The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-23

jects Of Christ's spiritual kingdom, which
has no subordinate place in your heart and
lief May you oil become such to-day.
bsssech ycu everyone 70 bseoms tha viii
ling and ohedient Sons Of God. By faith In
Jaous Christ. foul presance hers today
argues much for the good SOf q order.
May you perpetuate this custom to-day
established. We most cordially welcome
you to our worship to-day. and y y mot the
expression OF your desire for = higher and
holier life Of communion with God through
Jesus Christ onr Lord? trust %. Il yCu
are not 4 member of that noble company OF
the redeemed repent OF aD your sins and
give no sleep to your evelids till yOu hnd
Jesus in the pardon of all your sin and let
these sacred walls revibYate with your
prayers of Thanksgiving and songs OF praise
10 Him who hath loved ns and washed
away all our sins IN his own blood.
He was guileless. He was sincere. In.
sincerity is an evil of this age. Men deal
with the most sacred things Of life jestlngly;;
This il the Laughing age, nothing Is looked
upon with seriousness. The principles OF
our government and the public school sys-
TEN of our countsv are handled by SONS as
IL they were toys to be cast down and de-
stroyed at will Nathanuai had handed
heritage of religious truth and his delight
was to duly appreciate it. This heritage
WAS not only q religious one but had refer
ence to the country he was to inherit. And
in coming to q more perfect knowledge OF
his relation to God, he would be the better
fitted to discharge his duty to his fellow
man and his country. An estate handed
down to us from our forefathers, baptized
in tears and blood, ought to be appreciated.
maintained and defended. Is it not strange
and true, too, that the Christianity OF the
open, free bible andiuntrammelled civil lib
critics are inseperable, and have they both
not come down to Us consecrated in bloodI
Let us think on these things n
not be forgetfull OF a duty
to God and our country. Our
religious and civil estate cost some
thing. The sacred rights which they guar
antee are not to be molested or destroyed by
heartiess and mercileaS foes Of by those
who are ignorant OF their alu Ii We
have anything like an adequate conception
of these two institutions we will always
look upon them with sincerity. This trait
of character in Nathanasl is accounted for
on the ground Of his loyalty to God, and
the same is true Of George Washington, the
anniversary of whose birth you celebrate
to-day. Such a career is always luminous
in its sphere. Successes and honorS lie
along its path. He knew how to live well.
This may u strange. but guileiess
means undsceiyed. Many of LIES troubles
grow out of ignorance of self, Paul says:
IF a man thinketh himself to be some
thing. when he is nothing, he deceiyeth
himself" Nathaniel knew that he was
weak and ignorant, but he knew God, and
thai by obedience to and faith in Him he
would convert his weakness into strength
and his ignorance into wisdom. Many of
the discords of life would be made to har-
monte with its real purpose il We but
knew, loved and obeyed God as We ought.
Sin has gotten into our very fibre. In
grooves worn by passions unbridled
our powers have learned to move.
We tame wild beasts, control fire, water
crI ~w1VnIa rThYouoh 1onAa and nAStvvrna ZIG
carry ourselves, but the science OF living
Justly with wife, neighbor and stranger is a
lesson hard to learn. Christ is the divine
measure of such a life. and it was he who
Nathaniel left the fig tree to see. This act
was the secret Of his guilelessness. Christ
is not to be seen to-day as then, but he is
visible to the eye of faith. From him every
noble impulse in the heart of man ema-
mates. Every humane and christian insti-
tuition has been founded by his followers.
He was the priest of the home. Every trus
home likes to be known as the christian
home. This guileIess man conquers. He
| ia master of himself, hence of all his foes.
II knew Hercules was a god.
for whether he walked, or whether he stood,
| OF whether he sat, whatever he did he con-
auered." Crest dangers always bring out
| men who will sacrifice life rather than give
| up that which is worth more than life.
| Many illustrious examples of this spirit
1 hty ~ hANN4 ia oS-A
past.
He was taught and he was q teachert He
was taught in the Scriptures. This knowl-
edge was necessary TO the attainment Of the
highest possible type of character. Scrip
turaI knowledge II superior to an othsr. 1t
lays the foundation for the broadcast, deep
est and noblest character known TO man.
| He was a teacher. Yes, he was q disciple,
learned of Jesus. and taught men accord
ingly. His patriotism is prominent in this
connection. He magniied his claims to
patriotism by disseminating truth. As
Christians we should show our patriotism
by soand teaching respecting Gods word
and certain divine institutions. Teachings
that should be prominent, viz: Belief in
God, the Bible. the separation of church
and state, the Sabbath and education.
Having already spoken at length upon the
first two, ! pass to the third-separation OF
church and state. Part of the duty Of this
order, as we'll az of everg other true Ameri-
can citizen, is to instruct the people con-
corning the dangers arising from union Of
church and state.
Looking back We see. as Tranquil
sleepers In a dream. safe from the dangers
OF that time, the terrible struggle for indie.
dence; and among the men who rallied in
its defence we see the followers of every
creed. Sectarianism WIS., obiIterated. and
with q deep sense OF the infinite justice OF
their cause and a united faith in the Goo
of nations, they dethroned civil and reli
gious despotism, and secured for every
American citizen the right to worship Goo
according to III dictates Of his own con.
science. Ii was contention for this princi-
pie that gave to the world her hosts of mar
tyrs and her mightiest heroes. 1t was a de
sire for the high privilege of its enjoyment
that brought to our shores the best people
of other lands. and gave to this nation the
foundation of her glorious citizenship
Patriots gave this nation to mankind. anC
unfurIed 10 the heaven kissing winds the
pufest emblem OF liberty that ever f1oated
over land or sea-" When the constitution
of these United States of America wal
formed, for the first time in the history
of the world, an absolute ant
eternal divorce between church ant
state was proclaimed. As thii
, great fact was heraided over the world
> monarchies, monasteries. kings and priest
hood trembied with a superssit;ous awe
! places and the home and the school hous
: became the temples of mans hopes" Thi
$ is a grand government, but never give you
influence or counten1Lce to anv person
D sect or p2rty whose aim is a union o
g church ana state. Religion must not in
: tere with ne functions of state, nor th
D state with the religious belief of the pr
l Vats citizen" Another duty of every cit
: zen and patriot is to teach, both by precep
i and example, the proper observance of til
. Sabbath day. II is not only a religion
. duty, but a civil as well. To many me
!, the Sabbath is their only time for social O
intellectual culture. Let a few quotation
: suffice to set yon right On this question.
r \ man, however highly esteemed by tE
/ public. can afford to tranpie the Sabbat
r ny1a- fo1f AahYfn ~ 10 rrJSc da- - 10 81