The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-07
The POLITICAL EVILS
DISCUSSED BY DIR. JORDAN AT
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
WORSE THAN VOTE BUYING.
ARE MUD SINGING AND SCANDAL
MoNGERING, HE SAID.

savannah Has No Politics, but a
Right as Voter That He Might
Not Weaken His Work as a Pastor.
Will Not BE Caught on a Reform
Plea when the Candidate Is a Re-
former Only While a Candidate.
Wants to See the Board of Educa-
ton Elected by the People, Not
SeIf-Elected and Self-Perpetuate d.
Rev. ]. D. Jordan, pastor of the
First Baptist Church, prefaced his
sermon last night with a talk on the
politics of Savannah. Although no
names were called, DR.. Jordan's refer
ences, when speaking of the race for
ordinary, were so clear that they could
not be misunderstood, at least. by those
that are familiar with the avowed plat
forms of the candidates.
DR.. Jordan said in part: There are
few things that l dislike worse than
vote-buying, but there are some things
that l think worse and among them
are, first, mud-slinging, and scandal
mongering. 1 have to plead guilty to
the fact that 1 have been selling my
vote ever since 1 have been in Savan-
nah.
When 1 came here found that you
had no politics, but a great deal of
factional fighting in which there was
a nauseating amount of mud singing
and scandal mongering. When
lnnlxad he no
congregation and friends were divided
by fractional politics, and l saw that
it would be impossible for me to be a
voter and take an interest in local
politics without coming in contact, di-
rect and sharp, with the members of
the congregation and some warm
friends; so 1 sold out and quit for the
time being-sold my rights as a voter
that l might give offense to nobody
and might, therefore, the better serve
spiritually and try to save the souls
of men of all political factions-sold
my rights as a voter that 1 might not
weaken my work as a pastor
I'm doing this 1 think l have done
right, though you may not agree with
me. My feelings in politics are as deep,
strong and sweet to me as anybody
else's are to them, but nevertheless
have stayed my hand from the ballot
anu my speech THAT
might be no faction man."
Referring to the coming election for
ordinary, DR.. Jordan said: "Of course
l shall not go to the ballot box.
know only one of the candidates per-
sonally; he has done me a number of
favors, and personally 1 should like to
see him elected. If 1 were to vote
should probably vote for him.
When reform gets right" said DR..
Jordan, land I find that I can serve
the community 1 will fall in line, but
want to say that no candidate can
| catch me on a reform plea when he is
| only a reformer when a candidate.
There is one thing that 1 do want
| to say, however, and that is if a GER
tain question is ever raised politically
| in this city shall take a decided stand
on it. That is the question of, Shall we
have a Board of Education self-elected
and self-perpetuated, or a Board of
| Education elected by the people?' If
| this question ever comes up shall take
| the stand that it should be elected by
the people. Not but that I esteem
highly the members of the present
Board of Education; 1 have naught to
say against anyone of them, but the
system is unjust and undemocratic."
DIR. Jordan then began his sermon,
| basing it on Acts II. the story of the
| feast of Pentecost. After pointing out
| and emphasizing the truths of the
narration DR.. Jordan closed with, 30
| for Pentecost in Savannah; for a
coming of the Holy Spirit in power
upon the churches and community so
that the multitude shall say What
shall we do?' So that they shall love
| Christ better than wealth and the
| other fruitless pleasures of life"
| At the close of the service a coliec-
ton was taken up to assist in raising
the sum necessary for the ransom of
Miss Helen Stone, the missionary re-
Gently kilnaped by brigands of Turkey,
who now hold her for ransom. SIM
liar collections were taken up in other
| churches.