Homer guardian., 1888-12-21
Is Human Leg islation Necessa.
ry to the Promotion Of
Pure Christianity.
BY l.. A. TRAILOR.

lover of soul liberty. 1t relates
both to this world, and to That
which is TO come. 1t refers us
both to temporal and spiritual
things; and leads us to consider
! the chief objects which should en-
gage tie christians attention
When ws take g retrospective view
Of the state Of christianity daring
the ages of the past, and note how
closely they guarded tive pure doc.
trines Of the cross, from human
inventions, and how they fought
every thing which tended to mix
religion and politics, church and
state; the present age Of fanatical
religion presents, on the whole,
melancholy scene Of human in
novations. While l rejoice over
the general siis:usloa of knowledge
through the efforts OF christian So
ciet;cs, undermining the fabric OF
superstition, dispelIiug the mists
Of ignorance, and turning the cur
rent of human thought into bet
ter channels; ! cannot too strongly
denounce every theory or prac
tice, which wrests the sceptre from
the hand Of the creator, and plac-
cs it IN the hand Of the creature.
My first proposition is, that
christianity Is in great peril, from
the intempored zeal Of its adyo,
Gates to enforce its principles by
human legislation.
There is in many. instances a
great amount of activity AMI zeal
manifested by the various chris.
tian societies; but we must take
care to discriminate between that
which is mere lanatical zeal, and
fire, and that which is pure gospel
precept. A man may be deeply
concerned for the perpetuty ofhis
religious opinions, and yet abso-
lutcly Indifferent to the opinions
Of others, and to the "rhus sayeth
the Lord There is plenty Of
zeal and t'evotcdness to our pecu-
Iiarviews of the laws which should
govern men, just because it is our
own, and this principal Of exclus-
ivcness tends greatly to provoke
the lispIcasure Of the unconvert.
ed, and drive him into open rebel.
ion. am not supposing that we
ought not to feel a great interest
in wholesome regulations by law
srl good order of socicty-that
we ongbt not to devote our cheif
energies, and prayers, and contri-
buttons to his end? But let Us
not be Influenced by a zeal which
would exercise Popish authority
and rule, not warrcnted by the
word Of God. Believe me, our
zeal, however high, our energies
however active, cur influence how
ever important and extensive, will
not be rightly directed, anal will
not bear the iln;ncll:a.e stamp Of
the Redecmers appreciation unless
however arlenlly attached We
may belo our peculiar opinions
we can spread ont orr a";as and
open Our cxtyn led bnsoms To EN-
brace will, unIei.ned love all men,
and bid them enjoy their own con-
scicn.ious convictions: BY these
means we may" "ssve some Of them ;
by coercing mover: My second
proposition IS, 'Tha: human legis-
lation is unnecessary to the evan
Lelalion Of the world, and Eay
rob christianity Of the peculiar Of
lice OF the Holy Spirit. This IS q
part Of The subject on whichit is
pleasant to cxpaliate. If there bc
any thing which is as delightful
as it is certain tits that thc things
which are impossible with men,
are possible with God; and where
men must confess the inadequacy
Of their efforts, the power Of the
spirit is there seen to shine and
triumph. AL! the good coming
forward from the efforts Of chris
tan societies, must be traced to
the influence of the spirit Of God.
He exerts an influence, which in
the Old Testament, is brought for
ward under the image of pouring
"water upon him that is thirsty,
and floods upon the dry land. "