The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-11-30
SERMON AND DINNER
The Features of Thanksgiving Day
at Wesley Church.
REY. D.A. DENTON TALKS POLITICS
To the MethodIsts and Prcsbytcrians
OF tho South End-The Reasons he
Assigns for the Recent Tidal Wave
of RepubIlcanism-AT Thanksgiving
Meal Served after.

In the Wesley II. E. church Thanks.
giving services were held yesterday. as
has been the custom for years between
this congregation aud that Of the Third
Presbyterian church. the services alter.
mating each year in the two churches.
This was the year for the sermon to be
preached by tho Presbyterian minister,
but that church now being without a
minister, the sermon was preached by
Rev. D. A. Denton. Of the Benwood NJ.
E. church.
After speaking Of the day as nation
al festival, he announced that his ser
mon would consist OF the lesson that
might be drawn from the result OF the
recent election, and took for his text
Exodus, SOD chapter and part OF the Sth
verse: "lhey have turned aSide quick
ly."
These were the words OF God to Moses
concerning the children OF Israel dur.
ing his absence from them for forty
days on the mount TO receive the law.
They could follow God, while Moses
was present to guide them; while the
thunderings OF Sinai were sounding in
their ears, but when the face of their
leader was gone, they forgot all and
turned aside to the worship OF idols.
Applying this to our own country the
speaker said in substance as follows:
We have lately been treated in this
country to two great political surprises.
Two years ago, when tho country was
never more prosperous, We were greatly
surprised at the party in power being
entirely deprived OF power by u sweep.
ing victory by the other party. Many
reasons were given Tor it by both the
yictors and the vanquisned. The VIC
tors, after trying for two years to carry
out what they had proposed to do, have
lately been defeated by an almost un.
precedented majority. This Is sur
prise No. Q. And now it is harder than
ever to tell what the people want.
After noticing the reasons given by
politicians, the speaker argued that 1t
showed a great political unrest in our
land. II what the politicians now say
is the cause be true, then why the great
change OF two years ago? He thinks the
poiitiaus' reasons are merely superficial.
They will not satisfy cool, calculating,
thoughtful mind. As causes for this
great unrest in our country, which all
must acknowledge exists, he gave the
following reasons:
/. The great number OF political par.
ties, and new ones are springing up
every day.
.. The statements Of misgiviug made
By the prominent statesmen and lead.
ing journals OF the country.
Here lie referred to interviews with
ex-Speaker Reed. Elkins and others and
the editorials OF such journals as the
Pittsburgh and New York Advocates, OF
his own church and other prominent
periodicals.. From all of these the
thought is cleaned that the great VIC
tory may be the greatest peril OF the
party il not OF the country.
8. The spread OF socialism. Capital
lists are looked on as robbers, a division
of property is demanded, which is so.
cialism pure and simple.
4. A disregard OF the demands of the
people by those in power, especially by
the laDorlng Cla5seb As W HouIs Va Iuou' ,
wages, etc. Petitions from them have
either been entirely ignored, or not com
Piled with il noticed.
IS. The absolute refusal of the two
great parties to take decided stand
against the saloon element.
He spoke eloquently OF the manner
in which petition of the temperance
people, praying for this, was treated by
one OF the parties.
6. The money question has had much
to do in causing this unrest. 1t is not
80 much the want as the waste Of
money that has caused it. The greatest
waste ia in the money speut for drink.
7. The unscrupulousness OF tho
political conscience. In this connection
he spoke OF the Alckane and Breckin.
ridge cases and the corruption in New
York City.
He closed as follows: II all these
things be true, is there not cause tor
alarm? He would answer Yes and No
II we 70 on giving up to tho saloon ele'
ment and to all that is immoral, then
there Is danger. But il we do our duty,