Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1903-01-30
A SERMON TO VOTERS.

Some extracts of sermon preached in q
union service by Rev. r. l.. McNalr, and
published by request.
Text thou shalt provide out
OF all the people able men, such as fear God,
men OF truth, hating covetousness. Exc.
dus Is : 81.
l have no apology to offer for what have
to say. Because | am in the line of duty
both as q minister of the Gospel and as an in
dividual.
No man should carry politics into the pull
pit nor into his religion, but every legitimate
effort should be made to get religion into
politics. Much of the Bible is devoted to
the ethics OF life, both private and public.
1t ia my purpose to make some general
observations, avoiding all personal or party
allusion. In the event any one should be
offended shall take it that he has made to
himself personal application. The time
seems to me TO be especially opportune for
such sermon, as there is no campaign OF
any kind in progress. trust, therefore, that
what say will be received in the spirit it
is intended.
The text which have selected is the sub
stance of advice given to Moses by Jethro,
his tather.in-law. When Jethro came to
visit him in the wilderness, he found Moses
occupied for the greater part of his time with
the affairs OF the people. Hence the neces.
sty for assistance. The text was TO be the
standard by which their officers were to be
selected. The plan was suggested to Moses,
provided God should approve it, otherwise
Moses would not have adopted it.
1t was worthy of note also that these Of
hcers were selected by the people. See
Deut. / ID. There was held general cleo
ton. They voted by tribes very much as
We vote by districts to-day.
We should bear in mind also that the ex-
ercise OF rights OF individual is the gift of
God. The only privilege accorded to the
ancient people was that OF serving rulers.
The history of those times is but the pom
pous recital Of the conduct of proud kings
and tyrants. II the people are alluded TO at
all it is only in contempt or dersion. The
Bible is the book OF the people, and it was
from this book men first discovered the
true place Of the individual. Jesus Christ
himself was the first person to present the
rights and claims Of the individual in their
true relation and light.
We should not lall TO observe in passing
that the privilege OF the exercise OF our
rights, as individuals, carries with 1t cor
responding responsibility. Nations and
their Rulers" is the subject which has been
assigned me for consideration this evening.
/, therefore, pause TO ask, Who are the rulers
of this, our nationp l answer. The people.
Ii they are not, they should be. This il
government, not only of the people and for
the people, but by the people. IL Is for this
reason have sty led my address "a Sermon
10 Voters" II the voter of this great Com
monwealLh is not ruler, 1t is because he
has forfeited his rights as citizen, either
by his indolence, of indifference, or else
he has sold his brthrght as a free citizen to
be the slave o: some unprincipled politician.
We have in the text some suggestions
which should direct US IN the discharge OF
these weighty obligations. Here is the
standard. Let Us see whether II has been
our ideal.
The man who aspires to an office should
be, first OF all, a man of ability. He should
be an able man. Nothing can be substi
tuted.
speak of this matter all the more freely mot
only because of the fundamental principle
involved, but because there seems TO be a
growing sentiment to the effect that the
is a kind of charitable, or be
neticent, institution, with no other purpose
than the bestowment OF certain benefits up
on her subjects-having orders and depart
ments TO suit the personal ambition OF each
aspirant. How often do we hear
it said that, such and such man ought 70
be elected TO place, because he needs IT,
or that some other man Ought not to have
the place, because he has had 1t long enough,
he should give others chance"
Ii q man really needs an office, that 10
pretty sure evidence that he ought not 10
have 1t. Ii he has not made success OF
his own business, how will he succeed with
the complicated affairs OF the public. Ii the
candidate Tor an office is presented as an OBJ
ject OF charity, it would DO lar wiser and Tar
more patriotic to give him pension or some
kind Of gratuity. Ii the policy oil giving an
office TO every one that needs 1t were pur
sued, it would not be long before great
many more OF US would need some kind OF
help,
Neither should we fall into the other error
of thinking that the so-called lower offices
are of less importance than the higher ones.
The men who fill these offices come more
In direct contact with the affairs of the PEG.
pie 10 many cases than those who ill the
higher ones. 1t cannot be maintained that
the same kind of ability IS necessary to meet
the requirements OF every office, but 1t is
equally important that the duties of each
office should be properly discharged Not
only do we need the wisest plans, but these
plans must be carried out. The best system
ever formulated will fail 10 its design If man
aged without skill. Every place, therefore,
should be filled by a man of ability.
Passing on TO the next head, we find
Goodness TO be the second requisite. can
only suggest some of the more obvious APP