BWA World Congress Resolution 1923.5
Minutes, pp. xxvii-xxviii:
121. The following resolution on “Temperance” was moved by Mr. H. Ernest Wood, J.P., of London,
seconded by the Hon. Corwin S. Shank, of Seattle, U.S.A., and carried unanimously:
“That this Congress accords its whole-hearted approval of the important work being done in and through the Baptist churches of the world to secure, by the adoption of the principle and practice of Total Abstinence, and by governmental action, the removal of the evils wrought by the use of intoxicating drinks, and the total elimination of the drink traffic.
“The Congress affirms this the more confidently and emphatically because of the great and growing body of authentic evidence resulting from careful and impartial research pursued by scientists and sociologists respecting the facts of alcoholism, constituting a most powerful and convincing indictment of the baneful effect of alcoholic beverages on the life of mankind. The Congress, believing that truth is the surest antidote to error, calls upon the Baptist churches, in conjunction with other Christian churches, to spread far and wide the truth concerning alcoholic beverages and their disastrous effects.
“The Congress believes that the time has fully come for all sincere disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ to strive their utmost to remove these evils:
(a) By personal abstinence from the use of intoxicating liquors as beverages, and by seeking to persuade others to abstain from their use;
(b) By the avoidance of direct complicity with the trade in alcoholic beverages;
(c) By the full exercise of the rights and powers of citizenship, in the adoption of legislation designed to control, limit, curtail and destroy the traffic in alcoholic beverages.
“The Baptist World Alliance rejoices in the action of those governments and peoples that have already entirely prohibited or drastically restricted the manufacture and sale of intoxicating drinks. We ask our people to consider carefully the beneficial results of such restriction and prohibition, and not to be misled
by the selfish and designing propaganda that is carried on in so many countries. We pray that Almighty God may grant His blessing upon all His servants in all lands, to the end that the needless and tragic wrongs inflicted by alcoholism on the peoples of the world may be speedily and for ever removed.”
Meetings Summary, p. 195:
A resolution on Temperance was moved by Mr. H. Ernest Wood, of London, seconded by the Hon. Corwin S. Shank, of Seattle, and carried unanimously.
Citations
Original Source Bibliography: Whitley, W. T., editor. Third Baptist World Congress: Stockholm, July 21- 27, 1923. London: Kingsgate Press, 1923.
Original Source Footnote/Endnote: W. T. Whitley, ed., Third Baptist World Congress: Stockholm, July 21-27, 1923 (London: Kingsgate Press, 1923), pp. xxvii-xxviii, 195.
Online Document Full Citation: BWA World Congress Resolution 1923.5 Temperance; https://baptistworld.org/resolutions.
In-text Online Document Citation: (BWA World Congress Resolution 1923.5).