National Republican., 1875-12-08

Blythe highest and best authority in the land
this day has been designated for public thanks
giving to Almighty God. Thanksgiving implie
two dutics-gratitulc for mcrcies past anG
present and such conduct as shall merit the con
tinuanee OF corresponding blessings in the year
that are to come.
The year that ends to-day has been marked bl
the severity and the goodness of God. To reminC
us Of our dependence upon Divine Providence
destroying insec,s, in countless multitudes have
been permitted to ravage large sections of our ma
tional domain; and, as punishment for personal
extravaganza, for dishonesty in business and fol
false system of government finance, We have
suffered from commercial failures, from depres.
sion of trade and from the loss of confidence, one
in the other.
These voices OF the Divine displeasure should
be reverently needed. They are the solemn warn.
ings Of Him who is the author Of natural and re-
Vealed law. Our reYerSes are not so much special
dispensations Of evil to nation as the result OF
. disregard of the old and fOreveTabiding laws OF
human society. To live beyond our income is q
crime; to transact business beyond our capital is
dishonesty; to expose national currency to the
schemes of unscrupulous stock-gamblers, at whose
bidding the price of gold rises and falls is to im
peril our prosperity and subject our nation to
financial crises.
On the other hand how manifold, how abun-
iant how manifest has been the goOdnes of God
70 US as individuals and to the nation we love so
well. No foreign foe invades our land, no intes-
tine war RACES within our borders; pestilence is a
stranger to our homes, and famine is a foreigner
TO our hearthstOnes. Competency waits on honest
industry; intelligence is the heritage Of all; law
IS obeyed and authority is respected. He hath
not dealt so with any nation
But rising above all these considerations in
magnitude, in desirableness and glory, are the
religious privileges which guaranteed to us by
the solemn sanctions of constitutional law. Hero
no ruinous alliance Of Church and State cripples
the former and embarrasses the latter. Here
the private conscience is supreme in faith and
worship. Here Christianity develops her self
sustaining and Safeguarding power, without law
10 intermeddle, without civil ruler to interfere,
without priest, cardinal, Pope to stand between
the citizen and the God whom he adOres.
1t is in recognition Of these religious rights the
common possession of every citizen Of our Repub-
lie. that the text has been chosen for this memor
things which are Caesars; and unto God, tho
things that are Coda" This passage is the an
sWeT to one of the most perplexing questions ever
proposed to Christ
Palestine was Roman province governed by
prO-cOnsuls and taxed to support the Empire. The
current coin was Roman. bearing the image and
SuperscriptiOn of TIberias Caesar. The Jews
were divided in sentiment as to the imposed tax.
Some maintained that they could not lawfully
inasmuch as they were under foreign govern
ment and could not free themselves therefrOm, IL
was their duty 70 pay the tribute. Taking ad-
vantage Of this divided sentiment certain Hero
Cians who had accepted Caesars government
sought to ensnare Christ in this dispute by the
question: ''Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar
or mote" To which he replied In the language of
the text 1t was subtle, embarrassing question.
Had Christ decided exclusively for CeSaE, the
Pharlsees present would have denounced Him as
the enemy Of the Jewish theocracy. Had he de-
cided against paying tribute to Cesar, tho
Herodians would have charged Him with rebellion
against the Roman government. Had He decided
against both God and Caesar His own followers
would have rejected Him as the enemy OF both.
Who does not await with trembling our Lords
reply? But His answer avoids these difficulties
and displays His marvellous wisdom. His response
covered His enemies with confusion and His
friends with glory. Casar is satished and God
is honored. He draws the distinction between
Church and State. He assumes that to the State
belong honor, obedience and tribute; to the
Church we owe fidelity, piety and nberality. He
thereby teaches us that. while the object OF both
is identical-the we'll being Of man-yet their
spheres of action are altogether dissmilar. They
have q common origin in God, are coordinate
parts Of one great plan for the recovery OF the
humanity from sin and misery. and both are es
sentEl to the attainment Of the highest degree oil
Christian citizenship.
author of Christianity has declared the mutual
and reciprocal relations of Church and State for
the well-being Of our race, yet He has authorized
their separation and announced their lndepend-
Z And let us thank God that our political and re-
ligiOus history of a hundred years has demon
both by our own unparalleled national prosperity
and by the bene6cent influence Of our example on
the opinions OF other nations.
THREE GREAT FACTS.
Our Lord distinctly declared three great facts:
That the authority OF the State comes from God.
-To PiIatc he said: Thou couldst have no power
at all against me, except il was given thee from
above And a comment on these words OF his
master St Paul adds: Let every soul be subject
no the higher powers. The powers that be are
ordained of God. For there is no power but
of God Whose, therefore, resistcth the power,
resistcth the ordinance Of God: and they that re-
sist shall receive unto themselves damnatiOn."-
That the Iaw-giving power of the State in all
sccuIar affairs IL absolute and must be Obeyed by
His followers. except when civil law cOntrayenes
the prccepts Of His religion. All must '-render
unto Caesar the things that are Caesar & and He
Himself set the example by paying the tribute
demanded Of Him.
And that the Church and the State are separate
and independent, ''renGer unto GOd tho thln9s
that arc Gods"
Tbcse three great truths arc founded in the
order and constitution Of nature. The right to
rule and the duty to obey are from God. Older
than governments older than constitutions, older
than laws are these two factors of civil govern
ment Prior to the State, prior TO the church, is
the family, and in the family are the rudiments OF
an empire [Paley.) BY divine appointment the
father is the Legislator. the Judge and the execu
tive: and the first family of our race toreshadowed
the civil order of society. As families increased,
the father of each became subject to power re-
presented by the fathers Of all the families then
existence. Hence out Ot the family came the
state which defined the duties of the individual
Man j. so constituted that he instinctiyely COM
mits to the community Of his fellOw-men the pro-
lection Of his rights and the redress OF his wrongs;
and, in turn his fellow-men instinctiyely as
sumo this authority He and they do this innO-
Gently, and with all the force OF natural law,
(Wayland) 1t is not a matter Of choice whether
a man will or will not become member Of civil
society. He becomes member Of il as soon as he
begins 70 live. Society bestows upon him the full
benefits Of its protection. and demands Of him the
performance OF certain specified duties. Out Of
This mutual relation come the rights and duties of
patriotism. In recognition thereof tho citizen
obeys the laws pays his taxes. and, IL necessary,
deTOtes his life for his cOUntrys good: aRd as an
equivalent for the faithful performance of these
several duties the citizen receives redress for his
wrongs, protection for his life and property, the
advantages of education and religions freedom.
Thus the benehcence Of government Is presump-
tive that il il a divine Institution; and this pre-
sumption is intensified into demonstration of the
solemn declarations of God himself: "By me kings
reign and princes draw Justice ''He putteth
that be are ordained of GOd.''
But the form of government. whether paternal
or aTistocTauc, Whether autocratlc or republican,
is left to the will and circumstances of the people,
Unquestionably, q Republic demands the highest
degree Of intelligence and virtue. and such inteli-
pence and virtue demand q Republic wherein
the people rule and the rulers serve. In a Repub-
Tic, individuality IL the distinguishing feature.
Every man counts one. The ballot is the expires
sion Of his will In Republic the citizen is greater
than the State, greater than the Constitution
greater than the Administration. as these were
created by him and for him.
But whatever may be the form Of government
the power Of the State in all secular matters Is
absolute, and must be Obeyed. To this there is
contrayentiOn of the plain precepts of religion:
but exception namel where the civil law Is in
E'Rendcr unto CRsar the things which are CRsar's,
and unto God the things that are Gods" What
ever bears his Image and superscriPton," give it
10 Caesar: it belorgs to Cesar, and God says,
Caesar snail have l.. But II Caesar demands that
Hhereon are not his Image and superscriptiOn;"
If he asks your homage to his idol; if he claims
the right to control your conscience; then in the
language of st. Peter, 1--WE ought to obey God,
rather than men.'-ActS, v:29.
In this there is no divided allegiance: for, to
render what is lawful to Cesar Is to obey and
honor God. The earth is the citizen; the moon is
the State; the sun is God. Earth and moon have
n common relation to the sun. The moons orbit
is included within the orbit of the earth: but the
sun sWays and balances both of them and there is
not movement of either inferior planet that Is
not an act Of obedience to the superior planet
So each lawful act of the State and Of the citizen
is homage paid to God.
by the Master that Church and State are distinct
in their respective spheres Of action; and although
parts Of a great plan for the advance
ment Of the race, yet they are TO remain separate
and free to accomplish their Divine missions.
PRovIS tE OF THE STATE.
1t is the province sbf the State to secure and
the well tng Of society in all temporal
matters. The StatSi organized for the protection
Of all the natural and tustlyacqured rights of the