The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-07-16
THE CHURCH AND THE STATE,
Bishop Montgomery Discourses
Upon This Topic.
He Distinguishes Between Things
Temporal and Spiritual.
A Thoughtful and Eloquent Lecture.
The Relation Between the Ko-
ligious Order and Civil
Society.


Last night at the Catholic cathedral
Bishop Montgomery delivered lecture
to very large congregation. The inter-
est felt in the subject of his discourse
led to the presence of many non,Cath-
olics, and the scholarly, broad-minded
and earnest bishop was listened to with
the closest attention.
"What l purpose saying to you this
evening"" he began, II have placed un-
der the heading Church and State.
beg leave to say that though | have
united the words as subject of dis
course. do not intend to speak of what
ia commonly known as the union OF
church and state.
The union of church aud state, as the
phrase is commonly employed, expresses
an accidental relation between the two
which obtained for time in some parts
of the world, but which grew out of cir
cumstances that may never again occur,
and hence the question is not practical
one.
But there Is between church spd
state-between the religious order and
civil eociety--s relation that iE not acct
dental, but necessary. And it is OF that
relation that purpose speaking to you
this evening.
The bishop said that he was not led
to speak upon the subject as in answer
to ANYTHING that might have been said
recently or written concerning the
church or her policy, but as one OF the
great facts which are at all times of i'm
portance and never out OF place. Neither
would he wound the feelings OF any nom
Hofhnlica onA hcnod Eathnlio IN,
public or private would say one word or
do one act that would ever wound
Christian charity.
When he spoke then of o relation be-
tween church and state that is necessary
and essential, he spoke OF the relation
which the religious order bears to civil
society-that religious order is personi-
fed in the church and society in the
state. no matter what may be the form
of civil government. 1t was evident
that the subject is one that could not be
adequately dealt with in any thing short
of a volume.
with many today" said the bishop,
''the test Of truth ia utility. They sim
ply ask of what uae ia it? In fact the
criterion is a correct one, if we be cor
rect in all else. If we be correct in
what there is in this world and beyond
u tuluk 10 Vi III use, boItob AO DuTpO
lor this or another world, of course il
loes not deserve mans consideration.
Sut many who ask the question of what
nne is it, see nothing, know nothing but
.ais present existence OF ours, and hence
~ useful they mean whatever ia bene-
d rial for this life.
We do not say that these good people
nis necessarily hostile to the church.
and they do mo-. inteud to Oe, nut navl1g
an idea that Christian faith contributes
nothing to the store OF this worlds hap
piness, and as they know no other. they
think that at its best faith is useless.
This ia the criterion by which many
today Judge the truth or falsity OF every
system.
On the contrary we claim that even if
there we're no world but this, the church
OF God stands today, and in the light of
her history has ever stood, before the
world as the one institution that should
challenge the admiration of men for the
temporal good that she has wrought in
this world.
The fact of the matter is, many are
living today on q tradition OF the past
and under an influence of the present
which they do not acknowledge.
There is not spot today in the civil
lied world where man may live accord
ing to civilized life that has not been
rendered such by Christian faith and
Christian principles. And yet men may
be found is ask, "Of what good is the
old church ?''
$50 say" continued the speaker, "if
this Christian faith would do no good for
this world, that would ba no argument
against the higher mission for the world
to come. But on the contrary our
thesis is this: The Christian faith has
twofold mission, direct and an indi-
rect one-a temporal and a spiritual work
to do. And her temporal work or her
temporal mission is formed in the rela-
ton she bears to civil society.
Our Lord himself said: my kingdom
is not of this world" vet he went about
doing good that pertains to this world.
The matter comes simply to this:
Man has q two-fold nature and two.
fold sphere. distinct, but related. He
lives on earth for a time, but is destined
to live in heaven for all eternity. And
God Is the author of this two-fold nature
and this dual destiny. Therefore, what
ever is necessary for man in working
out his complicated purposes God has
supplied.
God destined man to live in society.