The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-11
DEFINING MINISTERS, DUTIES.
A Correspondent Says the BIZ is "a slap a
the Church.

lcoahUHtCATKD
10 THE EDITOR OF The TIMEs:-The
OIL! introduced in the house of delegates
lew Few days since By Representative
duties OF ministers of the Gospel and
providing the conditions under which
sney may proclaim their various
doctrines, and which he is alleged to
nave aatd keep ministers out of
politics" ia perhaps the most extraos-
binary monstrosisy OF farce ever en-
aoted within the legislative halls of the
old Dominion.
W matters little that such bill has
oeen introduced. No Christian minister,
petheps, In the State will feel the least
olspI alarm. 1t cannot pass, Of coufse,
anf even though IL were to become a law
1t cannot be enforced, because 1t violates
an9 interferes with the most inviolable
rights OF our constitution. But the su-
oseity OF the attempt even to father such
. Jaw Ia remarkable. The man who drew
s9e measure may have been licensed to
practice law, but he shows himself ig-
4orant OF its fundamental principles.
L1kewise he may be q Christian, but he
certainty knows little Of church govern
ment. The bill rather has the apuesr-
anoe OF the puerile wincing of the CALLED
jade.
Whether no minister has visited him
twice In thirty dsys." or whether no
family private worship" has been con-
| Quoted In his domicile, or whether hs
was IAN invalid and was not visited and
given spiritual advice and comfort" ia
really question hard to be answered.
true 1t is that many persons are anxious
TO De visited, others desire "family
need spiritual advice and comfort thess
days. So 1t is i'm possible to conjecture
wherein the Trainer o: the bill or the
bon. Mr.. Berkeley has been grieved ss
TO ministerial conduct. It is said that
the latter never attends church, and
has nothing much to do with religion.
| he ought then to be a good arbiter in
settling secular differences between
scots. Perhaps the "thunders" from tho
pulpit have reached his ears, and
though winner in the race down the
gauntlet a short time ago the merolless
proddipg he received left upon his BODY
some dangerous wounds which NAV
give trouble hereafter.
But, though the bill itself may be re-
gsrded as fallacy-a practical Joke
and though 1t may be laughed downs and
lost sight of 1t. 1t bears with 1t PERM
cious and impudent principle and brings
to light and lsys bare we'll defined
scheme of irreligion. The church can
HOs AoAA ~ pEcCckV6 JQlS.
1ahdelity Is uessionably upon tina
rampage. Deism. atheism, total de-
| pravity and lawless elements of all
types and shades have by the simple
Introduction OF this bill In the Virginia
house OF delegates Haunted their dirty
skirts in the face Of principles dear to
the people OF this Commonwealth from
the beginning. Church members should
be on their guard. II they have princl..
pies upon which they have pledged 60
much they are certainly worth main.
tsining
am fully persuaded that nearly all
committees so cosmopolitan "a Roanoke
| have been insinuated upon by blatant
mouthers who are always ready to cry
down the church. But the church itself
needs no defence. Only It's members
should be warned from time to time of
breakers ahead These dangers are not
always in sleeps clothing. They are to.
day stalking the highway, defiant, self
willed and determined, augmented by
tho promptings of unholy influences,
their powers enhanced by fresh satanic
whisperings, and protected by a species
OF Chinese stinkpot, moulded, fashioned
and e]ected from shady places bursting
! and nauseating the whole community.
IL they could razs the sacred walls of
the church and pour contemp pit upon the
now much abused and self.sacriflcipe
ministers, load them with ignominy,
cast them In prison and Danish the
Gospel. they would be satisfied. Then
like the Commune of Paris and tho
Jscooin Clubin the time of the French
revolution, with prostitute seated
within the chanosl Of Notre Dame. they,
would doubtless say that at last the
truth had been proclaimed.
But the ministry will be protected and
their duties will be defined by higher
authority than the votsries of Justinian-
| lam and Jacobinism. The church will
be protected. The homes and fresides
of its people will be protected. The
Christian Sabbath will remain 20 the
end. American libes.y IS indissolubiy
entwined in that sacred institution and
In those hallowed principles. It is not
wholly the fault of politics. The De-
mocracy can never be blamed, because
| Democracy and religious freedom had
one and the same father. Democracy
and the Christian people of Virginia
have been going hand in hand. But the
| Christian people cannot bear TO see the
fair nest OF Democracy befouled by un-
clean birds. They must either vacate
the nest or clean 1t out. LAYMAN.
| Roanoke, Feb. 10, 1896.
Tho Committee on Asylums.
helegislstive com m ittee on asylums,
1 q