The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-05-30

that civil government was an ordination of
God. taught throughout the Old and the
New Testament. God was not merely a
ruler of the jews, but n ruler of all men.
aud when be ordained q civil government
for the Jews he ordained the same for all
men. Every citizen" he said. owed three
things TO his government: first. be owed
obedience" After speaking In general terms
OF the recent growth of c~ommunistic and
anarchistic ideas and deploring the spread
Of such notions. he said: The American
idea of liberty is that liberty which Is sus-
tanned by the law and held within the
bounds of reason. When individuals ar
rogate to themselves the power of execnt-
ing the laws. then true liberty ceases. The
individual must surrender a part for the
welfare of the ~bOdy-politic. Second, he
owed government honor. No loyal citizen
would be guilty of any act that would
tend TO bring the government into disre-
spect or belittle IL IN the eyes of men or
nations. The method adopted by some
newspapers in conducting a political carn-
palgn by q system OF personal ylliicatIon
had a tendency to bring the government
into disrepute. Third. every citizen owed
his government tribute. 1t has been said
that taxes are q necessary evil. This old
idea has now been repudiated and
the fact recognized that taxes are
q necessary good. The government
tor taxes collected the government gives q
protection which would otherwise be un-
attainable. Let any man who owns prop
erty be exempt from taxes for one year.
and this property be out of the pale OF the
laws protection. and at the end of one year
the man will De clamoring for the privilege
of paying the taxes. m receiving the pro-
lection OF the government in return"
Mr.. Van Buskirk carried the idea of
obedience owed by a citizen to his govern
ment further ,On 10 the obedience to God,
and his laws, speaking at length upon the
duties of man TO God. From the duties of
man 70 Goo he took up the duties of
nations to God.
Nations" he said, "are amenable to God
for their acts" The nation that Inc0rpO-
rates giant wrongs in it's legislation is
surely condemned, as 10 shown by n num-
Der of instances cited in the Bible. That
beyond REPUTATION by profane as well as
sacred history, and IL is clearly seen at the
present time in the advancement of those
which conform their legislation to the pre-
ceDts taught by the divine word" In
this line he said, in regard to the liquor
traffic. it was not more legislation that was
needed. but the enforcement of the laws
already enacted. "A popular mistake is
made by well-meaning people that o
panacea for all the evils entailcd by the
liquor traffic can be found in patent legis-
lation. Future legislation on this subject,
if not enforced better than past. will bring
no greater relief. Laws do not enforce
themselves"
Rev. Milburn's Sermon.
The memorial sermon at the Second
Presbyterian Church was preached by Rev.
j. A. Milburn. to the p. III. Sheridan Post,
Woman's Relief Corpssnd Sons of Veterans.
The pulpit was draped with flags and the
banner of the post and flowers. The text
was Malachi ill, Is: "A book of remeIn-
brance was written before him." During
the eloquent tribute to the dead he said:
Again. another memorial that we may
lay upon the soldiers grave. is the memoir
ial OF the peoples gratitude. We honor
men by hOnoring those they love; we show
our gratitude to men by tenderness for
those that they have left behind. Many
who went down South to contend. with
the malign spirit of rebellion did not re-
turn, and they left behind them fathers.
mothers, wives and sisters, whose strength
and stay they were 1t 10 n beautiful thing
for us to go out TO the cemetery tomorrow to
listen to the great words that shall be said
the noble phrases that shall be spoken are
q hollow lnsincerity. q mockery, unless We
are showing our gratitude in q more sub
staDtIal and real way TO those needy ones
that are the more needy because their sup
porting siren 9Th has been withdrawn by
the stern and ruthless hand of death.
The great question for all who claim
to have o feeling OF regard for the sol
der of the civil war Is this: Are
those that he would nave helped being
rightly cared for! Is not only provision,
but ample provision. being made for them
IN their weakness. their infirmity OF their
old age! Are We grateful to the extent of
feeling a solicitude. q tenderness towards
those who would have been the SUI
preme, consuming care of the deadf That
Is the matter for us to consider. and all our
memorials are In vain if we are not gen.
erOus; all our memorials are unreal If We
are not consIderate: all our memorials are
hollow If we are not just: all the flowers
that we shall scatter over the graves are
false and lying emblems If there be not
growing up within our hearts the flowers
of gratitude and love. Much this Nation
has done for the soldier. for the father and
the mother, the wife and the orphan. but l
think 1t cannot be questioned that there is
much that might yet be done: and | be-
lieve that the Grand Army wOuld show O
noble and a real tribute to the dead if they
would seek for legislation in regard to
pensions that was less comprehensive and
more equitable and just. if they would
make 1t q matter of conscience and duty to
see that the descendants of soldiers Of the
Union should have such ample provision
made for them as to make life q comfort to
them and not a burden and o curse. This
should be the supreme aim of the Grand
Army in all its agitatIons for pensions, and
1t should see to 10 that the pensions are not
only large but that they are Just; and l be-
lieve that there Is great room here for
amendment
After the Prohibitionists.
Rev. ID. X. Lucas preached ut the Central
Christian Church. yesterday morning, up-
on the subject of ''Tbe True Mission of the
Church." He read the entertaining story
in Acts of the spread of the church after it
had been driven out of Jerusalem. Such
treatment, the preacher said, was a condi-
tion of vlgor and growth. not of annihila-
ton, as its purpose was. The church has
in line with the divine policy thus to bring
about a condition in which the church
should follow out Its true mission,
to carry the gospel unto all
the world. The church Is set apart and
sanctitied for the conversion of the world,
the spread of the gospel. and for nothing
else. The sermon was IN point from the
fact that a minister was recently heard In
this city To argue hat the church
should champion the fortunes or
political prohibition. Mr. Lucas said
that all attempts to. commit the
church to any doctrine or party, except the
one mission authorized by Christ and the
apostles. would lower it in influence and
would he a sin. The church may sympa-
thlze. and does sympsthize. with every eff
fort to benefit society. but must not be di-
yerted from its single great work TO save
soul. 1t does ST mpathize with the op-
pressed. whether in the ranks of labor or
anywhere else. 1t Is q vital. living force.
endowed with spiritual power by Christ.
A GOOD CATCH.