The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-07-03

PFaetleal attempt 70 dlHofce fehBloh
from the government api in doing 90
TO extpguish II altogether, Full we'll
was It known 10 the authors OF that
dark conspiracy against God and man,
that they must tread out the last spark
OF gospel light before their purposes
could be accomplished. A crusade
against the restraints OF law and the
moral obligations and securities OF map-
kind could not be undertaken while tho
gospel OF Jesus Christ had any hold
upon the responsibilities or faith OF
men. Hence, they cried: HDoWn with
II; down with 1t, even to the ground"
And what was the RESULT History has
not o page Of more unrelieyed or I'M
mitigated b~lackness than that which
tells the tale OF the frat French revolu,
ton, Never were the powers OF evillet
loose upon society with such fierce and
uubounded license. God was divorced
from the nation-cast out from his seat
upon the affections and allegiance OF the
people, whilst demon with demon, and
passion with passion, commanded Tor the
vacant throne,
II, then, such is the answer, and such
the practical operation OF the answer
which the one theory gives TO our qles-
ton, let US now turn to the other,
"HoW much owest thou unto my LordY'
Tho Christian theory apsWers, "Eyery-
thing" He ia the great king, lawgiyer,
protector and Judge Of nations, Civil
governments, SO far from being o mere
social compact, originating in human
device, 10, as to its principle, ordained
by Gpae and derives its powers from
Him, aud Him alone. Its relation TO
God Is that OF dependence and subor.
dinatlon TO His providence and law, and
its obligation is that OF recognition, al
legiance and practical obedience, The
proof OF this theory TO the Christian.
and indeed to all who believe the Bible,
Ia at once clear and positive.
In the thirteenth chapter OF Pauls
epistle' TO the Romans, from the first to
the seventh verse, he states and OK
pounds this doctrine with diatinctness
that precludes all doubt, Whilst gov.
eminent ia, Of God, the form is Of men,
God has mover enioined any form Of
government as obligatory upon oil
communities, but has simply laid
down certain principles applica-
BILE to rules and subjects under
every form in which governments OK.
ist God challenges the pr%erogative OF
leadership as peculiarly His own: by
Me kings reign and princes decree judg-
ment." "By me princes rule, and the
mobiles, even allthe ~judgesot the EARTH"
Tho Scriptures are full Of His dealings
with nations in their distinct national
capacity. He creates them and dieter
mines the bounds Of their habitations."
But II is unnecessary to multiply
proofs. God Is, and will be acknowl.
edged as the governor among the ma
tons. This doctrine was manifestly
held by u patriot fathers and tho
trainers and sages Of tho republic. The
whole history OF the Revolution ia but
one continuous record Of prayers and
Thanksgiving, OF solemn hastings and
humiliations, OF appeals to Divine
Providence and the God Of Armies.
oh, shame upon the men who would
divorce religion from that government
to which 1t has been welded by the
prayers and cemented by the blood OF
their patriot sires. Tho Declaration OF
Independence opens with an expires.
sion to assume that equal station
among the powers OF the earth, to
which the laws Of nature and OF ma
lures God entities them" thus recog-
nizing Him as the God OF Nations and
closes with an expression OF their
reliance upon Divine Providence, in
which confidence they pledged to each
other their lives, their fortunes and
their sacred honor"
One Of the first acts Of Congress after
the government was established was to
instruct the committee on commercelto
import 10000 Bibles. Did this look like
divorcing religion from the govern
ment, or as II they thought that the
Bible had nothing to do with national
affairs?
Such, then, we believe Is the true re.
lation Of this nation to God; it is the
relation of a,subject to his Lord; and,
as a consequence, we owe Him public
official recognition, hearty grateful al.
legiance, and practical submission to
His providence and laws.
Having now ascertained our personal
relation as a nation to God, let us en-
deavor to estimate our obligations as o
nation To His religion.
therefore put tho inquiry OF the text
/ u dGGuLAa bll40" 441M EAhtA OW01b bAVA
unto my Lord2"
What Is the indebtedness OF these
American states to tue Gospel? How
much Of all our privileges, blessings
and distinctions do we owe to religion?
AS lnheritors OF this noble patri-
mony; as dwellers under the shadow
of an equal law; as enriched with a
commerce which allies us with the
most distant extremities OF the earth;
as honored in the great brotherhood Of
nations for our literature, Our civil and
religious institutions, our science. our
vanguard position in oil the -ennobling
arts Of life; US rich in agencies for pro.
noting the physical aud moral happi.
ness OF all classes of people; as enjoy.
ing q liberty Of thought and conscience,
free as the winds that sweep through
our mountain gorges; as holding o po.
sition OF ascendancy and exercising a
governing power over the opinions OF
other nations, which controls in q
measure the issues Of the world-tor
how much Of such blessings are we in.
debted to the religion Of the GospelH
Let mo answer in q few particulars;
First-We owe to the religion of the Cos.
pei the original occupation aud settle
mont Of this land.
On the shore Of New England Ply.
mouth Rock stands "a the record OF tho
occupation Of this broad heritage in the
name Of religion. As, in Imagination,
we sec the knees OF our pilgrim fathers
bowed around that "altar OF national
conservation" December 20, 1920, wo
inquire, "Whonce came they and what