Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-09-29
POLITICS IN PULPIT.
mr. KERR TAKES STRONG GROUND
AGAINST THEIR DISCUSSION.
TOLD TO PREACH THE GOSPEL
r,ts T.. Cbrist's Commission to His
Ministers, and They should Not
Go on the Poiiticni Hastings
>o,.. About Other Church Services

on sunday night. at the First Presby-
! ,or,an church. DR.. Kerr, who returned
last week from his vacation in Canada,
Looking fresh and well, preached to
large congregation. on THE Pulpit and
| Politics"
Ills text was eco ye into an the world,
,,d nrcach the Gospel to every crea-
ture"-Mark xvi. Is. DIR. Kerr said in
mart. There are times OF great politi-
cal excitement. Perhaps only once be-
fore in the years just preceding the last
yreat war. has there been any such gene
raj discussion and bitterness among the
peopIe OF the United States. In the
midst Of it all We have this hope 10 rest
,,non. .eTbe Lord God Omnipotent
reigne,h." There Is just now a great
termination to ministers TO go aside from
the divlnely authorized functions of their
office and TO preach what are called
"political Sermons" Many pulpits have
succunnbed TO the temptation, and the
controversies OF the hastings have been
| dragged into the sacred affairs Of God.
PREACHERS HAVE no SUCH RIGHT.
/ II =
No preacher has a right to do this, be
cause it is not included in his commits
sion from Christ. who sent him to preach
| the Gospel" II a minister is TO preach
! politics. espouslng the cause OF a poll
/ teal party, his congregation, who called
him TO their pulpit. certainly have
| right TO say which party 1t shall be, and
a meeting OF his church ought 10 be sum-
noned to vote on what political princi-
pies and measures they wish advocated
In their pulpit. They called him to
preach the Gospel. according TO a certain
creed; If he IS to preach anything else
II certainly ought to be first passed upon
| by his congregation, and by the higher
| authorities Of his denomination. How
absurd it would be TO bring up such a
| question I'm a congregation as a church
/ court requires but a moments reflection
ON the part Of any candid mind.
From the standpoint Of religion there
are two great kingdoms on earth-the
] kingdom OF this world, and the kingdom
/ OF Heaven-which is the Church of the
| Living God. These two are entirely dis
| tinct I'm their organization, and Christ
| said. my kingdom IS not Of THE world
/ While distinct from the kingdom OF this
world the Church has TO do with all
human moralitles, and must teach In
dlviduals TO love and fear God, 10 accept
and serve Christ, and TO love one another.
! II must teach men to be honest, and
exhort them TO be true in all things, and
20 cast an honest ballot IN the fear OF
| God; but when IL comes TO telling men
| how they ought 10 vote. that - out OF
| the Church's province The Church hs 5
| no revelation and no orders from Christ
on that subject Does Christs command
10 preach the Gospel include politics?
/ No. We read constantly that Jesus
preached the Gospel. but in all his ut
terances we look in vain for a political
declaration When Christ, the head OF
| the Church. was visiby present among
men. he was asked 70 give an opinion on
a political question rs IL lawful to give
tribute TO Caesar or no." and he declined
/ 10 give direct answer. Instead.
thereof laying down great principle
| for human conduct. and said Render
unto Caesar the things that are Caesars
/ and unto God the things that are Gods"
| no POLITICS IL CHRIST'S PREACH
ING.
There was nothing political In Christ :
/ preaching, though his people and Church
! n
| the Roman Government Nor did the
apostles NEEDLE with politics, but the
| greatest Of them all said: Il determined
to know nothing among you. save Christ,
and Him cruched." As to our duty. We
must initiate tho example OF our blessed
| Lord and the holy apostles Christ H.
| king OF His Church and He gave COM
/ mand: go We into all the world and
| preach the Gospel to every creature"
| II is inconceivable that he should have
! forgotten 70 put in other things il ne
wished them preached also.
Does the word Gospel include poll
/ tics? No. Gospel means good news
| the good news OF salvation from sin,
death. ana hell by faith in the one
! divine crucined. and risen Saviour 1t
/ is impossible TO make 1t mean anything
else. and the preaching of tho apostles
| shows that this was their understanding
/ Of H. IL is intended that men shall have
/ one day Of rest from worldly conten-
I tons: that they shall come into the
| sanctuary OF God. and hear repentance,
faith. love. charity Gods love to men,
and the blood OF Christ the only way
| OF salvation. Here they are TO "rest
| under the shadow Of tn Almighty, and
this Is the best way to make men good
citizens, because 1t will make them good
Christians. The preacher holds a higher
position than any officer OF State. The
Apostle 10 the Gentiles says: Now,
then. we are ambassadors for God"
MISSION OF THE MINISTER.
The minister is clothed with authority
| from Heaven to proclaim an infallible
| Gospel and to call all men to accept
Christ as king. His mission is like his
Master's-to preach the gospel OF peace,
not to infame mems minds against one
another, but 10 point them continually
10 the empire Of peace. eternal i'm the
heavens, ever holding up the Cross be-
fore the eyes of SHINING. suffering hui
mainly
The best cure for bad politics is the
Gospel OF Christ. The future of our be-
| loved country is not unobscured by
clouds. The greatest danger lies in the
almost universal lack of reverence for
law and authority human and divine.
The only remedy for this and the only
| conservative power strong enough %
hold the diverse clements of our popula-
| ton together, IS the glorious Gospel. II
this nation shall ever drift into anarchy,
and then into despotism, as did France
It will be because the fear of God has
persisted from among our people.
The ministry Of Christ is the most dig
nified and honorable Of all professions.
who appoints the preacher? God. To
whom IS he responsible? God. With
what Is he principally concerned? The
spiritual and eternal interests of man.
kind Who are our predecessors? The
men whose names are the noblest in the
roster Of human glory-the great leaders
OF religious thought in the past. in recent
times. and in the period OF the Reforma.
ton. In the Dark Ages a line of glitter
ing stars cheered the night-Huss Wick
life, Savanarola, Augustine. Athanasius
In ancient times such august names as
Moses, David Solomon, Isaiah, Jere.