Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-11-04
Religion and Politics.
DIR. ROWLAND DEFINES WHAT HE CoNs1D
ERs THE DUTY OF GOOD CITIZENS.

DR.. ROWLAND DEFINES WHAT HE CONsID-
ERs THE DUTY OF GOOD CITIZENS.
DR., A. J. Rowland, of the Franklin
Square Baptist Church Of Baltimore. spoke
Sunday night of last week on Religion
and Politics." taking for his text, "Render
unto Cesar the things that are caesar
He said among other things:
s.Politics in our day has become PROBES
sion or trade. 1t has fallen largely into the
hands of men who give it most or their
time. These men assume or are given the
post of leadership, and are supported by
ward workers of various grades of respect
ability. Altogether they form a sort OF
political machine. 1t is this machine which
raises the money that is necessary, noml-
mates the candidates, carries on the cam
paign, distributes the offices and enjoys
the spoils of victory. Oftentimes what is
known as practical politics, which, IN our
large cities. is the only politics that exists,
employs all sorts of aids to secure its ends
1t will stoop to the vilest methods. 1t will
buy and sell votes, SANDER opponents, call
to it's aid the saloon, corrupt the judges OF
election and tamper with the ballot-box.
To save the party from defeat it will pan
der to the worst classes in the community
and do anything the occasion appears to de-
mand. The muddiest pool in our Amerl-
can life is the pool of practical politics.
And, so far as one can see, one party is
about as guilty as another.
ssNow, in view of these things, Christian
men have q solemn responsibility. They
ought not and dare not shirk their political
duties. The command Render unto Cesar
the things that are C8sar's' is as impera-
tive as that which follows it, Render to
God the things that are Gods Religion
should dominate men in the performance of
their political duties as much as in their
homes or at the church. If Christian men
neglect these duties they are responsible
for the evil results which come from the
enactment of un wise laws and the election
of unworthy men. 1t is worse than folly,
it is q sin, for men protesting religion to
refuse to take their share of the work and
sacrifices needful to purify politics and
put it on the high ground, where 1t ought
to be.
..In the performance of their political
duties Christian men should be governed
by the fear of God. They ought not to
vote the party ticket they have been ac-
customed to vote merely because it is their
ticket. OF course, it is entirely possible
for their party to be in the right, but every
Christian man should at least stop and see
whether this is the case. If Christian
man finds names on the ticket offered him
which are unworthy he should strike them
Off. If the party to which be belongs has
adopted policy or supports measures
which, in his better judgment, appear clear
~ to be in the interests of wroDg.doiDg. he
ought, as a lover of God and his fellow
men, to cut it altogether. Of course, too,
no Christian man will show the least SYM
patby with the corrupt methods 80 often
Tesorted to. He will be no party, either
directly or indirectly, to asking the aid Ct
the saloon or to tina sale or purchase oil
votes. These things are just as wrong,
though political party may assume re-
sponsibility for them, as if they occurred
in private life, and SO God will judge.
cit is my earnest conviction that if men
would only allow their religion to dominate
their politics much of the evil from which
we are now suffering would disappear. Ii
that part of the community which calls it
self Christian has not the numerical ma or
ity, it holds at least the balance of power.
We have the corrupt practical politician to
day largely because SO many protesting
Christians have been too busy making
money, or are unwilling to descend TO the
drudgery of political work. What ia need
ed is that the religious element of the com
mun1ty make itself felt at the primary meet
ing, Or, if that has already been captured
in the elections. The presence of an infiu-
entail section of the community which will
not blindly follow the lead of the machine,
but will assert at the ballot box its moral
convictions, will speedily bring all the ref
ormation that is desired.
'If Christians will not do this, but will
go on condoning wrong for the sake of par
ty success, republican government is DOOM
ed. Let the state of things now prevailing
in not few of our great cities continue for
few years longer, and life will become al
most unbearable. The correction of the
tendencies of the political world is not to
be found in either the extension or the re
striction of the suffrage, mol in the uprising,
now and then, of vigilant committees, but
in the continuous assertion of religious or
Christian principle in the realm of public
duty. In a word, religion has got to assert
itself as applicable to all phases of human
life. We have been too long making
chssm between the sacred and the secular.
When Christian men get to realize as they
ought that they must be just as good Chris
tians at the ballot box as at the prayer
meeting, then, and not till then, will we
have pure politics and government worthy
of the name"