The Portland daily press., 1879-04-21
TERMS $500 PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE.

blood. 1t finds its way into every fibre Of
mans being; it goes into every atom Of
lIfe; 1t reappears In all bis work; whether he
oe King 1t goes into the government he
makes; whether he be a carpenter, 1t goes
into the house he builds. Religion Is not
worth anything 10 man If it do not make
make MIN religious everywhere. He must be
Christian behind his counter no less than
IN bis pew. He must put as much religion
lnto hls ledger as be takes out OF his B bic,
There IS some christianity 10 an honest pair OF
scales. ln these days OF pasteboard and brown
paper there IS considerable piety in we'll made
pair OF shoes-good leather all through. I
IKE to see mans name on the church rolls.
1t speaks well for him. / think be Ia
Christian. But If he is my milkmsn, and a
quart OF his milk fills my quart measure, and
u IL IS not extended and watered, then /
begin to feel very sure OF him; il he is a con-
mission merchant, and it requires very
Keen sagacity to do business with him at
all feel some what doubtful; if be is q sala-
rled officer, inquire the ratio of his outgo
70 his Income, ahd am sure that business
men who are not Christians do the same.
Who shall say that the church itself, In It's
church business, always has clean skirts?
Would you like TO take the management of
church tiuauce in general before a board Of
honest, intelligent, heathen merchants, as
'lauity in our business life? As practical
question, would such a showing have con-
verting power over the minds OF Chinese
men? Nay, what is its power right here?
Does II recommend religion to men OF the
world? | say nothing of the skill OF the
management. As lesson in morality, in
religious honesty, Is it ednying? II you had
friend whom you wished to convert, a
ciearheaded man of business, honest aud up
right, accustomed not Only to meet his obli-
cations, but to iDcur no more Obligations
Than be could meet-would you present to
him the financial accounts of the chuIches
and say: "Behold how we Christians conduct
business" Indeed, that is a very proper
question for one TO ask. For IL / were a
merchant here on your streets aud you we're
to urge on me the beauty of the Christian
religion, l AN sure | should inquire concern
Ing the influence Of religion upon that de-
parlment OF lie In which I would be- most In
terested-Viz., business, aud suspect many
nDconverted business meu of Portland are Of
the same mind.
Aod sloce 1t is Fast Day and we are speak
ing OF our sins, may not ask whyft is that
such doubtful reputation connects itse,l in
the minds of the outside world with what are
Called church fairs? Is tue worldly impress
,ion correct that the object of such things is
to make money, in straight forward way If
possible-but at any rate to make money!
Did you ever know OF any pious frauds con-
necied with them? Did you ever see any
persistent. almost ruae, solicitation to pur-
chase any kind OF articles at such time? Did
you ever suspect that children, In the same
vestry where on Sunday they learn of Christ,
on Monday leaSn- shall / say-to gamble?
Let me make no statements which are un-
true. The problem is, how do these impress
sions get abroad? Why has a church fair
become jest in the ne 1spapers? Aud not
for the sake of mere criticism, my friends. but
because it is a matter that affects the pros
perty and influence of Christ's church which
we love, let me inquire yet again what i'm
preston Is made on the world by the way in
which individual Christians meet their finan-
cial obligations to the church? Now be tair,
would you or would you not, believe that
person loves best what he pays for last?
Would you, or would you not, be grt atty in
faeHced by a PERSONS religion tor which be
would pay nothing at all? As an impartial
observer, how would you reconcile the sane
sanctifying power of Christ's religion and the
persistent squeezing, to which any
CHURCH treasurer must resort before
from some of Chrlst's disciples? speak
not Of the poor. Church doors and pews are
freely open TO them. speak not OF persons
who have met With financial difficulties. I
speak OF persons who afford to pay for en-
tertainments ana lectures, for luxuries in
dress and at the table, who afford TO pay for
everything bnt-what they say Is dearest to
them-religion.
Suall we, friends. ask the church 10 set
an example in business iDtegrityP Begin
ming at Jerusalem, shall We preach the
Gospel of commercial uprightness? l be-
seech you, brethren, let not the church be
so engrossed in "o.her worldiiness" as to be
surpassed by the children of this world IN
the cultivation of the very simplest virtues
of Christian life.
"And what shall we do" repeated the
soldiers, coming last. Surely the Baptist
will tell these to change their occupation.
tut no he said something to them which
will interpret in this way; ''You soldiers are
servants Of the stale; very well, render un-
to Cesar the things that are Casar's, aud
in doing so be not selfish and unjust, do no
violence, seize no mans goods, be true, faith
full servants OF the government to which
you beoDg.' We LOOK at the third aspect Of
our theme from this point of view The
responsibilities OF the Christian citizen in
Politics.
Tue prosperity OF country like ours
depends far less than we are accustomed TO
think, on Presidents and Stnates. Our
future is to be decided by more au,horrti-
tive voice than theirs. AS nation we are
to be ruined or saved by the position which
men of religious principle hold toward ma
tional interests. 1t is alarmingly apparent
that religion does not, to-day, altogether
sanctify our state and national life. / eau
not say that 1 share those extreme bilious
views which predict speedy downfall Of
our Institutions BIT In the divorce of
church an / slas upon which we pride our.
selves, we are making the mistake of Alto
getEer suudering the c)nn-cGion bet weeu
religion AID politcs. Many Of our best citi-
zrns, some of them Christians, are holding
entirely aloof from political affairs. Some are
entnh disgusted With matters as they are.
The times are out OF joint, but they were
never boln to set Them right. Some rather
make merit of political lndifference; and
some have gone so far in ab3urdi,y a. to
abstain entirely from politics, on consclen-
tIous scruples. clipped the following from
a receLt religious ESQ caIled) newspaper:
"a CHRISTIAN has no more to do with the
worlds politics than the worlds religion Hta
path is that # strspg-rship hete-like tue
Lord Himself, who walked spars from all the
poiucal questions of bis day, disputing not
the claims of CR ar, nor cobten0ing for ihs
emancipation of His natiop, but looking for
'hej " thas was set before HIM at Cots rgat
hand"
1t is bard to believe in the sanity of per-
son who could write such folly as that. The
principle carried out would snbverL the very
foundation OF gover0ment aud national ex-
istence We would soon be hack in the age
OF barbarism, disorganized mass OF indivd-
uals, subject 10 auy lawless despot who
could gain control OF US. COVENANTS would
disappt ar and religion toe--for such piety as
that would soon die of decrepitude.
A CHRISTIAN nothing to DO with the
worlds politics. Indeed, be has everything
to do With them, and tor just the reason that
he Is Christian. He has the foil weight of
his character to throw at every opportunity,
On the side OF right; be has to watch men
who serve him in public office, aud tee to it
that they do not prostitute the power which
he has given them. He has not only self
interest in the protection which good gov
ernmrnt gives hlm-not only love to bis couu-
trV which prompts To any service hs can
render her-he has duty as Christian man
to hIs fellow mau-a du,y To give MS baud
aud heart aud voice 10 the establishment OF a
pure, honest government.
Nothing to do with politics! Nothing to do
in the case of national prosperity aud in-
tegrity No hing to contribute toward happy
homes and schools of learning aud pnIlan.
thropy in all its reforms! Nothing TO do
With politics, in this country where vice aud
ignorance aud corruption march up 10 the