The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-12-28

because everybody else was doing
and saying it. did it because it was
the popular thing to dove all rec
ognize the excuse. We have the
same excuse in these verses: "They
all say, Let him be crucifed.' And
he said, why, what evil hath he
done9" a feeble protest. "But they
cried out exceedingly, saying, Let
him be crucifed.' So when Plate
saw that he prevailed nothing, but
rather that tumult was arising, he
took water and washed his hands be-
fore the multitude" But the multi
tude had prevailed. Before their
angry and senseless clamor, the rea-
son and conscience of Plate went
down.
The multitude are very often wrong.
1t is the few who are usually right
at first. The multitude must be edu-
Gated, not blindly followed. The
race has emerged from animalism and
savagery, only because leaders, indi
viduals beyond the average, have,
from time to time, been raised up.
Public sentiment is power for evil as
we'll as for good until it is trained
or organized. Public sentiment is
wild and savage and cruel and I'M
just, until some man strong enough
to stem the tide, turns it into right
channels. The voice of the people is
not of necessity the voice of God.
The voice of the people CRYING, "Let
him be crucifiedp' had in it not one
tone or accent divine. 1t was the
voice of the animal lingering in man.
1t was the roar of the lion, the howl
of the wolf, the shrek of the hyena,
the snap of the serpent, the babble
and chatter of the ape, and not the
voice of God! When man believes
that he is right, it is his business to
stand there, what storms SO ever may
thunder above his head, whatever
waves may lash the rock at his feet.
When a man has it in him to direct
public opinion, it his business to lead
and not to follow.
I. Take the case of the preacher.
In the parable of Jesus, the scribe
who was thoroughly instructed
brought forth out of his treasures
things both NEW and old. He did
not simply exhibit the cumulations
of the past; he gathered and enriched
his stores from the mines of the pres
ent. The moral is that the minister
is not simply to reflect average senti-
ment even in his own congregation.
If he is at all fit for his position, he
is to lead, guide and lift that senti-
ment. There are two theories-one
that the clergyman is paid advo-
cate to defend certain ideas, to fight
for them against all corners, and by
all means; the other is, that he is an
Investigator, teacher, pioneer and
prophet in the results of thought
and life. One says: "You are simply
to repeat what l already believe"
The other says: Enlarge my creed
by every new fact of life, enlighten it
by every new star of truth" When
a man believes that he sees the truth
clearly, he is not to evade the respon-
sibility of stating that truth kindly
but positively. He is not to plead in
excuse the traditions of the past or
the prejudices of the present. He is
not to say, "The multitude do not be-
lieve this; and shall only start a noise
and clamor about my ears" How
shall the multitude in the valley ever
learn if he who stands upon the
mount of vision seals his lips9
2. Take the case of the statesman.
1t is not his business to follow
meekly the demands of his constitu-
ency. He is more than representa-
tive; if he is at all fit for public life, he
is an educator. He is not to spend
his official life in trying to get appro
priations, to tap the public treasury
for the sole benefit of his community;
but to do his best for the interests of
the whole country. He is to lead
and teach. He is to lift those who
have given him their confidence to
lottier heights, and expand their ho-
rizon. The nation has never stood
in greater need of wise leadership, at
any time since the Civil War than it
does at this moment. Never, since
that period has there been larger
opportunity for craftsmanship. There
is not a political party to day but
may hang out the placard; "WANTED
LEADER" And what are those to
whom we look for guidance doinga
The questions of to-day are social,
financial, industrial. Are the men
prominent in politics trying to solve
them9 Are they giving us lighti