith was put in the company of five inebriates, and the ladies with four drunken women. Concerning the trial we take the following from the Firebrand:— At first the prosecution tried them for blockading the streets. They failed to make a case on this charge. Then they charged them with making a public disturbance. This they failed to prove. Then they brought in a charge of vagrancy, and adjourned for another hearing, which came off some days afterward. The case could have been dismissed on condition that Brother Smith, the leader of the meeting, would desist from preaching at the usual place near the beer garden. He feels that he cannot do this, and will take the workhouse route rather than make a concession which he feels that his conscience would not let him do. The girls are released. The Good Way adds the following proper indorsement of the preacher's course:— We think the decision of Brother Smith is right. No concessions should be made to the lawless ruffians or lickspittle authorities of St. Louis or any other debauched community. Better rot in prison for principle than have charity at its sacrifice. We are not much surprised that the alcohol adversary should manifest such a spirit toward an avowed enemy, for its province is to inflame, to craze, to embitter its votaries, and to annihilate reason. But, in five States of the Union, ministers and laymen calling themselves Protestant Christians have manifested the same spirit in the same way toward other Christians who, for conscience toward God, chose to observe the Sabbath of his commandment and go quietly about their work on Sunday. And professed Protestant ministers and professed Protestant journals in other States have indorsed the action. Can it be possible that the spirit of Protestantism is finding its affinity in the spirit of the beer garden? Or is it the same spirit of the enemy of all righteousness that has assumed the garb of Protestantism? One thing is certain, it is not the Spirit of Christ, for he said, "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." W. N. G.