Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-01-23
and then with curse. Rev. Sherwood

e MOreZ, SAID the anger OF the HOIu,
/ curse We bitterly the inhabitants
thereof; because they came not TO the
help of the Lord against the mighty"
In part Rev. Sherwood said:
To the help of the Lord. That is
! the churchs call to men today. That
is the nations call. To the help of the
Lord!' Could any call be more inspir-
ing! 1t lifts us up to the plane where
we belong, into the category of the
! Sons of Cod into the citizenship of
the king of heaven. 1t is a prefer of
privilege. 1t is an offer of opportunity.
1t is plea for patriotism. 1t is the re-
quirement of religion. 1t is the sig
nal for service. To the help of the
Lord cries the church from her mis-
sion field To the held of the Lord,
cries the state from its senate-cham-
Der. To the help of the Lord cries
the city from the depths of its misrule
and lawlessness. And woe be to the
man or the state or the church who
ftom the little Meroz of his false con-
tent can offer only that pusilanimous
excuse, The Lord is too mighty TO
need my poor assistance
CHURCH WAITING FOR SIGNAL.
The church is standing in battle
array or the borders of her inheritance,
waiting for the signal from home to
move into the frontier and conquer the
kingdoms of the world for Christ the
King. There is a voice calling as it
did in St. Pauls day. a voice that
sounds remarkably like the voice OF
God, Come over into Macedonia and
help US Shall We bid the army stand
there and hold its own, or shall we tell
them to march and win the nations by
the love Of Jesus?
The august body of our nation is
in session now, not contemplating any
forward measures for the good of the
people, not projecting any advance for
the welfare of the world, but consum-
ing months in the discussion of the be
smirched character of a senator from
our own state. Shall we tell them TO
whitewash him and let him remain?
Shall We repeat the farce at our next
elections Shall we continue a drag
on the nations treasury and a blot on
her banner while we tuck ourselves
snugly in our safe little Meroz of pri-
vate Indifference, and console our
selves with the thought that our
own affairs will be just as
prosperous and our own in
terests as secure as ever? Or shall
we go to the help of the Lord and say,
This thing shall not happen again?
WHAT OF NEW GOVERNMENT?
" To the help of the Lord The
cry comes to us even more intimately
than this If ever that cry came to
city, it comes TO us today with all it's
insistence of appeal with all its chance
for amendment for the past, with all
its splendid opportunity for righteous
ness. What are we going to do about
it? We have clamored for a new gov
eminent, We have got il. VIII it be
any better than the old? Not unless an
earthquake stirs the valley of Meroz
and awakes it's citizens to duty. Be
tween 60 and 20 men have announced
themselves as candidates for office On
ly FIVE can be elected Can you find
among the number five men who stand
for the things you would stand for if
you were elected? | am not saying
that there are not that number. / be
lieve there well may be, but ] believe
also that the majority of these men are
known to US only by name, if known
at all. | do not believe that reputa-
ton sufficient at the present time
believe that we are facing a question
that is Of greater Importance than we
seem to realize, a question that is
greater than public improvements.
greater than local option.
MODICUM OF DECENCY
I'VE have asked for chance to reg
lister our Calibre, chance to record
our character. a chance to show wherh-
er the majority of men in this town
stand for righteousness or stand for
( iniquity. but there is one thing lack
ing Who among the candidates for
mayor are we to vote for who want i'm
proved moral conditions in our city
who want at least a modicum of de-
cency to replace the braZen effrontery
Of the past vicious administration +?
What name is before us for this higk
office which stands for integrity, for
fearlessness, for efficiency? | tell you,
until that name appears our affirmative
vote for the new form of government
counts for nothing. Until that name
appears around which can rally the
voters who stand for order and law
and decency and honesty, our request
for the commission government is ri
diculous.
Il do not believe for one minute that
the forces for evil in this city will out
vote the forces for good. provided that
the forces for good can find candidate
who will meet with the same uuani-
nous approval as his opponent does.
Nor do l believe for one minute that
such a candidate cannot be found,
nor do I believe that he will refuse to
make the fight when he can be assured
of the support of the God-fearing. law
abiding decent element of our citizen
ship. I know the prevalent tendency
of such men at the present stage of the
political game. 1 know the timidity
and the shrinking of a man who can
live his life in peace without getting
into the mud and mire of politics.
Is PERIL OF NATION.
h.s 4c