Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-02-01


and apparently one of the most sincere
prayers on record as offered at an in
anguration of municipal government
served the purpose Of thoroughly
aronsing the city of Gloucester, Mass,
at the recent Inauguration ceremonies
when Rev. Levi NJ. Powers, D. D., pastor
OF the Independent Christian Church of
that city, "came right out In meeting"
with prayer that should serve the pur-
pose of helping Gloucester considerably
during the coming year.
The hall 10 which the ceremony took
place was packed to its capacity and the
big gathering apparently did not know
whether to take the impassioned utter
auces of the Rev. Mr.. Powers seriously
or not. But that the clergyman was sim
cere was apparent from letter which he
later sent to q Gloucester newspaper
stating emphatically that his supplication
had come from the bottom of his heart
and was uttered with all sincerity.
The prayer was as follows:
Almighty Father, the love OF our city
calls Us here this morning. We begin a
new year of civic life. We know it is
useless to ask thy blessing unless We
want it and are anxious for It. No mat
ter how much you may want to bless this
are willing to be blest.
We pray therefore first Of all for the
voters Of this city. There are some too
lazy TO vote but not too lazy to grumble.
Bless them.
We pray for the tax payers who want
good streets, good schools, good fire and
police protection and good health officers
but who wish other people to pay for
their cost.
We pray for the business men whose
votes are always determined by the ex-
pectation of special favors for themselves.
Bless them If you can.
We pray for those who believe that all
laws should be enforced except the laws
which they do not like or which 1t en-
forced would trouble them.
We pray for the comfortable who do
not care about anything SO long as they
are left at ease.
We pray for political managers who
swap votes and sell out their friends and
let bad candidates 60 unopposed.
We pray for those who vote for the |
saloons simply because they have prop
Eerty that rents for more for that than for |
any other purpose.
t We pray for men 80 mean they are not
willing to give their sisters the same
privilege they have themselves.
We pray for ministers ii there are any
in this city, do not believe there are,
who say what is pleasant to hear rather !
than what is true.
We pray for all connected with news |
papers who openly advocate civic
righteousness and secretly promote
crooked politics.
We pray for the lawyers to whom law
means only knowledge Of helping those
who wish to evade the law to do so safely |
and so enable themselves and others to |
get something for nothing.
We wish, o God, that all these people
might be blessed, but perhaps We are
asking too much, for we know that even |
you cannot bless them unless they mend |
their ways. 1t may be that the only
thing you can do is to let them 60 TO hell
where they belong. You know best.
But, o God, before thee are those who |
can be blest, those who may be bless- |
ing to themselves and to the world. |
Here today are hundreds of young men
who soon will be voters. Bless them
with vision of the world that ought to |
be and will be when We are wise to our
own good. May each one think of his
home not merely as the house In which |
he lives but as a city of which he Is a |
part. May they see how much finer and |
better life will be for all when each one
works for all and thinks for all aud all
for each. We dare to hope, o Lord, that |
these young men will have the sense to |
see that to get the most out of life for |
themselves they must think of how to
make life good for all, and that to be
good to themselves they must be good TO
others. So shall cleaner, fairer, better |
Gloucester some day come.
We ask thy blessing also upon these
young women. Some day they too will
vote. May they have understanding
minds and sympathetic hearts, 80 that
when the time comes they may be fitted
for the larger things Of life 10 which 1t
will then be their privilege and duty to
share.
We are here this morning for the
special purpose Of inducing five men
into office, where for year it will be
their duty to work for the common good.
They are to think and plan not for any
one class but for all of us, not for the
best citizens only but for all the citizens,
not for those who pay the taxes merely,
but for those who earn the money to pay
the taxes. We, the people, have chosen
these men to represent US. Help them,
o God. to plan and act honestly, brayely
and efficiently for the good of all. Amen