The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-09-16
Sunday Services.
LESSONS OF THE LATE ELECTION.

LESSONS OF THE LATE ELECTION.
A most timely discourse was delivered -by
Rev. George w. Bicknell at the India street
Universalist Church last evening, on some of the
lessons drawn from the recent campaign
and election in this State The pastor an
nounced at the morning service that lie would
allude to that subject in the evening, and
accordingly an unusually large and interested
congregation was present. After the devotion
al exercises and the singing by the excellent
quartette of the church, the pastor announced
the text, Ponder the path of thy feet" from
| Proverbs 90 In commencing he said he be-
! lieved that the pulpit had something more to
do than to deal with the abstract principles of
christianity. The pulpit should present the
lessons of everyday events, fearing not to ex-
pose false influences.an dangers of the hour.
The very exciting political campaign just ended
| has been forced upon the attention of all, by
| the all pervading vigor with which it has been
conducted, engrossing as it has to a very great
extent, the space of our daily journals, and
attracting attention by nightly professions and
public addresses by some of the ablest speakers
of both political parties; and now what are the
lessons the campaign has taught Disclaim-
ing any mere partzan feeling or bias in his re-
marks, Mr.. Bicknell alluded at first to the re-
pusive features of the contest. A perusa of
the newspapers and candid hearing of the
speakers would give the impression that the
only issues involved were those of Presiden-
tial character, yet one of the hottest of Gods
principles has been studiously kept out of sight,
and only at the very last moment brought out
Believing that both parties really desire the
promotion OF the cause of temperance, they
have cash in their own way ignored it. A cam
paign really intended to be upon temperance
issues should have been openly SO; so far it has
been one of deception. The point lies in
the fact that many were induced to vote upon
the issue of Presidential candidate while that
pertaining to our own State was very studiously
secluded. Both parties appear to have triumph
ed. One has elected its officers while the other
had the assurance that these officers will act
upon the temperance question with discriminate
ing moderation. 1t is at such season as this
when politicians are weaving network of
deceit around the sacred relation of government
and its administration, that We must profit, if
at all, by our warnings. Our governmental
interests are too sacred to be tifled with. 1
hope the time may come, said he, when politics
may be purer, and when few men assembled
in caucus may not dictate to how we shall
vote. ----- -s--. a..
The campaign has been one of Islander in an
especial manner, owing perhaps to the absence
of any vital issue openly expressed. Falsehood, |
SANDER, ridieule and misrepresentation have
singularly marked its course. Papers usually
correct in expression hesitated not to thurl the
+I1,,
candidates, and the orators-generally men of
character-scarcely knew any friends in their
vituperative charges. Each party represented
itself as immaculate and its opposite the black
est possible, and ruin was charged by both if |
the other should come into power charges |
which any boy knows to be false. 1t is an
awful price to pay for victory, or to purchase a
handsome defeat 1t is q terrible thing too to
declare as many have done that "all is fair
in politics., and we are too advanced as peo-
pie to submit to such means to attain such an
end. No good end will ever justify wrong
means. --n, ,- 3'.. t... -. -.t
We are taught the lesson that the education
Of the mass of the people, morally and ntellec-
tually, must underlie the stability Of our free
institutions. Our New Englsnd people throw
al euuCtteu DdllOu, yeb is IL uut bau, w tluHh
th4t hundreds can be influenced to change their
votes by the means usually employed.
But there are lessons to be drawn from q
bright aspect of the campaign; and the first is
the lesson of zeal, which is necessary to carry
forward any good enterprise. Ii we would be
successful we must be alive and jealous: and
this lesson is especially applicable to the church
her lessons are tie persistency of purpose
and the exhibition of united effort. In the |
campaign just closed there was was no schism.
Minor differences were forgotten, and when the
parties marched up to the ballot box and de-
posted thsir votes it was like the acton OF two
men. These lessons are needed in building up
the church of Christ. Finally, even as politi-
clans are closely united with their leaders, so
do we as Christians need closer union with
Christ 1t is impossible that all should be
united in one reiig GUS organi' alton. The
speaker believed that denominatiOnal divisions
were necessary, but condemned divisions in
churches. If you are Universalist, be Uni
versalist, boldly. Let the advance of a society
be like the compact torrent of Niagara, and
not broken into spray by Internal dissensiOns
and divisions The meanest quarrel on earth
church quarrel Let conscientious differ
ences i'll creeds exist, but let all mite in one
object the salvation of souls.