Milford chronicle., 1904-07-29
Evils Of Licentiousness.

sovereignty VI lLlAS AdLA
Evils OF LicentiOusness.
would like. il there had been tint
enough, TO have spoken Of another
form Of evil threatening this land anC
bidding for kingship. l allude TO th'
bramble Of RIGHTEOUSNESS or Of immor
ality. l know that most people vii
lift their hands in horror as l speal
and say, "Why, there is no danger like
that threatening u.s. Yes, there is, my
/ friends. When an honest man is elect
ed to the highest executive office of q
/ city he finds out, much to his surprise
T he cannot shut up the br0thels as he
would. He cannot stop the immoral
evils of the low dance halls. Every
where our cities are hOneycombed with
vice. merely because the voters at the
polls back up dishonest officials in their
willingness TO allow these evil resorts
TO exist have spoken only the sober
truth when | have warned YOU that
bramble atheism, bramble gold bram-
bic alcoholism and bramble licentious-
ness. the four great evil forms Of the
would be bramble king. are trying to
take possession of our American liber-
ties and throttle out their life.
We'll, says some one, how then
are we to keep the bramble- the hate
full, worthless hramble-frOm becOm-
ing ruler in American politics.? All
my friends, the direct teaching Of this
Jotham's fable tells the whole story
When did those delegates Of trees
down in the valley Of Shechem do?
They first offered the rulership to the
olive tree, then to the fig tree, then to
the vine But these three practically
said: Nay. we would not leave our
responsibility and comfort to 20 and
mingle in dirty politics. We would
stay off here alone in dignity and
quiet and ease" That is the whole
story. The reason the bramble be-
came king In Jothams fable was be-
cause the olive, the fig and the vine
refused the rulership for which they
were so eminently fitted. And today
the reason the bad element predomi-
mates in so many of our city and coun-
~ and state elections is because so
many of the better element refuse to
90 to the primaries. refuse to be can
didates for the humber offices. refuse
to see that public moneys are admins
tered as honestly as private funds. It
is said thar when Michael Angelo was
painting his most famous picture in
the Sistine chapel of the Vatican there
was member Of the pOpe's household
who himself would do nothing to right
the wrongs Of the Vatican. All that
this member of the household would
do was TO stand around and find fault |
Thus when Michael Angelo painted
the archtiend in his great canvas of /
"The Last Judgment he painted the |
face of this fault finder. this critic. |
who was also a do nothing. SO today. |
If we wouh draw a verbal picture of |
one Of the greatest evils Of American |
politics. we would not describe the dis /
honest official who for years is a chron- /
&c candidate and holder Of public Of |
ice; we would describe the so called .
Christian man who is the stay at /
home;' we would picture the Chris
-ian olive tree, and the Christian
ig tree, and the Christian vine. who.
ike those in GOtham's fable. refused
he scepter and lazily and indifferently
allowed the destructive bramble TO he
elected king.
Thus Jotham's fable or parable
caches us that a man has a RESPONSE
'ility to his government as well rs to
MS home; a responsibility to those who
hall rule over him as well as TO those
lnder him. BY this statement am I
lere to tell you for whom to vote? Oh.
10! would speak to you just as that
'reat and good man Andrew jackson
aid to that great future statesman.
Richard Thompson Of Indiana. when a
oung boy he went with his father TO
all upon the president After a short
conversation Richard Thompson's IA
her turned and said: Mr.. President
ny son Dick is not Of my political
aith l fear he is going to vote against
ou in the next election" Instead of
pbraiding the son, "Old Hickory"
lrned and said: Young man. l have
o advice to give you except this. AL
rays think for yourself and let your
onscience be your guide" So in the
oming election l say to you, "As a
man think for yourself and
It your conscience be your guide"
tut hereafter, in the home or on the
treet and in church. always make your
ublic business your Christian bust
ess. Always make your duty to your
ty' to your state, to your nation. YOUR
hristian duty Then the great dan.
ers which threaten this our native
md from the rulership Of the worth
SIS bramble and its kind will be done
way with. for the olive and the fe
nd the vine will be bending the knee
national worship at the foot of the
'Oss.
Copyright, 1904, by Louis Klopscb1