Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1872-10-05

Witn you tIldI humanity ucluauu5 It's
abatement, and the erection of new
one, and further, believing that your
sermon, if published, will arouse our
County Court to just sense of the
responsibility resting upon them we,
therefore request copy for publica
ton.
Respectfully,
II. III. LURToN, d. KINcANNoN,
j. j. HAMLET, G. r. Cooke
G. ID. w. COOKE, S. BRocKMAN,
j. j. THOMAS, Il. ID. JOHNSON,
G. w. TYLER, j. +. CoUTs.
Lord, when saw we Thee an hun
gered, or athirst, or a stranger. or
naked, or sick, or in prison and did not
minister unto Theep Then shall he
answer them saying, verify | say unto
you, inasmuch as We did it not unto one
of the least Of these, ye did it not to
me, st. Mathew, 25th chapter, 44th
verse.
Christianity my brethren, christian
ity should be to the State, as the pole
star, which guides the mariner, or the
index finger, which points the travel.
Ter in the right direction. We say
the church, because the church has
too often been as the blind which
would lead the blind. Travelling as il
too often has, in the way of personal
ambition, and worldly advancement
and so missing its appointed path, how
could it guide the State? Too often
mistaking itself for the end and moi
the means, how could it determine
whether man is for the State or the
State for the man-but, christianity
which never reverses the divine order
which never puts the letter before the
spirit or the law before the life-chris.
tlanity, whose substance is truth, and
whose goal is the perfection of man
and society, through the redemption
of Christ, indicates the only Legitimate
path in which the State may co.
Christianity should make every law
that governs christian nation, not by
a union of Church and State; but by
its influence on the individuals thai
compose the State, make the laws and
establish government. The church il
an exponent of christianity, only so fal
as she is active in the PRONUNCIATION o.
those principles of justice, mercy and
truth, on which christianity is founded
Whenever the church becomes ST
lent spectator of the worlds wicked.
ness, whenever she acquiesces in any
or ceases to protest against every act
OF injustice, cruelty, oppression ant
wrong, that very moment she becomes
a traitor to Christianity and misera
BILE time serving servant of sin. She
is placed here in the midst of wick
ed world, not only to protest against
wickedness but to fight against it with
every lawful weapon she can lay hel
hands upon. She is called the church
militant; because it is her business tc
fight against everything that is opposed
to Gods law Of justice, mercy aud
truth, against everything that is op
posed to the law of duty, agains
everything that is opposed to the Law
of love to God, and love to fellow
man. And when thus found fightinl
ON the side ofj3sticc, mercy and truth
against every falsehood, every cruelty
every wrong, whenever and whereve
) it dares to show its ugly face, then in
deed the church becomes the right arm
of the Almighty, and the sword of hi
wrath taking vengeance upon sin /; o.
when she is found feeding the hungry
clothing the naked, relieving the op
pressed, educating the ignorant, min
istering to the sick, caring for tn,
widow and the orphan than she be
comes the almoner of the Almighty
and her treasury shall never lack tn,
means of carrying on the work o
mercy, till Heaven itself is bankrupt
This my brethren is our view of tn
church mission and her gloriou
work but is this the view that gener
ally prevails? | think not. Christi
anity, according to the popular notiol
Of it, is not only very mild, but ais,
very weak, and milk -and-waterisI
sort of thing altogether, with no swor,
of justice to vindicate the innocent, o
to relieve the oppressed. The popula
notion of piOus man is, that he i
amiablc, harmless and submissive
I Amiability, harmlessness, weak ac
quiescencc in any wrong or injury, ar
considered necessary qualities Of tn
modern christian. That a man should
for instance, blaze out into fierce an
sudden wrath, and speak and act wit
righteous resentment and indignation
would effectually destroy his reputa
: ti0n for piety in the minds of the gen
I eral run of good people. Christianit
/ is valuable to them, as a mild, consol
! ing, loving religion. 1t is good I
soothc the heart aud calm the feeling,
a to comfort the mourner and brin
peace to the dying, to east the bright
ness of hope over the real or fanciet
suffering of life, and especially owe
- the gloom of death. And doubles
brethren, this is religions holy Office
but it is only this and nothing more
Has christianity no work to do for til
living; has she no sword of justice, G
u are there no wrongs to berighted ha
she no voice to rai.e against popula
IS sins no interest in the questions of tn
II day; has christianity, for instance, n
interest in the education of the poe
children of this town? Does it max
no difference to the cause of christ
. anity whether we have free schools {
l. not, and when christian man com,
to vote upon this question, as to whetl
!. er the children of the poor ought I
Sc be educated, or to grow up in ingnol
anco and thus become candidates. f
the penitcntiary, dare he forget the il
terest of christianity, aud think on
- of his own. Is it nothing to christ
I anity whether this county provides
n decent aims house for its poor, G
u leaves them to depend on private cha
ity. Has the cause of christianity
Clarksyille no interest in the jail
/, this town, or in the treatment Of Il
prisoners confined there. IL it 1
part Of our business as christians