The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-08-12
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
Tells How to Secure Safety -ol
Our Cites.
Municipal Government from n Moral
and Religious Standpoint
Counsel to Those Holding
Public Positions.

|
discusses from moral and religious
standpoint the welfare of all the towns
and cities of our country. His text is
| Ezekiel xvii, 3: 80 thou that art stu
ate at the entry of the seal"
This is part of an impassioned apOs-
trophe to the city of Tyre. Itwas beau
tiful city-a majestic city. At the east
end of the Mediterranean it sat with
one hand reckoning the inland trade
and with the other the commerce of for
tign nations. 1t swung a monstrous
| boom across its harbOr to shut out for
| eign enemies, and then swung back
that boom to let in it's friends. The air
of the desert was fragrant with the
| spices brought by caravans to her fairs,
and all seas were cleft into foam by the
keels of her laden merchantmen. Her
markets were rich with horses and
mules and camels from Togarmah;
with upholstery and ebony and ivory
from Dedan; with emeralds and agate
and coral from Syria; with wine from
HelDon; with finest needlework from
Ashur and Chilmad. Talk about the
splendid staterooms of your Cunard
and Inman and White Star lines of
| international steamers - why, the
benches of the staterooms in those
| Tyrian ships were all ivory, and instead
of our coarse canvas on the mast of
the shipping, they had the finest linen,
quilted together and inwrought with
| enJoroideries almost miraculous for
| beauty It's columns overshadowed all
nations. Distant empires felt its heart
beat. Majestic city, situate at the
entry of the sea-
But where now is the CLEAN of her
towers, the roar of her chariots, the
masts of her shipping? Let the fisher
men who dry their nets on the place
where she once stood, let the sea that
rushes upon the barrenness where she
once challenged the admiration of all
nations, let the barbarians who build
their huts on the place where her pal
aces glittered, answer the question.
Blotted out forever! She forgot God,
and God forgot her. And while our
modern cities admire her glory let
them take warning at her awful doom.
At this season of the year | have
thought it might be useful to talk a lit
tie while about the moral responsibility
resting upon the Office bearers in all our
cities, a theme as appropriate to those
who are governed as to the governors.
The moral character of those who rule
a city has much to do with the char
acter of the city itself. Men, women and
children are all Interested in national
politics. When the great presidential
election comes, every patriot wants to
be found at the ballot box. We are all
interested in the discussion of national
finance, national debt, and we read the
laws of congress, and we are wondering
who will sit next in the presidential
chair. Now, that may be all very well
is very well. But it is high time that
we took some of the attention which we
have been devoting to national affairs
and brought it to the study of municipal
government. This it seems to me now
is the chief point to be taken. Make
] the cities right and the nation will be
, right. l have noticed that, according
to their opportunities, there has really
been more corruption in municipal
I governments in this country than in
, the state and national legislatures
Now, is there no hope? With the might
. lest agArt in our hand, the glorious
gospel of Jesus Christ. shall not all oul
4 cities be reformed and purified and re
. deemed? / believe the day will come
. am in full sympathy with those who
are opposed to carrying politics into
religion, but our cities will never be re
formed and purified until we carry re
ligion into politics. l look over oul
cities and 1 see that all great inter
ests are to be affected in the future
as they have been affected in the past
by the character of those who in the
| different departments rule over us, anC
[ propose to classify some of those in
terests.
In the first place, I remark CONNER
cial ethics are always affected by the
moral or immoral character of those
who have municipal supremacy. Off
Gals that wink at fraud and that have
neither censure nor arraignment fol
rlittering dishonesties always weaker
the pulse of commercial honor. Every
shop, every store, every bazaar, every
factory in the cities feels the mora
character of the city hall. If in any city
there be a dishonest mayoralty, or ar
unprincipled common council, or {
court susceptible to brides, in that city
there will be unlimited license for al
kinds of trickery and sin, while, on the
other hand, if officials are faithful tc
their oath of office. if the laws arr
promptly executed, if there is vigilance
in regard to the outbranchings Of
crime. there is the highest protection
for all bargain making.
A merchant may stand in his store
and say: Now, TIL have nothing to dc
with city politics. 1 will not soil my
hands with the slush." Nevertheless
the most insignificant trial in the police
court will affect that merchant direct
~ or indirectly. What style of clerk is
sues the writ? What style of constable
makes the arrest? What style of attor