Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-09-15
" Faith Without Votes is Dead"
IL is Time for the Christian Con-
science of Mississippi to As
scrt Itself at the Bal
lot Box.
A Powerful Article on the Sub
ject by DIR. j. Il. GambreH.
He Says "NO Christian Ought to
Vote the Democratic Ticket"
From the Mississippi Leader, AUG. Ill

| fOr Mr.. Cleveland i have great adj
miration. He is the greatest personal
ity in American politics. His nomina-
ton was signal victory over machine
politics. He is UNNECESSARILY above
his party in every respect. Even where
do not agree with him, admire him.
Having said SO much of Grover
Cleveland, reiterate with the force Of
a solid conviction, that the time has
como when no Christian ought to vote
the Democratic ticket. Why? For
consistency's sake, if nothing else. 1t
is nonsense for man to pretend To be
a Christian in church and a devil in
politics. 1t is just that kind OF thing
that has brought the religious profess
sions of multitude of men in our
country into deserved contempt. Pious
at the Lords supper; but tricky in
trade, and honest men outside say, Il
would rather take my chances as a
plain sinner than as a doubledfaced
church member"
Now, let us look at this case Just as
it is At the late Mississippi Baptist
State Convention Capt. W. II. Hardy
offered resolutions commencing the
closing of the Worlds Fair on the
Lords day and the exclusion of whisky
from the grounds. l seconded the
resolutions and called for rising vote.
which was taken, and it was unanimous.
The Republican Senate had the honor
of ENGRAVING the two Christian fea-
lures on the Worlds Fair appropria-
ton bill. | learned, though l have not
seen the vote, that our Senators voted
against them. But any way, the Dem
ocratic House opened the Fair on Sun
day and opened it to whisky There is
not particle OF doubt that this WIGS
done to catch the foreign and the sa-
loon vote.
In plain English, the men who have
with their open Bibles, their Lords
day, their love Of home, made this ma
ton great, are now to march under the
whip of unseasoned foreigners with
their mammoth whisky monopoly
Every Christian in Mississippi should
rise up and smash such a party into
irredeemable splinters.
Again, there is not a Christian de-
nomination in Mississippi that has not
denounced the liquor traffic as the
chief enemy of public morals, public
prosperity and domestic tranquility
This has been done over and over.
The Masonic fraternity has ostracised
the saloons. The Christian conscience
OF the public has been enlightened.
Now right in the face of the wreck and
ruin of the liquor traffic and of the
universal voice of the Christian public,
the Democratic party in convention as
sembled endorses the liquor traffic. If
any one says the anti-sumptuary plank
in the platform of the party doesn't
mean opposition to tho destruction of
the liquor traffic, he is very foolish
man, or a very dishonest one. 1t means
that the Democratic party is for whIs-
ky. That is the short of it. The rotten
/ plank has not even the merit of being
honestly worded. 1t not only means
to commit the Democratic party to the
liquor traffic; but in the true spirit of
the saloon it employs falsehood to do
it, falsehood in the very wording of the
plank.
Now / ask, how can Christian man
help such party to power? My be-
lief is that Cleveland will be elected
and there will never be another Re
publican President after Harrison. /
could explain why, but this is not the
great party will be in power and above
be 2S0,000 saloon keepers, nearly all of
spirit of our country No Christian
ought to help to enthrone the saloon
in the chief place of power on this con-
tinent, and yet that is what every
Christian who votes the Democratic
ticket does.
No Democratic leader in Mississippi
ought to have the face to ask the
Christian men of this State to vote for
tho saloon dominated party. Baptists,
Methodists, Presbyterians, all in their
solemn assemblies, have declared
against this matchless evil of the age.
When the Democratic party endorses
the saloons, what are we to do Shall
we vote our religion down? Shall we
vote into power over us that which
every one of us knows is an enemy to
the Sabbath, to the home, to purity in
public and private life, to the souls of
men, to the churches of Christ, to hu
manity, to civil freedom, to all good?
l do not sec how any Christian man
who does not deliberately choose to lay
down his fidelity to Heaven can vote
| for the Democratic party, led as it is
willing captive to the saloon interest
of the nation. And this is certain, that
| If Christians will do their duty in Mis-
sissippi this fall, there will be revolu-
ton, good for the people, wholesome in
it's teaching and very decisive of future
political action in this country. When
ever Christians make it plain that no
political party can commit them to the
support Of the liquor traffic, that TO
attempt it is to be voted down, then a
/ lesson in public morals win be written
as if across the vault of heaven, and
| this nation will read it, and the throne
of iniquity will fall l see the papers
are declaring, as always, that now 10
no time to revolt. Yes, it is time. The
time to do right is every time you get
a chance. Men who serve God only in
easy places really do not serve him at
all
FINAL WORD.
Christian man, be honest before God
and men. IL you vote for the party
committed openly to perpetuate the
liquor traffic, never open your mouth
again in church or in assembly. If
you feel that you can't afford to stand
up and cast a Christian vote In the
face of party prejudice and party pow
er. then give those who can and will
the benefit of your silence. Let not a
gainsaying world have the advantage
of declaring, Religious talk on this
question is cheap wait till the hour of
action comes and they win come in all
right
/ DO not know what my fellow Chris