p. 236 | Untitled article by Roswell F. Cottrell

Pacific Press Publishing Company · New York · July 31, 1890

FromThe American Sentinel, Vol. 5, No. 30

Who Will Run the Machine?

By Roswell F. Cottrell

At one of the National Reform Conventions, a speaker describing the “typical American office seeker,” said, “he may for a time pull back on the hind axle, and scotch the wheels of National Reform; but when he sees that the car is going on to success, he will jump aboard and claim a front seat.” So it seemed that the speaker hoped to have the help of the “typical office seeker” in carrying out the scheme which they advocate. And who will prevent him from taking a front seat? He can profess the Christian religion as loudly as any of them. And the majority may decide to give him a front seat. Catholics and Protestants will help to get the National Reform machine running; but who will run it? Neither can claim the exclusive right; therefore the “typical American office seeker” will stand as good a chance as anybody.

These religious fanatics know not what they do. They may fancy that they will get the control of the Government and run it as they please; but they cannot tell what will be the result of converting our free Government into an engine of religious oppression, as it certainly will be whenever the Nation professes religion, as they desire. But they will not take warning; they are determined to try their insane project. And some of them already have the spirit of persecution. It is often manifest that they have “blood in their eye.” But many are deluded, and may see their error only when it is too late.

R. F. Cottrell.