Democratic messenger., 1889-05-04

and Sidney Johnson rode in from North
and South, and Grant and Lee. the two
thunderbolts Of battle, clashed! Yet We
are nation, and yet we are at peace
Earthly courage did not decide the con.
flict. The upper forces Of the text. They
tell MS there was hattie fought above the
clouds on Lookout mountain; but there
was something higher than that.
THE DARK CLOUD or 1876.
Again the horses and chariois Of God
came 10 the rescue Of this nation in 1876
at the close Of u Presidential election ia.
nous for dcvilish fcrocity. a darker cloud
yet settled down upon this nation. The
result Of the election was in dispute, and
revolution, not between two or three sec.
tions, but revolution in every town and
village and city of the United States, seem.
cd imminent. The prospect was that New
York would throttle New York, and New
Orleans would grip New Orleans. and
Boston. Boston, aud Savannah, Savannah
aud Washington, Washington. Some
said Mr.. Tilden was elected; others said
Mr.. Hayes was elected and how near We
came 10 universal massacre some Of us
guessed, but God only knew. ascribe
our escape not TO the honesty and right.
cousness Of infuriated politicians, hut !
ascribe ii to the upper forces Of the text.
ChariOts of mercy rolled in, and, though
the wheels were not heard and the flash
was not seen, yet MI through the noun
tains Of the North aud the South and the
East and the Wcsi. though the hoofs did
not claitcr. the cavalry Of God gallopcd
by. tell you God is the friend of this mn.
! ton. In the awful excitement nj the
massacre Of Lincoln, when there was u
prospect that greater slaughter would
open upon This nation. God hushcd the
tempest In the awful excitement ut the
time Of Gariicld's assassination. God pnt
Ills foot on the neck of the cyclone.
To prove that God Is on the silc of this
nation, argue from the Inst eight or nine
great national hnrycsts, AMI from. the ma
tional health of the last quarter of n cen
tury, epidcmics very exceptional. anl
from the great rcvivals of religion. and
from the spreading of the Church Of God,
and from the continent blossoming with
asylums and rcfoimaiory institutions. aud
from mn E,lcniZaiinn hich promises that
this whole land Is Ia bc II paradise where
God shall walk in The cool of the LAY.
I THROUGH \ scRrTrSIZEp BALLOT. HON.
4 II in other sermons showed you what
was the evil that threatened TO upset and
lcmOlish American institutions, ! am en-.
couragcd more than can tell You rs see
the regiments wheeling down the sky. and
my jcrcmiadcs turn into lnNologics. AMI
that which was the Good Friday Of the
nations cruciiixiOn becomes the Faster
morn of its resurrection. OF course. God
works through human insirumcnialiiics.
and this national bciicrmcnt is To- come
among other things through scruiinizcd
ballot box By the law of registration. il
is almost impossible now Ia have Illegal
voting. There was II iime--yon and re-.
member II very wcll-when lrovcs of yaga.
bonds wandered up and down on election
day. and from poll 10 poll. and voted here.
and voted there, aud voted everywhere.
ard there was no challenge; ar, il there
were, IL amounted 10 nothing. beca,isc
nothing could so suddenly be proved upon
the vasabonis. Now, in every well organi.
zc,l neighb0rhood, every voter is watched
with sevcrcst scrutiny. must tell the
registrar my name. aud how old am. aud
how long have resided in the state, and
how long have resided in the ward. ar
the township. and il | misrcprcscnt 10 wit
ncsscS will rise and shut me ont from the
hallOi.box l. not that II great advance =
And then notice The law that prohibits u
man voting il he has bct un The election
/ \ step further needs io he taken, and that
man fOrhbiddcn vote who has offered or
taken bribc. whether Il hc in the shape
Of free drink or cash paid down. the s,is.
picious cases obliged To put their hand an
the Bible and swear their vote in IL they
vote at all. so through the sacred chcs, Of
our nations suffrage redemption wi,lcomc.
4 THROUGH AROUSED MORAL SENTIMENT.
God also will save this nation through
an aroused moral sentiment. There has
and immorals. Men. whether or not they
acknowledge what is right. have To think
what is right. We have men who have
had their hands IN the public treasury the
most of their lifetime, stealing all they could
lay their hands on, discOursing eloqucn,ly
about dishonesty in public servants, and
men with two or three families Of their
own preaching eloquently about the beau.
ties Of the seventh Commandment The
question Of sobriciy and drunkenness Is
thrust In The face oi tins nation MS never
before and Ia take u part IN our political
contests. The question Of national sObrIcly
is going To he respectfully aud deiercnti.
ally heard at the liar of every legislature
and every House Of Representatives aud
every United States Senate, aud omnipo.
tent vnice will ring down the sky and
across this land and back again. saying Ia
these rising tides Of drunkenness which
threaten TO whclm home and church aud
nation; Thus far shalt thou come but mo-
further, and here shall iluu proud waves
be stayed"
/ have moi Ia my mind shadow Of dis.
hcartmcnt as large rs the shadow of a
houscily's wing. My faith Is in the upper
forces, the upper armies of the text God
Is not dead. the chariois are not un.
wheeled. II you would only pray more
and wash your eyes in the cool. bright
water fresh from the well Of Christian
reform II would be said Of ynu as Of this
one In the text; "'rhe Lord opened the
avas nf iha Vnunts man and he sa,v d. auI