Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-05
"POLlTiCS AND FAITH,
Sermon at the Penny Memorial
Church, Sunday Morning.

Text: Isaiah XXX:9 ''Prophesy
net unto us right things, speak unto
US smooth things. ]
A smooth saying is always more
pleasing than stern-featured truth.
Isaiah by a sturdy proclamation of
the truth had become a great factor
in the political life Of Israel. He was
requested to keep quiet concerning I'M
welcome political truth and to preach
smooth ethical sayings and declare
pious platituGes. 1t was a request he
entirely disregarded. We are some
times told that the pulpit today has
no business with politics. 1t is true
that the pulpit has no call 10 sound
any note of partisan strife, but il
there are evils of polity in civil gov
eminent, evils open and evident evils
that dishonor God and destroy man
hood it is treason to his trust for the
modern prophet to hold his peace.
If. under our form of government,
there are wrong conditions of political
life whe is to blame? | know it is
quite the fashion to blame the officials
OF state, county and city. And they
are to blame, but not SO largely to
blame as we assume Who put the
officials where they are The people.
Who keep them in power? The peo-
pie Who have the right and With
whom is the power to cleanse the Au-
gean stables? The people. Who is to
blame, then, if corrupt conditions ex-
st? Who is to blame if the print of
the clover hoof is in the broad ways of
political activity? Who is to blame If
cd
wheat? The people are sovereign and
are able to prevent what they do not
want and to root out that which they
will not have. After all that we may
say about ring rule and bosssm it Is
public sentiment that rules the day
and sways the real scepter. The poll
tieian rather do right than wrong, SO
far as he has preference he prefers
the right. but he will not, he cannot as
a practical man run against public
opinion AS a matter of fact he will
trim his sails TO the wind of public APP
prevail.
Therefore it is for the Christian pa
triotism of the age to help form a
right public opinion. Says James
Bryce: Public opinion is the CHIEF
and ultimate power in nearly all na-
tiens at nearly all tines" No govern
mert can maintain itself against the
sentiment of the numerical majority.
Abraham Lincoln in his contest with
Douglas said: With public sentl-
ment on its side everything succeeds;
with public sentiment against it moth
ing succeeds"
Isaiah was cndeavoring to create a
true public sentiment when he spoke
the stirring prophecies of his day. He
found he had three classes to deal
with: /. class actively opposed to
righteous rule in Israel, this class was
small. but very active for personal and
commercial reasons. md. A class ac-
lively in favor of such rule. this class
was small and uninhuential: 3rd
There was the great class comprising
some of The best and sturdiest man
hood of the nation who didn't take
much interest. who We're unenthused
who didn't mix much in politics who
refused to do its political duty and the
nation vas carried into captivity be
cause OF the inaction of this class
The old story of losing tie day for
the righteous cause by the stay-at-
home vote, Had the Israelitish pee
pie ever a religious people. carried
their religion into their public life as
We'll as into their tempted shriues they
had saved the nation.
Here is 2 lesson for us The Ameri-
can people are a Christian people.
Christianity should actuate not only
Cur ceremonies and our deVotions but
should nominate the politics of the
land There are still three classes and
The large class is still the unconcerned
class If we want good laws, and
good enforcement of those laws we
must put behind the men in power q
strong, insistent public sentiment in
favor of such enforcement. Political
principles are not arbitrarily made,
they are not deuendent on the will of
officials or the management Of parties
-hev are the natural outgrowth of the
desires of the people.
Press and pulpit should unite then
in creating and maintaining a high
public sentiment; in arousing by just
appeals, the civic conscience; In Il
strong and sturdy stand for the Right.
Sod help us with charity toward all
and malice toward none to take that
stand
For right is right since God is God,
And right the day must win.
To doubt would be disloyalty,
To falter would be sim