Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-10-27
FINE SERMON TO JUNIORS.
Rev. Mr. Garrison breaches to Them
on Christian Citizenship.

Rev. II. c. Garrison. OF Marshall-Street
! Christian church, preached special SER
mon Sunday morning before the Junior
order United American Mechanics. The
CONGREGATION was large and the discourse
was an exceptionally fine one. The text
was Render unto Caesar the things that
/ are Caesars. and unto God the things
that are Gods"
Mr.. Garrison said in part: 'The TRAN
| gular foundation Of our civil liberty and
national prosperity is the home, the Bible,
and the public school. Anything which
impairs tie sanctlty Of the home or in
terferes with the right TO study the Bible,
or Injuries our public schools. Is an evil
| deadly T. our highest interests The
order represented here to-day stands for
! the defence of the public school. and for
! the reading OF the Bible therein. Your
| order stands per-eminently FOR Christian
| citizenship. There are great perils
| threatening our country, great problems
| confronting us as citizens that demand
| ths highest type Of citizens 20 meet them
| bravely.
I'VE are suffering from the ravages Of
| the political spOiisman-the professional
pOlitician-the man who seeks Office for
! the emoluments thereof The political
| conscience too often considers anything
| right which succeeds. We need men Of
| deep political convictions, and who Will
not sacrifice convictions. and who will
not sacrifice them for the sake Of office.
| We suffer also from neglect Of civic
affairs on the part " many Of our best
citizens. Because Of the pressure Of pri-
/ vats business. or because they cay
! politics are so corrupt" many OF our best
| citizens leave the grave matters Of the
| making md executing Of our laws to those
utterly without political or moral qualld-
| cations Another danger threatening US
! is the vast horde Of unassimilated
! foreigners filling many Of our States
| We welcome every foreigner who wants
10 become an American citizen, but have
no place for the scum Of the Old World
VINO refuse 20 accept our institutions as
they find them, ana begin at once their
| criticisms and efforts TO overthrow.
'ro be a Christian citizen. / must first
! know what It means 10 be a Christian
Who is a Christian? The popular idea IL
! that q Christian Is one who helves In the
divinity of Christ. But simple belize
doesn't make a man anything To be
liove in your principles does not make a
man member OF your order. Belief is
valueless unless IL move TO action.
Christianity has too long been regarded
dt 2 system OF doctrines 10 De believed
as condition Of entrance into the eter-
raj kingdom. Religion IS life. Chris
tianty Is character Not every one who
believeth. but he that doeth the viii OF
God Is a disciple.
"A religion that does not go with a man
into his home and make him kind. tender.
faithful. is no religion" said Ar. Garrl-
son. IF It does not so with a man INTO
his business and make him honest in all
his dealings it is vslueless. Religion goes
with man to the polls and into prlma-
ries. or else II is q spurious article.
The Christian citizen obeys his countrys
laws. That / may consider a law unwise
does not justify my violating &c. SO long
as it is a law 1 am bound by It. 4 good
citizen seeks TO enforce laws. Silent
knowledge OF crime is consent 20 IT, and
makes one a party in it. Laws cannot
enforce themselves. they are only tools
in the hands Of officials. and need the aid
Of every citizen. lie also seeks 10 have
tho best laws enacted lie must interest
himself I'm civic affairs He must put
principles above party. He must be
patriot in me full sense-a lover Of his
country and lover Of mankind"