Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-12-18

the responsiveness u HiS PoieAoiA
Isaiah complained in his day that "the
priest and the prophet erred through
strong drink, they were swallowers uI
of wine, they were out Of the way
through strong drink; they erred In
vision, they stumbled in judgment
What was true Of ancient kings
prophets and priests is true Of public
officials yet. Drunken men are unsafe
to manage public business, and If such
business Is entrusted to them 1t need
be no surprise II 1t is poorly managed
Men who drink are unsafe to trust
with other peoples business. You
would not put your private business
into their hands. Why? Because you
know 1T would not pay, especially II
the business Is important or there is
much money involved. Railroad COM
panies will not allow drunken men to
run their trains. Why? Because it is
unsafe. The business world generally
Is falling into line and becoming an ef-
fective teacher of temperance by re-
fusing to employ drinking men to car
ry on their business. Why? Because
1t Is unsafe, and thus the law Of COM
merce is declared to be in harmony
with the laws Of God on this subject.
Yes, you can hear temperance taught
today not only in the pulpit, around
the freside and in the schoolroom, but
behind the counter. In the Office, In the
shop and on the farm, when the en-
ployer asks the man who applies for
work: do you drink? II you do
cannot employ you." Now II drink
ing man is an unsuitable person to sell
goods, to do office work, to run train
or even to drive team. he Is certain
ly not a suitable person to entrust
with public office. 1T is not for kings,
o Lemuel, 1t Is not for kings to drink
wine nor for princes strong drink: lest
they drink and forget the law and per-
vert the judgment Of any Of the af-
flicted."
1t may be that some Of you are
thinking this Is a strange sermon In a
quiet time like this, when no candi-
dates are in the field and the people
have not begun to think about the
election. Well, have chosen such
time purposely, when no election Is
pending, so that We can consider this
subject calmly and not be open to the
suspicion Of talking in the interest OF
any candidate. Under some forms OF
government such a sermon would be
out Of place at any time, for the peo-
pie do not choose their rulers. The
fact that a man is the son Of his faith
er establishes his right to the throne
But under our form Of government
the people are responsible for their
rulers. The power Of government re-
sides ultimately in the people and Is
exercised by them through the men
whom they elect to represent them
Every citizen Is a sovereign and
shares in the responsibility OF the gov
ernment. It follows then: that such
as the people are, such will the rulers
be. II the majority Of the people are
virtuous the government will be ad-
ministered by upright men, and II
wicked men are exalted to office the
majority Of the voters are RESPONSE
BILE for 1t. The people are the rulers,
and those who are in office are those
whom the people have chosen to exer-
else authority in their name and for
them. It is legitimate then, I think
from this text to speak Of the respon-
sibility of citizenship. II 1t is unbe-
coming in public officials to drink
wine and strong drink It Is not right
for us to put such men in office. And
as this passage is an inspired declara-
ton, beg to remind you that 1t is
Gods word. Then this thought Is sug-
gested that the elevation Of such men
to Office 10 an offence to God. You are
greatly mistaken If you suppose that
God is Indifferent to our civil and po-
litical affairs. It is sometimes said
that there is no place in politics Tor
the ten commandments or the sermon
on the mount. I tell you that is q
mistake. In the 18th chapter Of Ro-
mans we are taught that civil govern
ment is a divine institution and that
civil rulers are Gods agents and de-
rive their authority from him. There
is no power but of God; the powers
that be are ordained Of Cod" He Is
the minister of God, revenger to ex-
ecute wrath upon him that doeth evil y
Civil government is Gods institution
and through 1t he Is exercising au-
thority over men, maintaining order
protecting the innocent, Furnishing Of
tenders and promoting the peace and
happiness Of his subjects. You see
then how that increases the respon-
sibility Of the citizen. When you elect
man to cree. II are not only choos-
ing one to represent you, but one to
represent God. II We elect wicked
man or a drunkard to be the minister
OF God-for that Is what the Bible
calls him-of course he Is not pleased
with it, 1t is an offence to him. Pol
itics rightly understood as we'll as the
Bible, requires one to love God and
condemns everything that tends to
contempt Of his word and ways.
But the point I wish to insist on Is
the responsibility Of the citizen fol
the character Of his rulers. Our Of
fees are filled with the men we want
them filled with. Under a government
like ours we can have what the ma
jority want because we are the sover-
eigns, and think the morals Of peo-
pie may be judged to some extent by