Vox populi, vox Dei

Election Day in one of the world’s oldest republics, and the spectre of democracy is allowed to raise its head for one intense and momentous day. The Revolution swept away the bulwarks of monarchy with all its powerful magic, never to let it again steal the voice of the people, but perpetuating and extending that voice from sea to shining sea and to the ends of the earth till the end of time. Glorious in aspect, and fearful, now the will of the people would be the same as the will of God—as long as the people were under God, who alone is their King. This was the vision, a first enfleshening of the promise that God will live among men.
“And the Word became flesh, and pitched His tent among us.”
(John 1:14)

The powerful magic of monarchs, which let one rule in the name of God to the good or ill of the people, is gone. Now we have no one but ourselves to praise or to blame if we set up princes to rule us in their own names, who give not the honor and glory back to the One who alone sits on the Throne. Democracy, even for a moment, can be a dreadful thing, or a blessing. Pray, brethren, that what our people conceive this night is not the child of lawlessness, born of adultery. Pray that the fruit of our tree will be good fruit, because a tree can be known by its fruit. Pray that we are still found to be a good tree bearing good fruit.
“Yes, even now the ax is laid to the roots of the trees, so that any tree which fails to produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown on the fire.” (Luke 3:9)