The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-07-09

Asfa sAd8ti lk las SAoEF
and say Now, I'll have nothing to do
with city politics. 1 will not soil my
hands with the slush." Nevertheless
the most insignificant trial in the po-
lice court will affect that merchant d.
rectly or indirectly. What style of clerk
issues the writ: what style OF constable
makes the arrest: what style OF attor-
ney issues the plea; what style OF judge
charges the jury; what style OF sheriff
executes the sentence-these are cues
tions that strike your counting rooms
to the center. You may not throw il
of. In the city OF New York Christian
merchants for a great while said. Wen
have nothing 10 do with the manage
ment OF public affairs" and they al
lowed everything to go at loose ends
until there rolled up in that city a debt
Of nearly sle0, 600. 600. The municipal
government became a kissing and a by
word in the whole earth. and then the
Christian merchants saw their folly.
and they went and took possession of
the ballot boxes. l wish all commercial
men TO understand that they are not in
dependent OF the moral character of the
men who rule over them. but must lie
thoroughly. nightly affected by them.
INTERESTS OF THE SCHOOL.
So also Of the educational interests Of
a city. Do you know that there are in
this country about 1000 common
schools, and that there are over 5000. 600
pupils, and that the majority OF those
schools and the majority Of those pupils
are in our cities? Now, this great null
titude of children will be affected by
the intelligence or ignorance, the viz
tue or the vice, Of boards of education
and boards OF control. There are cities
where educational affairs are settled in
the low caucus in the abandoned parts
of the cities by men full of ignorance
and rum. Il ought not TO be SO, but in
many cities ii is so. l hear the tramp
of coming generations. What that great
multitude of youth shall be for this
much by the character Of your public
schools. You had better multiply the
moral and religious influences about the
common schools rather than subtract
from them. Instead of driving the BIZ
BILE out YOU had better drive the BIZ
bic farther in. May God defend our glor-
ious common school system and send
to rOut and confusion all its sworn enc
mics!
l have also to say that the character
of officials in a city affects the domestic
circle. In a city where grogshops have
their own way, and gambling hells are
net interfered with, and for fear of los
ing political influence officials close
their eyes to fostering abOminatiOnS-in
all those cities the home interests need
to make importation. The family cir
Giles of the city must inevitably be af-
feGted by the moral character or the
immoral character of those who rule
over them.
/ Will go further and say that the re-
ligiOuS interests of a city are thus affec-
ted. The church today has to contend
with evils that the civil law ought to
smite, and while | would not nave the
civil government IN any wise relax its
energy in the arrest and punishment Of
crime. l would have a thousandf2ld
more energy put forth in the Trying up
of the fountains of iniquity. The church
of God asks 10 pecuniary aid from po-
litical power. but does ask that in adj
dition TO all the evils we must necessa-
rily contend against we shall not have
to fight also municipal negligence. Oh,
that in all our cities Christian people
would rise up, and that they would put
their hand on the helm before piratical
demagOgues have sWamped he ship.
Instead of giving SO much time to ma
tiOnal politics give some of your atten-
ton TO municipal government.
I demand that the Christian people
who have been standing alOOffrOm pub
lie affairs come back, and in the might
of God try to ave our cities. If things
are or have been bad, it is because good
people have let them he bad. That
Christian man who merely goes to the
polls and casts his vote does not do his
duty. 1t is not the ballot box that de-
cides the electiOn; it is the political
caucus, and if at the primary meetings
of the two political parties unfit and
bad men are nominated then the ballot
box has nothing to do save to take its
choice between two thieves. In our
churches, by refOrmatOry organization,
in every way let US try to tone up the
moral sentiment in these cities. The
rulers are those whom the people choose
and depend upon it that in all the Cit
ieS,as long as pure hearted men stand
al0Of from politics because they de-
spise hot partisanship. just 50 long in
many of our cities will rum make the
nominations. and run control the bal
lot box, and rum inaugurate the Off
Gals. '''5'E '
I take a step further in this subject,
and ask all those who believe in the
o~mnipotence of prayer. day by day, and
every day. present your city officials be
fore God for a blessing. If YOU live in a
city presided over by a mayor. pray for
him. The chief magistrate of a city is
in a position of great responsibility.
Many of the kings and queens and en-
perors of other days had no such domin-
ion With the scratch of a pen he may
dvanc a beneficent institution or balk
a railway cOnfiscatiOn. BY appoint
ments he may bless or curse every
hearthstone in the city. If in the Epis-
ctpal churches. by the authority of
the litany, and in our non-episcopate
churches We every Sabbath pray for the
president of the United States. why o
then, be just as hearty in our supplica-
tons for the chief maistrates of cities.
for their guidance. for their health. for
their present and their everlasting
morality?
But go further and pray for your
common council if your city has a
common council. They hold in their
hands a power splendid for good or
terrible for evil. They have many temp
tatiOns. In many Of the cities whole
boards of common COuncilmen have
gOne down in the maelstrOm Of political
corruption. They could Eot stand the
power of the bride. C~orruption came
in and sat beside them and sat behind
them and sat before them. They
recklessly voted away the hard earned