The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-12-16
THE CHRISTIAN IN POLITICS

The Christian should be in politics,
He has the same interest in public
affairs as others. The welfare of the
country is as important to him as it is
to others. His love for his country
should be intensified by his love to
God, who gave US this land and our
good Institutions en- I has opened to US
such marvellous possibilities. No
one has more at stake in the
future than he, for the church
and its precious interests involved.
Also the traits of character which
be possesses are essential to the
~permaneDcy of the nation. 1t is in
righteousness that a nation lives. They
who fear God are under His blessing
and protection, Such should be chosen
to ofi5e; but this can be only when
Christian men make conscience of
taking part in politics. AS it is they
are virtually excluded. Political
management has become so intensely
partisan that hey have not the free
dom Of conscientious action. The
BROADER views Of right are lost sight
Of in bids for success. The issues are
not SO much moral principles as Offices
and profits. The appeals r not to
intelligence and conscience, but to the
lower motives, and such means are
used as imply thu prior degradation of
manhood. The saloon is too often the
hAa3quarters of the local organization;
at all events IT'S influence is so great
that its 0ehasts may not be disregarded.
Moral issues are avoided, and such
men are chosen as may be most avail
able and will best suit the interests of
the party managers. Charges of
gross corruption do not exclude men
from honorable position so long as
they can successfully marshal the party
forces. All this tends to drive honest
Christian men away from all part in
public affairs. The duty of Christians
becomes the more imperative because
such is the present condition of our
political affairs. The permanency of
a nation rests on its moral character
God will not allow injustice and vice
to 60 on indefinitely. They who fear
God are the salt of the earth. Chris
tan c)nscientiousness is required in
making up the issue. The real issues
are not com nercial, they are not par
tlsan; they are moral. The first great
duty Of a nation is to do right. There
is WronJ in the land, there is vice and
lnlquity, there IS extortion and thou
sands groan under oppression. The
remedy is in the intelligent, Christian
sense Of right toward all, of every
sanding IN society; to the humblest
ana poorest as we'll as the highest and
richest. This can be attained only by
christians taking an active part in
POLITICAL affairs. 1t is useless to la
ment; we must work. We need not
iSl upon our faces and cry out in our
ueSpondency, but to rise and go for,
TSto, as our duty may appear. The
CHRISTIAN should be independent in his
POlltlcS. Parties necessarily arise, and
suere Will always be divisions as to
PO!cy and measures. But the first
point Is to do right. A party long 10
power may easily become corrupt, and
N That case it f~orfeits all claim upon
VIC support of its members. We
ESnnot live upon the past; we must
I've IN Inc present, and by doing pres
on' outy. No man may hold his con.
ST!ence at the command of a party.
carefully worded platform can
~ u against the personal character
iso candidates; no finely phrased prom.
80 OF reform can satisfy the con-
srtSnce so long as corrupt practices
'Olerated and great moral issues
Fo H. wooded. The safety Of the nation
E0S IN the independence of the Chris
Ia~ voters. There should be no de-.
NJ N thls declaration of Independence.
pea is made for postponement.
NJ I''lng the evils that cause uneasi-
ians "nu dlsobed ience to party call, it
geo that just now it would imperil
no10 great interests to refuse to sup,
no.. Inc party candidates. At the
sra At election it is the same. Promises
TIM made, but they are broken. TIE
ns haze lOr duty is the present. If a
to Will not maintain its allegiance
obad8nt' loyalty to right requires dis.
tho m to its orders. Just so soon as
with christians of the country show tn 1t
Soon Inem right is alb ove party, so
stno. viii there be a purer political
~OsPnere. The Christian should he