The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-10
THE CITY PULPIT.
DUTY CT THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE
Arc Our Rulers Terror or an Encourage
ment to EVll-DOers?
A sermon Delivered Yesterday Afternoon
by REV. JOhn Chambers.

r,,o,,, VERBATIM PuoNoGRAPHIC REPORT FOR
THB EVENING TBBEGRAPH.I
Rev. John Chambers church Broad street,
below Chesnut, was yesterday afternoon very
nearly filed, to hear a sermon preached oy the
pastor upon the subject, care our rulers ter
ror or an announcement to evil-doersW IL was
delivered in Mr.. Chambers' usual forciole man
uer, and was listened TO from beginning to
neroration with deep interest, the congrega-
tion drinking in, as 1t were every word that fell
from the speakers lips. Only once, at some
ant remark, was the silence broken, and then
only with suppressed litter for a second, When
ALI remained as quiet to the conclusion as the
sea in calm. Previous to the commencement
of the sermon, Mr.. Chambers announced that
the collection next Sunday would be for the
benefit of the widows and orphans rendered
desolate by the late boiler explosion on SAMSON
street. He hoped the congregation would con-
tribute literally and show these widows and
fatherless little ones the benevoleuce of their
hearts. Mr.. Chambers then cane forward and
delivered the following sermon:-
THE SUBJECT.
Our subject this afternoon is, care our Rulers
a Terror or an Encouragement to Evil DoersF
In the third verse Of the thirteenth chapter OF
Paul's Epistle to the Romans, he says;- For
rulers are not a terror to good works, but to
DoWer do that which is good, and thou shalt
have the praise OF the same"
II is known, possibly to most of you, Ii not
all, that this Episte was written in the fourth
wear of Nero the prince OF tyrauts and OF bad
men, The Jews were refractory. There was an
unwilling ness on their part to submit to the
authorities under which they lived. The object
of the Apostles was to instruct the Christian
Church that they had duties to perform even to
the civil authorities that were not OF their own
choosing, nor OF Their own particular taste But
you will observe in all the Apostolic writings, as
III the teachings of Jesus Christ, in not single
instance aid they interfere with what we call
the politics OF the people; that subject was most
religiously shunned; and so 1t should ever be
following not with a particular party of men.
The great object of the Bible is to correct the
evils that are in them, and put mans mind and
heart in such a s.dte and condition that they
Will not yield TO the power and the control OF
evil; and that by good doing they are to over
lis not that the pulpit is to be appropriated
to discuss questions, mere abstract questions,
or to take up the philosophy of any particular
sect or principle in the civil or political organi-
cations of men; but 1t is to tell the truth OF
God, and to warn the people OF their danger, in
whatever relation they stand, and in whatever
circumstances they are placed. The SD chapter
of Ezekiel, portion of which read to you this
afternoon, must satisfy you, and will if you read
it carefully, that, while the ministers OF God are
not to become partisans, nor to connect them
selves with party movements among meH, they
are to keep the people enl ghtened in regard to
the evils that are in the world.
Many evils result rom bad men in authority,
as others do from bad men out OF authority; and
everybody knows that in proportion TO the posi-
tion of men their influence is good or bad; and
II those that are appointed as ministers of reli-
gon, for example, should step aside from the
discharge of their duties and fall in with the
evils of the day, the amount of mischief done
by them is very much greater than that done
by others. If we countenance vice in any form,
If we sanction 1t in any of its relations, if we
encourage lawlessness dsobedence to the
authorities, to parents, and to magistrates, we
thereby do mischief, just as the civil ruler If he
winks at sin and evil, or if he partakes of these
things, the mischief that he does is necessarily
great.
THE RULER SHOULD BE A RELIGIOUS MAN.
Internationally, my brethren, every ruler in
the world, as all other men, should be good
man. do not say that the President of the
United States is under any more obligation to
be pious man than say that the gentlemen in
this congregation are to be pious men. do not
believe he is. But do believe that he is bound
/ do not believe that the Governor of a State ia
to be particularly religious more than any cit
zen OF that State; but he ought to be religious
man. do not say that the chief magistrate OF
the city in which we live is any more obliged OF
under any greater obligations to be a man o.
God-a man that is u terror TO evil-doers, and q
praise of all that do well-any more than Other
men are 10 be good, and a terror Of evil-doer;
and praisers OF all good men.
All men are bound to be religious men, no
sectarian men. do not believe in sectarian
ism, although care not a jot so they do gha
God requires OF them, and not what you cal
ecclesiastical rulers require them to do; but they
must do what God requires. And then we viii
have TO do with the great and the good men
and if they have said anything that is eXtrt
good why we will take it and use 1t as we should
do But this subject of religion comes directly
to every man. Now, what right has any man IL
this house to stand alooi from the requirement
of this Bible any more than have? Am bounC
to be religious man and you not to be a reli
eious man? Am bound 6 love nv God wifi
all my soul, with all my strength, and all my
mind, and With all my heart and you to trea
Him with nfamy and contemptp Can that hC
so? do not so understand it..
CHARACTER OF OUR RULERS.
Now, then, the question is, Are our rulers
our official men, in every relation, beginuinl
with the Chief Magistrate of the nation, arr
they such, occupying these high aud importan
positions? They take the most solemn oath
when they enter upon their official duties AM
they swear, as they have to stand at the judg
meDt scat of God, that they will discharge thei
duties strictly according to the rules laid down
They have Constitution to guide them, the
have rules established by the people to guild
them, and they are bound to do It.
Rulers in our country, ever since the adoG
tion OF this form of government, have been tn
servants of the people. They are not the ma
tiers; they are the servants OF the people.
select them to perform the duties OF Office, nc
LOT themselves, not for their own aggrandtzC
menti bat we have called them, and we pJ
them there, and we say to them, "NoW you haV
10 take care OF our Interests and our Welfar,
ana to watch over us and see that we get ou
rights; that we are not imposed upon abuseC
distressed, and to take care OF u.s. This is tru
IN the great national sense, IL is true in the r.
latlons OF states, and 1t is true In the municip,
aIIangemens, Hence our Government in a
these relations Is of the people; and az In rei
giOn, like priest like people nor thSs a. =. - ~