The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1914-04-14
SELECTING OUR RULERS.

Editor Dawson News: 1T is writ
ten thou shalt not speak evil of the
ruler Of thy people"-PauI. HE
that ruleth men must be just, fearing
God"-Samuel. Rise up before the
hoary head and honor the face of the
old man and fear thy God"-Noses.
The hoary head is a crown of glory,
if it be found in the way of right
eousness David.
The people of Georgia will nomf-
nate and elect their rulers. To keep
the first command enumerated above
they should closely observe the bal
ance. A good wife once said, 81
promised to love, serve, honor and
obey my husband, but with this res
ervation: To love him as long as he
was lovable; to honor him as long as
honorable; serve him when he need
ed it, and obey him. when l felt like
it,"
Now, l admit, with pride, that 1
believe in practical politics; but the
highest test is fitness in the candi-
date for office. He must be unpur-
chasable, unafraid, and competent to
fill the office he seeks. AS to his
views on moral questions he has the
same right to his opinions that
have. If his life is clean and we
agree politically his moral view, the
oretically, can have but little bear
ing; nor does his place of residence,
though other things being equal
proximity guides. But his clean life
must enter into his being and must
not be put on as a cloak to hide de-
fects only when he is seeking office.
AS to his physical infirmities as
plea for votes, if through misfortune
while earning a living, this should
have a bearing, but if brought about
by self-indulgence of lust or disobe-
dience to health rules it should not.
Let him bear his sin.
For so years, or since my ninth
year, have suffered for disobedience
to my father and mother and Sab
bath breaking, and will carry the
trouble to my grave, yet 1 have never
pleaded it as a reason for employ
ment. My efficiency and faithfulness
to trust imposed is my only reason
for asking for the confidence of my
employers. This only by way of il
lustration.
A man should be competent to tina
already entrusted before he is given
advancement. For he that is faith
full in that which is least is faithful
also in much, and he that is unjust
in that which is least will be unjust
in that which is much" saith the
Christ.
An illustration here 10 show the
self-seeker so that men will know
him and let him alone. Some years
since a man was pastor of and built
up a church. Time passed.; the old
men whom he knew went to the be-
You'd, their children came, the old
mans sons accumulated much OF
wealth. There was a church house
needed in the old neighborhood. The
old man still alive, member went
down seeking aid of these sons and
daughters on the ground of past in
terest on the part of their father.
He got it, pressed down, running
over" The house was built, furnish
ed, and one man thought it but meet
that this old pastor should be asked
to dedicate the church to the build
ing of which his children had so gen
erously contributed, but this seeker
after funds and his hackers would
have none of it-"He is too Old-fash-
toned, too out of date; we want some
one up to the times" etc., ad libitum,
ad nauseam. And again time passed,
and one of the same crowd wanted
office, and the same plea OF "old
trl6nuSnlD Was JEOIIGu " IhC LOA O.
This crowd knew nothing and cared
less for Holy Writ save when its pre-
cepts could help them, and as for
honoring the hoary head and the text
that says, Him that honor me will
I honor" they have never read it.
In selecting men for the lower Of
fees the prerequisite of clerical fit
ness, added to the prerequisites nam
ed, before, should guide. For judi
cial-and this includes solicitors as
well as judges-their knowledge of
the history as we'll as the technique
of law should be considered, for Of
tentimes this should rule even in
minor cases. Up to within ten years
the most elaborate opinion of our
supreme court, written, I think, by
Justice Bleckley, and involving more
constitutional law, was ]. P. case
over the SAFE of half an acre Of land
and the land line between two neigh