People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-05-25
OUR C0UHTRrS PERILS
Rev. ]. ID. BOtkin, Of Vel
lingtOn, Takes a COmpre-
hensiVe View Of
POLITICS IN CHURCH.

FOLllINS TN I0OKSn.
In response to an invitation Rev. J.
D. BOtkin, pastor of the first N. Z.
church Of Wellington, went to the
city of Belle Plalne Monday evening
last for the purpose of delivering his
lecture upon "Our COuntry's Perils."
The Methodist church was tenderel
him for the address, and the room
was crowded with people from the
town and country, who had heard
much comment upon the lecture and
came to hear for themselves.
The Rev. Mr.. BOtkin is an aggres-
Siye and practical preacher, who be-
lieyeS that christianity is as much
for this world as for the next. By
way OF introduction, he stated that
he believed that any question relat-
ing to the social, political or religious
welfare of the people was a fit subject
for the pulpit.
Then he pitched all ballast over
board, cut loose the hawser of con-
SeryatiSm and sailed into the storm
of opinion upon the main deck of the
good ship Truth.
He quoted recent speech of Hon.
Bourke Cochran, in which the horid
and fattering orator had said: while
l believe that the most important
questions that have confronted the
nation have been settled, while con-
feSS that do not see before me now
as | look around, cloud even as big
as a mans hand menacing the integ.
rity of our institutions, none the less
vigilance mast always be the price of
liberty"
Says Brother Botkin, "the man
who can seriously utter this senti-
ment is either profoundly ignorant of
present conditions, or supposeS every
body else to be. The greatest ques-
tiOnS are not yet settled. Instead of
of the cloud as mans hand, there is
a portentOuS cloud, covering almost
the whole face of the Sky-pregnant
with warning elements that threaten
the destruction of this republic. He
is hOpeleSsly blind who cannot see
it. We give portions of the speech
as follows:
II am to talk to you Of some Of
these perils. My chief object is to
point out the perils and leave states
men the task Of averting them.
|. PARTISANIsM. A partisan is
one who blindly worships his party.
He sees nothing bad 10 his own party
and nothing good in any other. His
parry has saved the country or is es-
sential to its perpetuation. Indeed.
his party owns the country. LOYALTY
to country and loyalty to his party
are synonymous. He thinks and
talks of his party as though it were
some great machine separate and
apart from the people (which, in fact,
it Isl that proposes to do certain
things for the people. Example:
The party is the friend of the work.
ing classes, opposed to all legislation,
hostile to their interests and ready
at all times to adopt any measure
that may improve their condition OF
their natural prOpensity.5S. Dakota
Rep, July p, 1892.
TO the partisan the name is every.
thing.
The partisan gives no attention tt
the history Of legislation. etc. The
only reason he is so is, that he is so
or his father was.
A patriot is one who loves his coun
Try. He regards political party moi
as a great Mogul that is "a frienC
to the working classes ETC.. but ;
combination Of men, including lCork.
ing men, formed for the purpose @,
promoting certain principles and pol
icieS of government in the interes
of all the people, and not of a ma
chine. So long as the party keeps Il
its task he works with it. When thi,
combination fails or refuses to Serv,
the present, he seeks to form new
combinations, however glorious mal
have been the record of the old.
No matter What a man or part,
was % years ago. Better have beer
a monkey then and man now than
man then and a monkey now.
New conditions are constantly ari,
ing, demanding new adjustment.
Grave questions are pressing for SC
LUTON. A party of reminiScence
cannot serve the alCful Icing present
The patriot sees nothing special
sacred in party name, in party organ
ization, in party leadership, or i
party history. But he sees some
thing sacred in the name and inStitU
tiOns of his country.
"a partisan fears the light, it nigh
hurt the party The patriot say.
Turn on the light. If perilS threa'
en- my beloved country, | must knOr
it. To be forewarned is to be for,
armed
Men were blind in the SOS and di
not see the approaching war clou
until the fash Of the cannon fire
uIon Fort Sumpter opened their eyt
Then men sunk party out of sigf
land became patriots. Men OF diffe
m political faiths Spr~nr IN arms