Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-07-19
For the Free Press and Times.
Christians and Politics.

difference. | believe that there is no de-
partment of human life with which Christian
principles have nothing to do. The object
of Christianity is to make men good, honest
and Iure. II it will not do this, it is worth
less. First, What position does the religion
of Jesus require disciples to take, with
reference to elections? In general way it is
safe to say that every Christian is bound to
use all his opportunities to find where the
path OF truth and duty lies. 1t is no small
matter. He should employ all possible
means to find out what is right and true,
and then be governed by, and be
faithful. to his convictions. Ii hrs
con, i,tions require him to do hon
est service in the support OF the
principles and to promote the success OF any
party, he should do it. If his convictions
require him to abandon one party, and sup
mort the men and measures of another po-
litieal association, or work and fight "on his
own hook" he should be loyal to his con-
yictions wherever they lead him. How
true Christian can do otherwise, and be
satisfied with his own conduct cannot con-
ceive.
Second, with whatever party he works, he
should do all in his power to secure the
nomination to Office of honest, pure and
competent men. lie should not be mere
locker on, growing at what others do. lie
should work, in fair, honest and manly
way, to secure the nomination OF the best
men. lie may not be able to find the very
best man. lie would probably be the most
unpopular of men, if discovered. do not say
that Christians should require that the candi-
dates should he church member. or that he
should even be a Christian /; but they should
demand "the selection" of man above suspi-
cion as to his moral character. Vermont
has one man in Congress, at least, who is
called the cleanest man in Washington"
| | hoI they are all clean. Christians have
no right whatever to nominate, or acquiesce
in the nomination, of man for Office, who is
drunkard, an adulterer, or a dishonest
man.
If nv house was on fire, | SHOULD not stop
people rushing to my help to inquire into
their moral character No; | should en-
courage them to 90 in and put out the fire.
1t is possible to conceive an emergency when
Christians might feel it to be their duty to
vote for man, bad in other respects, if he
would save an imperilled country.
As general rule, hold it to Re the duty
of Christians to be memorable in demanding
that the candidate they support shall not be
an immoral or unprincipled man.
But suppose Christians fail to secure the
nomination Of clean man, ought they
no. to yield to the decision of the party.
as made in the nominating Convention, even
if the nominee is known to be INSCRIPTIONS,
and an habitual yiolator of the Seventh
Commandment, or is guilty of any other
gross violation of the laws of God and the
State ?. No, thousand times no. Caucus is
king. and claims unquestioning allegiance,
but the Christian who is the slave of party,
yoke may be, is "poor critter" indeed,
and must be an object of supreme contempt
in heaven, and ought to be on earth. Poll
ticans should be taught that they can
never calculate upon the support of Christ
ians in any attempt of theirs to thrust bad
men into office. So long as Christians ask
only whom the party has brought forward,
and feel bound to vote for satan himself, if
nominated, they lay down their sacred pre-
rogatiye and are Justly despised by those Of
whom they are the donkey-like dupes.
Father Haynes used to say, "WheD one
candidate is Apolyon and the other Satan,
| will vote for neither Let Christians
generally take that position. and the man
ayers would be careful whom they "trot
out " for the peoples sutfrages.
Madame Rumor is busy with the moral
character of the men. by their own efforts,
most prominently before the public as can
didates to represent our District in the
next Congress. If there is no foundation
for the charges made against them. it is
difficult to sound the depth of the hell
their slanderers deserve. Christians should
be on the alert to vindicate the reputation
Of those unjustly assailed. But if there is
any occasion to suspect them of immoral
practices and corrupt associations, Chris
tians should give truth, purity, honesty, and
genuine manliness the benefit OF their
doubts. Insist, brothers, insist upon the
nomination Of good, honest. brave. clean,
capable man, or refuse him your support.
Your duty to the pure Master requires that
you should never yield your convictions. if
honest.
Take all reasonable precautions. No man
has any claim upon your support. whether
he nominates himself, or packs convention
for the purpose. You have no right to
swallow an unsupported tale of scandal,
neither have you u right TO shut your eyes
and gulp down whatever the party managers
choose to put into your mouth. Don't sur
render your manhood, even to a party you
have loved, and believed to be, in the main,
right. You have no right to insist that
your candidate should be Methodist, Bap-
fist, EpiscOpalian, Univer.alist or Catholic.
1t is doubtful if it is proper to inquire
in what direction his sympathies tend
in this respect, but you should insist
that he should be an honest, reliable, clean
man, loyal to his wife, if he have one, loyal
to pure, uneOrrupted womanhood, married
or unmarried. To insist upon the morality
of your sons and the virtue of your daugh-
tiers, and vote fOT Il man who revels in the
embraces of prostitute U Heaven, have
mercy upon the infatuated Christian who
dare do such dishonOr to his Lord and Mas
ter
Let no reader interpret what have writ
ten as intended to support the accusations
that are made and commonly reported.
Good men deny their truth; know nothing
about it, One thing do know. that will
not vote for bad man, unless deceiyed. |
should prefer to risk all the probable conse-
quences of the success of the Democratic
party. Some Republicans think that the
meanest Republican is preferable to the
best Of Democrats. | do not feel
so. The country is safe in the
hands Of good, honest, conscientious, capable
men, to whatever party they belong. |
write hastily, but honestly and kindly.
Christians are minority as men count
them, but if God is in their side, their ma
jorty is immense. They have great powers
for good, if true to their honest, intelligent
convictions. Let the members of all our
churches rcsolutely demand good, pure, men
for Office, and We should seldom be without
them. But if they wink at corruption, if
| they sustain the claims if men who resort to
| dishonorable methods to secure coveted
places. their religion is of less value than
the sounding brass and the tinkling Gym
bal" They are an unmitigated curse to the
church they Disgrace. Dogmaticp Bigoted
Can't help it. II to require Integrity and
purity in the counsels of the Nation, is big