The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-12-23
tor Of Calvary Baptist Church,
Richmond, Va.


a number oi Incidental rlmpSes
In the gospels show lis Jesus as a.
lover OF mis- city anu his nation and
Intensely Interested in that winch
promoted their Well being ] wish
some one competent Is do II would
write book on Jesus the Patriot
Perhaps the most Striking of these
scenes Is that from which the tpAt
tS taken On the HTst day Of the
last week OF his life as he wac rid
ing up the slope Ut GiiVet amid the
hoHAnnaS OF the multitude who pro-
claimed him the King who came in
the name of the Lord. h came at
length to the summit where the Holy
City broke upon his vision, and as he
raW 1t lying there. that city oil mar
Seluns history and wondrous assotta~
ton. he Wept over IL, saying, Ii thou
haust known IN this day, even thou
the things which Hesong To Thy peaNe'
but now are they hid from thine
eyes For the days shall come upon
fs6 nsn tGtiis enemies shall cast up
= bank about thee and compass thee
round and keep thee in on every side
And dash thee to the ground and thy
children within thee, and they shall
not leave IN thee one stone upon an
Ather, because thou knewest not the
time Of thy visitation. This and sim
aIAr passages suggest the thought
Y that the man who has Jesus as his
naodel should follow him In an IN
felllGent interest in and love for
his country. II lis n narrow concep-
ton OF the gospel which removes IT
from any part of life. for the pnr-
i ppee of Jesus was the redemption
sHf the whole of life. the making Of
Smal life clean and sweet and strong
md wholesome. And because this
ENAs his purpose the kingdom of God
H0nt stand for the redemption Of our
DaI1ica1 life and of our national life,
viking them clean and sweet and
tong and wholesome. This is TO be
%c0mpiished. certainly in IA large
on1urc. through Christian citizen
-. for one OF the greatest factors
~ righteousness In the United States
The ballot In the hands of men
lo believe in righteousness
The privilege of the ballot can
1day be overestimated. II is n
D0-hought heritage won for MS by
sacrifice and the suffering of
80 who were willing to die In Or
~ that this might be free people.
E0noe the ballot Is "a PR ilege IL
nGnv ~ every privilege brings, it's
<Hoopondtng obligation. Because
h4ve the privilege If determining
II 0hall make our laws and enforce
0l0 what ihNs sHdii iftt maui
how they shall be enforced, We
me last analysis are those upon
o9n the responsibility rests for the
1ae4 OF the affairs of our nation
nuAe We have the privilege Of
41n8 VIC owe IL ourselves, Ia our
G43on and above all 10 oar Christ.
Nh NE the ballot for the welfare ef
n ~ nation. | believe that the Chris
Rsttan citizen has an unavoidable duty
n
Nk1f Of all to the interests OF the
einEdom OF God, OF course. | do not
kN8eAn that his ballot shall count for
Righteousness. that his ballot shall be
above partisanshfp aud seif-interest,
HAT his ballot shall tie east In order
that Righteousness shall be dominant
N this land of ours, that justice ana
Mhonor and honesty and integrits shall
K5b& triumphant in our national life.
Gpon the Christian citizens rests the
Il Nasligation not only 10 vote as he
k@prAys but to vote because he praSs
@s1f Il man prays thy viii be done on
%Anrth.' then last him use his ballot
ES4p help answer his prayer
Nss Two considerations seem especial
81 Y n this time to lay emphasis upon
re importance. Of the intelligent use
#NI the ballot hy men who believe iii
The ilr$t considcra-
*l10n~is that which Jesus voiced in his
#DA4hetic question. Is not Ii man worth
$o0Ee than sheep 1h0ne who study
~ political and national lite to-day
#AEn W that our political science ana
1s1r political economy arr both has
~ u ON the protection and promotion
n property rather than persons. That
MDear laws are made With regard To our
ux1nens Interests rather than - the
interests Ut men and women. IL II
n1V to, understand why laws are
A06 for tht protection of business,
o. because those whose business Is
Noived bring to bear all the pres
oRN they can 10 haze those laws en-
kted which shall minister to the pro-
0ttOn OF their welfare This ur-
ncy on their part may he perfectly
egitimaie. but 1t is stimulated
HfOugh self interest. But when hu-
nm interests are AT stake and no
NopHy seems IT, tie involved, then
S3f@fn1erest II silent and eaperirur.
laws that those men who are sup
e6 70 stand for righteousness and
1DG1 supposed to be Interested In hu-
44nity move more slowly or are too
tuh concerned with other things
exercise the influence which they
exert for the enactment Of Law >
~atch promote the interests Of man
md. A practical illustration Is seen
the fact that in our city, with "a
S64ct this year OF about TWO and "a
fAN million dollars "A little group
men and women have struggled
fkh very little encouragement and
M3y little sympathy for the ,estnb-
&11ent Of a playground IN one Of
mo9t congestea parts Of car city
The expenditure OF "a few hundred
V11eyn, when IL h&s been shown by
ekmn1 experience that playground
&uch q place would minister In a
HaEtelous way TO the physical. intel
re&aui and moral life Of the children
~ have to grow up in such con-
3ons and amid such surroundings.
o1hor illustration of the same fact
&AhOWn III our attitude toward tenn
rance legislation. When such leg
9&ten IL under consideration the
n&i0n which Is kept most promi-
thy before MS Is not whether this
m1at3On ministers IL the welfare
moral up!ift of the community,
80 whether this legislation is for
~ bettermcnf Of men ana women,
he question which - oftenest
~ ", What viii the effect ha
~ hualnexs? As II il were more
OetAnt To legisiate for Busin ess
1fegts than for the interests OF mo-
" and manhood
s1heSs the land IN Fastening ills a
prey,
o9N wealth accumulates and men