The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-08-21

w u SOY UIbO OAO D@JS@
the leaders Of public sentiment and
that they have acted very shamefully
in yielding this high prerogative to the
secular press and political machines.
They have bowed the knee to social
pressure. There is need for a wild old
awakening among them. The scepter
is about to depart from between the
feet of Judah. Politics is moulding
morals and moulding religion and if
this thing continues thus, long enough,
the minister will be naught but a pub
lie cryer bowling his goods to the
highest bidder. The one that can offer
the finest church, the best chairs and
organ and the most stylish congrega-
ton can get the highest bids.
Then what will become of the forty
millions of homeless poor in American
Who will be a friend to them9 The
laws Of government are likely to be
against them. The combinations of
capital will work against them and the
influential money interest will mould
public sentiment and Gods ministers
will bow the knee to social pressure
and public sentiment, and these forty
millions out of sixty will be estranged
from the house of prayer as unfit to
appear in dec mt society-no friend
perhaps except the Jesuits of Rome.
We will tell the ministers of Christ
there is a great work going on in this
land concerning which they know
nothing (some of them). Eyes have
they but they e not; ear have they
but they hear not because of a previous
education and mental training. This
work is going OF at the bottom. They
hear the sound thereof and are fright
ened for the safety of their dear
society; but cannot tell what is going
on, nor divine the result; for high
above all this they stand telling the
signs of the times from ~plutocratic
skies. There is a great rumbling
and tumbling among the political ele-
ments to redeem the American citizen
and the Republic from Mammon's
thraldom. IT'S a pity that the poor
have but few political friends among
the worlds great but it has ever
been so. When trouble and oppression
and tyranny comes American l~iberal1ty
blooms into soup-houses and charity,
but not one touch of the finger to rem
edy the disease or correct the cause.
The poor have all these burdens to bear
and all progress to make In the re-
demption of the world the republic to
save, the religion of Christ to perpetu-
ate and His holy ministers to snatch
from the thraldom of public opinion.
1t is true, every word of it is true.
Upon their shoulders rests the hopes
of the human race 1.-THE poor is our
dependence for liberty" Then why
this warfare against the independent
uprising of the people asking not coun-
Gil of the great nor bowling to the man
dates of the strong9 There is something
in this thing, gentlemen, and you
should not fight against it. Old
churches and old parties never reform.
They gradually rot. New blood, new
life, must come by some FORGIVE cir
cumstance. So we give Gods speed to
the people. Take the thing as it is 60
ing and has been going for some time
and the Republic is a failure, the
American majority is a failure, self
government is a failure-not at once
but gradually growing more rich and
till God in His wrath shall stop
it. Gentlemen of the holy ministry,
we wish you would take these few
thoughts in consideration and save
yourselves from reproach. We do not
think it will weaken your efforts to
sides with the forty millions of
poor and defend their rights
as a brother man. They need friends.
The whole world is against them. Like
Sampson at the wheel they are surg
ing, perhaps blindly, at the chains of
If they fail wool woe! woe!
If they succeed without the guidance
Of good council they may shame the
fair name of the Republic. The PEG,
pie are going to do something and to
be sure the more they learn of public
wrongs the more they will do.
W. r. LINDSAY.
r. uyo11Id ho q Oroot thino for tho