The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-22
Dr.. Mcleod Tells Christians That 1t Is Their
Duty to Do All in Their Power to Pro-
tect the Ballot from Fraud.
Mrs. Livermore's Views of Things That
Threaten Peril to the Republic.
The Worlds Beginning Discussed by DR..
HOdgman and Rev. Haines-Seryices at
Fletcher-Place and Other Churches.
THE GOVERNMENTS DANGER.

DIR. McLeod's Discourse on the Duty of Chris
tians in Protecting the BalIot-Box.
DR.. Mcleod, at the Second Presbyterian
Church, yesterday morning, spoke on 1.-THE
Church and the Nation" his text being Matthew
" Ii, IA I'VE are the salt of the earth, yea are
the light ofthe world
After reviewing the dangers to the govern
ment from foreign immigration and from a
faulty system, Dr. Mcleod concluded as follows:
II suppose there can be no harm in expressing
the opinion that policies will never be puri-
fed by our politicians. They have far too much
at stake to engage in such blessed work They
know very we'll that if purity and uprightness
should characterize all our people then their oc-
eupstion would be gone for there can be no
doubt that if all our politicians were true patr-
OTIS, if they we're all upright and God-fearin g
men, then the liquor traffic, ard the -Ameri-
canized classes of our foreign population, and
every species of political deviltry that now dis
&urbs us would give us very little trouble. But
rs matters now stand what the politicians are
after is Office. This they must have, honestly if
they can, but they are bound TO have Office any
way. said that immigration had its political
side. There are politicians who know this. Let
me quote:
1t is immigration which has fed fat the liquor traffic
and there is liquor vote. immigration furnishes
most Of the victims of Mormonism, and there is a
Mormon vote. Inning alton is the strength of the
Catholic church, and there is Catholic vote Imm
ism, and there is Socialist vote. immigration has
created the German vote and the Irish vote for which
pol.tcisns bid and which have already been decisive
of State elections and might easily determine
tional election.
Here, then, is another fine field for Christian
work The church of Christ, a church. may
not enter the political arena, at least it N ust
be very extreme case which would demand
such duty. But it is the duty of every Chris
tian, whatever be his political party, to do all In
mis- power to purify the political atmosphere.
1.-The man who hampers with vote, either by
repression, or by purchase. by fraud of any
kind, ought to be regarded as a criminal and
ought to be treated as criminal in accordance
with a most righteous law. You may cut off
mans legs and arms. sou may even pierce his
lnngs and mutilate him in many ways,
and yet he may live But if you remove the
medulla oblongata If you cut the spinal cord at
that point it is all over with him forever. And
what the medulla oblongata is to the human
body the ballot box is TO the nation. 1t must
not be tempered with 1t must be kept pure,
and 1t must be regarded sacredy Around it
should be drawn a sacred circle, and the man
who dares to touch it with unhallowed hands, or
who dares for corrupt purpose to use it other
wise than as the law directs, should be treated
as a criminal, or as an outcast, and he should
forever after be deprived Of the privilege of the
- elective franchise.
Salt and iight-these the church has, these
the church is. and using this mighty power, she
must give herself more largely and more devot
edly than ever to the work of saving this Nation.
The spirit OF the age demands this, the hetero-
geneous character of our population demands it,
every feeling of patriotism demands it, the
voice OF God demands IL. 1t is demanded by the
memories of the past. by the conditions of the
present and by the hopes OF the future.
1--WE are living, dwelling
In grand and awful tme
In age in ages telling
To be living is sublime
eyes and the church AS a whole must feel
shis. Every member of the church must feel it,
and must act accordingly. The foundations of
3his Nation are laid in religion. and the church
must to it that the foundations pre-
served. God must evermore be the supreme
factor in our government. If this fails or if this
be disregarded all is lost. For no light save
that which is celestial, virtue save that
which is born of God. power save that
which has its source in other worlds. is sufficient
% preserve: to soidfy, and to save this Nation.
It needs the salt of God it needs the light of
life, and surely the church of God will not shrink
from so glorious a task
ITO save this mighty Nation to keep it as it
now is, the leading power of the earth; to pre-
sent to mankind the spectacle of a Nation
spreading from ocean to ocean across this broad
continent; Nation of freemen selfgoverned
governed by simple law, without soldiers or a
police: Nation soon to be of a hundred millions
of people. crossing the with
their fleets and covering the land with great
cities and the fields with rich harvests;
first in learning in art and all the fruits of ge
MUS, and, what is highest and truest of ALL re-.
iigious nation blooming in all the Christian vir-
tues the protector of the poor; the scourge of
tho .oDpressor; the dispenser of light and the
symbol TO mankind of the ennobling, genial
power of righteous laws and simple, Christian
faith-this is the charge God lays upon His
church in this land, and this We accept; and this
by Gods blessing, We mean to perform with a
spirit worthy of its magnitude. And may God
inspire all His people in this Nation and strength
On them tor the performance of this holy task. I"
Mrs Livermore on "The Republics Perils {"
The address of Mrs Mary A. Livermore, on
"The Perils of the Republic at Plymouth
Church. yesterday morning was heard by alarge
audience. The lady said it was always from
some great focal point that came the larger and
nobler enterprises of liberty. Luther did not in
tend to produce revolution, but reformation
yet it is doubtful If it had not been for him if this
government would have come into existence
We do not comprehend the immensely of this
country until we go to the other side of the
water. All England Ireland, France, Ger
many Austria. Spain and Portugal can be
placed three times over west of the Hudson river
river before the Pacific coast is reached Fur
ther illustrating this point she said that while
Colorado is often called the Switzerland of
America, the latter can be dropped into one of
the little parks found in the Rocky Mountains
Inc United States have led in the accomplish
ment OF the great reforms of the nineteenth
century. They may be considered the Messiah
of nations; but there are portents of evil that
make 1t doubtful If they can fulfill this mission.
In enunclating the perils that threatened the
9ffe of the Republic, she referred to immigration
of peopie who had learned the hard savage les
sons of the old world. They came here ignorant
of free institutions, with thoughts and opinions
antagonistc to high civilization It Is said
this tide will soon be at an ebb. bu. Europe can
send here for the next thirty years nine times as
many immigrants as have come within the last
two decades. God forbid that she should hold
Che blessings of liberty from any one. Indeed
abe had often felt soreness because the Chinese
we're hindered. but a. the same time
she recognized the danger that
lies in this full food of immigrants
There is nothing TO prevent them from coming