The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-03-29
Church and State.
Isy John +. FOard, NJ. ID.

sition on the part Of many rulers and
teaceers to combine Church and state;
or in other words, to use some form
Of religion to promote the temporal
interest of the governments under
which they lived. We also learn from
all history that all civil or political
powers or governments should be
subordinate to and controlled by the
laws of truth and justice, which is the
best form of religion known to the
world.
All fallen governments land their
name is leglon) once taught their re-
spectlve subjects erroneous or false
doctrines for religion in order to more
surely control these subjects and per-
petuate their secular power. which
power which has always. been abused
and made to promote selfish ends to
the great damage Of true religion.
Our Devine Master never uttered a
greater truth than when he said "Ye
cannot serve two masters" etc. For
the love shown to one will always
succumb to that of the other, and as
it Is easier for poor, fallen men to be
tempted to embrace error and teach
it than to follow and teach the truth,
even after being converted to God
and made religious teachers; and
as there is more teachers of error than
than there are of truth, it behoves
the best of us to guard we'll the ave-
nues of knowledge and see to it that
our religion is not male the hand
maid of error, especially in this re-
publican government and this age of
greed.
The love Of anything other than
truth and justice has caused disorder,
oppression and utter ruin to come
upon. thousands of governments,
churches and corporations. which
have been wrecked by mems selfish
ness and the consequent determine
ton "to rule or ruin
Those reflections were produced by
reading an editorial entitled "British
ThrOes,' in one of our most promin-
ent North Carolina church Organs
of. January 18th, 1894, in which the
editor accounts for the great financial
panic now upon US, using the simile
of mother in par:urition, and
from which the following ques-
ton is made: Nobody is to blame
for this, no political party has done
this. no party could do it, no party
could prevent it. 1t has come by
process natural under the conditions
of the time. Our Congress did all
that was in their judgment wise to
DO without naturally etfecting the
situation. 1t was not 4 problem Of a
few, even Of our wisest men, 1t was
the time Of the parturition of a civil
zatlon whose periods come by the fiat
of the Almighty God. Cangress was
; but the inefficient family physician of
this parturient parent
This was written doubtless to coun-
teract the almost universal opinion
that somebody was responsible for
the unprecedented financial condition
of our country and is enough to make
the angels weep. If our present diff,
ticulties are not attributed to bad
legislation and unequal and unwhole-
some laws, where is the political econ
omist to be found to prove the con
trary? Is it possible or remotely
possible that God is the author of all
these SINS that have created this great
EVIL. as said editorial very plainly as
serts? God is not responsible for
the condition Of things under which
we are living. For lie never does
an evil act The devil does and may
be responsible for 1t, but avericIous
men was the instrument, and selfish
ness the ruling power. To say no
one is respO ,ihie for the condition of
things around us or that no man OF
party could have prevented said con.
dltions Is about as true as to say no
one was responsible for the sins OF
our first parents or that no one could
have prevented il. Adam tried to
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