The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-05
BALLOT BOX.
Rev. DR.. Talmage's Sunday Sermon.
Politics as Recorded in History,
Sacred and Profane.
The Chest in Which Was Con-
H tanned Israers Law.
rhe Ballot Box as the Foundation
Of Utilization.
Sermon of Great Interest to All
voters-"We Are Going to Have
One Government On This
Entire Continent"

brnacle this morning the Rev. T. Dewitt
" Image, DID,, expounded some passages
" Scripture about ancient politics. lie
snye out the hymn:
"Arm Of the Lord, awake, awake,
Put on Thy strength, the nations shake"
The Doctors text was: 1.-TWO cubits and
half was the length OF it, and cubit and a
lalf the breadth OF it, and a cubit and a
half the hight OF it."-Exodus xxxvii, l.
He said:
Look at 1.-THE sacred chest OF the an
clients. 1t was about five feet long, three
eet wide and three feet high. 1t was
within and out of pure gold. On the top
bf 1t stoodtwo angels facing each other with
butspread wings. In that sacred box was
he law, and there were in II great many
precious stones. With that box went the
ate Of the nation. Carried in front of the
lost, the waters OF the Jordan parted.
Divinely charged, costly, precious, mo.
nentous box. No unholy hands might
Jay hold Of II. II was called the ark OF the
covenant. But you will understand it was
box, the most precious box Of the ages.
Where is il now? Gone forever. Not q
'rypt Of church or museum Of the world
las fragment OF it.
But is not this nation Gods chosen peo-
BE? Have We not passed through the Red
Sea? Have We not been led with pillar
oi fire by night? Has this nation no ark
( the covenant? Yes, the ballot.box, the
acred chest Of the nation, the ark OF the
American covenant.
In IL is the law. i'm il is the divine and
human will, In IL is the fate Of the nation.
carried In front OF our host again and
lgain. the waters Of national trouble have
parted. Mighty ark OF the covenant, the
american ballOt-boxl Ii is a very old
En.
In Athens, long before the art Of print
Ing, the people dropped pebbles into il 10
live expression 20 their sentiments. After
hat beans were dropped into it-a white
bean for the affirmative, black bean for
he negative. After that, when they
wished TO vote a man out Of citizenship
hey would write his name upon a shell
and drop that into the box.
O'Conncll and Grote and Golden and
Nlacaulay and Gladstone fought great bat
blts la the introduction OF the ballot-boxes
u England. aud today II Is one OF the fast
nosscs Oi that nation. IL is one Of the
corncrsiOneB Of our government. II Is
older than the Constitution. In II is our
naiional safety. Tell ino what will be the
fate Of the American balloi-boX, the ark OF
he American covenant, and will tell YOU
what will bc the fate Of this nation. Give
the people once year or once in fouI
years an opportunity TO express their po'
iiical sentimcns, and YOU will practically
avoid insurrcclion and revolution.
Either give them the ballot-boX or they
will take the sword. Without the ballot.
box there can be no free republican insti-
buttons Milton. visiting in Italy, noticed
That on the sides Of Nesuyius gardeners
and farmers were at work while the vol
cano was In eruption. and he asked them
n they were safe. "Ics." said the farmer
and the gardeners, 1T Is safe; all the dan
gcr Is before the eruption; then comes tn,
Earthquake and terror, but Just a.
soon as the volcano begins tC
pour forth lava We all feel at rest. y
|lt is the Suppression Of political
sentiment. the suppression Of public opin
ion, that makes moral earthquake and
national earthquake. Let public opinion
pour forth, aud that gives satisfaction, and
that gives peace, and that gives pcrma.
ncncy 90 good government. And yet
Though the ballot-box Is the sacred chcsI
and the ark Of the American covenant
YOU know a. well as / know II has ~
sworn antagonists. and propose thii
morning In Gods name aud ~ a Christian
patriot TO set before YOU the names Of som,
Of the sworn enemies OF this sacred chest
the ark Of the American covenant, the bal
l0t-box.
Firt, remark, ignorance IL n mighty
foe. Other things being equal, the NOR
intelligence n man has the better he U
qualified to exercise the right Of suffrage
lou have been ten, fifteen, twenty, thirty
ycar studying American institutions; got
have canynscd oil the great question:
about tariff aud home rule, aud all th'
educational questions, and everything IN
American politics YOU are well acquninic,
with. You consider yourself cOmpcion
10 east q vote in November, and you art
compcicnt. You will take your position
In the line Of electors, you will wait ~
Your turn 10 come. the judge Of election
will announce your name YOU will cas-
your vote and pass out Well done.
But right behind You there will como
man who cannot spell the name Of comp
trDllet, or attorney Cr mayor. lie canno
write, OF II he can write he uses q snal
'i'' Tor the personal pronoun. lie coul'
not tell on which side the Allcghcn.
Mountains Ohio b. lie will east his y0t
and Il will balance your vote. III
Ignorance u as mighty as you
Intelligence. That II not right
All men Of fair mind will acknowledg
that that IL not right Until a man cal
read the Declaration Of Independence an,
the Constitution OF the United States, an
calculate the interest on the Ancrica
debt, and know the difference between
Republican form Of Government and
Monarchy or n dospoiism, Ice u unit Z
exercise the right oi suffrage at any baUo
box between Key wcs, aud Alaska.
In 1872. IN England, there were 2,D0
600 children who ought 10 have been l
school, Ihofo were only i,B3,OOO--i
other words, about 90 per cent, aud Z
the 80 per cent not more than ) per ccnI
got anything worthy the name Of an edit
cation. Now. take that iorcgn igioanc
and adj Il 20 our American Ignorance, an
there will b. In November thousands an
thousands oi people who are no moi
Caalihed 10 exercise tho right Of suiiras