The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-02-20


At the Congress stsest n. Il. chucrh
yesterday Aftsrnoon the pastor, Rev. W.
y. Berry prssshsd en- sntsrosting sermon
on THE Dosy Of the Christisa 10 Poll
tics" tahiss his tsxt from Cosinthisns.
1881. Whatsoever ye do. do all - the
glory Of God"
Introductorily, the preacher dsnned pol
titles - the art Of controlling tbs ssisc-
ton snd election Of officials and In this
sense he considered the subject, remark
ing that the time was past when the
Christians duties could be confined TO
tho four walls Of his church and Its servi-
ces, for not alone in business but In the
affairs OF the statelns well his influence
must be felt He referred to government
as necessity and the good which came
from corporation, such ~ schools, public
improvements, ETC., and then discussed
what to his mind was an Ideal govern
ment and quoted from history and the
Bible 10 prove that national prosperity
depended on obedience to q DDS laws.
Benefoent and necessary laws are to be
prevail. Proper and needed officials are TO
be elected and every thing necessary to
reat and growing government must be
provided. Parties are necessity and the
LON nation OF desirable men demand
c consultation before election for the pur-
pose of nominating candidates and out
lining a policy and here comes in the
need Of primaries, cauouses and conven-
tons. This very necessity makes abuse
and corruption easily possible II the best
citizens do not exercise a constant, sleep
less vigilance. What arc the factss The
majority of the more intelligent. thrifty,
moral, most successful business men.
whose time is valuable. turn the matter
of nomination, platform, management
over to u self selected few Then wbats
The rise of the professional politician.
He shapes the party's policy, drafts the
platform. names the candidates, controls
the primaries and elections. gets control
of the government solely for the division
of the offices, the power. livelihood and
gain.
The speaker said, 1t Is just this condi-
ton we face today and the municipal
governments Of the United States are the
most corrupt on the face of Gods green
earth Every business of any magnitude
Is making itself felt in city, state and
national politics, railroads, trusts, etc.
but the church of Christ Is largely lack
ing In the aggressive aler tness for right
eousness in affairs OF government that
{ har scterizes these great material oorpor-
atons. You have "a third house In
Augusta In which trusts. ETC., have their
representatives Too largely Christians
content themselves with grumbling and
fault finding with existing conditions
that are far too largely the outcome OF
their own Indifference and civic remiss-
ness or to their own selfish interest In
their personal concerns. 10 refuse TO
forecast affairs of state and city by alb
senting ones self from the primaries and
then assisting in the election OF unfit
nominees is for the Christian q willul dis
obedience of the teachings of Christ. The
Christian should forecast and USE all legal
means to secure the nomination of COM
petent men for Office and make the pres
en- ce of bis moral convictions felt in all
matters of political life The Christian
ought not to assist in electing, but should
do his utmost to defeat candidates unfit
In character and ability for official posi-
ton. by Whatsoever party nominated. he
ought 10 see TO 1t that no man goes into
office simply because he has the pull,
but who ever enters office, goes there be-
cause OF his prominent fitness. To en-
dorse at the polls unit candidates; be-
cause they are the candidates of our party
is to DO false to party, false to country,
false TO ones true self and false to Christ.
and is an encouragement to the continued
selection OF unit candidates for office.
Frequently men 60 to the polls and hold
in their hands ballot which is q stencil
to their very nostrils and this was likel y
to continue until the Chris tian church
made its influence felt in the selection of
by an active participation In
tn e primaries.