The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-03-16
w. C. T. u.
coSDUorrO NJ MS. NJ. /. HonSs.


To consider, before dePosItIng hI'
ballot, that he must vote 10 please
Christ rather than himself. This
solemn fact should be ever before
u, that We are not our own, but
that We have been bought with 4
price. In accepting the terms OF
divine mercy We renounce selfish
ness, prejudice and passion. and
pledge ourselves To abide by the
will cf God in all the affairs OF life
The Christian must acknowledge
and obey Christ just as implicitly
at the ballot box "a at the commun-
ion table. Ii he have any duty al
the polls, it i above everything else
a Christian duty.
The important consideration with
the church member i, Where
may my vote count for the glory OF
God and the salvation OF man.
The desire 10 elect a particular tick
ct may be laudai le II our ambition
for success does not blunt our sense
of righteousness, and lead u TO en-
dOr~e men and measures that Christ
would utterly niemn. Ii tine first
duty OF the Christian voter Is to
elect SOMEBODY, then he should Toe
dIligent 10 discover the winning
side, and cast his ballot accordingly.
But even men OF the world would
not act 20 iguobly a. thl- Tor while
they desire success they put party
tealIy above success, and often vote
for years In tile minority rather
than sacrifice their principles. They
10 not say, ''Our party cannot win,
therefore vii vote for the least OBJ
jectiooablv of other parties, I'll OF
which are building up that which
We are pledged TO destroy" They
realize that the first duty Of con-
clentl0us citizen i ID vote according
to hi. convictions, To which electlng
somebody must ever subordinate.
The humilating truth Is that
thousands Of Christians vote accord
ing 10 their Preludices rather than
tE.eir cOnyictlons. They will con
fess that certain reform platform
aud ticket entirely agrre with then
views, vet will deliberately turn
away sni y,te for a party with
which they do Mt agree, in order Il
beat another party against which
Itney treasure an inherited prejudice
This tx lbi ion Of the "old Adam
i one o; the -at d -, We 10 81 char
actelistic, features OF modern citizen
ship.
Two things TIE Christian vote
will not 20 If he ha- the mind anc
and spirit Of Christ; he will not vot'
for moral man on an immera
platform, or an immoral man or
any sort Of a platform. To vote 10
q good man on an evil la form il
To end ,rse wickedne-s in orier tC
favor Pers,n who appears to be
good There can be no possible
excuse, FOR one who has vowed tc
obey Christ, to endorse by his vote
a set Of political propositions which
are, in whole or in part, contrary
to the teaching and character OF
Christ. Righteousness can have nc
sort Of fellowship with unrighteous'
ness. But If we vote for bad mar
on a good pla' form, we yoke uu.-
selves with am unbeliever, and thus
fall into merited condemnation.
Christian men have voted for ad
veIturers, robbers, adulterers and
murderers, simply because these
'evil-doers we're shrewd enough tc
secure a certain party nomination.
1t i not contended here that the
spirit of compromise has no place
m the political Conduct Of the true
Christian. We may unite with
other men in support OF a policy
some features OF which we dIsap
Prov, but the main purpose 0
which fails in with our own convic
tions.
1t is we'll for the Christi9n Cit
zen to exercise judicious indepen
ience of action with respect to al
political parties. He does not be
long to the party, but to Christ
The p5:ty il ID be his servant anC
not his Lord 1t Is a tool which
the wise man may use to accom-
pIish certain ENDS, but which h
viii lay aside for something differ
snt and better when It's services ar
no longer required. If Christian
4 principles are always to be maiG
tanned at the ballot box by the be
never, he must exercise an intelli
gent independence in voting. Par
y loyalty can only be provisions
i sith the church-man who constant
ny votes as he prays. 1t is nc
Liberty but d spotism, which bind