Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-06-30

eu.so ~ hOA uISt mOOullgnt ramOio In the
old garden, attired in a cool white dress
sne was taken for the apparition- of her sis
ter.-S. A. Weiss in Frank Leslie.
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The CHURCH AND PROHIBITION.
The following is a synopsis of the sermon
delivered by Rev. ]. C. Barr in the 1st Pres.
byteriau Church of Charleston, W. Va, o1
which he is pastor, assisted by Rev. J. E
Becker, on Sunday. the, ,eosh ef June.
Acts XIV: 25: "And he reasoned ol
righteousness, temperance and judgment tc
come" II Corinthians K: 4: "For the
weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but
mighty through God.''
The public mind has never been 50 earn
est for the cause of temperance as at the
present time. The people seem to be awak-
ening to the magnitude of the evil of drunk
enness, and to be less willing to tolerate it
than ever before. The prejudice against
the cause of temperance is melting away,
and not only are men of temperate habits
united in their condemnation of the abuse
of strong drink, but large number of the
drinking men themselves would be glad if
the temptation we're forever put out Of their
sight. During the last Fifty years the church,
through her ministry, discipline and the
lives OF her members, has been the chief
agent in giving strength and vitality to the
cause. But in the last few years temper
ance work has been assuming altogether a
different character. 1t is now moving on
the line of legal restraints and seeking total
and universal prohibition. In this changed
aspect of the cause, there are two great dan
gers before the church, into one or the other
of which, she is liable to fall. One is that
of the church, entering into prohibition as
a political movement, bringing it into her
pulpit, and committing herself to it in her
church courts. Some religious denomina-
tions have already committed themselves to
it, and made prohibition, as it were, plank
in their platform. This is wrong and un-
scriptural. First it is wrong because it
transcends the missions assigned to the
church by her Divine founder and Head
He says, 'My kingdom is not ofthis world"
When called on to decide {; political ques-
ton, he refused to answer further than to
say, "Render unto Caesar the things that
are Caesars, and unto God the things that
are God's.'' He teaches, that his church is
exclusively spiritual organization, and ex-
ercises no power but that which is spiritual.
Her mission is to proclaim the gospel, to
reconcile men to God through the blood of
the cross, to imbue them with the spirit of
Christ, and send them forth to discharge
their social and civil relations, as their judg-
ment and philanthropy may dictate. Her
work is to make them wise unto salvation
and leave them free to choose whatever
party Or mode they may prefer, for promot-
ing the best interests of society and the
State. In the exercise of their Christian
$hary oil
their energy and zeal, into party which
has for its object the banishment from the
land of that monster ice-drunkenness.-
But in the capacity of a church, we have
nothing to do with this matter, as politi-
cal movement, either in the pulpit or in our
church courts. The church has no author
ity to league herself with any party which
has for it's object the welding of the civil
power. Our Lord acknowledged the op-
pressive heather government that ruled over
his country, and wrought miracle to pro-
cure the means of paying tribute to the op-
pressor. The apostles went through the
world preaching the gospel and sought no
changes in the laws over them. They went
on in obedience to the Divine Master
"Render unto Cesar the things that are
Caesars, and unto God the things that are
Gods" The great Thornwell said, '.The
church has no right to form or modify a
government for the State, and the State has
no right to frame a creed, or polity for the
church. They are as planets moving in diff
ferent orbits, and unless each is confined to
its own track, the consequences may be as
disastrous in the moral world as the COLI
sion of different spheres in the world Of
NATTER Our old Confession of faith
requires US, to keep within our own sphere.
It says, "Synods and councils are to handle,
or conclude nothing, but that which is
ecclesiastical, and are not to intermeddle
with civil affairs which concern the COM
monwealth, unless by way Of humble petit
tion in cases extraordinary, or for satisfac-
tion of conscience if they be thereunto call
ed by the civil magistrate" The church
must keep within it's own spiritual sphere.
There, she is not to know any political par
ty. According to the scriptura] rule, she is
to make no distinction between ''Greek and
Jew, Barbarian, Scythian, bond, OR free,"
and recognize only the ''new creatuae in
Christ Jesus"
Second. 1t is wrong for the church to fol-
low any religious, or moral question into
the political field, because she is forbidden
to fight with any but spiritual weapons =
'The weapons of our warfare are not carnal
but mighty through God" The badge of
the church's authority is the keys, by which
she opens the kingdom to believers in Christ,
and shuts it against the ungodly and i'm
penitent The badge of the civil power is
the sword which is a ''terror to evil doers
and praise to them that do WE'LL" The
power Of the church is purely spiritual, while
that of the State consists in force. Need
we tell intelligent Christians at this day,
that the church is not an institution that
undertakes to compel men to do right Are
we to stand in the pulpit, and tell men that
if they will not obey God we will bring the
law of the State ard Imprisonment to bear
upon them? And if the church is going to
use carnal weapons to make men obey God
with respect to temperance, why not go to
the root Of the matter? Why not compel
them, by force, to believe in Christ, change
their hearts and enter upon holy life? No,
no! The church reasons with men Of
Righteousness, temperance and Judgment
to come" 'tBy the mercies of God we be-
seech you" '.By the terrors of the Lord we
persuade men," and by the 'sleve Of Christ"
we constrain them. You may say that
these weapons are too gentle to overcome
the powers of the world and the force of evil
habits. Yes, but they are mighty through
God. Blythe power of his spirit they are
almighty. They 'pull down the strong
holds" of Satan and overthrow every ''high
thing that exalteth itself against God.''-
These are the weapons to which the church
must confne herself, and if she is tempted
to use physical force like Peter, she receives
the order from her divine head, ''put up
thy sword again to its place, for they that
take the sword shall perish by the sword" !"
Let her do her work in Gods appointed
way, and she will sanctify the world. But
let her go out of her sphere and use carnal
weapons to promote her ends, and she must
fail in her holy mission.
Third. The adoption or partial adoption
of any state question by church brings
strife and confusion into the house of God.
1t is impossible to make all men think alike
on questions Of public poliby and expedi-
ency Bring the question of temperance into
the church as matter of civil jurisdiction
or question to be decided at the polls and
you at once bring contention and jealousy
you awaken passion and prejudice amongst
| those who should dwell together in peace
and harmony. With such question fer
menting the church, political differences
| would be transferred to the house of God.
Do rk-~ - A1.ro o., ,TrI