El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-11-04
CARDINAL GIBBONS IN SERMON ON
SUPINE CITIZEN WHO DOES NOT VOTE
Distinguished Churchman Declares if History Ever Re
cords the Decline of the American Republic, Tt
Will Be Because of Lethargy and Political
Apostacy of the Nations Own Sons.

ended, and the dismembered states are
now more firmly united tina never be-
fore, because slavery, which was the
bone of contention, has been removed
once and forever.
The second crisis occurred in the
presidential contest in 1876 between
Tilden. and Hayes. Mr.. Tlden was
robbed of the fruit Of the victory which,
I believe, he honestly won, and by ques-
tiOnable devices Mr.. Hayes was de-
clared the successful candidate.
"a nation that could survive these
terrible strains must be possessed Of
extraordinary vitality and resources
and leads up to hope that in any future
emergency the leaders and statesmen
of the republic viii rise to the occa-
sion and bring order out Of chaos
g righteousness, says the Book or
Proverbs, 'eXalteth a nation, but sin IS
a reprOach to the people If our re-
public is to be perpetuated, If 1t is to
be handed down unimpaired to future
generations, Il must rest on the eternal
principles OF Justice truth and right
eousness; and downright honesty in our
dealings with other nations; 1t must be
sustained by tie devOut recognition Of
an Overruling Power. who governs all
things by His wisdom, whose super1n-
tending Providence watches over the
affairs OF nations as we'll as of men.
without whom not even a bird can fall
to the ground.
Recognition of Higher Power.
zone Of the leaders of the conven-
ton that assembled in Philadelphia TO
frame the constitution Of the United
States made the following sage remark
to his colleagues: We have spent many
days and weeks in our deliberations,
and we have accomplished little or
nothing. We have been cropping IN the
dark because we have not sought light
! our Understandings 1 have lived for
mand years and the older 1 grow the
more I am convinced that supreme
Power interpOses in the affairs of man
kind. For IL a sparrow cannot fall to
the ground without His knowledge, how
can an empire rise without His cooper
alton. And we also know from the
Sacred Volume that unless the Lord
build the house, he laboreth in vain
who buildeth.'
1T is true, indeed, that we have no
official union Of the church of state in
this country. But we are not to infer
from this fact that there is any an
tagOnism between the civil and rellg-
ious authorities. nor does it imply any
Indifference to religious principles Far
from il. Church and state move in
parallel lines The state throws over
the church the mantle Of its protection,
without interfering with the God given
rights of conscience; and the church on
her part renders valuable aid to the
state in unfolding the civil laws by
religious and moral sanctions.
NO man should be a drOne in the
social Decisive. No man should be an
Indifferent spectator Of the political
and economical questions which con-
front him. Indifference and apathy in
civic and political life are as hurtful
to the state as Indifference in religion
is hurtful to the Christian common
wealth. Our Lord says to the bishop
Of LoOdicea: 4 would that thou vert
hot or cold but because thou art luke
warm. and art neither cold nor hot, 1
viii begin to vimit thee out Of my
mouth
supine Citizen a Danger.
"A sincere man who in attacking
Christian faith honestly believes that
he is right. is less blamewOrthy thar
the torpid. lukcWarm Christian who
never takes an interest in the religion
of Christ In like manner a citizen,
who earnestly espOuses a faulty pOliti-
cal principle. is less dangerous to the
state than the supine citizen who never