Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-12-09
Duty and the Ballot.


is just now uppermost, while the agi
tation in political circles is raging il
oil parts of the land. The sermon il
pertinent and useful, and is based OF
the text. Acts xix, 322:: ''SOme there
fore cried one thing, and some another
for the assembly was confused, and the
more part knew not wherefore they
were come together. And they dreW
Alexander out of the multitude. the
Jews putting him forward. And Alex
ander tcckoned with the hand, and
would have made his defense unto the
people. But when they knew that he
was Jew, all with one voice about the
space of two hours cried out, Great is
Diana of the Ephesians'
Ephesus was upside down. It was
about the silver question. A manu-.
facturer of silver boxes for holding
heather images had called his labor
ers together to discuss the behavior of
one Paul, who had been in public
places assaulting image worship, and
consequently very much damaging that
particular business. There was great
excitement in the city. People stood
in knots along the streets, violently
gesticulating and calling each other
hard names. Some of tho people
favored the policy of the silvcrsmith.
Other people favored the policy of
Paul. There were great moral Qucs-
tions involved, but these aid not bother
them at all.
The only question about which they
seemed to be interested was concern
ing the wages and the salaried posi-
tions. The silversmith and his com
peers had put up factories at great ex-
pcnse for the making of these silver
boxes, and now, if this new policy is to
be inaugurated the business will go
down, the laborers will be thrown out
OF employment and the whole city will
suffer. Well, what is to be done? "Call
q convention" says some one, for in all
ages convention has been a panacea
for public evils. The convention is
called, and as they want the largest
room in tho city they take the theater.
Having there assembled, they all
want to get the floor, and they all want
to talk at once. You know what ex-
cltemcnt that always makes in con-
ventlOn, where great many people
want to talk at once. Some cried one
thing, some cried another. Some
wanted to denounce, some wanted to
resolve. After awhile prominent
man gets the floor, and he begins to
speak, but they very soon hiss him
down. and then the confusion rises into
worse uproar, and they begin to shout,
all OF them together, and they keep on
until they are red in the face and
hoarse in the throat, for two long hours
crying out: "Great is Diana of the
Ephesians: Great is Diana of the
The ms and the Outs.
The whole scene reminds me of the
excitement we have almost every au-
tumn at tho elections. While the god
dess Diana has lost her worshipers and
her temples have gone into the dust,
our American people want to set up a
god In place OF her, and they want us
all to bow down before it. and that god
is political party. Considering our SUI
periOr civilization, l have to declare to
you that that the Ephesian idolatry
was less offensive in the sight of God
than Is all this absorbing American
While there are honest men, true
men, Christian mon, who stand in both
political parties, and who come into
the autumnal elections resolving to
serve their city Or their State or tho
nation in the best ossible way, l have
noticed also that with many it is q
mere contest between the ms and the
outs those who are trying to stay in
and keep the outs out, and those who
are trying to get in and thrust the ms
out. And one party cries, "Great is
Diana OF the Ephesians!" and the other
party cries.. Great is Diana of the
neither of them honest
enough to say, "Great is my pocket
book!'
Once or twice year it is my custom
to talk to the people about public af-
fairs from what call a Christian stand
point, and this morning have chosen
Tor that duty. l hope to say a practical
word. History tells us of sermon
once preached amid the highlands of
sermon two hours long
on the sin of luxury, where there were
not more than. three pairs of shoes in
The audience, and during our last war
q good man went into a hospital dis
tributing tracts and gave tract on
The Sin OF Dancing" to q man both
Of whose legs had been amputated!
But nope this morning to present an
appropriate and adapted word, as next
Tuesday at the ballot box great affairs
are to be settled.
The Rev. DR.. Emmons, in the early
history OF our country, in Massa-
,husetts, preached about the election
81 Thomas Jefferson to the presidency. |
The Rev. DR.. Mayhem OF Boston, in |
he early days of our republic, preached
about the repeal of the stamp act.
here are times when ministers of
christ must look off upon public affairs
md discuss them. We need go back
o no example. Every man is, before
iod, responsible for his own duty.
If the Norwegian boasts of his home
u rock, and the Siberian is pleased
With his land of perpetual snow: if the
roman thought that the muddy Tiber
vas the favored river in the sight of
heaven, and if the Laplander shivers
ut his eulogy of his native cline, and
the Chinese have pity for anybody
,orn outside of the Flowery KINGDOM.
hall not we, born under these fair
kles standing day by day amid those
'lorious civil and religious liberties. be
'ublic spirited? propose to tell the
'eoPle very plainly what I consider to
OK? 'Ao'
First, set yourselfagainst all political
alsehood. The most monstrous lies
YER told in this country are during the
iections. l stop ut the door of a Demo-