The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1885-10-29

! Moses sang unto the Lord because the
horse and his rider had been thrown into
the sea. Pharaoh's chariots and his hosts
were cast into the sea, and his chosen
Captains drowneGPin the Red Sea. The
right hand of the Lord was glorious in
power, and dashed to pieces the enemy.
Along down the generations of men, the
Lord has not spared a helping hand in
crushing the enemy of righteousness.
Above the deep-laid schemes, the despica-
BILE intrigues, of men, has shown the
grandeur of Omnipotence, ready to cover
the guilty, and sink them to the bottom.
There comes time in the history of
human affairs when men descend to
depths of evil which demand the prompt
and decisive condemnation of all friends
of righteousness. All along the tide of
human experience are the whirlpools of
treachery and danger, and eternal watch
fulness is required to direct the bark of
life-freighted with its precious load of
Christian character-past the danger
points, Men conceive the terribly errone-
Gus idea that Divine Grace may be used
with impunity as a convenient means of
furtherlnS temporal amDlC1On.
81 am serving the Lord p says the Min
lister, as he ascends the sacred pulpit to
read from Divine Word a lesson for the
hour, and sound forth from inspired
poesy the hymn of praise. The surround
ings, the atmosphere of the place, pro-
claim the truth of the assertion. Hearts
concentrate, mind holds fellowship with
mind, and hearts are lifted up as by one
mighty, harmonious impulse. God is
there, and His truth shines resplendant
in all things. 81 am serving the Lord!"
says the Minister again, but the esurround-
ings are different. Instead of the peace,
and responsibility, and purity of the
Church, there is the clatter, and bicker
ing, and strife of the political field. In
stead of the text from Divine Word, is
read the platform of political organiza
ton. Instead of the sacred hymn is read
the declaration of political opponent.
Instead of the exhortation to fly to the
demption from past mistakes, there is
the heated and excited appeal to go back
upon this or that political organization,
and hopelessly defeat, for the time, this
or that man. Can it be said of truth
that this is serving the Lord in manner
consistent with the Ministerial dignity
and calling? Or is it not the rather drag
ging down the sacred office to the level
of mortal ambition as viewed from the
standpoint of temporal affairs, and really
attempting to drag into degradation and
contempt the name and glory of the Gre
ator of the Universe? The latter view
of the matter leads to the conclusion at
once that such effort must fail. The
Shepherd of faithful flock which fol-
low him with great confidence in spir-
itual affairs, yet who would attempt to
lead them into strange pastures, and
away from known paths of righteousness
and duty, will certainly be covered up by
the wave of reason which flows through
the human mind.
To Illustrate: Once upon time there
was a great political party, which had
achieved many triumphs, and inscribed
many glorious deeds upon its banners.
Its entire life had been a pathway of
glory Yet there were many good men
in this party who thought the course
along the line of progress and righteous
ness was not being traversed with COM
mendable speed, and these took the plan
which may have seemed to them most
available, and giving greatest promise of
success. A new party was organized,
and good man, of known respectability
and standing in the Church, chosen as a
leader. Like all men whose realm is
spiritual, and who have to deal with the
nobler sensibilities of mankind, this man
found in the mud and mire of the politi-
cal field, vastly different experience
from that of the pulpit. In place of the
shouts Of approval thrown from admir-
ing congregations, were assaults OF mud
from uncompromising enemies. Yet an
other great party saw, in these attacks, a
means of defeating the great party of the
great record. This second great party
went up and down the earth, advocating
the worst form of evil known to man
kind, yet praising the new party, the
sworn enemy of this same evil. These
politicians accepted as granted the al
| legged fact that the new party only sought
the destruction of the stronger of the old
parties, and therefore, the weaker party
had only to labor jointly with the new
party, to get into political power. This
campaign went on. The new party max
ing the best struggle of which it was
capable and the weaker of the old parties
watching it's supposed ally with much
pride, patting it upon the back, and saying
all manner of good things for it. This
fact alone basely degraded the Ministe-
rial calling of the candidate of the new
party. To have the appreciation of a
party whose principles have their found
alton in the the regions of darkness, is
not encouraging at any time, and could
of course but result in the sinking of the
good man and his party. At the same
time the pretended advocacy of right
eousness by the old party of which we
speak could but make that party con-
temptible in the eyes of all who know its
history.
Thus, when this good man, with his
little party, and the mighty host of camp
followers, attempted to pass through the
sea of party politics, all were engulfed
and sunken. While none, perhaps, will
stand upon the shores and weep over this
sudden taking-off, still the great lesson
remains, emblazoned upon the wave OF
politics, that the dragging of the Minis,
terial calling into the conflicts of party
politics signally fails to work desired re.
forms in politics, but does work material
harm to the calling. No matter as tc
what may be considered the right side Of
the matter, the fact remains, that the
place to teach pure religion is in the pull
pit and the Sabbath School, in the press
and in the home. Once get men right
religiously, and the great needs OF the
hour in the way of moral reformation
will command their respectful attention
The lesson taught us by the sinking Of
the host of camp-fOllOWerS is that the