New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-20
THE SPHERE OF THE CHURCH IN REFORM

! THE SPHERE OF THE CHURCH IN REFORM
ITS SOLE METHOD SHOULD BE ONE OF MORAL
FORCE. EXERCISED or THE INDIVIDUAL
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir. VIII you kindly allow me space in the Irio-
unc To express "A few ideas suggested to me by the
question of Sunday opening OF saloons. which for
some time has been engrossIng the public mind?
! Without Offering an opinion as to whether saloons
ought to b. open Sunday or not. or on any other
day for that matter. want TO express regret mat
Christian ministers should enter into the contro-
versy in the manner In which many OF them have
done The saloon question is one with whlch so
! cetv rightly has 10 do II deserves attention from
every man as a citizen and is to be decided by the
civil authority: but It is not question when con-
Germs the church.
The church and the State are distinct com
| munitles the governments having jurisdiction parity
concurrent and partly complementary concurrent
! I'm 50 far as they extend over the same territory
/ and relate TO the same persons Complementary IN
! respect to their administration Of law Persons
! who occupy a given territory are necessarily SUD
jcct to the civ authority which governs that terri
! tory hu, the church acquires government over IN
diylduals through moral suasion. and has authority
| onl, over those who voluntarily place themselves
| within H. Its mission may be to the whole world
! but IT'S Jurisdiction Is only over It's members II
may teach the truth Its principles OF morality may
| b. The highest conceivable II may have a divine
| origin mlI OF which firmly believc): but this gives
4
! o,fslle It's pale ~ a society II may make rules
! ina, its members shall have nothing whatever TO
| ., with saloons. IT may adopt any discipline II
! chooses u may punish disorderly members In many
WAYS and always by expulsion from membership
which ia the inherent right OF selfprcservation In
| every organization.
! such being the case | hold that the Christian
| minister has no right To give mp his weekly In
strucion to his people IN tho truths OF a holy re-
! ligon In order to lecture upon current topics ana
! municipal or national administration. H. has no
right 20 brink these things into the church services
or % appear himself the daily papers On his min
lateral capacity ne controversalist these sub
jecis he has right TO neglect the vsitations ana
mnlsir.il0ns to his flock In order mat = may
further adoption enforcement Of civil law. or
20 do anything 10 create 70 stimulate the senti-
meni that the Christian religion is mere conformity
to outward rules His duty Is TO nstiI principles
He should see that 10 make the most OF life men
need 10 be- acuated by the highest possible motives
II is his glory that the IDEAL offered by him TO man
Kind is righteousness which X above the re-
stranis OF law
But even II he adopts the plan have been speak
Ing against. and secures the closing OF saloons for
one day or for SEVEN and the universal observance
| % Sunday. h. has gained no point for which the
church exists. The church exists to teach truth
and to bring human conduct into moral conformity
with that truth. You may put man In chains ana
thus restrain him from doing outward evil: but You
/
moral man. for forced conduct contains no ele-
nent OF morality You may divorce man and the
saloon. but that does not affect the moral nature
either Of him who maintains or 81 MN VINO ire Ire,
OF his life nnd bad element, ! admip: but you
have nut nothing I'm it, place That vacuum be-
comes "A "house swept and garnished' into when
seyenfold greater and blacker Though perhaps
secret bound 10 rush. II Is the
inner hfe that concerns the church-the state com
pes outward obedience. What matters 1t whether
the evil b. the saloon or some other? The function
ness in It's piace-no only TO Kill but also to make
When Christianity began It's careers It was IN
the corrupt State Of the Roman Empire. TO when
the present corruption affords no parallel Yet we
never hear Of the Apostles their successors in
stigating OF cvll reform. But they did
on ever since Whenever the church has kept
within its proper sphere. 1t has been the victorious
functions of the state This IT did do In past ages,
but ultimately there was rrsunb2n 10y ,mr f't =,
IT, ana The natural u,nrpsion 81 9,n't po"f ,o
Tmcn ga nor belqhs 20 It, c,n Mnh ' rbo rburcb
jealousy guards It's own privileges, ana II has
are distinct. but complimentary Ihey may innu-
ence. but they dictate the one {" the other
always is to bring "A moral force to bear upon in
divIuals. Society cannot be converted IN IA mass
it is but charity to suppose that iaymen think
that they have facts and that they know how 10 t;
as ecclcslasiics do. the clergy have no special
reyeation in politics he pest hGy can hn 40 !" ne
scientious men. and then allow these men to do
their duty the State. as the facts In their pos
session and the honesty OF their hearts lmpel them
to do Were the question as to whether church
members are to enter saloons Sunday. and not
Would be E" sniirey Gmerfn We must learn to rn
der unto Caesar the things which be Caesars. ana
unto God the things which be Gods"
The church received the Holy Spirit with which
10 conquer the world. And when II depends upon
any other weapon it acknowledges that 1t has lost
that which gained its former victories. When the
church ceases lean God. and asks the State
10 fight its battles. II confesses 10 IA weakness
which will never gain the submission or even the
respect OF the world C. j.
New-York city. Jan 3. lsaJ