The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-07-12
MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL AND
POLITICS.
OLIN, n. @.

NIX. hDIIOR:-IQ0 call TO GQ0 minis
try if from God and is properly obeyed,
puts man l the highest position he can
occupy on earth, and if he keeps in his
proper sphere may walk closer to God
than ordinary persons. Some persons
seem to think a minister has no right
to have anything to do with political
questiOns-nOr has he al a partisan,
for by s 70 doing he let's himself down
from his high position to a level with
political triCksters and hucksters, par
takes of their unholy views, apologies
for their selfshness by failing to de-
nounce them, and finally participates
in their sinful and debasing practices
which will lead him, if followed, to
final apostacy and his church to idol
airy. While the true minister has no
moral right to become a partisan, in
either matter of church or State, he
should post himself as to the wrongs
of society, the expressions of persons
toward each other, and especially the
strong towards the weak, or in other
words, those Of capital against labor,
now SO universal i'll all countries; but
he should be permitted to enjoy the
franchise of a free citizen without let
or hindrance.
The wal now being waged between
capital and labor in this country is ter
rifle. If capital succeeds, this once
prosperous nation will 20 like Greece,
Rome and all other learned, wealthy
and powerful nations Of ancient times
went, that is to destruction, and for
the same causes, T. e. Of self-aggran-
dizement of the wealthy and the off
Gals, and their expressions to wards
the producers of wealth, Or those who
feed, clOthe and house the world. But
if capital is dethrOned and made to
take its proper place and do its legiti-
mate work it will elevate labor, reduce
idleness and the number Of tramps,
close the doors of prisons, asylums,
almshOusos and those Of Ill fame; lessen
taxation and suffering, oil the wheels
of the cars of the Gospel and civiliza-
ton and make this nation one of the
instruments in the hands of the Gre
ator of converting the world from sin
to righteousness. Naturally men
love darkness rather than light, be-
cause their deeds are evil" And evil
men always strive to enlist the services
Of good men, especially ministers Of
the Gospel, to help them carry out
their unhOly designs, and too often
succeed in deceiving, capturing or buy
ing men of that high calling whose en-
tire efforts should be to teach the
truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth"
The cohesive power of We alth univer-
sally draws the multitude close to, and
causes them to smile upon, fatter and
obey the dictates of the posse ssOrs of
that wealth-and too often regardless
| of any other real merit.
When bad men ascend the financial
ladder, they see and learn this truth
and invariably use their money, time
and all other powers to control the
speech and actions of as many good
men as possible in order to lift them
| selves up to high positions that their
real virtues would never enable them
to attain without money-hence the
great struggle for that article, the love
Of which was pronounced by
| Saviour to be the worst of all evils,
and in no department of life is this
more apparent than in the political
world and during political campaigns.
The success Of such men or those
who serve them means the keeping on
our statute books many unjust laws
made for their especial benefit and the
making gilmore of like character which
widens the gap between the very
wealthy and the most needy, continues
to depress the fallen, and makes it
more difficult, if not impossible for the
latter to live above want or be reached
and saved by the Gospel.
Millions of the best people of u
country now honestly believe that
there is a crisis approaching, if not al
ready upon us in the affairs of the ma
ton, and that all that is worth living
for depends upon the victory the vari,
Gus reform movements L cOntending
for.
If the Church of God can be united
to defend truth and justice and oppose
wrong wherever found even in high
places, all will be we'll; and this cannot
be accomplished without a holy min
istry, for be it remembered that in all
fallen nations the priesthood became
subsidized by corrupt officials and
avoracious citizens before they fell.
Many Christian ministers, editors
and other officials in the various
branches of Gods Church are now
showing by their preaching, writing
and talking that they are working in
the interest Of the unrighteous oppres-
sors of the poor and needy. This is
apparent to every observing person
and cannot be successfully contra
dicted; but as we are alluding particu-
larly to ministers we give the follow
ing facts as recently occurred within
the range of u knowledge: A Chris
tian minister Of talent, education, pc
sition and influence, of an influential
church, recently expressed himself
freely in discussing privately with
friends) some of the important issues
of the day in which he said he was a
Prohibitionist and if his vote would
blot out the traffic he would do so, but
he would not go outside of the Demo,
cratic party to get it, and that he was
opposed to any and every thing that
opposed the Democratic party; that /