The Semi Weekly Leader

SETTING A HIGH STANDARD. Preamble to the Constitution of the Christian Citizens' Union.

The first public meeting under the auspices of the Christian Citizens' Union of Lincoln County, was held at the Methodist church in this city last Sunday night, when Rev. J. P. Hemby preached the very able sermon already mentioned in these columns on "The Need of the Integration of the Public Conscience."

On that occasion Dr. I. W. Cooper, president of Whitworth College, who presided during the meeting, announced that it was the intention of the Union to have addresses made in various parts of the county by able speakers during the pending political campaign--speakers who are not candidates or aspiring to any public office--on civic duty and the importance of elevating the public service and the securing of the faithful enforcement of law by those who are chosen for that duty.

Rev. Geo. H. Thompson, secretary of the Union, was requested to read the declaration of purposes, or preamble to the Constitution of the organization, for the information of those present who were not members. At the request of The Leader, Mr. Thompson has furnished us a copy of this declaration for publication, which we are sure will prove of interest to our readers generally. It follows below:

The purpose of this Union shall be to quicken the public conscience, and to tone up public morals to the Bible standard, and thus to secure to ourselves and to our posterity a condition of civil and social righteousness worthy of and becoming a Christian Commonwealth. To aid and assist in every rightful and legal way our officers and the courts of our county in ferreting out crimes and bringing criminals to justice. And, that we may secure to ourselves the blessings of public peace and domestic happiness and thrift and purge our community from every vice that imperils the manhood and womanhood of the land or corrupts and degrades the citizenship of the county, we urge the qualified voters of the county to lend their influence and extend their suffrage to no one who offers himself for place in the public service, high or low, who is himself a profane swearer, a Sabbath breaker, a gambler, one who drinks to excess, or who is in sympathy with the sale of intoxicating liquors in any form, or one who is untrue to his family. This Union forever disavows any purpose of nominating any candidate for any office in the municipality, county or State; or to pledge itself to espouse the cause of any candidate for office in county or State. But we reserve the right to enquire into the moral character of all persons who offer themselves for office, and to govern our votes according to the results of our enquiry.