Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-07-15

iFteuu SCuuN ler 1oHdA. WHO met ut3
political death In the Credit Mobilier
scandal"
Case of Schuyler Collar.
Let me tell you how Schuyler Col.
fax was politically ruined. He was at
heart an honest man. He was a promi.
nent member OF the Christian church.
For years his name was the synonym
Of all that was good and true. My IA
ther told me that II thousand men
had come to him and before a column
OF Bibles mile high had sworn that
Schuyler Colfax was dishonest he
would have denounced every one of
them as a perjurer. He had known
Schuyler Colfax for years. He knew
he might be guilty Of an indiscretion.
but of an intentional dishonesty-nev-
er. What was his indiscretiOn? Some
dishonest men were trying to organize
a fraudulent conspiracy under guise
of building the Union Pacific railroad.
The company was capitalized at $3,-
10000. In order to induce q gullible
public to take stock the promoters of
this company came and said to Vice
President Colfax. I'VE will make you
a present of so much stock for the use
OF your name. which will give US
standing in the community" Schuyler
Colfax. being a professional man and
not a business man. was innocently
caught in the trap. He did not intend
to do any wrong. He thought the bust
ness enterprise of building transcon-
tinental railroad worthy one. He
thought the value Of his good name
worth the price offered. But when
the scoundrelly promoters OF this COM
pany had filched the money out of the
pockets of the American people and
decamped the accumulated wrath Of
the people as a hurricane broke over
Schuyler Colfax's head. and he was
driven into political oblivion. Now"
said my father to me. never risk
your good name. Never be drawn into
any financial enterprise In the out
come OF which you cannot as an honest
man face the world with clean hands,"
Thus l say to you: Never risk your
good name. Never risk II by evil as
sociates. Never risk IT In shady finan-
cial transactions the full story Of
which you are not willing to tell the
world BE cautious. BE cautious OF
your name for yourself. Be lovingly
cautious of your good name for your
dear ones. Be lovingly cautious Of
your good name for the good you can
do your fellow men. Avoid that which
is high. Run no dangerous risks.
But we must not limit our theme
here. BE prayerfully cautious about
your faith In God and your relationship
to God Be careful that you never do
anything to endanger that deep. ear
nest gospel faith In Jesus Christ which
you learned ut your Christian mothers
knee. Be careful that you never 90
with those men and women who are
accustomed to cast slur upon the
cross or to joke about the divinity Of
never read book which will In any
way sap your religious vitality. l know
some people like to make the foolish
boast that they are strongminded
enough not to fear contact with evil
associates or evil books. Thomas JEFF
fersOn In his old age wrote beautiful
letter to John Adams 1t went some
thing like this: Il thank you for the
book you have just sent have made
1t the rule OF my life for the last fifty
years never to be afraid to read any
kind Of book. and shall study this
one with pleasure" But, though that
sentence may seem to be a very brave
statement. ! believe 1t is a very foolish
one to make. There are bookshelf
books-which you and l should shun.
They are infidel companions you and I
should fear. You have no more right
to run any useless risks about your
faith in God by perusing bad books or
by associating with blasphemous and
sneering infidel companions than you
have to risk your physical life or good
name by that (which Is high"
Let not the legendary course Of the
old saint be your course. Perhaps you
have read about the temptation of ST.
Anthony o. Alexandria. Born to great
wealth and social position. he gave
away IliuiStsit III tIlOuh
garb and went to dwell I'm hermit's
cell in order to purify his life for
Christ. Then Satan came to tempt
him with his hirelings. Satan filed
his table with the costliest Of wines
and viands and said. monk. eat and
drink and make merry with me-" But
Anthony turned his face to the wall
and prayed to God to give him strength
to resist the temptations of the flesh.
Then Satan incarnated his devils In the
bodies of the most beautiful Of wan.
tons. who came to the cell and said.
''Come and love me-" Then Satan ar.
gued with the hermit against the ex-
istence of II Christ and why he should
yield TO temptation until I'm great ag-
ony of mind and body ST. Anthony
swOoned dead away. The hermits
came and found him thus and took
him away. But no sooner did St An
thony open his eyes than he said:
Take me back. Take me back to my
cell" And when they took him back
and left him there alone and he again