The Jersey City news., 1899-11-06
Get OUT and VOTE
The Rev. John I. Scudder
Says It Is Every Chris
tian's Duty.
REVIVAL OF PATRIOTISM
Put Principle Above Party
and Vote for Best Men,
Says the Pastor.

Says the Pastor.
| The Rev. John l.. Scudder spoke to
large audience in the First Congregations
| Church last night upon their civic duties
and explained the reason why some people
neglect their citizenship and refuse 70
vote. He said
MANY Christians are poor citizens
They are forever talking about the hlhs-
dom of God, but they forget tnaI ~ = ~ =,
be on earth and that good government u ~
our cities tends nightly TO pFo4Iis,te ~
To follow the Master we must push Allf
interests in the world, ana one Wy Maiy -
accom- plishing this is to push youISeil 70
the ballot box on election day aPu Voie.
1t is well to be converted and grow IA
grace, but 1t is equaHy necessaiIy sl,1s1a INC
and become leaders in the reform move
meuts of the day. Las nation we tahs
our political duties very lightly 70 near,
and put the reins of government INTO ans
hands Of professional politicians, VINO as
a rule think more of their own pocket
books than of the public welfare we
while when political corruption becomes
absolutely uncomfortable, we rise IN our
wrath and smash things Then we SINK
back into our customary lethargy and iel
things take their own course, until they
become so utterly vile as to call for an
other popular explosion. We alternate Pc
tween easy-going indirerenee ana suaaen asa,l
ebulIltious of widespread indignation
Every now and then we have a therougn
house cleaning We roll up our sleeves
and make the dust fly, but usually we are
content to live in political squalor. BY
our indifference we allow rings to form,
which are aggregations OF self-seeKers
bent ON plunder. Sometimes it IS tie
publican ring with Boss Platt Ior l1s rlns
leader. som etMnes Democratic ring with
Boss Croker in the chair. We nave TWO
mottoes. The first is: III have notning
10 do with politics. let the rascals do as
they please and the second is, Turn the
III is a fact that naturalized citizens
prize their right to vote, while multitudess
Of native born Americans undervalue II
and neglect it. You will find g0odly
number of church people among the stay
at-homes ON election day. They Will not
vote at all, while the lawless element Will
vote several times If they can. Why IS
this?
Zone reason that many so-called Chris
tian people are such mammon Wousnlp- snip
pers and are so absorbed in making mon.
ey that they care little what becomes OF
the government. Their patriotism mas
been drowned in the element OF selhsh.
ness. They are not willing to take the
time even to register and vote inelr
god is the golden calf. In ancient Greece
the word idiot meant a@gnan so engTossed
in his private business that he showed no
public spirit The authorities despised a
man SO sunk in mefcantilism that ne TOOK
no interest in public affairs. America
has large numbers OF this kind OF loiot:
Next to these Indifferent people are
another class who are too lazy to 90
any political work In the interests OF
Righteousness. They say. but do not.
They are always talking about cleaning
out the Augean stables, but take no hand
in the work They are religious wind
mills They are never satisfied with
what is done and never DO anytning 70
expect to regenerate the world by suppli-
ealing the Diety, when they might bet
ter add works TO their prayers NOW Goa
never does for US what we are able to 40
for ourselves. prefer the attitude OF the
belligerent knight who looked up to heav-
en- and said. ..Oh, Lord, help neither
fair fight These Christians who go
around mourning for Zion: but put forth
no practical efforts to purify politics re-
mind me of the little girl who was told TO
60 into the chicken house and hunt for
eggs She was unsuccessful, and re-
tuTned. saying. Mother, I cannot find
single egg: all I could see was a lot OF
old hens standing round and doing moth
ing, Religious people should talk less
and do more We want less lamb and
more lion among the saints. Of God some
good people think politics oeneath tnenl;
They look only upon the spiritual side Of
| life. They look up when they should also
look down. They are like founder,
both of whose eyes are on the top slde'
They are interested in a world 10 come.
but take little interest in the world that
Now what we want In this country Is
revival of patriotism. Every citizen IS
a ruler, and he should understand his
| business and attend to it with fidelity. lie
should help to shape the policy of the
nation. The sacrifices we are asked TO
make for our country are few indeed. To
exercise the right of franchise should
never be task, but a delight. And 20
| this individual patriotism the good people
| in every community should cooperate TO
secure their ends. They should not scatter
| their votes among contending candidates.
| One reason why the saIoonkeepers can
| get what they please from either Repub-
| ffcan or Democratic parties is because
| they band together in an organization OUT
| side of all parties and dictate their terms.
| They put rum above party. They fighs
| shoulder to shoulder and make everything
| bend to one idea. I believe the churches
| should employ the same tactics. They
should form seni-politfcal organization
and give their united vote to such candi-
dates of either party as are against the
saloon interests.
.sThe Young Peoples Societies of Chris
| tfantIan Endeavor are beginning to do a
work along these lines. They want us to
scratch the names of saloonkeepers who
are candidates, and these candidates are
| to be found in both of our great parties.
| May the young people succeed in their
| high endeavor. I believe we should put
| principle above party, and in municipal
| AFFAIRS vote for the best men irresp
| of party affiliations.