CORRUPTION EVERYWHERE

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 13, 1903

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 29, No. 19.

CORRUPTION EVERYWHERE.

What Does It Mean?

In speaking of the unspeakable corruptions in St. Louis and Missouri politics, the San Francisco Call says, and doubtless truly:—

Following so closely upon the municipal scandals in St. Louis, the disclosures of corruption in the Missouri legislature tend to impress the public mind with a conviction that Missouri is about the worst State in the Union. The impression, however, is by no means a fair one. The fact is, that in St. Louis and in Missouri there have come into office a set of prosecuting officers, who are resolved to do their duty no matter what happens. Were similar prosecutions undertaken with an equal vigor in other States, it is quite probable the Missouri politicians would have a good deal of congenial company in their tours abroad.

The Call then goes on to speak of Delaware, the New England States, New York, and Pennsylvania, and continues:—

Missouri, in fact, is engaged in a process of house-cleaning, and is making a public exhibition of the soiled linen of politics that in other States has been left hidden in the back closets of the house, out of sight of the public. . . . Missouri, therefore, is all right. Her politicians are no worse than those of some other States, while her prosecuting attorneys are much better.

And what the Call says is coming to be true of politics generally. More and more men are looking to men and to gain, not to principle and the good of others. “Boss” rule in politics has become dominant generally, and men are becoming more and more willing to be “bossed,” if thereby they can obtain more of the political plumes which the “boss” has to distribute. What a commentary all these things are upon the “land of the free and the home of the brave.” So many of the “free” are willing to be led like lambs to the slaughter, or shearing, and the brave are willing to be silent and let the shearing and slaughter go on. When a brave official does his duty, like prosecuting attorney Jos. W. Folk of St. Louis, he becomes the talk of a continent. The reader of McClure’s Magazine for March will find that the corruption in St. Louis is wide-spread, including not only the politician, but great masses of the people, and the consciences of not a few of the so-called substantial citizens seem to be paralyzed by the deadly narcotizing influence of the wide-spread corruption, which seems to have permeated everything. And as the Call says, and who can say it does not speak truly, that St. Louis is no worse than other great cities.

What do all these things mean? What do they mean to you, thoughtful reader? Do you hope that out of this quagmire of corruption men will evolve purity and a reign of peace and righteousness? “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life.”

The world is sowing unto the flesh. Greed and Mammon and Bacchus and Venus and Baal and Mars are the most frequented shrines, at which souls bow to-day. The end will be destruction to the nations of earth, whatever their profession, and to all who identify themselves with their “overflowing of wickedness.” The prophet speaks truly, “The law is slacked.” The great mass of religious teachers no longer present the claims of God as they are presented in His Word. Repentance and confession of sin and restitution of wrong are not pressed home on the conscience. It is not deemed “expedient” or “prudent” so to do; and so men pass on unheeding, unwarned, and the flood-tide of lawlessness and sin and wickedness rolls on with its human freightage to everlasting night.

We know these words will be laughed at; but we know they are at their strongest tame presentations of God's truth. Let any man seek to stem the tide in his own life and character, as, praise God, not a few, we are constrained to believe, are doing; let him live absolutely honest and true to conviction and duty as God's Word teaches, as Christ exemplified, and that man will meet such pressure and temptation as never martyr of the Dark Ages had to meet.

What does this over-sweeping, narcotizing flood of corruption mean in the light of the “more sure word of prophecy?”—It means that we are nearing the end. The probation, the trial of every form of human government which man could devise, is about over, “weighed in the balances and found wanting,” and Christ Jesus, earth’s rightful King, is about to take to Himself His great power and begin His eternal reign. Before His presence all thrones will crumble, all sin and all identified with sin, be consumed. Righteousness alone will reign. If you would reign with Him then, He must reign in you now.