The New York herald., 1876-12-01
ST. PAUL'S M. L. CHURCH.
THE CHRISTIAN REPUBLIc-sERMoN BY REV

IdE OhAAs4lAN LEX fCDLlC-cEhMON DI 6ENs
DR.. CHAPMAN.
Rev. DR.. Chapman. pastor of St Paul's Methodist
Episcopal church, delivered a discourse yesterday
morning ON the ''Christan Republic" In tho open
ing invocation he prayed the President the Senate
and House Of Representatives State legislatures
and for favorable issue to all the
perplcxing questions that agitate the country.
The second lesson the thirteenth chapter OF the
Epistlc of ST. Paul to the Romans of subjection to
MAGISTRATES In hts discourse Dr. Chapman said that the
people are standing upon the summit OF a century
OF national life, and the surrounding ncd so vast
and crowded that all embarrassed by the multitude
subjects that invite attention But TO his apprc
hension there is one subject that VIII demand
attention Than II has hitherto received. This
Christian Republic which seems to have been the
design the founders OF the nation as maintain
ing any particular form OF ecclesiastical worship
giving denominational preferences but rccog gnzing
God and tho confessed Word OF God and protecting all
forms OF worship that do not interfere with individual
rights or with society. II seemed TO him that
read the debates and discussions preceding
the Declaration OF Independence without thinking
the Christian religion underiaid all. The Colonial
Congress defined religion and said that the religion OF
this country was of the Protestant character Inomas
Jefferson, who is claimed by the sccularists, rccog
naed Divine Kuler, ana Daniel ~ webster said that
tany be made the basis Of the civil institutions
OF the country II was faith that made the
Revolution a success, and the fathers OF the
country put religion TO the front, belicving
tnat II was the conserving force OF all
human institutions They held religious liberty to be
as old creation and as Tar reaching human des-
tiny. So he would insist that this is Christian Re.
public and all its institutions revovc
Bible. It's Christian Republic dc fdcto, aud merely
in tho aims OF its designers All oaths adm Mustered
the Bible, there chaplanccs in the state egis-
latures, tho Sabbath Is observed and protected and
Is dies In legal and banking institutions.
Christianity asks no favor OF government.
1t has IT'S own laws, and IL cannot be protected, any
more than the ocean or electricity IL protects in
stead OF being protected The Christian Republic de-
pends upon three great principles The nrst is per-
sonal freedom. Without this there Is no republican
form of government II government means any thing,
IL that people can obey disobcy,
that is fix upon their own course OF
duct TEc second principle Is human equality
In all the immunities of citizenship. THIS Is
claimed by the Declaration OF independence and is
created right, but Is Inherent nnd inaenablc. Yet
for eehtyve years the doors OF the temple OF liberty
were closed until Abraham Lincoln threw them open
for the slaves To-day there is another fagrant out
rage upon equality and this Is the denial OF the
tive franchise women. They are subject tho
laws as mon their property lis taxed 10 support
the same government and they are as capable man
OF governing Sex has nothing to do with THESE mat
tcrs. the stands stulticd until the ballot
gwen To women There is another question that is
not easy To deal wtn Many persons are dsfrnn-
chiscd because they held TO bc in
competent. Among these arc minors, whose
until they attain their majority The age OF twenty-onc