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Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Judge Brooks Asks Smithfield Christians to Pray Away Illegal Liquor Traffic, July 20, 1921

Sundown Prayer Given by Smithfield People. . . Judge Brooks Starts Movement to Break Up Bootlegging in That Section

Smithfield, July 20—All Christian people in Johnston county have been called on to united in common prayer at sundown each day in an effort to blot out the liquor traffic in this section completely. The call was issued at a mass meeting here Sunday afternoon, which was presided over by Judge F.H. Brooks, who declared that after 10 years as judge of this county court, during which time he had tried hundreds of cases for violators of liquor laws and for drunkenness, he had come to the conclusion that the only way to stop the damnable business is to have a revival of religion.

Judge Brooks made an appeal to the people of the county several weeks ago and has received but one dissenting note, this being from Elder E.F. Pearce of Princeton, who conceives such a movement as Judge Brooks has instituted as to be a mark of a false religion. Elder Pearce, who is a member of the Primitive Baptist church, thinks it worse to be drunken on a false religion than intoxicated with blockade liquor.

Many strong addresses were made at the mass meeting Sunday afternoon, which was largely attended, and it was unanimously decided to call on the people to unite in prayers for a great revival of of religion in Johnston county.

From the front page of The Dunn Dispatch, July 20, 1921

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