American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-03-08

to worth-it is high estimation of the
character of the ruler by words or actions
Tho chief magistrate has the title of Eek
cellency," and the principal lawmakers,
have the title of honorable" They
should be esteemed as such, and in order
that this may be done without doing VIC
lence TO Christian conscience, none but
the excellent and truly honorable of the
land, having the grace and gifts to adorn
their stations, should be elevated to those
high positions. They should be honored,
not only from sense of cold duty alone,
as those must be honored, who occupy
their stations unworthily butfrom sense
of love and duty, as faithful subject to
a faithful ruler. Honoring the ruler, i'm
plies
A godly fear. Says Solomon (Prov.
24:21. "My son fear thou the Lord and
king" This is not a servile but an hon
orable fear, such as is due from son to a
father-from a subject to magistrate,
from law-enjoying subject to a law-dis
pensing power-godly fear, profitable to
citizen and sovereign. This implies al
s1a
Proper Reverence such as David show
ed to king SAUL at the cave of En-gedi,
when David said "My Lord the king"
And when Saul looked behind him, " Da-
vid stopped with his face to the earth and
bowed himself" l Sam. 24:S.) This is
not only an outward reverental respect !;
but truly inward reverental regard
Saul was the enemy of David, and at this
time sought his life; and David had Saufs
life in his hands, while in the cave, yet
reverential fear and dutiful respect for
the person of the kin. and the ruler of
the people forbade him touching hair
of his head. Honor all men, especially
the king, in word and in deed, is Chris
tian duty Improper defamation of the
characters of rulers Is licentousness, aud
is a vice to be shunnel by the wise and
good. Says Plato: "Law is the god Of
wise men lcentiousness the god Of foo s.
The wicked and vicious despise and break
the law, and dishonor its administrators :
this suits their purpose, it is their gain,
but with the wise and good it must be
otherwise. They must love the law, hon
or, fear and reverence the king"
3. The third duty to be rendered to the
chief ruler is submission. This is a very
important part Of Christian duty. This
implies
Submission to ordinances, or the laws
of the land. Says ST. Peter Il Pet. 3:
l3.) Submit yourselves to every ordi-
nance of man, for the Lord sake wheth-
er it be to the king as supreme, or unto
governors, as unto them that are sent by
him for the punishment of evil-doers, and
for the praise Of them that do we'll" The
words rendered every ordinance of man,
may signify every human constitution, or
form of government and code Of laws,
not contrary to Gods will, as expressed in
His word. If Il statute commands any
thing clearly contrary to the word Of God,
then we have. the injunction of the apos
tie Paul: Acts 5:20,) "Weo ought to obey
God rather than men" But within this
limitation, it is Christian duty to obey ev-
cry ordnance Of Caesar God is God of
order. This is evident from His word
and Ills isprovidcuce Order brings peace,
and godly peace brings prosperity and
happiness Laws and all rules for the
regulation of society and its things, arise
from the very nature and constitution Of
society. Society ina state of nature, like
the heart of man, is in moral disorder
Laws and constitutions have a tendency
to remedy this evil and to produce order,
peace, secu'ity, and happiness. There
fore the breach of them is crime, in the
sight of the law and in the opinion of
wise and good men, and, in the sight of
God as f unded upon His word, sin-sin,
because contrary to the will of God. whose
will is always good. Therefore, too, the
teaching of Jesus, "Render unto Caesar
the things that are Caesars and unto God
the things that are Gods" and as tar as
duty to Caesar, and obedience to the civil
authority was concerned, giving the ex-
ample, in his own person, of meek sub
mission to Pilates unjust decree, and dy-
ing the death of :he cross, the jus. for
the unjust, the innocent one for the gull
ty, the loyal one to Caesar aud law, al
though supposed by the ignorant and
wicked to be malefactor and rebel against
constituted authority; but nevertheless
the true and the good to God and to man.
No man thoa, who pretends to be follow