The Columbus journal., 1879-11-05

sceptre of righteousness is the scep-
ire of thy hngdom." "Truth," says
father Of the Church, by whom
soever uttered" and we may equally
say, right doing, by whomsoever
followed, "is of the Holy Ghost
Every effort, therefore, to improve
and purify the course of civil ad-
ministration to mitigate the vio-
lence of party; to elevate the stand
ard Of character required in candi-
dates for high Office; TO improve
legislation; all such endeavors,
whatever the religious position of
those who are devoted TO them, are
directly in the line of the advance
ment of Christ's kingdom; for they
broaden and strengthen those gen.
ersl foundations Of justice and right
reason, on which that kingdom rests.
And it is worthy of note, that, at
present, it is only within the limits
of Christendom, or under its over
mastering influence, that efforts for
civil reform are seriously made, or
have any reasonable prospect of
success. Russia, for instance, is one
of the corruptest of Christian states,
yet her administration appears al
most purity, compared with that of
China. China is, perhaps, the best
administered of heathen states; yet
it is computed that three-quarters of
all her revenues cling to the fingers
OF ,;hose who gather them. Now,
are we TO say that the efforts making
20 perfect and purify the channels
OF administration, and TO raise the
tone of public life, are not among
the workings of God, through men,
to redeem the world of his creation !?
Such efforts, indeed, react to emo
bic every individual character with
ia a commonwealth. Rectitude of
principle and conduct, public or
private, is not alien to the grace of
God, but is its appropriate vehicle
and receptacle.
We are, therefore, no sufficient
instruments of Gods redeeming
work, if We stop with a concern for
individual and social religion and
morality, while we suffer the great
fabric of our civil pelity TO be de-
bauched; suffer cunning and low
minded politicians to build their
foul nests of private gain upon the
majestic pillars which uphold the
order of our national life, and TO
turn TO their own advantage even
ihat sacred franchise, by which free
men suppose themselves TO be sery-
ing the good OF their country, when
yet they So often are ouly helping TO
fattCn the vultures that prey upon il.
He. therefore, who, before the
altar, vows his allegiance to Christ,
VOWS bis allegiance TO him as much
i'll this respect as in any other. Nor
can he any more be excused for
allowing the shackles of slavish and
demonstrating partisanship, than
for allowing the sh4ckles of drunk
enness Or debauchery to clog his
limbs, and hamper his activity in
dealing blows at evil wherever he
may see il. The servant of Christ is
10 be equally the sworn foe of Satan
wherever he may discover him, in
his heart, i'm his life, in his neighbor-
hood, in the church, in the capitol.
in the custom-house, in the polling
booth, in his native land, or, so far
as his indirecter influence may
reach, in London, or Vienna, or ST..
Petersburgh, and from the equator
TO the pole. Public morality is
helped by private rectitude, and
strengthens it in turn. Both are
powerfully assisted by religious
faith, and react most strengthingly
and helpfully on it. And the more
perfectly The relations and interde-
Tendencies Of earth are regenerated
according 10 the mind of God, the
more perfectly will earth become the
nursery of heaven. C-CS