Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1876-03-02
RIGHTEOUS GOVERNORS.

RIGHTEOUS GOVERNORS.
We notice that some Of the daily pa.
pers in Virginia are finding fault with
their Legislature for doing nothing
Other papers are discussing what some
of our Legislators have been doing. II
il right curious. Here are the people
who send to their State and National
Legislatures, young men without knowl-
edge, and other men who 60 because it
may prove stepping stone to some
thing better, and others whose. charac-
ters are none Of the best; aud after
sending saeh men, expect them to do
impossibilities. A large number Of our
Legislators are incompetent for the po-
sition they occupy, both as regards in
teiligence and morality. They go to
taeir various capitals, and while there
run after scarlet women, get drunk,
visit gambling saloons, and may be
bribed. This 10 the character Of some
of the men the people send to make
laws for them; and when their charac.
ters become known, with remarkable
Inconsistency, the people find fault with
the men they have made Legislators, in.
stead Of finding fault with themselves
for sending such meni
The outlook Of this country 10 far
from being pleasant to any one who
fears God, aad knows that the laws Of
righteousness are eternal, and the break
ers Of them must come to grief sooner
or later, whether the breakers be ma
tions or individuals. The scandals con-
nected with the government in Wash
ington are SO many they are notorious.
Whiskey rings, involving millions of
dollars, are now being turned inside
out, and made to look CHASTITY enough.
The rottenness of our public and pri-
vate life is beyond all that could have
been conceived few years ago. In
high places and low, men are cheating.
lying and defrauding; family life is no
longer pure; divorces are becoming
more and more common. Men see this
wherever they turn, aud are not horri.
fed at it-take it as matter Of course.
But about the righteous God. who is
governing this world not for the inter.
est of the devil. but in the interests of
justice and righteousness about
Him3 We have history, not OF Jews
merely, but Of Greeks aud Romans, of
Persians and Babylonians. Where are
these empires i Why are they not in
existence now ? Spain ut one time was
at the head Of the nations Of Europe;
France was the head at another time.
Why are these nations now in rapid
dissolution !? There must be some an.
ever to 9uesti, ms of tn $ kind. Is
there God Of Righteousness or not /?
One may not think it worth while to
consider questions of this kind They
think this country will outlIst their
time. 1t may be; but it is not at all
certain.
Where are the men who, like the old
prophets, are standing in the wav of
this downward drift to perdition p
There are some; but their voices are
not heard. Bishop Huntington of New
York has lifted up his voice. He asks
in late Advent sermon, ''ls this safe
countryp With oil it's advantages, its
anniversary pageants, its celebrations Of
what it has done, its loud predictions
of what it is going to do, is America
resting secure and approved this Ad-
vent, at the foot of God ghteous jud.
ment seat 2" No doubt God has raised
up others, who. in their smaller fields,
are contending for truth against lying,
and honesty against cheating and all
short cuts to get wealth. But what are
these few prophets like Elijah among
90 many? Every week there is some
clerical scandal" SO called; every week
the prophets seem satisfied if they deal
out q few platitudes or advance their
particular sect. All this, when any
true prophet may see the handwriting
on the wall
Just as certain as Nipeveh and BABY.
lon and Jerusalem and Rome passed
away by the edict of the righteous God.
% certain will these United States come
TO grief, unless there be a turning awav
from sin, and We have righteous gov.
ernments, and people that fear God
more than poverty and love God more
than money. We are gathering to-
gcther TO celebrate our centennial. So
far as material and intellectual progress
10 concerned the hundred years between
l776 and 1876 show unexampled pro.
gress. So far as moral advance is con.
cerued, We have gone backwards and
not forwards. One hundred years ago
fifty years ago-we had wise and
moral Legislators. Our best men were
our rulers, who hated gifts and loved
( integrity. Now; but why speak of the
men who rule, the State; Why speak of
the people who elect. such men to rule !?