New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-10-20
TIE MoRAL FITNESS or CANDIDATES.


A SERMON ny INF NV. pR viNctNi-1nE IN
pouTANCE OF fHE ssrE.
The Rev. Dr.. Marvin Il. Vincent preached
Yesterday morning NJ the church of the Covenant %
"Kight the Test of National Greatness" IN the courS
Of his sermon ho aald among other thlng'
n n worth mquriug IN The llght ~ certain pubic
utenncca of the dn,, " We are IN no wse under mo
power ~ that atrpcuua sentiment that the public char
noier ~ candidate IL not ~ 'nter into tho qie'ea
" hls fitness for Office. n such Il on thought ehs
only sny that Un Ia directly against IA The whole ie'f
mony ~ hl' written wort like heavy charged thunder
cloud. discharges lts bolts at had voters Moreover,
IN the very nature ~ Tho n Ia impossible to acpsfs's
personal ehniaclcr from moral function Tho e'sence@
authority Ia personality aud personality Implies chs'w
tor n II we're poaAhlc fur man 10 scpalair hm"a
from his Office that fact alone would prove him bnh'@
Office Government might almost "a well be- ooh""'s
10 cabinet ~ au,omntonA "h'
ruler II viii Inevitably got into Ms mo"
urca aud dcciros and set mark upon them lie fhhh"
be- morrow aud nolnah and gr,splng, aud hia dmlh"s
on mobile aud broad aid liberal Ito cannot be ae"wa.
aud hia policy brave and manly lie cannot ho r"a""
dissoule aud hs public influence pure aud hfa''n'"
that men In authority must exert moral Influences -.
position is point Of moral power whe'h.'
will have II 50 or not Tho head OF w
republic stands I'm blaze OF light HIS pe''Ss
habits, his conversation. his appearance ana ",,.
his anecdotes, the details Of his domestic ne o."
cussed aud quoted and commented upon u u" sres
farm hou as aud IN the village ta'erns anu I, ma lsn
That second beloved martyr President OF ours nsys
the nation political heritage. left II what nY lnarthe
record Of his faith and christian patience ~
courage. suppose ON the other hand that the u'""
drunkar or bertinc. ..n,h.la
'The simple fact known all other facts OF ~, M
Is that the weight OF his authority thrown mo o.
scale on the side OF vice. The fact .sS
social morality and tells ai'aI STgase. tro
what is none too firm already. The example sesn he
into schools and among colleges, ana goes " 49, an the
respect for virtue among the youth: IL 'aA, msS
force out of anything that the admnisu ~ publs
morals II even raises the doubt what the y's or
attitude will be toward such questions weeaons az
moment afford To entertain the doctrine ths pe admin.
pravity is compatible with pure aud wnoiesSs s,rine
fstration OF great public truth The ,aanser
false, and Ike all false things Is ss help
Gus. The teachers Of the public public Head thA
moral deprayity Is disqualification Tor Tue a,ss per
of the most sacred trusts OF eminent Inc saticA
sonaies which have entered into our iai S sancties
struggle aud which have not even spared w, nat such
OF domestic life make IL matter OF rtgret Rut the
record must 20 upon the pages Of history, ,n 10 Ge
evil will not he wholly unmix II IL shan hep ,,ticd
tach element personal character from te de-
environment which often conceals or s into me
tnctive traits, and to throw II IN sharp ouIlA0
foreground. Ever
and as with men so with measures mara
great which comes before the peopeh Deef
side. The slavery question Involved no N,sions goa
logue The question Of good money anu W commapd
faith I'm finance was question OF the Eigntn ~ so put
ment Even question which seems at hrst ssa
IL matter of busne the protection OF non vstonS
OF home industxes is not merely matter arsI rescA
revenue IL has on another side large n'o ishorfnf
where IL touches the wages and homes OF the III corr
classes, and need not tell you how many ~ rste 70
alterations go with wages and homo AZ s ss word q
are dealing to-day with the princiles OF tS 40 ~
God. and those principles everywhere enpH"
moral element In vi public questions"