Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-09-16
THE RELATION or CHRISTIANITY no GOV.
EPNhENT.

AZ UNION SeTVICe OF ulf10r1nL
denominations of Christians held in
the Presbyterian Church on last
Thanksgiving day, Nov. "a, 1881, a
sermon was delivered by Rev. J :.
r. Goodpasture, pastor of the Cum.
berland Presbyterian Church. From
that part of the manuscript and
notes, which relate to the above
subject, used on that occasion, he
has prepared and furnished US the
report given below, which does not
pretend to be literal, but while
abridged in some places and elabo-
rated in others, is substantially cor
rect
Ie.rt, I2S. 100, 3-5.
The pious custom, in conformity
with which the President of the
United States has, by his procla-
nation, set apart this day as day
of national thanksgiving to God for
his merciful providence towards us,
is a becoming recognition of his
great goodness and our entire de-
pendence upon him. And it GER
tainly is appropriate to the occasion
for ChristiansAhis children-on this
day to assemble themselves together
at one place, whore it is praetica-
bic, and without regard 10 denomi-
national names, mingle their voices
in one common service of thanks
giving and praise to the one God
and father of Us all Let us call
afresh to our minds to-day the fact
that us a nation we are directly and
manifestly indebted to God for the
conception and establishment OF
that wise system of government
from the chiefeXecutIve of which this
proclamatiQa was issued Itrequire-
the restraining Influences and self
denial Of Christianity, to cause those
who form governments for nations
to recognize so much OF power and
of personal liberty, rs belonging OF
right to the governed, with the in
cidental curtailment OF power ON
the part OF those who govern. 1t is
contrary to that spirit of ambition,
which has so universally character
lied the lives Of great. men where
they were not affected by the re-
straining influences of Christianity.
The history of heather lands in all
ages, furnishes no example of like
recognition of the right of the gov
erned to be invested with supreme
political power, and have its exer-
else guaranteed to them by cOnsti- !
tutiOnal provision. How much of
this influence was felt by each indi-
vidual, as the result of personal |
convictions of duty, and how much |
of it was felt-thrOugh the assertion
of such convictions on the part of |
those who did feel them, shall not !
here undertake to say; but how
ever that may be, this influence |
eminating originally from religious
convictions of duty, in its effects
NAlACNNll lliC vi |
some, and in Over5hadowing others,
was sufficiently powerful to over
come meaner and more grasping
and selfish inflence7 of. human ma
ture, aud secure to us, as the gift of
God, the most liberal and wise sys-
tenn of government that men had |
ever conceived and established up /
to that time. For this we should |
he thankful. 1
But again, let us not forget that
it has also required the same intlu-
ence to perpetuate this government
since its establishment. But for
Christianity the work of Washing |
ton and the other fathers OF the Re-
public would not, we may safely
suppose, have long survived them.
MOntesqueiu has said that virtue is
the principle of republics. He
might have given a fuller express
sion to truth il he had said that
Christianity is the only solid foun-
datiOn upon which to hope for their
perpetuity.I do not refer to single
developments of Christianity, but
to that general enobling and eleva-
ton Of character and life that is
everywhere impaired to the true
and sincere followers of Jesus. You
cannot preserve such a government
unless the people themselves are
under Christian influences. There
must be something in the hearts of |
men to make them want TO do right
themselves and prevent others from
doing wrong. Whenever they sink
into state of dishonesty, wicked
ness and corruption, in which as in
dividuals they are not influenced
by the spirit Of Christ and the pre-
cepts of the Bible, this state of
moral decay and pollution will tend
to eNhale public sentiment 50 de-
graded and destructive of human
rights, as to demonstrate an in
capacity to enjoy wise government;
and bad men will be emboldened to
publicly side with vice and wrong,
and ultimately to overthrow and
destroy the unmerited heritage of
degenerate posterity. In view of
these facts, we may well thank God
that through so many years, and
Notwithstanding 50 many trials and
dangers, such as have hurled other
republics before us into ruin, ours
has thus far been preserved.
l think it will not be improper
for me in this connection to speak
of the sinful disposition of human
nature to murmur and complain.
This spirit is manifested in the or
binary daily labors and trials Of
life, but following more closely the
line OF thought before pur sued,
would especially challenge atten-
ton to the fact that it is, aud has
ever been, VIGOROUSLY manifested
toward government laws and off |