Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-12-06


servable that the religious element of
the nation when laid in the balance is
found wanting. This is the element
that gives character to the nation with
respect to all that is virtuOus and pure
and Just. 1t is the conservative element
in the body polite. But is it not Ia
mentally wanting in its sense of prlyl-
lege and duty, if we may judge by its
recognition and observance of days of
public national thanksgiving? How
often do empty pews testify to the
church's practical ingratitude to God
for his mercies, to the nation of which
we are all component parts as citizens,
as well as fellow-citizens of the saints
and of the household of God. In view
of these facts, then, we should .'reJoice
with trembling"
2d-We should be thankful that we
have Christian Nation-a government
embodying Christian ethics in its funda-
mental law and magistrates s-chief and
subordinate give public recogni-
ton and Endorsement to the Christian
religion. This nation is not atheistic, it
is not Jewish nor Mohammedan, nor
pagan. The elements that made France
during the revolution atheistic, Israel of
old Jewish, that make Turkey Moham-
medan and India pagan, are not domi-
nant in this land of ours, and are not
the principles that moulded and that
give character and energy to our nation
al life. Our civilization is Christian
civilization. Our intelligence is Chris
tian intelligence. Our public benevo-
lence is drawn from the Bible. Our
equitable and criminal, and to some ex-
tent, civil jurisprudence is founded
upon and derived from the divine law.
In short, whatever we have of national
character that is distinguishing is dis
tinctively Christian, so that we are de
facto, Christian nation.
Christian ethics characterize our fun
damental law. 1t guarantees the rights
of man to life, liberty and property; the
rights of property, and the distinction
between thine and mine; the principles
of equity. 1t recognizes the inviOlability
and sacredness of an oath. In fine, our
fundamental law is Christian law. Our
magistrates, too, publicly recognize and
endorse the Christian religion, recon-
mending days of National fasting and
thanksgiving, and by appointing chap
lains in our naval and military schools
and in the army and navy. For these
things it behooves as to give thanks, for
in no land does the Church enjoy so
great privileges as in this. She is un-
trammeled by the State. In her own
sphere she is supreme. Her eccleslastl-
cal functions are unrestricted, and it IS
only when her acts infringe. upon civil
rights that the courts will review her
decisions. But here, too, we should ''re-
ioice with trembling" The nation is
not wholly Christian. Infideity and
agnosticiSm, and rationalism, and iber-
alism. and MOrmonism are rampant in
the land, and are as a deadly canker
uPon the body polite, threatening the
very life of the nation. Our fundament-
al law is not so unequivOcally Christian
but that magistrates and courts and cit
izens cite it-or rather it's silence-aS
authority against the Christian religion
itself. And the Chief Magistrate of the
nation and of the separate Common
wealths often, in their recognition of
Christianity, seem purpOsely to ignore
the distinctive feature of the Christian
religion-the Lord Jesus Christ, through
whom alone acceptable worship can be
rendered to God, and to whom the allie
giance of the nation is due. Recently,
of all the proclamatiOns calling for the
observance of day of public Thanks
giving, only one Governor of a State
made alluSion to Jesus Christ as he
through whom men may acceptably ap-
proach the Father. If we should judge
the character of our national religion by
these State papers, we must conclude
that it is bald deism. Is this result of
that substitute for Christianity, the re-
ligion of the lodge room, from whose
liturgy the name of Christ is eliminated,
and which is such mighty engine in
the politics of the country? These facts
admonish us to ''rejoice with trembling"
We should rejoice in the general dis
semination of knowledge among the peo-
pie. The school-master is abroad in the
land. knowledge is increasing and run
ming to and fro. We have made progress
in literature and the sciences; schools of
every grade are multiplying. The Com
mon school-the poor mans colleges
almost universal throughout the land.
The High school, the Academy and the
College, are nearly, if not altogether,
within the reach of all. Better and a
wider range of qualification in teachers
is demanded. The curriculum of study
is enlarged and desper grasp of mind,
a wider apprehension, a more refined
culture and a purer literary taste are the
results. Ignorance is a crime and intel
ligence is a virtue. But here, too, our
rejoicing must be tempered. knowledge
| is power, and if not rightly directed may
be an engine for evil as well as an in
strument for good. That, and the study
of that, which alone is capable of properly
directing knowledge, and turning it into
channels for good, is almost entirely
neglected and ignored in our schools.
The Bible is almost wholly eliminated
from our educational system. Prof.
Austin Phelps says, because the Script
ureS are the word of God, because they
claim authority in morals, because they
press close upon the conscience, the lit
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ed away from them as models of literary
culture. Our current systems OF edu-
cation are founded in part on this per
version of scholarly taste-they assume
that the study of the Bible is not ne
cessity to liberal education. The study
of the Bible in our. American colleges
what shall l say of it? Do 1 wrong it
in saying that it is an expedient of col
legiate police? 1t is worthy of notice,
that in this country, a positive retro
grade has taken place on this subject in
the collegiate curriculum"
And if this be true of our colleges, as
the Professor clearly establishes, what
shall we say of our common schools,
where the masses receive their educa-
ton? Phe Bible is there almost sealed
book. From some it is excluded by law,
and even where the law tolerates it,
public sentiment,o or rather public apathy
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