The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-05-16

This is q dark picture. We cannon
forget it. But we must linger OIL IT.
A. few Of I'LL W people have SAID:
We are n nation of grafters." 1t has
been said "That we are drunk with
prosperity. We have become intoxi-
Gated of money. Money is our god.
We have forgotten the ways of the
fathers. We have gone astray. 1t was
never so before" And SO on. all or
which is only one side of the story.
What are the facts? These: The
love of money is no stronger now than
it has been in the centuries past. Gold
has always had a fascination for some
folk. Wasn't it so in W~ashingtons
day? Oh, those were good old days!
Were they? Oh, yes! Do you forget
the bold land spectators at the ma
tional capital? Money came in abund-
ance into the treasury Of the young
nation. And there the grafters gath
cred for their prey. People were no
better in the young days OF the repuD-
lie than they are now.
Again we ask, What are the facts?
These: Let me here repeat the text.
II am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt
have no other gods before Me-" Inc
God Of Israel, the God Of our fathers.
is the God of the vast majority OF the
people of this continent. The people
of the United States are not crazy TOR
wealth, they are not drunk with pros
perity. Honest men abound. Rosues
are rare. Sooner or later they are
found out. Then they reap the reward
of their doincs. Our people are slow
to wake up. 1t takes them a long
time to see villainy in their neigh
bors. But when they do wake up, n
when they are sure that there is sin
and fraud and theft, they go for the
wrong doors and mete out to them the
punishment due to their crime.
In proof of this, I wish to remind you
of certain tendencies of our time. we
can also point to ONE things which
are happening and which have really
happened. In the realm Of politics, or
in the sphere Of government. the
trickster, the deceiver Of the people.
the low politician, the traitor have had
their day. They are r%elegated to the
rear. They are out Of the race. Health
is catching as we'll as disease. A
healthy moral contagion is sweeping
over the land. The cry of the people Is
for honest men in the legislative halls
of the country. And the people in the
long run will get what they want.
They are getting it now. They Will
not stop tomorrow, nor the next DAY.
The new era in American politics has
come. The boss is retired and ma
chimes are going out Of date. The
people are choosing their own leaders,.
Our prosperity is Gods gift to the ma
ton. It was not given for the enrich
ment of the greedy and grasping few.
The nations wealth belongs to the peo-
pie. They have made up their minds
that they will claim their share of 1t.
They are right. And they will win.
Reform has set i'm The people are in
it. Next must follow regeneration.
Whether the church may go into poll
tics or not, her influence is strongly
there. And the tendency is to select
the legislators from the ranks of her
membership. The most remarkable
election ever held in England has just
been held. A large number of the
successful candidates are earnest work
ers in the Protestant churches. The
revolution has been wrought mainly
by the clergy of the free churches. The
desire over there is that the people
shall be considered. They have rights,
and their rights are to be respected.
The day of the select few in good old
England is past. And shall we, in this
splendid republic, fall back to second
place? I trow not. Let political lead
ers take notice. The old regime is over.
The kingdom of God includes the halls
of legislation. The Christ demands
fair play. The spirit of Jesus is taking
hold of the people, and they are no
longer to be fooled. No, nos The ma.
ton is not drunk with money. The
nation is, and is becoming more and
more serious, sane. sober. The people
are growing intelligent, thoughtful.
reverent. The kingdom Of God is win.
ming glorious victories. The golden day
is coming.
Last of all I point you to what the
church has done and is doing in proof
that our nation is not drunk with pros
perity. The church, like science, the
handmade of religion, is adapting helN
self to the needs and work of the, hour
The church is more than an evangel.
ical force. She is a mental stimulant
and a moral regeneration. To preach
Christ crucifed is but a part of her
great mission. She must stand square.
~ and firmly in the pathway Of evil
doors. She must permeate by her in.
fiuence all phases and conditions OF
life. She must max it hard to- do
wrong, and easy to do right. And she
is doing it.
Jesus Christ died on the cross for
human sin. Thank God for that. The
cross is our hope. But He did more
than that. He preached to the poor.
He healed the sick. He showed men
and women the way Of love, OF hon
esty, of kindness, Of brotherliness. The
social, the political, the moral, the re-
ligious life of the people. He touched
and %quickened and saved. My friends,
take heart. The country is not going
to limbo. The devil hasn't all Of the
American people in his grasp. Great
things are taking place in the name Of
our Lord and Saviour. Let us look to
Him, follow Him and victory is sure.
Tho Perfect Trust.