The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1874-06-05
from the Cincinnati Times Chronicle.
Qua DISGRACE AND OUR DUTY.
A Sermon by Rev. c. H. Payne, D. D., CT
St Parrs ~. 7. Church, on Sunday Even
ing, May 2t.a. 1874.

.'Renfer u. >. fore unto Caesar the thing
which arr l--stT's. and unto God The thing
| hat are s.r-MOnhel0, I1ii.. u.
The meaning of the text is plain. d,
your full duty as a citizen and Chris
tian-to man and 10 God. Let not YOU
citizenship be sunk in your Christianity
nor your Christianity be forgotten il
your citizenship. The duties of the two
relations are harmonious and compati
bic. In harmony with the spirit of thi
text | come before you tonight in the
| legitimate discharge of my duties as
Christian minister, to speak words ot
truth and soberness respecting the duty
of the hour.
The minister who fails to apply the
teachings of the Bible TO the great moral
questions of daily life and duty has mis-
read his commission.
There are times when 'speech is sill
Yer; silence is golden" There are also
times when speech is safety, silence is
peril; when speech is liberty and silence
is despotism; when speech is life, silence
is death. At such time to be silent is
cowardice that merits the scorn of man
the displeasure of Heaven.
The present condition of our city is
such as to lay upon the conscience of
every minister and every private citizen
the imperative obligations of speech and
action in such direction as the voice of
duty calls and the path of safety lies
1t is questionable whether the events
which are now transpiring in our city
have any parallel in interest and import
ance in the civilized world. This CITY is
the central point of a conflict which riv-
cts the gaze of Christendom; whose is
sues are more momentOus than those of
hisrory's most illustrious battles.
| 1t is difficult for us in the dust and
smoke of the battle to rise to a suffi-
ciently lofty standpoint to comprehend
! its real magnitude and far-reaching re-
suits.
Deeply as we feel the humiliation and
disgrace which now darkly cover us
the peril which threatens with menacing
hand; there is not one of us who is deep
hearted enough to feel the full force of
our shame, or far-sighted enough to
measure the ultimate danger ahead.
You and l do not realize what insult
and infamy gather about the arrest and
trial. as common criminals, of a compa-
ny of peaceable, respectable Christian
women for the sole offense of praying
on the curbStones of our sidewalks.
4 blow has been struck at every inter
est Americans hold most dear-nay, re-
peated blows have laid the fair form of
Liberty PROSTATE in the dust of our city.
1t is not one act alone of our city au-
thorities that startles us into wonder
and alarm, but a series of acts, each
bOlder and baser than its antecedent,
eliminating in this latest outrage, which
we behold with crimsoned faces. If it
seems to any that we take too serious a
view of the case, manifest an unwar-
ranted zeal, let them pause and consider
the principles involved. the interests at
stake in the question at issue.
l. First and Immediately is the stu
pendouS evil of intemperance, around
which the entire conflict gathers.
1t is not my purpose TO portray at
length the colossal proportions of this
transcendent evil. Suffice it to say the
civilized world has no other such foe. /
War and peStilence, famine and slavery,
and all the countless woes that affiict
and curse humanity, cause not so many
tears to flow, so many hearts TO break,
so many graves to open, so many crimes |
to multiply, so great expense of money |
and morals, safety and souls, as the sale |
and use of intoxicating drinks.
1t touches every interest of society, |
and curses all it touches. 1t is directly, |
then, a question as to the future we'll
being of your child and mine.
2. The question at issue is also one
of immediate and ultimate public safety,
the supremacy of law, the rule of order.
On this ground the city authorities
ostensibly, but falsely, pretend to stand.
On this ground We, as Christistian, law
abiding citizens, actually stand, and
PROFOUND TO them these plain and EN-
phatic questions: Is the public safety
not imperiled when a small minority of
law-breakers dictate the administration
of the city government, and hold the
rod of terror over thousands of honOred
and orderly citizens! Is there no peril
to public interests when this criminal
class of liquor-dealers are given to I'M
derstand by a legitimate construction of
almost every act of the municipal gov
ernment that these authorities are in
sympathy with them in their illegal traf-
fic, and intend to protect them in i5!
Is it safe for our city to permit an act
ual mob to go unarrested and unrebuked,
while it lays its strong hand on innocent
and peaceful women working in the in
terest of sobriety and order. Is it safe
4
element as exists in this and every city
that praying is a greater offense than
liquor-selling or rioting, Ilat the former
will be prohibited, the latter permitted
because there is no adequate force to
prevent it,
If it be true, as it is claimed by the
Prosecuting Attorney, that this city is
virtually to-day in the hands of mob,
i, = - l |
lay this serious charge upon the city au-
thorities, that they themselves have ere
ated and protected this mob. | make
this charge not in haste nor in malice.
The whole course of their proceedings,
their legislation, their administration,
their known attitude, their acts, singly
and collectively, have fostered and
encouraged this terror-inspiring MOB
which, according to their own assump-
ton, puts in peril the lives of citizens
pursuing their peaceful avocations.
3. The question then assumes a serious
aspect, and deepens and darkens "a we
advance along the line OF investigation.
1t involves our cherished American insti-
tutions. our dearest liberties and most
sacred rights \ shameful blow is struck
at our wives and mothers; the profound
respect which Americans cherish for
woman, receives a fearful shock. We
instinctively and rightfully cry out with
a righteous Indignation trembling III our
voices, Hands oil! Lay not your pol
luting touch OH the sacred form of inno-
cent woman"
1. But there is still more in this con-
flict. 1t goes deeper, and, if possible,
touches interests yet more vital. Ii Is
in direct and unqualified antagonism 10
Christianity itself Our City Council
and Board of Aldermen have set them
selves in almost solid array against Gods
Sabbath, knocking away, so far "a they
can do, this sacred foundation of our
peculiar Christian nationality.
They strike next at the sacredness of
the individual conscience-the right to
worship and serve God according to its
dictates.
Our Christianity is q missionary re-
igion; it puts into hearts the ''enthusl-
asIn of humanity" which leads us to
seek TO save men, by prayers and tears
and gentle persuasion. This sacred I'M
pulse and duty is now prohibited, in one
of its most effective forms. because, for
sooth. of a pretended peril, which. if it
have a real existence at all, has IL be-
cause of the very authorities who forbid
this Christian effort.
And what nextl The preaching of this
pulpit, and other pulpits of the city,
may prove annoying to the whisky oil
garchy. A mob howls about the church,
and demands that the pulpits be silenced.
What then? Shall our churches be closed
for the sake of peace, and fear of vio-
lencel
True, they are our own property and
We have a right TO worship in them.
But shall we not yield rights TO preserve
the public safetyl And more. Praying
in our private dwellings may be unac-
ceptable to our imperious dictatoIs. The
mob gathers at the sound of prayer IN
these nrivate sanctIIaries and threaten |