Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-01-29
A CHRISTIAN NATION.

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A CHRISTIAN NATION.
While nearly all the civilized ma.
tons Of the earth are claiming the
christian name, how few are willing
to be governed by the spirit or the
laws Of him whom God has set upon
his holy hill of Zion To aflix the ap-
pellative Chiist'on Nation to any
earthly organization of government Is
misnomer; for Christ himself de-
clares that his kingdom is rot of this
world. A Christian Nation must be n
nation over which Christ presidcs in
his spiritual government His king
dom is so distinct from all the king
doms and nations of this world, that
except a man bo born again he can.
not see it and except man be born
OF tho water and of the Spilit he can
not enter it, or be citizen of it,
The new and spiritual birth which is
indispensable to perception of, or en-
trance into, tho kingdom of our God,
is not effected by blood, nor by the
will of man, but it is Of God. Man
cannot therefore resolve himself into
1t, nor can any nation OF the earth, by
legislative,en e,enactments, constitute itself
n Christian Nation. The church of
the living God is in the scriptures call
ed "Choscn Generation, Royal
Priesthood, a Holy Nation, a Peculiar
People; !" but all these names clearly
imply that they are chosen OF God in
Christ, as seed that shall serve him,
and be counted to him for genera
ton they being the children which
God has given him, aud which he
stands pledged to raise up at tho last
day Their holiness is OF God The
Lord is himself their Righteousness, as
It is written, "And their righteousness
is Of me, saith the Lord" The Hebrew
Nation. though perfect Theocrdcy,
was not Christian Nation, for the
Christian Church was not organized
until after tho resurrection of Christ
from the dead.
How preposterous then TO talk of
making the United States Christian
Nation by legislative cnactmcnts =
Arc those religious fanatics who from
tho commencement Of our nationality
have been SO ardently striving TO cs-
tablish a hierarchy in our country,
willing to bo governed themselves 6y
the laws OF Christ Do they love
their enemies, and do good to them
who despitefully use and persecutc
themY Are they ready TO beat their
swords into plowshares, and their
spears into pruo oing hooksY Do they
indeed desire and breathe tho spirit of
peace on earth, and good will to man?
Whatever may have 5ecn their pro
fessions, history brands Them with
very opposite proclivities. Behold,
says God, ye fast for strife and doLate,
and 10 smite with the fist of wicked
ness. Is not this the fast that God
approves, 10 loose the bands of wick
edness, TO undo the heavy burdens,
and to let tho oppressed go free, and
that ye break every yoke? Is it not
to deal thy bread to the hungry, and
that thou bring the poor that are cast
out TO thy house I? When thou seost
tho naked, that thou cover him, and
that thou hide not thyscll from thine
own flesh Z?
Imagine what kind Of Christian
Nation the puritanic pharisees would
make il they could carry out their
designs. With our National Capitol
surmountod with tho iuiago Of pa
gan deity, and the interior ornament.
cd with the god Of war, and many
other omblems of tho idolatry of the
people, with all manner Of corruption,
dishonesty in high and low places,
thirsting for blood, and ready to des-
troy one another. Yet, wonderful TO
think, that by a complimentary inscr.
lion Of the name Of God, of Christ, and
of Christian Sabbath, this sin defled
country, with all It's murders, its rob
berries, it's suicides, its crimc Of every
conceivable name and typo, is to be
transformed into Christian Nation,
by legislative enactment
AS VIC pass through our towns and
cities, how many magnificent temples
point their lofty spires up heavenward,
inscribed to st. Paul, st. John, St
Stephen, and many other imposing
names, in which not one of those
saints would be allowed TO preach the
doctrine of God our Savior, II they
were hero in the flesh. What splcn.
did mockcry, what garnislicd hypoc-
iicy Those who would as eagerly
stono the prophets of our God, and
shed tho blood of tho ministers Of
Christ, as did their fathers tho proph-
cts and apostles in the days Of old,
still crave TO bo called Christian Ma
ton, to take away their rcproach.
But If it were different with us,
even if in truth we could rightcously
claim TO bo the most upright, virtu-
ous and blameloss earthly nation and
people on tho face of tho Garth, still it
would bo saorilegious, If not down
right blasphemy, TO assume the sa-
cred name Of Christian Nation. That
the church of God is christian ma
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