The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-02-20

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! cient to keep man pure in Legislative
; or Congressional Halls or Gubernatorial
chairs. The question is this: Is it right
! to have Governors and General Assem-.
blies? Yea2 Then is it not right to
put the best men to fill these responsible
positions2 Ought we not to pray for our
rulers and lawmakers more? Ought we
not oftener to commend them for their
good acts2 Are not the people respon.
sible for bad rulers and bad lawmakers
Who but the people put bad men in
power2 For my part, thank God when
Christian man is put in Office. Ithank
Him for Afford II. Colquit, Of Georgia,
the present Governor, who is consistent
member Of the N. E. Church, and a lay
preacher. I thank Him for John B.
Gordon, United States Senator from
Georgia, who is q consistent Presbyte-
rian, whom I have seen kneel down
under "brush arbor," in the dirt, and
pray God to be present and bless the
humble words of him who addresses you
now. 1 thank God for Wade Hampton
and Judge B. @. Presley, and all the
Christian gentlemen everywhere who are
serving the meek and lowly Saviour, on
the Bench, in the State and National
Councils, in every Office whatsoever.
Christianity is poor religion if it has
not power to leaven the mass Of political
corruption and jobbery that calls so loud
ly for redress.
Politics and religion are not to be sep
arated, nor is religion to be part in the
background but religion is to permeate
the aDhole and elsuatei it and purify 1t. The
New Testament does not separate reli-
gion and piety. When Jesus stood on
the crest of Olivet and looked down on
Jerusalem, his own city, the pride and
Joy of every Israelite's heart, it was as
we'll the voice of patriotism as of religion
that cried out, 20 Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
that killest the prophets, and stonest
them that are sent unto thee, how often
would have gathered thy children to-
gether, even as q hen gathereth her
chickens under her wings, and ye would
not."-(Math. xXII1:T.l No purer
patriot ever lived than Jesus of Naza-
reth, and no more patriotic words ever
burst from the lips of man than these.
AS q man, as an Israelite, Jesus loved
his own countrymen more than any other
nation. As patriot, Paul stands out as
pre-eminent example. In that sublime
expression of Paul, in Rom. IX:2, 3, made
in behalf of Israel, his fellow-man, his
beloved nation, we find deep undertone
of patriotism trembling on the lips Of
him who was the chief Apostle Of the
Gentiles: II have great heaviness and
continual sorrow in my heart. For 1
could wish that myself were accursed
from Christ for my brethren, my kinamen
according to the flesh: ,uho are Lsraelites."
In all reverence say it: Jesus of Naza-
reth and Saul of Tarsus had q patriotic
love and devotion to their own fellow
citizens and their own nation, that they
had toward no other people. We are to
distinguish between Christ the God, and
Jesus the man; between Paul the Apos-
tie, and Paul the Jewish citizen; and no
violence is done to Scripture nor the
sacredness of their Office in thus distin-
gushing. Speaking reyerently, 1 do be-
fieve that if our Lord and Paul were
on the earth now, as American citizens,
that they would both 60 regularly
to the polls, and deposit their bal
lots on the side of truth and purity.
And yet 1 have heard Christians and
Ministers say, 81 shall never cast another
vote; see no use; / shall give it all up
to the domagogues." Well, that is the
way to have bad laws and bad rulers.
Let the better part of the people, lose all
interest in the matter, and relegate it to
immoral and irresponsible and ignorant
men, and moral suspension will continue.
For one, feel that I owe it to my coun-
try and my God to exercise my franchise
at every election, and cast my ballot for
the purest and most capable man before
the people. / feel 1t my duty to encour-
age Christian gentlemen to accept offices,
and then pray for them, that they may
let their light shine for Christ among
their ungodly associates. If I were q
stranger here, should be fayorably i'm
pressed when told that our members of
the General Assembly from Anderson
County were all intelligent, sober men !;
and some of them Christians.
Let US resume our ante beilum status in
every moral respect. Let us &C back
whence we came. Let us denounce every
evil that we would have denounced be-
foro the war. Let US raise all our stand
ards to where they were. Let the moral
register in society, in honesty, in indus
try, in Church and in politics stand
where it did when Franklin Pierce was
President. Let each one examine his
own heart and life, and see where the
war hurt him, and 60 to work to repair
the injury. Take it for granted that you
are one of the wounded, and go to work,
and ask God to help you to heal the
wound. "Subdue resentments, crush
out prejudices, down with animosities,
lop off evil habits, throw away your sus-
picion and jealousies." Moral wounds
may be removed by promoting general
spiritual health. The best lerer to lift
the ship from the sand-bar is Christ Jesus
the Lord. The best safeguard to ma
ticn's liberties is an open Bible, pure
press, and pulpit devoted to proclaim
ing the Gospel. The best heritage that
you can bequeath your children is intel
ligsnce, honesty and the fear Of God.
'Thus saith tho Lord, Stand ye in the
ways, and see, and ask for the old paths,
where is the good way, and walk therein,
and ye shall find rest for your souls"
JUVENILE IsaRATITUDE.-A woman
gets on the train aud says q very warm