The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1865-05-25

p
which spiritdal2 To this question there
are two replies, one ethical, the other
biblical. The ethical reply is this:
Whatever, in such subjects, is in the
nature Of it, morally right or morally
wrong, is spiritual aud falls into the
province of the curch; whatever is
matter Of public policy merely, is scou.
lar and falls into the province Of the
State. The biblical answer is This:
Whatever is a matter of public policy
and is neither commanded nor forbid. |
den in the word of God, belongs solely
to the civil courts; whatever is com
manded and forbidden belongs either
soley to the spiritual courts, or joatyI
to both the civil and spiritual courts;
solely to the first when the offence is
simply a violation Of the order of
Christ's house, as heresy in doctrine;
jointly to both courts when the offence
is against the law both of the church
and of the State, as murder or treason
committed by a church, ember. In
the case of heresy the spiritual court
only is competent to inAict censurc; in
the case of murder by a church mem.
ber, both the civil court and the spirit
ual court are competent to deal with
the offender. The difference Just here
is, tha, the civil court only is competent
to iufct corporal punishment, and the
spiritual court only is competent to in
flict church censure. The civil power
may hang the murderer, but it can do
no more; the church-court can excom
municate him from the church, but can
do no more. Their functions are dis
tinct, even when their jurisdiction is, in
sense, joint. Each deals with the Of
fence in its own appointed way.
g What now are the duties of the
church and State in dealing with an un-
justifable rebellion against lawful au
/ thority? Here is mired case again.
1t is clearly the duty of the civil power
. to put down the rebellion by force Of
4 arms. The organization and support
, of the army, proclamations, military
necessities, martial law, penalties, am
, nesties and the like are matters fol
Cesar to manage as best he may. But
this act of rebellion, being by supposi
ton, unjustifable, is morally wrong
it is an immortality. And the church
whose jurisdiction extends to whatever
bears, in its nature, the quality of right
or wrong, is bound to declare that the
rebellion is morally wrong and to ex-
hort the people of God under its care to
diseountenance it. But again, this act
of rebellion, being unjustifabie, is also
forbidden by the word of God. And
the church whose highest duty it is to
q expouud the whole word of God, and to
. apply it to the consoiences of men, is
bound to discountenanco the rebellion
in its aspectras sin against God, ex-
f pressly forbidden in bis word Treason
, is a crime against the State, and is pun
y ishable by its tribunals; it also sin
Q against God, and as such, is to be dealt
5 with by the church. eav 1t i15 .a-
: We see not how any one can escape
, this conclusion except into one of these
, two propositions: O Unjustifable re.
bellion against lawful authority has
no moral quality, is neither right mol
wrong in, ethics, nor forbidlen, in the
: word of Cord. Or CD This act, al
g though, both wrong aHd forbidden by
Gods word, does not fall within tht
I province of the oh hurch, and the part'
. Of Scripture relating to il are not to b
expounded by the church. ,i ..f GOO.
Here rests the defence of the ohurcl
@ Of God in the United States. Th,
g courts Of every evangelical denomina
i tlOu .thO HuN0 Rtod
: unanimity, and 10 the m ost direct terms
= condemned the Southern Rebellion. l
ia the profound and solemn conviction
i Of hthe church that the rebellion i
r wholly unjustifabIe, and as such
J. wrong in morals and repugna Mt to tn
Ie word of God; in short, that it is a stu
pendous sin. Not that it is such in tn
A. deliberate intention and clear know
s. edge of the good men who have gon
DR. into It; these men labor under error
t. eous impressions. But the rebellion i
IN in the judgment of all these great bOdit
be Of Christians, wholly wrong. They al
IN obliged to treat it accordingly. lNecel
at sity IL laid upon them; as the interpr'
It. ters Of the principles Of eternal and in
or mutable morality, as the expOundsrs
u Gods word, 10 rebuke the wrong on
ed uphold the nation in its efforts to sa,
&C. its life from lwauton destruction. III
e. olamOr that has been raised against Il
, church has grown out of q confusion
BY ihnught or a skillfl DerveRaian of Al