The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-26
THE DUTIES OF CITIZENSHIP.
Rev. &c. A. Bradley Considers Matters o
Present Interest


Present Interest.
Al Christ Church. yesterday morning, the pre-
.Iininary services were very impressive, and
reached a climax in the old hymn, "All hail. the
power of Jesus name" The supplied choir led
tho congregation in superb style. The rector,
Rev. E, A. Bradley, preached from two texts,
Dent xviii l: If thou shalt hearken diligently
tothe voice of the Lord thy God the Lord thy God
will set thee ON high above all the nations of the
eaFsA;" and St. Luke XIX Al; He beheld the
view of public affairs, not a politi
cal one, based on the principles
voiced by God His aim was to
indnce men to realize their obligations
to obey eternal principles of right and justice
He said we are citizens of no mean Common
wealth. We inherit all the past. We are not
dead factors drifting on the great tide OF life
God has put us in the forefront of the nations to
Toad. We are making presidents that will set
the course of history up or down. Mr.. Bradley
showed how God had led events from the earliest
ages to shape this nation as it is, tracing the
history Of civilization and providence from the
far East, through India, Egypt, Greece, Rome
Germany and England, to America.
God has put the torch of the worlds
illumination in our hands. He has
right to expect us to hearken diligently to
His voice The intellectual, commercial and
moral welfare of mankind is in our keeping for
the future-ours to teach fuller wisdom purer
Justice, and a loftier morality For the fulfill
nent of this destiny God made us the people we
are, and saved us from disunion. That We
might stand among the nations for obedience to
laW-for loyalty to Colour boys in blue spilled
their blood and kept us one under the COnstitu-
ton of the United States.
Is the record we making to day the legit-
innate result of what God has done for us, and
wen for our futuPel
Right here in indianapolis, how is it, Pass
over what this city might have been if all the
money in it had been got on right principles,
and spent in sacred public spirit and what is
the spectacle presented to-dayE Every man
among US who has permitted reproduced anylax-
itT in principle any departing from Justice and
righteousness has been sowing the dragons teeth
that are giving us q bitter harvest How about
Obedience to awl How about keeping the com
rnandments of Godl How about our handling of
all the money questions that go into the temper
anee question: How about our Sunday drink
ing, base ball, beer gardens and sanctlded pic
mics, where for every trains arrival bringing
money to pay debts and whisky laden roysterers
the saintssi hymn to the Christ whose day
and honor they have trampled IN contempt
These and great questions reaching out to all our
national life are not handled on the principles
of Christian government; but they are made
the football of the politial game Politics itself
has become largely game with loaded dice
Men say must have money tor revenue, and
must get money to pay our debts, and we must
keep in Office These so-ealled necessities are
made the excuses for breaking all kinds of law,
divine and human Let us stop this. Letus I'M
tlerstand that God knows nothing of immoral
necessities. Even the Chinese ambassador said
ITO seek ones own advantage to others injury
is abhorreDt to our nature, and utterly
opposed to the ways of heaven" Evil is before
as if we hearken not to the voice of the almighty
Ruler. Those dark angels, selfshness, greed,
Iawlessness and irreyerence will lead us, if we
heed not the warnings, to the very pit Of de
struetien
WHY can we not unite the true men and insist
hat hall al ba nix
ing houses here as in Glasgow, shall know and
control their business. and pay the losses; that
city officers shall execute the laws that it shall
go hard with every man who breaks a statute!
We are no longer free unless this is possible; and
oar present course is but filming the ulcers.
BY our present ways we are breeding felons,
and training the great middle classes, that ought
TO be our bone and sinew, to be the rottenness
in cur bodypolitie. Unless all history is a de-
insion and the Bible lie what is morally wrong
cannot be right in business politics Or the church
and will inevitably bring a curse. Now we are
walking the track along which lie riot, anarchy
and ruin, facing dreadful future, prophesied
by God and pictured in fire and blood in the
most awful scenes OF the past
Christ seeing these things in Jerusalem, as
He looked from Mount Olivet, wept over the
city. He foresaw its destruction, and that be-
cause they would not hearken to His voice and
do His will They were insensble to their NOR
al obligations; there was no love of goodness, no
aspirations for righteousness and nobleness.
into the work OF reform. He threw away His eff
forts His words and His life, the careless think
ers would say and chill our efforts now. But
Calvary was transformed by the resurrection,
and Jerusalem. with a great company of the
very men who killed Christ, became the mother
of the Christian Church and the fountain of the
worlds regeneration.
Tosay It is no use TO try to remedy this state
Of things is to SANDER Christ; it is infdelity and
paganism. God still lives and reigns over us all.
Christ, who wept, bids US repent or perish. Be
gin the reform in your own life. Feel your re
sponsibility to do all you do in home and store,
and profession, and religion according to Gods
laws. Help to build up a public sentiment that
will compel us all TO dead Justly and walk hum
bly, with God and that will bring culprits to pen
atty. Let open our natures to the pulses Of
the life that is still in Jesus Christ So, while
we weep over our city, we will weep over
our own sins; and then the light of Gods APP
proving face striking through our tears, Will
circle our land with the rainbow of the promise
that reveals the city that hath foundations
whose builder and maker is God.
At night the Richardson Zouaves, of which
he rector is chaplain, attended service in Christ