CHAPTER II. POLITICAL DUTIES OF CHRISTIANS. SOME men are so pious, so good, that they think it would be wrong-improper for them to attend a political meeting. They affect to think it wrong to mix with wicked men. They say that "corrupt and bad men attend these meetings, and if they should meet them, their reputations might be damaged, and their characters become spotted." "If these meetings," say they, 66 were held at private places, and respectable people attended them, then they might attend too." They hold that it is inconsistent for Christians to attend political meetings, because such meetings are attended by some corrupt and profane men. This is a very great mistake. Christianity does not uphold such exclusive conduct, but emphatically condemns it. Christ is the great Model by which all Christians should shape their conduct. He did not avoid wicked men, but made it an object to seek their company that he might do them good-instruct and reform them. It is true that the haughty Jews spoke evil of him, and sought to injure his reputation as a good man, because he kept company with publicans and sinners. What was Christ's reply to them? "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.” Christ wished to enlighten and elevate publicans and sinners, and he was not afraid his reputation would be damaged by commingling with them, talking with them, and giving them good instructions. Professed Christians of our day come far short of their duty, when they stand aloof and neglect their fellow men, because they may not be so moral and intelligent as them selves. The very reason why good and enlightened men should attend political meetings is, because bad and ignorant men do. They should be among them to set them a good example, and urge on them the necessity of electing honest and capable men for committees, delegates, and candidates. A man of genial spirit and high moral character, can wield a very great influence among those who make no pretentions to moral excellence. "What!" says one, "I go to a rum-shop to attend a political meeting? Never!" Why should a good man decline to go to a rum-shop or hotel on business? If he is a good man it will not hurt him. There would be no danger of his getting intoxicated, and his presence would keep many of his neighbors and friends from drinking too much. Notwithstanding many men have bad habits, yet they highly respect those who maintain better habits. Such persons really respect men of a firm race. moral character more than those who belong to their own class. Under favorable influences the character of men tends upwards. In this fact lies the hope of the human When men meet together for political purposes, though there might be many present a little intoxicated, rough, and somewhat abusive, yet these men generally fall in with more elevated men in their political action. As a general thing, the wicked and ignorant man, under good influences, will give his vote for a man better and wiser than himself. There is no place where a man of moral and religious character can exert so great an influence for good as at a political meeting of his neighbors and friends. So, Christian brother, we shall not excuse you from attending political meetings on the ground that you are too good or too respectable. If you are really good, we want the influcene of your goodness. Luther, the great Reformer was not afraid to go to meetings because wicked men would be there. No, indeed, he would not be deterred from attending, although he might be expected to meet a convention of devils instead of men. When cautioned about going to Worms he declared that he would go if there were as many devils there as tiles on the houses. ; No, brother, we shall not excuse you though the devil himself might meet you there. We have no authority to run away from the devil, but are expressly commanded to face him, to resist him, to fight him and are told that he will flee from us-that he will not stand fire. What cowards these Christians are who are afraid of meeting the devil at hotels. The devil's policy is to blow and make a great noise, but he is very shy about fighting, because he knows that his cause is a bad one, and not worth fighting for. If all good citizens would turn out to these meetings, they would gener |