The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-08-18

- fall into Q tempta-
ton and Q snare
and into many foolish and hurttui
lusts. which drown men in destruction
and perdition."
That Is the Niagara Falls over which
rush q multitude Of souls-nameiy, the
determination to have the money any
how. right or wrong. Tell me now
man gets his money and what he does
with It and will tell you his charac-
ter and what will be his destiny In this
world and the next. I propose to speak
to-day about the ruinous modes OF get
ting money.
In all our city, state and national
elections large sums of money are used
In bribery. Politics, from being the SCI
ence OF good government. has often
been bedraggled into the synonym Tor
truculency and turpitude A monster
sin. plausible, potent, pestiferous, has
gone forth to do its dreadful work In
all ages. Its two hands are rotten with
leprosy. 1t keeps its right hand hid
den in deep pocket. The left hand Is
clinched, and with its ichorous knuckle
It taps at the door Of the court
room, the legislative hall. the congress
and the parliament The door swings
open and the monster enters ana ghdes
through the aisle of the council cham
ber as softly as a slippered page, and
then it takes it's right hand from Its
deep pocket and offers 1t In salutation
to Judge or legislator. II that hand be
taken and the palm OF the intruder
cross the palm of the official. the lep-
rosy crosses from palm to palm IN
round blotch, round as gold eagle,
and the virus spreads. and the doom Is
fixed. and the victim perishes. Let bri-
berry, accursed OF God and man, stand
up for trial.
The Bible arraigns 1t again and again.
Samuel says of his two sons, who be-
came Judges, "They took bribes and
perverted judgment" David says of
some OF his pursuers, "Their right hand
is full of bribes." Amos says OF some
men in his day, They take bribe
and turn aside the poor in the gate"
Eliphaz foretells the crushing blows of
Gods Indignation, declaring, Fire shall
consume the tabernacles of bribery"
The president of the American Con-
gress during the American revolution,
0eneral Reed. was offeted ten thous-
and guineas by foreign commissioners
If he would betray this country. He
replied, Gentlemen. l am very poor
man, but tell your king he Is not rich
enough TO buy me-" But why go so far
when you and l. II we move in honora-
bic society, know men and women who
by all forces Of earth and hell could not
be bribed. They would no more be
brbed than you would think of tempt
inS an angel of ligh: to exchange heav-
en- for the pit. To offer bribe is viii
lainy. but ii Is a very poor compliment
to the man to whom il is offered.
There are men at Albany and at Har-
risburg and at Washington who would
no more be approached by bride than
pirate boat with few cutlasscs
would dare to attack a British man
of-war with two banks of guns on each
side loaded to the muZzlc. They
are incorruptiblc men. and they are
the few men who are to save the city
and save the land.
/ My advice Is keep out Of politics un
less You are invulnerable to this style
of temptation Indeed If even you are
naturally strong YOU need religious
buttressing. Nothing but the grace
OF God can sustain our public men and
make them what we wish. l wish
that there might come an old fashioned
revival OF religion, that 1t might break
out in congress ana the Legislature and
bring many of the leading Republicans
/ and Democrats down on the anxious
| seat of repentance. That day Will
come, or somthing better. for the Bible
declares that kings and queens shall
become nursing fathers and mothers to
the church, and If the greater in au-
| thority then certainly the less.
My charge also to parents is, remem-
Der that this evil of bribery often begins
| in the home circle and in the nursery
Do not bribe your children. Teach
them to do which is right. and not
because OF the ten cents or the orange
which you will give them. There is
great difference between rewarding vir-
tue and making the profits thereof the
impelling motive. That man who Is
honest merely because honesty Is the
best policy, is already moral bank
rupt.
My charge is 20 you In all depart
ments OF life, steer clear Of bribery, all
of you. Every man and woman will
at some time be tempted to do wrong
for compensation. The bribe may not
be offered in money. 1t may be offered
in social position. Let us remember
that there is a day coming when the
most secret transaction Of private life
and Of public life will come UP for pub
lie apprehension.
Another wrong use OF money Is seen
In the abuse of trust funds. Nearly
every man during the course of his life.