The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-04-13
POINTED SERMON
On the Church's Relation to the
Party Primaries
PREACHED BY REV. DIR. RlEER
Al the Fourth street NJ. E. Church Last
Nighttime Evil of clubs and Beer Fur
nlshed by Charlottesville says the Poll
tlelan, arc DebauchlnE the Young sIsn
with LlquOr-Mrp. walters, a Woman
Evangelist, ON the Love ofChrist

A large congregation was present at
the Fourth Street NJ. L. church last
night to hear the pastor. Rev. Or. A. B.
Rlker. preach on tbs subject OF THE
Relation or the Church to Party Pm
maries." The DOCTOR had a fruitful
topic and he made the most out of 1t,
and was listened to with the deepest at
tentIon throughout. While ne made no
startling statements, or related any
thing but what are notorious facts, he
made deep impression on his au-
dIence. Or. Riker took for his text Pro-
verbs xxx: when the righteous are
| in authority, the people rejoice; but
when the wicked beareth rule the peo-
| pie mourn" In substance the doctor
said: While deeply deplore anything
| like politics In the church, l also de-
| plore the want OF the church In poll
| tics. Politics has no place In the church,
| but the church has right to be IN pol
| itics. The rulers have to do with the
happiness and prosperity Of a people,
and when the wicked are in power the
| people mourn. The assumption OF me
| divine right OF kings Is an exploded
| theory. We now have the best form Of
government for good and wise people
pa theOcracy ] may call 1t. 1t Is said
/ that the voice OF thefpeOple IS the voice
| OF God / cannot altogether believe
that, but the voice Of a people with
| right conscience is the voice Of God.
| am Inclined to believe that we are too
broad and liberal with the franchise
| privilege. II I could be allowed to
make a suggestion to Congress for the
next twenty years | would not ailow
| anyone. to vote who could not read or
write, or pass a satisfactory eSanlna-
ton In the hintory and constitution
OF the United States and In
the history ana constitution OF
the state In which the voter resided.
Perhaps this might dlsfrnnrhise many
of us, but II We are not familiar with
these matters 1t is time we We're.
This city at present Is confronted with
peculiar cUnditlon-tlIe approaching
primary elections OF the Republican and
Democratic pasties.with vast horde OF
office seekers. 1t has become sort OF
standing joke that nearly everybody Is
after an Office. The man should not
seek the Office but the Office the man.
Office seeking tO-day Is menace to the
prosperity OF the people. had
conversation the other day with n
prominent citizen, and suggested the
prOpriety OF HIM running on an indie
pendent ticket, aud he told me that II
would be an utterly hopeless task, and
that no man could AFFORD to run for Of
flee unless he was backed by either of
the great political parties. Every.
where you so You Will find the cards OF
candidates staring you In the face.
on some of them are beautiful faces
handsome faces, do not know that
have any criticism to make on that
matter But 1t is astonishing how eX-
oeedlngly friendly many OF them have
become, and what wonderful tratern-
ity has suddenly developed In Wheel
ing. Some time ago met n citizen who
had been formal with me. On this oc-
caslon he was very cordial, grasped my
hand. called me Dr. Rlker, was very
aHable IN his conversation, said many
beautiful things about me and wound
up by asking me to vote for him. After
election his old manner OF salutaton
returned, greeting me as formally as
ever
Uses, many that 1t would be impossible
for them to fulfil. Henry Wattersori
said that II Henry Clay had been elect
ed President II would have broken his
heart. for he had made so many prom
Ises that II would have been impossible
for him to have fulfilled half OF them.
THESE men who make 30 many prom
Ises when elected are under obligations
10 the community and / don't see how
thew can take the oath TO administer af-
fairs Impartlaliy without perJurlng
themselves. II IS uhehFsitan, uhmaniy
and un-American Promises are really
in the nature Of brides. Money is be"
ing paid out, II 1t IS not directly Offer
ed for votes. There have sprung up re-
Gently scores OF clubs in this city com.
posed OF young men-Bome meet In boat
houses and others in rooms. They
make their demands on the candidates
10 furnish thcm with beer on Saturday
and Sunday. II the candidate refuses
he has no chance OF election. II is these
clubs nIded ard abettcd by the saloon
keepers and brewers that make It I'M
possible to hope for anything better
than that the wicked VIII rule. nave
no doubt that tonight there Is larger
gathering I'm these clubs than the Az
| dicucp present here, and among them
nre some OF tho oiIicc-ssekers Is II
not cnough to make one blush for the
fnct? | nm not willing to believe mat
nil the candidates are pursuing these
methods. read ON the cards OF can
i IIdntcy. Fubjcct To the decision OF the
Republican or Democratic primaries
What has the Republican or Democrat
lc marty 10 do with II. This is not
1 national political aHair. Municipal
government should be separate from
national politics. The churches ought
TO take hand In these matters, not ns
churches, but as christian people for the
betterment al the community. II n the
duty Of every christian to so to the prl-
mnries. i,
II good men cannot bc selected,
would be In favor Of calling n mass
mestlnF of the people and lnnuRuratlnG
nm independent movement SOLICITING
honorable men for fhe offices. i would