The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-21

After the sermon petition was circu-
lated, addressed to Representative Geo.
w. Veale, protesting against the election
of j. R. Burton to the United States SEN
ate. 1t was signed by upwards of TWEEN
ty-five voters.
MIR. Sheldon's Sermon.
Rev. c. NJ. Sheldon took for his text
the passage in the fourteenth chapter of
Romans referring to the duties of the in
dividual to society at large and his ser
mon was powerful one from beginning
to end, but the most interest was mani
tested when he discussed the senatorial
situati on. He said:
"a United States senator is to be Sc
lected by our legislature this week. Is
it possible that the Legislators of this
great state will elect to that great office
any man who does NOT have the respect
and esteem of the citizens at large? Is
it possible that any man with record of
impurity shall dare to come before the
people of this Christian state and not
only ask for the support of honest. pure
minded men, but demand it on the
ground of fitness, or as pay for party ser
vices rendered? OF what use is it that
we praise virtue and extol character and
purity in the home and among our youth
if we do not carry the same standard of
morality into the political life that we
carry into the home life?
sit will be to the undying shame of
this state if, through the votes of the
party now in power, she is represented
i'll the senate of the United States by
any man who is unable to point to his
past without fear of reproach or dishonor
Nay, more than that: The party now in
power will never survive the curse it
will brand on its own political life, if it
does not choose the cleanest, most hon
Orable candidate it can find and elect
him to the senatorship. Kansas is full
of such honorable men; men whose lives
challenge inspection; men who have no
past to repent of; men who never shamed
their manhood nor dishonored the name
of womanhood. What party can ever
live through the infamy of honoring
with one of the largest gifts in its power
any man whose reputation is sullied by
repeated charges of dishOnorable living?
Men of Kansas, if you put in the SEN
ate by your votes any man whom we can
not honor, any man who has been charged
with gross immortality, any man who is
mentally smart but declared to have been
morally depraved, any man who is
charged with protecting the liquor sell
ers of the state, there will be no living
down of that act, with you or the people
who elected you with power to elect
senator.
''Men and brethren of the churches,
we are not the legislature. but have we
no voice to utter our protest against
possibility? Are we not towards, and
worse in the sight of God, if we do not
lift up our souls against the political
madness and Indifference to public opin-
ion which will tolerate the thought Of
any man for high public office who is IN
worthy such a,trust?
"We cannot cast ballot for the senG-
tor to be elected this week. There is nc
legal referendum on the statute books by
which the people can reverse the act of
their representatives.. But public opin-
ion is a referendum that even politicians
! can be made to obey. and the public
opinion of every Christian man and every
church and every church member, and
every minister ought to be so unmistak
ably and SO emphatically pronounced
this week that the result shall be Z clean,
honest. pure man elected to the senate of
the United States"
! Mr.. Sheldon said that it was not suf-
fcient reason to say that man has re.
formed 1--WE want men in positions Of
trust in this matter who don't nave to re-
pent of past career" said he. "Virtue
should be rewarded, not repentance"
He discussed the responsibility of the
individual to society, and said: Good
| government is impossible with bad men
in Office
Mr.. Files Sermon.
Rev w. F. File preached regarding
the senatorship Sunday morning, at the
Madison street Baptist church. While
Mr.. File used no names his sermon was
pointed and practical The text was
taken from Proverbs 1919, THE throne
| is established by righteousness" Nj.
| File said:
II have no apology to make for my
! theme today. We have come to crisis
| in Kansas A man is on the eve of be-
| ing elected to the highest place in tho
| power of the state to give. who is vilo
! and unclean in character. 1t is our duty
to stand for truth in church and state,
and try to defeat such an action. Up to
two weeks ago no protest to this seIec-
1 ton had been made from the source
! from which it should have come. Now
the people of Kansas are thoroughly
aroused, and hope not too late
"lhe politicians say 9et the preachers
attend to their own business and we can
take care of ours That's what they said
when the fight for prohibition was on. l
can even remembeE when they said the
pastor had no righSs to protest against
human slavery. Agitation of both of
these measures started in the church ,and
| they have triumphed. We do right in
advocating in the pulpit whatever is
right in human action.
"Ihe morals of nation<are very prop
erly judged by the character of its public
men. Sin is reproach, but righteous
ness exaIteth a nation. The people of
Kansas are asked to accept for their rep
resentative a man who would have been
d disgrace to Greece or Rome in their
vilest times. And yet we say proudly,
kansas foremost in everything pertain
ing to truth. right and reform
"a debauched man in private life is an
abomination in the sight of the Lord. but
put him on pinacle where he can be
| seen and scrutinized by all. in the most
dignified body of men in the world, and
one man may disgrace a commonwealth.
God hates sin everywhere, but it is helm