The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-05-13

ahty and responsibility OF States. we do
not make the people God unto themselves. "
South Carolina" here tacitly assumes that
there is no basis for moral obligation and re-
straint, unless it be laid in the peculiar truths
of redemption, and enforced by the evangelical
motive. Is this true? Is a true science OF
ethics, is the existence of moral obligation i'm
possible wherever Jesus Christ is unknown?
We have seen that even atheism does not ex-
clude them. The Apostle Paul asserts that
wherever the light of natural religion is, there
a solid basis for them exists rom. i: 10
2l) Does not South Carolina" know that
the peculiar gospel motiye-which where 1t
operates is indeed the sweetest, noblest most
eficacious motive for rectitude-is wholly in
operative except upon regenerated hearts?
Must membership in the State be limited to
the degenerate? He will assert no such posi-
tons as these. Their absurdity disclOses suf-
fciently the fallacy which pervades the three
points on which he relies.
But he replies, with DR.. Thornwel, that the
New Testament teaches us there Is actually no
other God of providence and divine ruler of
nations now than the Lord Jesus Christ; for
''all power in heaven and earth is committed
to his hands" Hence, he urges, if States re-
fuse to recognize him, they must either recog-
nize no God, or a false God. The premise of
this statement is not true, in the sense in
which it is used. Has the Godhead abdicated,
or annihilated itself by appointing Christ as
theanthropic yiceroy, for special purpose?
The ethics by which heaven governs men and
aggregatious of men in their secular affairs,
are no other than those which governed in
Judea of old, and now in China. The author
ity is essentially the same. In our article of
February 18th, it was shown-if our Judgment
is not at fault-that it is not even true that the
affairs of nations are any more directed now by
liking Jesus" for the Church, than they al
ways were The whole amount of the change
made at the glori6cation of the Goldman, was
to place the administration of the world in his
hands for special spiritual purposes. Now,
the ends OF the State are not spiritual, but
secular. Why, then, need she recognize the
Godhead under any other than that common
aspect in which all States of all ages and dis
pensations may properly recognize him?
This suggests an unanSwerable argument for
our position. If, as DIR. Thornwell teaches
the ends of civil society are secular, and indie
pendent Of those of the Church, the legiG
mate foundations of the former among a
Christian people cannot be essentially different
from its foundation among pagan, Moham-
medan, or a Socinian people. Hence, if
South Carolina" is correct, there cannot be a
righteous basis laid for civil society and ale
glance, in any but Christian nation. Now
this contradicts common sense. 1t contradictS
the Apostle Paul, who enjoined on his pupils
allegiance to pagan commonwealth, and that
mot for wrath, but conscience sake" In our
number for April l, we quoted from DR.. Thorn
well that 1.-THE constitution Of the State must
be determined by human reason and the course
of providential eUents." "South Carolina"
quotes an attempted answer from DR.. Thorn
wells memorial, and thinks we strangely over
looked it. We passed it by because, with all
due respect it is wholly futile. The plea is,
that the duty springs not from the manner in
which the relation is made known, but from
the truth of the relation itself Dr. Thorn
well would argue: No matter how the State
has found out that Jesus is king; if she knows
it, she is bound to avouch him. Now this is
an evasion. If the State is determined in its
constitution exclusively by the light of natu-
raj religion, land if this is denied, then legit
innate commonwealth power out Of Christen-
dom is denied, she cannot, as a State, know
whether Jesus is king, rather than the united
Godhead. In the sense necessary for Dr.
Thornwelps argument, this relation" of Je-
sus to the State is not ''true relation, not
even to us possessed of revelation. Why?
Because that rerelation no,ohere requires States,
as such, to ground their righJM po,0erS on the
nlediatorial authority of Jesus.
Here it may be remarked that the clear good
sense of South Carolina has pressed him to
betray the real foundation of his theory. 1t is
in the assertion that the State cannot know
God as Creator and moral governor, otherwise
than by revelation. This is a proposition
which contradicts the Scriptures; (for in
stance, Rom. i: 2O,) and makes legitimate
government and ethics impossible, on his view,
wherever there is no Bible. The premises
must be bad indeed, which compel good
thinker to such result.
In fine, this State recognition of Jesus as
King, would either be an empty form, or it
would not. II it be the former, where is its
value? If tits to be the latter, must it not,
lust to the extent it is made practical, amount
to an establishment of Christianity as the State
religion? We should not indeed have Pres
bytery, at first, established over Prelacy, or
rice versa. But we should have Christianity
established over Socinianism, Judaism, Deism
&c. Does South Carolina" approve this a.?
The caution of the sagacious Madison is unan-
swerable: That if we concede to secular pow
er the right to choose for us between the true
religion and the false, there will be fatal pre-
cedent granted, for its debating afterwards
which denomination of the true shall domi-
nate. 1t is in the light of this wise prognostic
that we point again to the ominous proceed
ings at Newcastle. Pa, detailed in the Central
Presbyterian of March the 4th. For although
the resolution was postponed to a subsequent
meeting, and as we have since learned, was at
that meeting defeated, yet in the very fact
that, in such large assembly of ministers of
the Gospel and other intelligent men, the pro-
posal that none but professors of Christianity
shall be eligible to office in the civil gov.
eminent could be brought forward and so
strongly supported, we see this doctrine bear
ing at once its natural, its inevitable fruit
How can Southern Christians be so short
sighted as to help on this insidious movement,