The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-10-22

restoration 10 purify OF uleClplIue duu W
spiritual life. The power of the civil ma
gistrate, used for the maintenance and sup.
port of religion, has had an incalculable in
Auence in corrupting Christianity, and has
been prolific fountain of innumerable evils.
The members of a State church have their
hands tied and labor under many disabilities
in doing good. The facilities of the pous
in this direction are lessened, while many
members are Indifferent to spiritual pros
perity.
(6 My last argument is that the Union
of Church and State is unscriptural In an
assembly where such contrariant opinions
are held, l am embarrassed by own individ-
ual convictions. A scripturally constituted
church of regenerated persons, chosen by
Christ out of the world and not made up Of
bad and good, vicious and virtuous, infdel
and believer separate, local, visible, in
dependent congregation of believers, and not
particular denomination of Christians, a
national organization, collective corpora
ton overspreading whole land, coextenSive
territorially with political boundaries-such
an independent, local assembly of saints, in
my opinion, cannot be in alliance with the
State, nor be fused into the political power
without losing the essential marks of an
apostolic church. I am forbidden here by
common Christian courtesy to argue the
question on this hypothesis. 1 therefore
take the common Protestant. view, and from
that standpoint make bold to assert the I'M
| ~; ~ +,,ro lDaoo If Tho uuion
Religion, mans relation to his God, is
personal and individual, and cannot be vica-
rious nor compulsory. In the economy of
Gods grace, a national religion, strictly
speaking, is solecism, an abSurdity. The
Holy Spirit regenerates by units. The Holy
Spirits work upon the individual heart is
indispensable to salvation. To love God with
all the heart and soul is constrained only by
the antecedent love of God. State policy
may establish a creed and enforce its out
ward observance by penalties, but the mind
the heart and the conscience cannot be fet-
tered.
Christ's kingdom is not of this world, ard
he is the supreme, absolute, single Head
No temporal prince can be. Before PLATE,
Jesus asserted his kingship, and in such a
manner as to show that his dominion was
compatible with the rule of an earthly gov
ernor. His kingdom is independent of civil
authority. Over his subjects no earthly pc.
tentate has spiritual jurisdiction. For a
State, by executive or legislative power, to
give law to Christian churches, to prescribe
creed or ministry, to determine the guests
and the manner of their gathering at the
Lords table, is more fragrant usurpatior
of sovereignty than for one of the Azores tC
assume to govern the world.
Christ and his disciples proclaimed and
practically asserted soul liberty, preferring
Imprisonment and death to submission to the
claim to control their worship.
Christ commissioned his disciples to preach
the gospel to every creature. The field il
the world. Union has barred until lately
one.half of Europe against jealous evange
lists, and States even yet lay off their ter
ritory into parishes, and prohibit Christ'i
ministers from preaching the gospel therein
Church and State have different functions
and different ministries. One looks to the
overt act; the other includes the inner life
The early churches were organized, grew
and prospered under the principle of abso
lutte separation from civil authority. Priol
to 313, government never offered assistance
g In many countries, through many ages, The
union has been the alliance of fraud an(
force to degrade the nations; the compact o.
the priest and the potentate to crush the
rights of conscience; the combination of re
gal and prelatical tyranny to repreSS true
religion"
Inspiration enjoins giving as an act O.
worship. Benefcence in support of churches
and ministers is duty and a privilege. The
contributions are to be cheerful and volun
tary. Christ never gave to civil rulers the
right to make assessments and collect money
for his kingdom. To patronize all denomi
nations is none the less the violation of the
New Testament than to patronize one.
The improvement in public opinion on this
subject has been wonderful. A few days
ago, in the Hungarian Parliament, a course
of legislation was proposed, to bring abou
the same relations between the State and re
ligious bodies in Hungary as exist in the
United States. Much of reform is yet need
ed. Disabilities are still imposed by gov
ernmentS, which undertake to prescribe and
regulate and support religion. Russia now
imprisons BaptiSts. The second article o.
the constitution declares an object of the AL
lance to be "to assist the cause of religious
freedom everywhere; to hold up the supreme
authority of the word of God" Religious
freedom is misnomer while an unhallowed
union exists betwixt Church and State. The
longer such unions exist, the more difficult
will be the solution of questions growing out
of them and the less successful will be the
labors of this Alliance in assisting the cause
of religious freedom.