Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1860-03-29
Duty for the Day.
BY HENRY WARD BEECHER.

We are not disposed to undervalue
political machinery, any more than the
machinery of government, states. or
churches. But if there be nothing but
machinery. government will soon fail
of the very ends for which it was in
stituted. There must be wisdom, re-
Election, and right feeling. and ma
chinery is only means OF exciting or
of exercising them. There could he
no -four if there were no mill. But
what is mill worth without wheat to
grind?
No political results can be Of any
permanent value which are gained by
mere management-which represent,
not the sober thoughts and moral con-
victions of the citizen. but the dexter
ity and trick of the adroIt partymas-
ter. Every great political campaign.
like that now advancing upon us.
should begin and proceed upon sobri-
ETY. Of Judgment and convictions based
upon intelligence. 1t is the duty of
every Christian citizen to see to it
that every voter in the land has the
materials of truth before him. And
now is the time to act for the spread
of that information which is indispens-
able to stable political advance. Vic
tories gained by mere excitements are
like the bonfires that celebrate them,
mere transient flashes of light making
haste again to darkness. But the adj
vance of community in sound polit-
ical principles, in sentiment Of JUS
tice and feeling of real sober regard
for the public good,is like che advance
of summer, which. when it once
touches our hemisphere, never leaves
it until it's harvests are ripened, it's
fruits matured, and its whole munii-
cence perfected and garnered.
Let every Christian consider wheth-
er he is doing his part in the great
struggle that has now begun, for the
unity of states. and the stability o
Federal Government on the basis o.
Justice and Liberty. God has blessed
him in no ordinary degree who is per
mitted TO engage i'll the evolution o
principles and the settlement of pol.
icy, which is second in importance tC
the very Inauguration of the Govern
ment.
In such a period, political indieer
ence is an immortality No man cal
be guiltless who lends himself tc
wrong. or neglects to give his whole in
fiuence to the right.
We make these suggestions just nov
because this is the seed-time not oni,
of the year, but of our political har
vest. We must aim at politica
harvest by the sowing of right seed
in right places, rightly prepared
Where are the seed sowerso
Where are the men who have beer
for years groaning at the corruption
of public affairs? Are you doing any
thing to remedy it? Are you reason
ing, circulating facts and argument
addressed to mems sober Judgment?
Where are the men who have, i
public and secret. lamented befOr
God the wickedness ofthe times? NOV
that the Providence of God ha
brought around the day and the mean
for the correction of such evils, ar
you securing the answer to you
prayers by appropriate activity? Wha
must be thought Of men who are he
in the closet but cold at the ballot-box
who are bold in lamentations owe
evil, but shy of practical reforms
tions9
Now is the time for Work. Tt
grass is springing under your feet; III
leaves are coming forth over your hea,
Let there be printed line circulate
for every blade of grass. and a pas
for every leaf! This is work for ever
body. For men. for workmen. f
women. for youths The diffusion
knowledge is every bodv's business
God has plowed the times in whic
we live. that men might cast goo
seed into the furrows: and in due Sc,
son public order. regulated liberty AN
impartial justice shall reward your /,
Dor n hundred-fold.
We shall have feeling enough b,
and-by. We shall have zeal in owe
: measure. We shall have too niue
, work thcn. when work yields but Ii
tle-after mems preiudices are excite'
their pride committed. and their pa
sions inflamed. We must anticipa
: and appeal to their reason before il