The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-21
and tell them they must voice the senti-

and tell them they must voice the senti-
ment of their constituents"
After the sermon petition was circu-
lated, addressed to Representative Geo.
W. Veale, protesting against tie election
of j. r. Burton to the United States SEN
ate 1t was signed by upwards of TWEEN
ty-five voters.
Mr. SheIdon'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
dividuai 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
situation. 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 larger 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
morality into the political life that we
! carry into the home life?
I cit viii be to the undying shame of
| this state if through the votes of the
party now in power, she is represented
! in 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 itfcan 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 sbamed
| 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
! ale 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 VINO 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 a
senator
Men and brethren of the churches,
we are not the legislatures but have we
no voice TO utter our protest against a
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 trust?
1--WE cannot cast a ballot for the sena-
tor to be elected this week. There is no
legal referendum, on the statute books by
which the people can reverse the act of
their representatives.. But public opin-
ion is Il 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 mphatically pronounced
this week that the result shall be clean,
honest. pure man elected to The senate OF
the United States"
Mr. Sheldon said that it was not a suf-
fcient reason to say that man has re-
formed. ''We want men in positions of
trust in this matter who don't have to re-
pent of past career" said he. "Virtue
should be rewarded, not repentance. y
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" Mr.
File said:
: II have no apology to make for my
, theme today. " e have come to crisis
, in Kansas man is on the eve of be-
ing elected to the highest place in the
power of the state to give. who is vile
? and unclean in character. It is our duty
, to stand for truth in church and state
and try to defeat such an action. Up tC
two weeks ago no protest to this selec-
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
"1he politicians say let the preachers
, attend to their own business and we car
take care of ours That's what they saiC
when the fight for prohibition was on.
can even remember when they said the
pastor had no right to protest against
human slavery. Agitation of both o.
these measures started in the church, anC
they have triumphed. We do right il
) advocating IN the pulpit whatever L
right in human action.
"lhe morals Of nation are very prop
= erly judged by the character of its publ,
= men. Sin is reproach, but righteous
ness exalteth nation. The people o
Kansas are asked to accept for their rep
resentative man who would have beef
= disgrace to Greece or Rome in thei
: West times. And yet we say proudly
Kansas foremost in everything pertain
ing TO truth. right and reform
: "a debauched man in private life is al
q abomination in the sight of the Lord bu
put him on pinnacle where he can b
= seen and scrutinized by all, in the mos
. dlgnftied body of men in the world. an
: one man may disgrace a commonwealth
God hates sin everywhere, but it ID helm