Smyrna times., 1903-06-10

cenary office holders. All this and
much more that goes under the title,
OF political corruptions may well
challenge the most serious consider
alton of the church in her corporate
capacity.
No One Party Free From Guilt.
"And what makes it all the more in
cumbent upon her thus to reprobate
and denounce it, is that no one parry
can claim freedom from guilt. At in
tervals, some one party or some one
individual may be in this respect more
in evidence than another; but a care
full and honest analysis of the total
mass of political corruption would
show that its ingredients were not
confined to a single source. The plat
forms so called of all parties will in
clude denunciations 81. anything like
corruption and of their several oppo-
nents for encouraging it among them
selves. But one has long since ceased
to put any faith in such glittering
generalities. The temptation of spoils
is greater than the allurement of
honesty.
81 mean with the ordinary party
worker. There are, of course, men of
incorruptible principles in all parties.
But either from their supineness, or
from their timidity, or else from their
blind preference for party triumph
they allow themselves to be over.
ridden by the eager aspirant for place
and profit and the name of their party
carried with its disgraceful downfall
their own dlshonor.
''Such men ought by this time to
have realized that nothing is thus
gained for the principles that they
espouse. Better by far, is an honor
able defeat than a victory won through
loss of principle.
Indeed, judged by the mere enum-
Grafton in the platform of a party's
policy, the men who are responsible
for the corruption which we ought so
deeply to deplore are most undeserv-
ing of the various names which they
bear.
A corruption is not really a Demo-
crat or a Republican; but simply a
hypocritical criminal, who, in his
greed and dishonesty, is grossly
violating the principles which he pro-
fesses to espouse.
Church Should vigorously Condemn.
cit is the business of the church, bv
her emphatic condemnation of such
cormorantic members, to aid the actual
ly honest and determined men of
either party to eliminate these danger
GUS and disgraceful elements, and to
make it impossible for them to regain
the mastery.
1T is said that we must acknowledge
that Delaware presents an inviting
field for such exercise of Christian en-
deavors in her civic and social life.
L say Christian endeavor, for l am
dealing with an actually sinful con-
dltion which can only be remedied by
the application of religious principles.
The evils that afflict her will not dis
appear at the bidding of merely
forensic lament and condemnation.
They are too far down in the verv
vitality of our communities to be eradi-
Gated save by resort to methods of
sturdy and steady heroism. Such
heroism is demanded alike of the
glory of God, the honor of the church
and the welfare of the state. With
such incentives it is only the mean
man, the selfish man who can with
hold his co ntribution to the purifying
and ennobling of the age in which we
live.
''Let US, therefore, see to it that, far
from degrading the standards of the
church to the b4ser spirit of the age,
we raise this same spirit to the higher
level of truth and righteousness.