The Jennings daily record., 1902-10-02
Snto virtue, and the reformation OF
the wicked ! disturbances Of the peace

E1NVO Virtue, 0uC SA0 = SA>SA sAssSs~sA. -
the wicked ! disturbance OF. the peace
\ Qf society.
But peace purchased ct such price
viii destroy. There is no such thing
as giving up laws to conciliate the IA
yor of the fiagitious. The degenerate
Romans paid tribute to purchase
peace Of the northern barbartans, but
every concession brought another still
greater. until finally Rome went down
under the mountain OF bribery
Who would not be giad to have vice
suppressed and good morals promoted,
If these events would come to pass OF
their own accord? But when the
question is asked, what must be done?
There is a panic, and tae well-wish'
ers of good morals go over to the en-
envy. The noise and clamor OF Haunt
ing, brazen wickedness frightens
them, and they say: "Oh, we are
stirring up disorder; we are disturb
ing the peace of society; 1t is safer
and wiser for us to DO nothing" So
the enemy gains victory against the
side of truth. Suppose truth and vir-
tue beat upon drums, blew trumpets
and out-noised wickedness, would not
the latter flee and leave the victory
with the good?
/ Men are busy buying and selling;
their professions are lucrative and
their harvests rich. 1t is enough, and
society must take care CT itself; the
coming generation must. provide fS
it's own safety. No one has an anxious
thought concerning the future.
Alas, that l must say it.! How eager
men are to effect reformation when
it can be done with perfect safety to
their political interests. Their popu-
larity is at stake; the devil has votes,
and they take their stand on safe
middle ground. They do not oppose
either side-they wait, till they per-
ceive Israel or Amaleck prevail and
then up go thei. hats in loud huzzas
for the winning side.
Let me reduce the power of this
temptation to carry water on both
shoulders by laying down as maxim,
that when the liberation of crimes be-
comes the price OF public Suffrage
when the people will not endure the
restraint of righteous laws, but re-
ward with place and position, officials
who suffer them to sin, and wink at
moral laws with impu"ity; and when
Office seekers sell their conscience and
the public good for little brief au
thority, trif1e Of gain, then the pub
lie suffrage is Of littl value, for the
day Of liberty is drawing to a close,
and the night of despoeism l. at hand.
Remember this: when the fagitious,
the corrupts, the constituencies con-
troll the government, the people may
prepare for the chains of slavery, for
the wicked rule with a rod Of iron.
No compact entered into by men is
more unhallowed thai the tacit agree
ment between rulers and subjects, to
dispense with the laws and tolerate
crime.
Like the captive Israelites, we sit
down and fold our hands, and sigh
and weep and pray that something
may be done, but at the same time
we predict that nothing can be done.
1T is land that eateth up the inhab-
itants thereof, and all the people that
we saw in it are men OF great stature.
Anu There VIC edW LhS luS SOHS
of Anak, which came of the giants,
and we were in our own sight as
grasshoppers, and SO we were in their
sight"
Thus walled the Israelites in their
despondency. Nothing could be done;
the work was too vast to be done at
a stroke, SO beca'--e It could not all
be done at once. nothing could be
done.
When we think of reformation, the
sins Of the whole nation rise up be-
fore US in an appalling mass. The
aggregation of its crimes fill us with
despair. What? Refuse to do little
! good because we can not do a great
one? Where is our persevering in
dustry? Have we forgotten that the
land is formed of little grains
sand, and the mighty ocean of petty
drops OF water?
There are those who do not despair.
Oh, no, they presume, which is as
deadly. They pray and wait for God
| to deliver them. They have no con
ception of human exertion. But you
may pray and wait forever, upon this
| principle, and the Lord Will not come.
| For the kingdom of God is kingdom
of means, and though the supreme ex
cellence of the power belongs to Him
! exclusively, human instrumentality is
Indispensable.
Not only is the individual, you
yourself, jeopardized, but the life OF
the nation is at stake by -your supine
ness. Do you expect the nation to live
forever and flourish without a draw
back in spite of the Supreme Being?
The desert places of the earth are
filled with the ruins of great nations
powerful dynasties exist now only il
a few broken columns that shelte,
jackals and beasts of prey. They ex
listed without God. Where are they
| now? God still lives.
Are we better or worse than We
WprQv Are our morals imDrOying