New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-10
CHRISTIANITY AND LIBERTY.
NY PRESIDENT W. II. CAMPBELL, D. D., NEw-BRUSs-
WICK, N. ].

CHRISTIANITY AND LIBERTY
NY PRESIDENT W. II. CAMPBELL, D. D., NEw-BRUNS-
WICK, N. J.
Christianity ia the power of God abiding IN
His Word in people, and in bis supernatural Provi-
deDce In order 70 save It's central truth the
worth OF human soul. and the purpose Of God TO save
It, The human soul is the lost sheep, the lost piece OF
silver the lost the parallels and God and the good
angels rejoice when the lost is found and the dead son
IN alive again. And TO lost soul is to free 1t from
she guilt and degradation Of ain. From the guilt OF sin
ut snoe and upon believing From the degradation OF
SIN little by little, pedeiennfn Ell Gradahm, step by
STEP vet surely; for God is engaged in It, and must
70 on Salvation from this degradation is furthermore
progress in which the lost one is made able and Willing
70 do the will of God. His capacities and suscepuDnlues
doing and deghting in the true the just and the
good steadily enlarge and at length ne shall attain 70
Ihe measure OF stature Of the fullness Of Christ
Now Just in proportion this gradual work advances,
the man win crave the right ana the room TO enjoy all
that may helpful 10 his highest weloeng, and TO be
freed from all without which may burden IT, And per-
civil and religious liberty that state OF society IN
which each is allowed TO seek and Is helped In seek
Ing his highest good. We are very far, as yet,
from having attained tins perfection Ana as 70 tne
the conviction IL strong that they are due directly TO
Christianity and our confident ex OF iS
hinG IN the future rests upon the promise ana power OF
God alone for can hnd elsewhere the Factors ca
pabIe of producing the desired result The selfish heart
VI the natural man SAYS: " IL Is not rom me- FROM me
the despOt and the ronheeed Ohgarchy ana the
nurderous army bearing n5e ana s%GrG NO, no 6
Christianity comes no lifting up or the dOWn-trOudeh
caring for the individual no giving MN room ana
The Christian, however will have no quarrel with the
historian who IN tracing the progress OF the peoples
enumerates the power OF the SWORD, the power "a
wealth. the power OF learning. and the power OF adYen
ous circumstances and SO forth as conducting TO TINS
progress Ii may all SO be. But II That progress mas III
any OF the elements OF civil and religious liberty that
Is caring for the individual man. II VIII be dlhcnt 10
strong conviction OF the CHRISTIAN that be-
hind the sword and the wealth. ana the learning
there q higher power winch gives these all their force
And thats the truth which lies mbedded in Christian
ny, and nowhere else, OF the worth OF the ndlvana
when saved the lesson OF love was written by me holy
Spirit " thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyset Ana
there too he finds mbedded that other TRUTH that God
takes care OF his rescued lost ones VINO seek 70 10 MS
will" they went from one nation TO another, from
Kingdom 10 another people, He suffered no man TO
d them yea He reproved kings for their sakes
saying, touch not mine aD0lnted and do my prophets
And so. too, behind those things which the historian
calls adyenttOus circumstances the Christian Will dis
cover overriding Providence, which takes off the
chariot wheels OF the enemies, and makes them drive
heavily when Gods time OF overwhelming comes
tson of his recovered lost ones You remember what
Bishop Butler, in bis Analogy OF Religion says about
the tendency OF ~ prevail over brute force when
time or place for counsel ana concerted action have
been afforded Now, Christianity Is the reason that 1t
10 in this world aud its contest Is with all else here
which rs just unreason in opposition to all that seeks
the highest good OF man as man Now Christ is here
the wisdom Of God for this end. The Holy Scriptures
the wisdom Of God for the same end And all who
do the will Of Christ are the children OF wisdom, who
prevalent over the folly which is the world
And all else is folly, the selnshness OF in
now worketh the children OF dsobedience. But the
wisdom is 10 get the mastery not by the determination
converting them from their opposition TO the individual
webeng OF into It's friends and helpers. To effect
this the agency OF Christianity has been devised and set
operation by God. For this end help was laid upon
Him who is mighty 10 save and, therefore Christ be-
Light of the World reveal in His teachings and life all
truth needed free the earth from all its ignorance
sins and woe. So too, the Priest He dies sacrifice
for the sins OF the world His aOnement being flushed,
He lives 20 ntercede, praying TO the Father that for
octua for the saving Of men. And lastly He becomes
the KING all power beng ntrusted TO Him that He may
perfect AL tina; coneerneth His work
But while the efficient agent in all this is Cod the
strumental agents are Christians. And hence Christ
srder that they may DO His work Hence. as prophets
they too are light of the world, who to have
Christ's truths written their hearts and living
in their thoughts experiences and actions that there
shall be IN them. in faint degree, that wondrous
Prophet As priests too, they first offer themselves,
living sacrifice OF conservation 10 the service OF God
If chPsi sat All benign ends Of christianity may be
gained aud lastly as kings they have real authority
IoeI anu I baS RomSu both kings and commopeTs
Milan fearing the Lord Of all more than the sovereign OF
this world excluded TheOdosius, for his acts OF cruelty
from the church. and by appeals 20 his conscience had
power over him prevent another terrible efusiOn OF
blood And so had john Knox power over Mary Queen
10 death the cOntessors Of Christ Scotland thus
thering IN eminent degree the Reformation in that
thus YOU that the whole power of God brought
bear through the Divine Word the people OF God and
the providence OF Christ to evil. There IS
an agency adequate for the fullest results Of civil
and religious liberty namely that there shall be moth
ING 10 hurt or destroy And the declarations OF the
scriptures are full and explicit that such peaceful
state shall be enjoyed not only but 1t shall be the
product OF this diNlDelY appointed agency.
But are able 70 show that Christianity has had any
direct influence in causing civil and religious lib
erty9 We premise that the Instrumental agents
OF Chrisany are abomi tbe reaGory WORK
hs.l an all r. IN
And this being stated reply that from the beginning
OF history down the birth OF Christ ind no trace
Of evil liberty outside OF the Jewish theOcracy. Else
there recognition OF the rights OF man as an
tndtdua no caring for his individual interests There
are privileged classes. aud caring for them But the
machinery society did not run 10 take care OF the
indlvidua he was the tool of the society," but his
weIl'beinc was nowhere tho end OF its action. But
IN the Jewish thcOcracy (Which was just preparatlve
Christianity the fundamental trutn in far as our
oneself The Government was formed for the welDelng
OF the Individual aud he consequently helped and
protected in an his civil rghts. He mad also, in
OF II, full religious liberty tie was protected ano
helped in the exercise of worship Of God But
the heocracr knew nothing Of religious liberty in that
other and most important aspect OF H. the u
those did not receive and pratce the Mosaic Ritual
The theocracy seems 10 have had liberation Tor re
ng1Ous dissent.
When then Christ appears we ind his teaching. on al
points, such have described It, He inculeates al
that IN which the Mosaic dispensaton had anticipated
but ne neulcates more. for the final revelation OF love
Will De fuller than Its beginnings Ills laws OF federation
OF religious dissent, for example. When James and
john Vexed because certain Sanartans did not receive
Christ, begged the Master saying, Lord wilt thou that
command nre 10 come down from heaven and con
sumo them, as Elias didp lie turned and resuked
them, saying. Ye know not what manner
of spirit ye are Of Christ TO destroy. but 10
save. And he reDuked his disciples failing TO APP
preciate His spirit ana the purpose Of his coming All
az men He viii effect by love alone His spirit NJ oy e.
and he has no other way Of winning over enemies but
nv gentlepess and forbearance Aud the life and power
- fhnstianity whenever 1t has exhibited vitality has
canssted In the possession OF this spirit which
consttues the very being OF Christ.
And now Christ having asceudod TO heaven Christi.
.rify roee forth upon Ms mission, and II produced
ndr,ns chanees IN many directions But IL was cen
es before its influence bad reached the IL the
first three centuries the state was heathensh and
sxhen f0e Roman empire had become so-ealed Chris
s,nnre thep Christians ruled. But the innermos