The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-09-22

testant church has ever been on the side
of human freedom. Indeed, it is one OF
her cardinal ciples-fre8dom of
body. freedom of manhood, freedom of
conscience to worship God, liberty from
| all kinds Of bondage; but she seeks this
not by reforming human governments,
but by the power of he Gospel, which
only formulates the kingdom of heaven
within you" and which Mr.. Gladstone
says is his only hope for rectifying all
social and moral evils And the church
binds only by her teaching ia the direc-
ton Of righteousness and holy living
If DR.. Thompson is seeking to make
political capital by arraigning the church
Of God in the South simply, he ought to
know that it is not the business Of the
church to oYerturn civil governments in
order to free slaves from servitude to
labor. But the fact is, an the DR..
knows it, that the church did much TO
help the slaves and ameliorate their con
dition, and it preached to them pure
gospel for the purpose of individual saliva
ton. 1t did not try to get them killed
by advising rebe lion! Aud it has been
the charge, iterated and reiterated BY
such as DR.. Thompson, that the church
at the North brought on the war to free
the slaves How is this? II the church
freed the slaves how can it be even on
the side of human slavery?
But does DR. Thompson really believe
what he say? Does he not know that
if the ''caurch had even been on the
side Of human slavery" that then hu
man slavery would now prevail in ever
nation on the face Of the eaEth2 Does
DR. Thompson believe that the church
has been SO weak through all the ages
that human layery has been abolished
in spite of its opposition? The Doctor,
himself, must smile at this absurdity,
When he prays off the fret now upon
him because the preachers will rot join
him in political party, he will think
and speak differently. His utterance
has been placed along side of that other,
that ''the newspaper is the most con
scienceless thing outside the peniten
tiary" All such utterances are folly The
real newspaper of to-day is one of the
helps and safeguards Of religion and
morals Abolish it, and see.
1t is DR.. Thompson's right as MN
Der of the church to be Populist if he
SO elects. | am not sure, but might be
one myself, barring some Of the Mrs.
Lease foolishness, if were a politician.
am not sure as to how shall vote, if |
vote at all. But as church organiza
ton or as Christian minister we dare
not imperil the Gospel in soul saving by
working for, organizing or fostering
political parties. II ministers form par
ties and make laws, what will become of
their godly vocation when the other side
gets in power What does history teach?
Just this, that when the preachers pow
er for soul saving is gone, and he is &c
Realistically dead, some DR.. Thompson
in his right mind will stand over him and
exclaim, "What business had he here ~
Let ne say to DR.. Thompson that what
ever hurt the church's influence has
sustained in the past has come Of her
undertaking to adopt exactly the course
which DR.. Thompson desires her to
adopt now, tc wit, meddllng in politics
and dabbling in law making my king
dom is not of this world, " said Chris,
and the kingdom of God cometh not
with observation Not one time or
anywhere did Christ NEEDLE with poll
tics or civil government. A minister of
the gospel has no business in politics
Democratic, Populist, Republican or any
other. AS citizen, he may vote if he
chooses, but he had better not do even
that too early or often. No soul was
ever saved by voting, nor ever will be.
DR.. Thompson is too able man to
charge to the church what may be justly
chargeable to few church members Be
careful of your words, Doctor; they are
things, and will live after you are dead
Z. A. YATES