Morning journal and courier., 1880-01-07
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| To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 Viewing as we do the absurd reluctance of
 some professors of religion in relation to
 minglipg in politics lest they become contam-
 mated with evil men and the influence of the
 world, we are becoming more and more i'm
 pressed from year to year that moderate,
 consistent action in politics is almost an i'm
 perative religious duty. Evil men and cor
 rupt measures are rapidly on the increase and
 waxing worse and worse. There are now
 questions and principles at issue that are
 taking hold of ths very vitals of the nation,
 and that are becoming so interwoven with | the fundamental principles of the American
 idea of free government and religious liberty l that this Government, through the fne-spun theories and lack of interest of some of our well-meaning citizens, is in danger from the
 rabble, and may be cut from it's moorings and sent adrift among the shoals of anarchy and revolution. There is no mistaking it. The | times are threateningly ominous. The cloud. | although small, is now larger than mans
 hand. While the better portion of the body
 polite have been only half awake, and over
 credulous at that, political roughs, and wire
 pullers have manipulated and run the political | machine until they have filled the offices of this government with men of their own choice and like character. And now the sick | ening and nauseous fumes of political corrup-
 tion are scented upon every breeze. The
 rich by law desire to be made richer, while the
 poor clamor for bread they have not earned
 and for liberties which they have
 already abused. The rum power is
 rushing to the front with no uncertain step.
 All these things proclaim in thunder tones to every Christian citizen Arise and to the polls, lest the fair structure that our fathers raised be thrown down upon our heads" This nation, by it's vacillating policies and by truck ling to that which is foreign to itself, will sooner CT later find itself in trying and per-
 picking corner. If men of this generation, through false conception of political duties. fail to maintain and confirm, by the peaceable meaus of the ballot, the blessings of free government, the historian of the future will not only record that through the feelings of political distrust they were moral and political towards, but that the generation to come. as consequence Of the premeditated neglect of it's predecessor, was forced by sword ard gun, and through blood and smoke to establish the nation that was deserted by it's professed friends We believe in moral and religious suasion, but when this fails to accomplish the end for which it was
 ordained, then give us legislative coercion. If fail with the ballot to intercept political and religious evils in embryo we soon will have them upon our hands and bequeath to our posterity field of political tares. If we now turn a deaf ear to the call ''To the poLS. 1O sAc HO1iS! Wo bOOu hBhlQ I1Ay DC
 startled by the cry, '"To arms! To arms !" We may then wiring our hands in lamenting anguish and fill bottles with briny tears, and pour forth our prayers like rivers of water. But if we have failed to acquit ourselves like men, it will be of no avail. Our prayers will come echoing back to us like empty gourds, reminding us that actions speak louder than words.
 ''God helps them that help themselves"
 s'An ounce of prevention is worth pound
 of cure" It must not be expected in these
 days that an angel will come down and cleanse
 the political pool. Nay verify, God will not
 do the work of man. But the men that are
 pure and moan for pure politics must go down
 and ''take the bull by the horns" and decide
 for themselves who shall make the laws and
 administer the affairs of this country. Hike begets lke' in nature, and so in politics. Re-
 ligion may suffer by too free use of politics,
 but politics will not suffer by the introduction
 of religion into it. If we wish free rum bad
 laws and thieves in office, we have only to
 absent ourselves from the polls and that state of things will be upon us. Literature is
 known by it's author and laws by their maker
 ''The stream cannot rise higher than the
 fountain" If the use of the political ballot
 is an act incompatible with religious experi-
 ence and duty and with directing the Ship of
 State aright and saving it's perishing crew. is
 it not equally Inconsistent and illogical to
 accept of au office upon the deck of that ship? 0. s. B.