The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-11
CHRIST OR BARABBAs?
Voters Must Choose Between Them
Election Day.

AT Pilgrim church last evening, Dr.
Alexander Lewis preached eloquently
on the no-license question.
His text was from Matthew, xviii.
He said in part:
History shows that from the earliest
time there have been two methods of
Yottng-the method of the ballot and
that of declaring ones choice by a mo"
or yes In our country today the bal
lot method is used in all state and ma
tional elections. In the houses of con-
greSs the other method is frequently
employed. In early times it was also
frequently used to some extent in state
elections. About 100 years ago mem
bers of the English parliament were
elected in this way.
The people came to their respective
voting places and when a mans turn
came to vote, he shouted the name of
his respective candidate The evils of
this system lay chiefly in the fact that
1t gave political heelers and selfish en-
ployers an undue opportunity to influ-
ence votes.
In Bible times it seems that both
methods were in vogue. When it was
desired to fill the vacancy In the ranks
OF the apostles, the 100 came together
and cast lots; that is, they voted, and
the lot fell upon Matthias and he was
numbered among the twelve In the
case of Barabbas and Christ, the dec
laratioa method of voting was used
with all of it's attending evils. There
IS no doubt but some of those present
would have voted for Christ. but the
priests and elders went among the peo-
pie and persuaded them to choose Bar
abbas and so Christ was sent to be
crucified.
Every year in this land of ours we
are called to choose between Christ
and Barabbas. Every time election day
comes around we are confronted with
the old question and are compelled to
choose between good men and bad men.
right principles and wrong principles
the church and the gambling house, the
school and the saloon.
And every time the line is drawn and
the issue set, the priests from the tenn
pie OF Dives go in among the people
and persuade them with brides and
with fiattering promises to reject Christ
and to vote for Barabbas.
Tuesday next is election day. and
outside of the subject of party suprem
acy the only important issue before us
is the liquor question. A few hundred
votes can change one way or the other
the policy Of our city, and determine
whether liquor shall be sold under the
sanction and with the approval of law
or whether If sold at all it must be done
contrary to the law and subject to +ha
thereof.
l wish to set forth several princinIas
the first of which is: A vote for +he |
liquor interests is a vote for Barabhos
You ask why My answer is. first of all
because 1t defeats the ends of iustica |
something can be said in favor of mar
doning criminal as a reward Of meri+ |
but no argument can be made in favor |
OF Pllate's act in pardoning criminal |
N response to the passions and preiu- |
dices of the people.
The desire of the state is tn c,,rtoi1
the sale of intoXicants and to nut tba |
temptation as far as possible bevond |
reach. The liquor interests demand tbat |
the temptation be made as strong nc |
possible so that those who drink viii
drink the more, and that those wbo
nave not the appetite will have If Gre
lted. - w
A vote for the liquor interests is .
vote for Barabbas because it gives mn
iue liberty to the worst element of AZ
community. Drink causes nine-tentbs -
he crime, Therefore, men that dri,,i,
ire the chief enemies of society. 10 eiI,a
! man liberty who is under the infir
nee Of liquor is like putting torch into
he hands of a mailman.
But, says some one you misoonoa;,,o
he issue. 1t is question Of license. and |
license Is not in the interests of the