The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1903-04-17
MORE FAITH IN
The REPUBLIC
Rev. Herbert s. BigeIOw, Preaching
on After-eIection Returns. Says
Every american Must Believe IN
the Future OF the American CIsi-
IlzatI01.

IlZdllO1.
Cincinnati. o.. April 13.-Rev.
Herbert s. Bigelow took for his sub
iect Yesterday, after election returns.
The texr was Therefore have my
neople gone in captivity. because they
have no knowledge. lisa o:l5'
"Diabolism in nature staggers one
faith in God. Dlabolism lii politics
stagpers ones faith IN the Republic:
1.-THE man who engages in noble
canse and who finds, the day after
election. that he has addressed HIM
self TO deaf ears and that the people
have not been moved Dy his appeals /;
that man is likely to sit down and ASK
himself: Is popular government a
successY Is the voice of the people
the voice OF Godp 1t is worth while
to fobt the battles of those who do not
carer -
,tIt was with such doubts as these
that Elijah betooK himself 10 a cave.
resolved TO retire from public life ana
let the ungrateful people shift Tor
themselves. 1t was here that the
angel of the Lord found him and
Ranked him. The angel told him not
to be fool enough TO fancy he was the
only righteous man left In the King
oom and admonished him to come out
of his cave of despair and go TO work.
Pessimism means paralysis. Faltn
and hope are the great watch words OF
the race.
s.What we need IS more faith In the
Rennbllc. But this implies faith in
the neople, for the Republic means
1--WE have popular government. 1T
ia the people who rule. Political
machines may frequently balk their
rule Money may do much to thwart
th , popualr will. Our representative
form of government wherein the
; people have no direct veto or lnltlatlVe,
Is often subversive of the declared
wash OF the majority. Notwithstand,,
ing all these things the people get
their way when they are IN earnest
about 1t r..
1.-The recent election in Toledo fur
nishes a striking proof OF this, WIN
every political organization against
him, with every paper silent as to his
candidacy, Golden Rule Jones mas
for the fourth time, won popular
victory. The people are stronger IMAM
all papers and all politicians ana all
cornorate wealth combined. They can
not plead any OF these things as eA-
cuse for their failures. They alone
are responsib bic. Those who work 1of
the upbuilding of the race nave no
reason to despair of the people. LII Is
true, the voice of the people Is ire
ouently the voice Of the devil How
often through the ages, and even now
do we hear the mad cry OF the MOD
Away with him. How Often even
today. do the people choose Barapoas
Up with the tyrant Down Win
the friends of justice!' Give us
chainsi, "A heavier yoke for our
packs!' These are, alas, how. often,
the ,1nreasoping cries of the multitude.
.sYet in the face of all that, the
creed of every American must be
II believe in the Republic; l believe
in the people; believe in the grow.
ing truth; | believe in the future OF
American civilization.
1.-THE voice of the people is the voice
of Coo. In spite of the sneers OF the
cvn,c and the doubts of the disneaten-
ed, 1t ls true.
1.-The people are pot right today,
nor tomorrow, perhaps. The people
are never wholly right. 1t is true the
great majority are always IN the
wrong. Truth il always In the
minority. The progress Of truth is the
r ternal struggle of the few who see'
against the many who sit In darkness.
"What then do we mean when we
Y saw the voice of the people Is the
voice of God2 We mean that IT a
cause is just, it must ultimately
triumph. Under free discussion the
truth must prevail. There is nc
hi CHER test of truth than this, that
II should have advanced in the face
of opposition, that it should have been
exposed to the light Of day. aud that
the people should have finally adopt
ed it. How do l know that this
cause which l advocate is Gods truth
If 1t prevails in the hearts OF men,
If it does not prevail, it it does not
f commend itself to the human under
standing, If it does not at least re-
ce1ve the endorsement of the people
+. and hold its place in their favor, then
f there must be some mistake about IL.
"Down underneath our popular in
stitut,ons is the faith that right ls
right and truth is truth, and that the
race ia at heart virtuous, that 1t wants
TO know the truth and to do right
and must do so ultimately.
t IF people seem indifferent to truth
il ia because, IN the main, they DO MOI
\ understand. Therefore have my people
9 gone into captivity, because they nave
It no knowledge He who sows seeds OF
2 truth In the public mind must wal,
!, tor mis- harvest He may be amazed a
the stupidity of the people. He ougn
never to despair of their virtue; III
NAV marvel that it takes an idea 81
long to take root and grow in tn
minds of men; but he makes 4
grievous mistake il he permits MI
X 1muatienca to rob him OF hope
i barely quarter or century ma
passed since Progress and Poverty
was written. That book said to th'
world: "Put the burden OF taxation
y mon land values; free the products 0
labor; thereby put premium up
1t wealth production; thereby put OF
10 penalty on nothing but monopoly az
st this and You will increase the oppor
tunities of employment, raise wages