Page:Thomas Hare - The Election of Representatives, parliamentary and municipal.djvu/201

 led and governed men,—all were found wanting. The pagan world bowed to the truth as spoken by Olympian Jove, that the highest court of justice,—the court of the last appeal,—was not an external authority, but resided in the conscience. The evangelical prophet opened his mission, when he announced the fulness of time, by the precept, "Cease ye from man." All record, sacred and profane,— all revelation, lead to the recognition that there is but one power able to arrest evil, and bind mankind together. By that divine energy and word, a people of strangers, scattered over untravelled regions of the east, became entitled to the apostolic epithet and name of living stones of a spiritual house, acceptable to Him, the only Builder and Maker. No mortar for such a work,—no imperishable cement for the edifice of the state, or any other institution of man, is to be found that does not dwell in the individual conscience. All goodness, all religion is personal, or it is nothing. "The aim of Christianity is not to stifle the germs of individual character, and to bring down all mankind to a dead level. It, on the contrary, fosters and develops the central principle of individuality in every man, and frees it from the crushing burthen with which the lusts of the flesh and the vanities of life overlay it."

A discourse which insists on the sacred nature of the act of voting may be fitly concluded by a suggestion on the manner of celebrating its performance. The ancient customs of the kingdom connect religion with its most important events and transitions. The coronation is accompanied by a humble recognition of the sovereignty of God over all, and a prayer that he would grant unto the earthly sovereign the spirit of wisdom and government, — to restore the things gone to decay, maintain the things that are restored, reform what is amiss, and confirm what is in good order,—to be merciful and not too remiss,—to execute justice and forget not mercy,—judge with righteousness, reprove with equity, and accept no