The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-05-26
Gospel Assimilation va. Church Pro.
hfbifI0n-NO. q.
Norfolk. va, May 18th. 1896.

Norfolk. Va, May 26th, 1885,
Editor of The virginian:
Intconcludlng these numbers Ii is well
TO make q summary OF points in review
CONSTITUTED Christian fidelity and true citi-
zenshp.
! 1. man may be ever 50 much OPP
posed to whiskey and yet not feel jus
titled i'm Joining in with anybody and
every measure for Its destruction. In
therapeutics 1T sometimes happens that
the remedy is worse than the disease
ana, therefore, not to be applied. SO 1t
can be demonstrated that Prohibition
Is not the POLITICAL method to improve
civil measures IN State polity.
2. The war Of Christian faith and
truth Is not to be waged against bottles
daggers, swords. poison, etc. but rather
against abuse of VIII power and false
religion.
g. The good citizen is not duty-bound
ance any more than Ito enforce filial
obedience. conjugal fidelity. personal
chastity. social purity, honesty, veTacity.
etc; This Is special work for teachers
churches. Tho human will must be
brought under influence of light and
truth. and the heart under influence of
loVe TO convict abuse and to promote
virtue. order, charity and reverence.
4. The church Is essentially and exclu-
sively evangelical; the State necessarily
worldly AMID political. The pulpit is set
up to preach conversion, grace and
truth. Public sentiment is the architect
of political character and national des-
tiny. Were reform, which affects no
other than social. civil and commic.al
affairs, only one st.p below the sacred
desk which Is solenrly dedicated 10
God there is no human, or eccleslastic
authority TO warramt it's lowering just
one step to patronza reform measures
which unavoidably Involve political par
tisanry The church forced into such
an attitude in mere reform enterprise,
Is lowered TO the plane of unenviabe po-
litical competition and deprived of it's
regeneratlng power by the Holy Ghost
The priests and ministers of God thus
Identified and associated on this low
plane are regarded as having failed to
keep the sacredotal robe unspotted from
the world and also as committed to party
principles and partisanry, and no longer
worthy 10 be respected as the exalted
servants of Him whose Kingdom is not
of this world" and whose GOSPEL is
the power of God unto Salvation"
Who. now, Will save the lost world?
8. Temperance less than that which is
of principle In changed heart by faith
is not the concern Of Christians: with
out faith 1t is, impossible to please God"
No adherent of the church is rsquiled to
compromise Christian principles to ac-
commodate social or political ARRANGE
menls. Unless the churchman has lost
and cffice-seeklng and so can't clearly
perceive that highest citizenship Is not
true religion, he must concede that tenn
peranoe pertains exclusively to the pull
pit and church and that out side of these
1t is nothing but politics. PIohibiaion,
therefore. is a small matter to hold up
TO entice or coerce man into party
afilla tion. when he accords to his church
the prerogative and authority in the
premises.
Citizens Reform has no more merit at
tached to It and carries no stronger
claims on. the best vpte:s than does Pro-
hibition. Rum, RoWdyism and Ring
Rule" sweet morssts in their mouths
which they trtll on their tongues in de-
nunciation of Democracy, they charge on
the old party not only in Norfolk, but
In Old Virginia and throughout the
United States. Is 1t that they desire tenn
perance, chivalry and citizens rights
any more than anybody else? No. They
want new party as much for self. office
and money as any other psople that axe
Identified with any other party.
But for sake of argument and emphat-
ically, only this. admit their presump-
tuouS claim. I'VE are the people" Let
them draw into th:r mad fray of ''Re-
form preachers and church members,
destroy saloons until no man can take ii
drink, by compuls!un make every man
and woman socially pure, have no more
gambling and betting, shooting and
killing, cut off the heads of Democ. acy
anu Ifos'puDllcanlSm. and stop al lying.
stealing and backbiting.
Look here, is it possible for them to
do all this? 1t is not in them 10 do it,
But suppose 1t were done. Sum 1t up and
what does ii amour: to? No more than
civilization. Is Reform civilization
the thing? Isl 1t the religious preacher rs
and their followers are working 10 es-
tablish through political measures? In
this religion of materialism where is
YOUR evangelism? Such n course in NUM-
nd ~ vol 4
lead to thia ultimatum--the preachers
and churches would need missionaries
from some other country. or world.
to convent them back to the first princi-
pies OF evangelical; faith and conquest
of the world by Gqpvers:cn
EUREKA