The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1878-10-19

Nrnon BY the Rev. T. J. Hough.
divered last Sabbath in tho Protestant
Church in this City.
Render therefore unto Caesar the things
hat are Caesars; and unto God the
tjngs that are Coda
Mathew 22-2l.
1t is a question of great delicscy how
ar the discussion of civil and secular At
airs should enter into the ministratlons
Of tho Pulpit, and to settle this q eS-
lion We have had recourse to the exam
pies of Christ and his Apostles, believing
that their examples We're intended a"
patterns for Us. St. Paul speaking on
the subject of duties to Government
says, "Let every soul BE- subject unto
the higher powers, for there is no power
but Of God; the powers that be are Or
dained of God; FOR rulers are not a Ter
ror to good works, hut evil'-and Christ
says in tho language Of OUT text, Ken
der therefore under Cesar the things that
are Cesar's," or in other words render
INTO the government under which 20"
live and which protects y0n the things
that ar. due to that government. .
The christian man in tho discharge OF
his political, or other duties, desires TO
he governed bN the Apostles injunction.
"whatsorver you do in word or deed, 90
all in the name Of the Lord Jesus. This
direction is broad and comprehensive,
and there il no danger of error \" long
Az VIZ adhere to this adlmonition. But
the christian man Of to-day finds the
same difficulty in arriving at q satlsfac
tory conclusion az to his duty, that the
citizens Of Eph-sus did when st. Paul
created such an excitement on account
oftheir Idolatrous worship, he told them
thar "Thry were no Gods which were
made with han,is,' land when they heard
these sayings they were full OF wrath,
and cried ont saying. Cheat is Dian"a of
tho Ephesians' Some therefore. cried
one thing and some another. for the az
semhly was confused; and tho most part
knew not whereof they were called TO-
gether.' That crowd at Ephesus was
very much like some Of our modern PO-
)itical Conventions. some men cry ont
for Que measure and semr tor anoth
until the assembly becomes confused,
and the greater part Of them know not
whereof they have been called together.
And then look at the varions shades
of political opini"ns. all adhered to with
equal zeal, we have Democrats and Re-
puhicaDs, Nationals and Grernbackcrs,
i.aburingm-n aud COMMUNISTS. all with
their candidatrs in the field at one point
or another. ana their orators on the ros
trum. They have ~ many different
views of political economy as there arc
parties. each maintauin. his proposition
aud drno,ncing all other movements,
Nov, amid this mass IF apparent con-
fusion, We ask pray+rfnlly for divine
guidance as to our duty as citizens, and
in this, az all other matters, the Will Of
God should b. th6 rule Of action
We STE that Onr text contains its own
natural divisions.
lst. Our duty to onr government.
end. Our duty to God.
We shall discuss the text in the prdel
presented and let us speak first of "ul
political duties.
The leading doctrine of scripture il
that government is an ordinance of God
it was manifrstly his will that Men should
live in society, the laws he has given tt
men prescribing their relative duties. as
sNkAne the permanent existence of Mocha
I'd Nations, and therefore place them III"
d .r regulation, from this fact the divine
81 bpointment Of government flows as Z
d eeessary consequence The origin OF
,bower is not therefore from man, but o.
8iod. 1t is not left as a choice to mer
khetler they will submit to he governed
Or not, Submit yourself to every or'li-
finance of man for the Lords sake says
the Apostle.
Human government exists as neces
| sary evil, it would never have been es
! tablishtd but for sin. Human govern
ment is established for the purpose O
protecting life, liberty, property alt
reputation. The preamble to the Con
stitution of the United States beautifully
sets forth the purposes Of our laws. Il
says, 1--WE, the people Of the United