The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-03-22
coNcENNlNa FAcTIoNs.

worlds each have thor factions.
in The two great political parties of
oar COUNTRY We have the different fac
tsors inimicsl unfriendly towards
each other. that perhaps DO more TO
hiring destruction and defeat TO the
party than could possibly be done
by all the efforts OF the opposing party
turned loose upon them.
The republican party to-day has its
high tariff and j Is low tariff factions,
which hare gone - seed in the advo-
cscy Of Mckinley and Reed. The dem
osrstic party has its two faotions-one
chAmpioninc gold buggery and the
other salvcr-dicrery. Mr.. Cleveland
leads oac faction and The world, flesh
ana the devil seem TO be leading the
other
Esoh oity has its political rings,
oliaues and factions. we have our mu-
rieiaa! factions also IL our politics, and
our country factions, and these fac
nozs are hut The beginning OF the end
- these parties. scli-in;erests, self
ish enas. impair lotto motives enter into
politics ana break up the whole bust
ness iato factions.
wish e were true that factions were
confined 70 politics, but in the church
We have factions which divide of and
make issues in the conventions, and
conferences and synods. Generally
&, is true IN the church as it is in poll
ties. Self-interest and selfish ends
make the issue that splits and divides
the parties at interest. Some are OF
Paul, some OF Apollus, and of Cephas,
and so on. But where factions do tho
mos; harm is in church organizations.
There is scarcely church OF any pro
;ession in our land that is not split up
into factions and cliques-the rule or
ruin element has gotten in its work.
seifshuess snd egousm and arrogance
has asserted itself, and while the rank
and fle of the church may not take
much interest in the warfare, yet the
church is paralyzed and the pastor
crippled when he sees his church d.
viied UP into factions and cliques an
tsgonistic towards each other. Re
l.glon Is love, unity, happiness, con
course and harmony 1t seems TINT
o. al k-1at- AA.t4f4 AA4N eAAA AA4N ~ ~ ~
ought 20 be the brotherhood where
love, Kindness and unity prevail. but
a religious row with these church fac
tians is interminahl- and everlasting
ly hu-ifal 20 the church.
Then we have our social factions,
God has created us social beings, and
IN the social world we divide up in fac
lions snd cliques and Glasses without
much reference to tho balance of the
world outside Of our clan or gang. We
rroyv more and more out of sympathy
with each other as the growth of these
circles proceeds. Il IS absolutely put
ting men further apart every day.
Then we have our family factions, a
family row--part Of the home taking
sides with this one and the other with
mat one. and wound Is made which
v-il acsrcely ever heal Now, what is
the idea of sensible people as they look
on the PROFESSIONS moving as they are
In all these factions in all the circles OF
life there are people-soIne Of the best
in each faction--can they be harmon
ized2 ! know they can and ought II
be-in the church. and social and family
life. OF course sacrifices must be made
pride must be wounded, and great
many things done which 1t would b'
: wise 10 do, except when it comes TO G
! compromise OF character or principle
/ But there is generally no principle in
/ yolyed hut prejudice and seliishness are
! the very basis on which IL was begun
and these two things form the two
structural pillars that hold up The
( upcrstructure-pre JUDGE and selfish
ness Neither of these, ] am sure
ought 20 have places IN the church
[ And stiil a church has been split up by
some prominent member kicking vel
/ low dog out of the church during thu
services, which unfortunately belongeC
10 some other prominent member o
the church, and the whole church final
Is wrecked over yellow dog Some
times IL starts from the gossip of TIL
women, sometimes it starts from
sermon preached by the pastor hu
no matter where ii starts it is un
scripturai and un-Chrst-like to hav
the church split up in these faction
and brethren divided against them
selves.
These family factions are more FIRE
quently found in homes where step
mothers have been introduced--the.
are hardest 10 manage OF all. ! be
lieve, however, there are moro goo
stepmothers than there are good ster
children; but | have known home
wrecked and lives ruined by these HON
factions.
anu glad that It ia true that thes
factions form only Il minority in al
the circles of life. The great rank an
file OF both church and state seem I
move along without taking much par
in these factional strifes and part.
divisions, and this is the hope OF til
world, and forms basis for bette
things. The devil comes To cngende
and perpetuate strife and these strife
are but 10 produce divisions, and d
visions weaken and emaciate the bod,
, And no party, or church, or society ca
do its best work or uccOrn Dlisl the hes