The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-18
DR. ]. I. PLUNKET ON DUTY AS CITIZENS How To Improve Moral Conditions in County VOTERS ARE BLAMED Prominent Pastor Delivers Stirring Sermon on Facts Brought Out
 By the Recent Grand Jury
 Report
VOTERS ARE BLAMED

The Rev. J.. T. Plunket. pastor of the South Highlands Presbyterian church preached a stirring sermon yesterday on Christian Citizenship" It was in line with the address issued by the pastors of Birmingham a week ago which called attention with emphasis to the recent grand jury report on crime in Jefferson county. pr. PlunlSet wrote that address, and in his sermon he talked plainly to the men of his congregation touching their duty as citizens and showing how they could assist in improving moral conditions in this county.
 The church was filled and everyone present spoke of Dr. Plunket's sermon as one of the greatest he had ever de- livered. The text was from Second Kings, 10th chapter and 18th verse: And Jehu met Jehonadab coming to meet him; and he saluted him and said to him, is thy heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, 1t is. If it be, give me thine hand, and he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot.''
 pr planket in his introduction said: ''The problems of good government and lay administration, whether national, state es city, will never be settled by resgliltions or by platforms. They will hover be settled right until they come under the masterly sway of honest, strssghfforward. unterrifed, unpurchas-
 Eie 9fs5 nimpeachable manhood. Reso- intious e forgotten, platforms fall to pieces. nut true manhood is the same yes srday today and forever.
 t89ua tionably Birmingham Is con- ironteu with serious problems of law ad- ministration. The conditions are per picking and the stake is as big as the destiny of the commonwealth. For the solution of the problems there Is needed citizenship that is royal manhood from plume to spur. For the making of such citizenship all that is noble and good must confederate"
 The preacher then related vividly the incident set forth in his text-the story of Jehu and Jehonadab. "As one holds aloft a blazing torch" said Dr. Plunket, "and waves it in the blacl<ness of night, so this old story tells of two patriots whose hearts were afre with hostility to evll.''
 'There are two kingdoms among men, continued the speaker, 'the kingdom of Caesar and the Kingdom of God. The politician says they have nothing in com mon; let the church and state stay apart; let high wall be built between them. Politics is one thing, religion another. Politics Is altogether practical, religion altogether sentimental. Let the politi- clan drive like Jehu along the highway of the practical, and let the church move along in the way of the sentimental. Lei each keep to his inside road Such is the voice of the politician, especially if he be in office.''
 Dr. Plunket pointed out that church and state are separate and mutually independent. The church is not to ham, dle politics nor the state to meddle in questions of religion. "The state the preacher held. must not espouse the cause of a political party. That party may have a moral issue as a plank in it's platform, but the church cannot, lOT tlldI lcdSoit bCSOiiic 1's champion. On the other hand, the state cannot espouse the cause of any re- ligious denomination" At the same time no man. he said, can utterly divorce his political views from his religious convictions if either is reality.
 There must be a spot where religion and citizenship can strike hands, some place where the strength of the church and the strength of the state may con punishment of crime, and the enthrone- ment of goodness.
 q do not, therefore. travel beyond my province as priest said Dr. Plum ket If today in the light of facts recently brought to our attention I pause to lift my voice and plead for a Chris tian citizenship and for better law enforcement. The obligation is up to you who hear me-" the speaker said pose of all questions of corruption by referring them to grafters and corrupt officials. He said he would not have 1t so "If there is malfeasance in of fee, graft, and other crimes in this community whose fault is it? The official? The criminal? Yes. But who put the official in office? Who keeps him there? Is there no power of i'm peachment in this community? There is, and I declare your law enforcement is as good as you deserve"
 Dr. Plunket said his address was to representative men and women. He dwelt upon the potentiality of example and asked. What sort of citizen are you?' pr. Plunket, with keen analysis, suggested what the good citizen should