Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-11-29

| the whole ashore outside OF the CUSTOM mouse
corrupting the officials by share of the booty
| There is a deafness of conscience on this sub
| ject, which needs the quickening of an earnest
| and solemn Scriptural representation. Con.
slider your taxes as debts, and let there be nc
| illegal and underhand arts employed tn evade
| or reduce them.
| At the same time, it is certainly the duty Of
| rulers to make the taxes as light as the rea
necessities of the country will permit, to dis.
tribute them SO in proportion to the varying
ability of the citizens that none shall be un.
justly burdened, and to be unselfsh, honest
and economical in spending the public money,
especially IN time OF prevailing distress.
II. We ore to all in authority, according to
their different stations, ciyn respect and honor,
both IN our speech and BEHAVIOR.
This also is duty which arises out Of the
fact that civil government is an ordinance OF
God, and it is especially enjoined in His word,
where we are enjoined to 'honor the King,
and mot curse the ruler of the people, DE
spising dominion, and not being afraid to
speak evil of dignities," were marks of the
false teachers of whom Jude and Peter wrote.
We should be very careful to avoid any APP
proach to that which is so severely condemned
| IN the scriptures. l do not know of any
country where the warning is moro needed
distinguishing features of our politics, and
hingiLg mud at public officials seems to be
held as one of the dearest rights of American
citizens. Newspapers and political orators will
originate and give currency TO defamatory
falsehoods in regard to the magistracy of the
country, and hurl at them broadside of con-
temptuous expressions which circum-
stances can excuse, and whose result
must be to degrade the offices as we'll as the
men who hold them. Partisans either side
take up and echo such language, and the rank
and file of voters, on one side or the other, be-
lieve the stories and labor under the me]an-
choly impression that the country is going to
the dogs; and, whoever is President large
part of the people denounce him as King Log, :"
sent splashing down into the pool by an angry
heaven.
Neither party has monopoly of this habit
OF disrespectful talk concerning rulers. 1t is a
diseased overgrowth Of good thing in our sys-
tem--that freedom Of thought and speech
which, kept within the limits of decency and
courtesy, is one of our most precious privileges.
We need not withhold the language of disap-
provai and censuro when it seems required but,
whatever sentence we are called to pronounce,
let it not be in terms of railing and contempt.
The efficiency of men in office depends much
upon the reputation in which they are held.
Pile all the Billlngsgate vocabulary
upon them, and you not only en-
barrass them in their duties, but you
go far to take away all sense of decency and
shame from them and make them such your
charges donate. And then, rulers the
representatives of the community, we show by
cur Difference to them that reverence which we
entertain for the public, of which they are the
federal head. There is respect due to the
Office apart from the personal character OF
them by whom it is filed.
III. We ore cordial alleg,ano. to the s.,ue,,a-
ment Of our country and submission to its la,cs.
Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars, ~
said Christ. "Whosover resisteth the power,
resisteth the ordinance of Cod" said Paul.
We may not resist or refuse obedience, because,
in our judgment, the demands and enactments
are unreasonable unconstitutional; for,
while unjust and unconstitutional measures
are wrong, system of government could
possibly put the power of determining such
questions into the hands of private individuals.
I can find in the Bible only one lmita-
ton to the obedience we should render
to the officers of government. When the
orders of human authorities oppose the positive
commands OF God, we dare not hesitate; "We
augur to obey God rather than man" We
rust render to God the things that are Gods,
well as to Cesar the things that are Caesar's.
No other scriptural limitation can be found.
Under certain circumstances of grievous
justified, before the eye of history, and in the
sight of God, in forcible resistance. Every
such case must be determined solemnly upon
his own merits, in view of all the circum-
stances and with regard to the consequences.
The Bible makes no provision for rebellion
against merely political tyranny, and every at
tempt to define the liberty of resistance will be
found to open the door of anarchy.
That government to which Christ and Ills
apostles urged men to give q hearty allegiance,
obeying not from fear, but for conscience sake,
was despotism, and the rulers were entitled to
ne respect, apart from that which be-
longed to their official trust. lie al
legiance to such government was
enjoined as part Of duty to God, what excuse
can there be for lawiessness and looseness I'M
der such a government as ours? An old Eng
lish picture represents a king, with the motto
beneath, II govern all;'' bishop, with the
sentence, II pray for all;'' soldier, with che
pulls out his purse and exclaims, with a rueful
countenance, Il pay for all" The American
citizen combines the functions of these four.
He is king, prophet warrior and laborer. He
governs, prays and fights for himself, and pays
all the expenses. We are, in an especial man
ner. put upon our honor to obey the laws
which. more than any other people, we have q
hand in imposing upon ourselves; and slack
allegiance goes to prove unworthy of the
position we have taken people who have
enough virtue aud self-control to govern our
selves.
This sort of talk is not uncalled for. Vain
and superficial minds think lightly of the
foundations of government and the perma-
nence of social institutions, and they
are willing to hazard the most dam
gerous experiments upon existing lava
to remove the slightest evils. A vindictive
hatred OF order and position inhames others
with an aversion to all regular government
IL, g
rather than that any Should be higher than
they, they would have the whole social edifce
pulled to the ground.
There are others who ascribe all possible evils
to government, and if they are not successful
in their undertakings, they lay the blame, not
on their own negligence and laziness, but on
the laws and regulations OF their country. In
speaking lightly of governments, they are 1e-
Wiling an ordinance the most necessary of all
human things to be kept in sacred respect.
The remedy for such evils is in the hands of
the patriotic people of the land. Let US Gull
tiyate and propagate spirit of reverence for
law, open out the avenues to honorable occupa-
ton, and seek to lift our whole population up
into the light and peace of God, and we shall
have the surest pledge for the stability of our
government and the security of our social order.
intended to speak of several other duties.
Isthought to enforce, for one thing, the duty OF
all good citizens to cast their votes, and aid in
eicFstluS Iis55ut Alutl VI lIcl Z De-
lieve that many Christian men act selfishiy,
and fail in a positive duty, in absenting them
selves from the polls, and letting the mob, in
some instances, have it all their own way. So
also, it seems to me, that it is undutiful for a
Christian to reject power, when it is offered,
and he could be of use. But we must deny
ourselves the further consideration of these
subjects.
". Let me sag, in the fourth place, that
are ought to pray aDiU earaestness and fire.
qtency for The gouea7szaent and rulers Of oa1
country. i
All ideas of benefit from any human institu-
ton are vain, unless God impart His enriching
blessings: and everything which hears The