The herald., 1895-07-01
Church of the Ascension

In accordance with the request of the
Fourth of July committee, that sermons
yesterday should be patriotic. Rev.
Thomas W. Haskins, who preached in the
Church of the Ascension (EpiscopaD. at
Boyle Heights, took for his text St. Mat.
thew. %, Is. "All authority is given
unto me . upon the earlI." Mr..
Haskins commenced by saying that it was
the duty of ministers of the gospel, on
this the eve of the national celebration of
our independence, to incite in the hearts
of the people a spirit of loyalty and
patriotism. He then referred to the cele-
bration as essentially historic; the people.
events and passions or principles which
actuated the people to bring about the
event are being reproduced periodically
in the memory in order that the virtues
and sacrilces OF those VINO lived and died
to establish and maintain our civil and
religious liberties may be impaired to us.
Instead. however. OF recalling the sacri-
fees of the fathers of Our country and the
scenes at Lexington, Concord or Valley
Forge. Mr.. Haskins carried his audience
back to the Mount of Olives, where the
prophet OF Nazareth uttered the declara-
tion of civil authority over the earth in
the words OF the text. The speaker ain-
tanned, without going into the proofs. that
this was statement Of civil authority.
and that Jesus of Nazareth, as king of
nations; that no one could be a true pa
triot or exhibit the loyalty which is due
every civil government until he is first
loyal to the supreme executive authority.
He next outlined the distinction between
civil and religious authority and said that
the supreme principle which the founders
OF our government were careful to insert in
the constitution was absolute freedom
from religious authority and religious
laws.
Moreover. that the civil government,
when it infringed upon divine authority,
by passing Sunday laws, or inter cred n
any way with Gods laws over religious
or moral actions, it would necessarily in
woke the displeasure of the Lord Jesus,
and such governments would be over
thrown. Mr.. Haskins maintained. also,
that the Holy Scri ptures justified rebellion
against civil authorities under these cir.
vum instances, and that the same liberties
which were gained hundred years ago
would have to be maintained by the same
spirit OF sacrifice. either at the present
time or in the future if these liberties
were trampled upon by any partisan
power; that the authority for our govern
ment rested not on any party Or clique or
ring, which for the time being had control
Uf the government, and the flag and the
army and navy, but that it rested in the
people themselves under divine sanction,
and governed by divine limitations. He
Clbcu lHStduCco VI mOrdl ana TeIlSlOuS
laws which are at the present time in
violation of the principles OF our consti-
tuition, anu that the remedy was in the
hands uf the people at the ballot box, who
could there put out of power any party
which attempted to rule over the people
at the point Of the bayonet or the mouth
of the cannon, without first havin- t o
sanction of the great body of the pc pie
There was danger. Mr.. Haskin said. n
closing, that at the present time OF de-
cadence OF this true spirit Of loyalty and
OF patriotism. which must necessarily con-