The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-05-11
That of the Government
Toward Religion.
England's Government is Su-
peri0r to All Others.
Sermon of Rev. Mr.. Nutting at Union
Congregational Church.

: At the Union Congregational Church
yesterday, the pastor, Rev. Wallace Nutting
spoke on the relation of government to re-
ligion. He took as his teAt Rev. 1853, A.
"Thou King of the ages, all the nations
shall come and worship before Thee. F"
These words are the substance of the oft
quoted "song of Moses and the Lamb, "
said the preacher. That Is to say, the
song is declaration OF the government
of God. Inasmuch as politicians and gov
ernments recognize and cooperate with
q power not ourselves that makes for
righteousness they become revereo by the
-eeed people aud :aake government u -bles-
sing. l see il has been stated recently in
the House of Commons that cecil Rhodes
Is the first man in recent years to break
the tradition that no English minister
shall increase his prosperity bv the occu-
pancy OF Office. The excellent govern
ment OF England under such conditions,
since English ministers have follow cd
the example of the younger Pitt, is no
bic vision in this century OF some APP
proach to the government OF God.
i regard the government OF England as
superior to that OF any other great nation,
not excepting our own. She has still
much to learn. Ii was disgrace TO the
Epglish nation that her commanding
general recently uttered such an ancient {
and exploded opinion as this; that ma.
tions needed war occasionally 10 make
them manly. The "noble Lord" does
not believe I'm the day when the nations
snail beat their swords into plow shares.
He is just about three thousand years
behind The Hebrew prophets. War is his
trade, and perhaps his early education
in some other par. iculars was neglected.
We must not blame him too severely. =
Happily he STANDS apart from the majori-
IT,. For he impetus OF government to-
ward peace is wonderful in the present
day. 1t was my good fortune 10 be IN
Washington during the recent peace Con-
eress, and IL was very evident from the
words in the mouths OF the citizens that
the ongress for peace was more ns,favor
than the Congress--largely for wsr-thst
was meeting In the capitol. Whether
this gathering bad anything to do with
the block to war expenditure announced
last week in the Senate we know not.
But this much Is certain, 1t is rapidly
coming.to be fact that war should he
as much denounced as slavery, and that
the function of righteous government
will be to prevent war, TO forbid it and
render 1t impossible.
Religion, therefore, just now makes It.
self hearo, declaring that government
snail not make sluNss Oh men Dy cOinIel-
ling them to fight anymore than by COM
pelling them TO work. Which Is worse?
The am bassadors OF the Prince OF Peace
cannot easily say anything too hard
against war. The Junction of government
has hitherto to a large extent been to
"protect" the people. Which Is better:
To live in faith In righteousness with the
comfort of low taxes, or to be pinched all
ones years to guard against the possibil-
ity OF some .nstior's insult. The war
taxes, direct and indirect, annually paid
to our government would build 200, 600
cottages for the poor or homes for mil
lion. In seven years they would provide
homes for the entire tenth of
our people who most need assistance. In
seven years more they would provide the
road-lately suggested. to be
built with rails for all vehicles, through
a quarter million OF miles and more. in
other words, they would practically sup
ply good highways almost everywhere.
" i'll anybody be SO bolu as TO say that
the war taxes through the next fourteen
years will accomplish SO much good as
this? go say that two very strong mes