The state journal., 1884-04-05
Church and State as Viewed by
I'D. Lewis, L. Id.

In the perusaI OF Inc nttle pamPh-
let containing the lecture of J. D.
Lewis ESQ.,, on Church and State, we
are confronted with much matured
matter both as to church and state
his descriptive origin of the church
which he claims dates from the time
Constantine became Emperor OF the
East as we'll as the West is very
concise and graphically stated, his
farther portraying of the old poten-
tates, bishops and statesmen bespeak
for Mr.. Lewis superior cultured
mind. His reasonings are good, his
conclusions are logical, the artistic or
CLASSICAL manner in which he arranged
the different parcels of his lecture,
represent the man, the scholar, the
lawyer and the profound student of
political economy. We promise in
the future to give more comment,
great deal more laudation to this excel
lent lecture of Mr.. Lewis in its every
detail, but for the present we shall
confine ourselves to the wholesome and
timely suggestions or advice to church
direct to our brethren. He asks "are
Civil Liberty and Moral advancement
subjects worthy of our Protestant
Church Is not purity, civil equality
and justice to all mankind the religi
Gus liberty which God inspired and
Christ taught?'' If so, then our pull
pit must have been designed as an
educator, he further charges the col
ored protestant pulpit with derelic
ton of duty by not exercising those
powers within their grasp to secure
the civil liberty of her race. This
charge is, alas, too true. A goodly
number of our clergymen are and
have been too avaricious to further
advise their hearers than to urge them
to be liberal in their contributions.
This system is happily being dispelled
and we hope for the good of all that
Mr.. Lewis's matured suggestions will
be strictly adhered to, that our people
should be tod and taught the power
of self reliance, that they should think
for themselves Tin one thing especially
in the selecting of aud voting for men
for office, that they should at once
come from under any tyranical Mon
archy whom they may be serving
under the subterfuge of gratefulness
is consummation devoutly hoped for.
We approve of free speech, free bal
lot and fair count. Continued ALI,
ance to any one political party with
out proper care and representation pro-
portionately with our voting strength
is dangerous policy, said party will
soon think they own US We are at
loss to know why any party should
think us indebted 10 them. We
helped to fight and win the battles of
the country, we have for years voted
and worked with our colleagues in
arms and we now see no reasons for
changing if they give US slice of the
cake, but when they fail TO do this,
then in politics, as in war, we will aid
the party who will share the cake and
appreciate the means to the end, in
politics, as in business, work for the
party who serves US best. We wholly
depreciate any more special legisla
ton hut VIC do ask fair chance in
the race of life, politically, mechanic
ally and otherwise. If free Ameri-
ca would see all her people succeed,
let there be no more closed doors Gas
to any race) to their factories, round
houses, mills, machine shops and, in
short, to no mechanical or agricultural
pursuit, but let the fitest, irrespective
of color, enter therein and compete
for supremacy. Especially should we
be posted in the art of manufacturing
and using the gun, as says Mr.. Lewis
"we should learn self-defence for
unless there is a cessation of hostili-
ties in the south we may soon be
called upon topractice what we * Hi,
of the art, Upon the 8PCharles swe
g. taeEG9%rsshh'tafe6d the following resolut
to which were adopted:
ere Resoloed, That we the membe
FIVE this convention will not pledge
oou selves to any party or candidat
the coming campaign.
'reiy ReSolUed, That the thanks of
ad- convention are hereby given to
the President for the able, dignifed
,rtv impartial manner in which he
presided over its deliberations. an